King of Hollywood

Chapter 126: Chapter 126: Successfully Persuaded

“Hello, may I ask if you are…” The door was opened by a young woman, presumably in her early thirties, with brown hair and grayish-blue eyes. Despite her simple attire, she possessed an unmistakable charisma. However, upon seeing Adrian holding a child, she hesitated, and her following words trailed off.

“Hello, Ms. Thompson, I’m Adrian Cowell; we had an appointment today.” Adrian shifted Emma from his left to his right arm and then smiled.

“Um… yes, Mr. Cowell… Hello…” Ms. Thompson finally regained her composure and curiously examined him and the little girl in his arms before adding, “You seem to have been delayed.”

“Yes, I’m very sorry; there was a minor issue,” Adrian shrugged, “this child insisted on coming with me.”

Ms. Thompson’s curiosity deepened, but she gestured for them to come in: “Please, come in anyway.”

Passing through a hallway styled in traditional English decoration, Adrian and Ms. Thompson soon reached the living room. Two men were engaged in a conversation there but stood up as soon as they saw someone approaching.

“Let me introduce, this is Adrian Cowell, the youngest Palme d’Or winner who has captured the media’s attention recently,” Ms. Thompson first introduced Adrian to the gentlemen, then turned her head toward the man on the left with a square face, who appeared to be her age, “This is my husband, Kenneth Braner.”

Then she pointed to another man on the right, a very tall but thin man in his forties, “This is my agent, Paul Wilkinson, whom you’ve spoken to over the phone.”

“I’m very sorry for my tardiness,” he shook hands with both men, “I hope I haven’t kept you waiting too long.”

“No worries, there must be a reason for it,” Kenneth gave a glance at the little girl in Adrian’s arms and said understandingly, “Please take a seat, Mr. Cowell.”

“Thank you, please call me Adrian or Ed.” Adrian nodded, took a seat on the couch, and placed the little one beside himself.

“Do you remember our agreement, Emma?” he tapped affectionately on the little girl’s cute nose.

“I remember,” Emma pouted, sat up straight, and placed her hands flat on her lap.

“Emma?” Ms. Thompson immediately showed a surprised expression.

“Oh, yes, Ms. Emma Thompson, the little one shares your name,” Adrian chuckled as a thought struck him, “even spelled the same—it’s quite a coincidence.”

He was visiting none other than the British actress Emma Thompson, who had won the Best Actress at the 65th Oscar for “Howards End.” Just like working with Pacino in “Scent of a Woman,” Adrian used the “original cast” approach to nearly perfectly replicate the film, ensuring quality to fulfill his plans.

“Is she your… daughter?” Emma Thompson asked tentatively.

“No, she is… a friend’s daughter.” Adrian gestured, then turned back and tenderly patted Emma’s head. The little girl looked up at him and gave him a sweet smile, then snuggled closer to him.

The three adults exchanged a thought-provoking glance, then Ms. Thompson coughed and said, “Well, Adrian, let’s talk business; I’m curious, why did you invite me to act in ‘Howards End’?”

“Because in my view, you are the perfect choice.” Adrian shrugged, “Both your charisma and appearance are very suited for the role of Margaret.”

“Um… thank you.” Ms. Thompson smiled at the compliment, then realized she had asked the wrong question.

Seeing her slightly embarrassed, her agent Wilkinson took over the conversation, “If I may be so bold, Mr. Adrian, why did you want to bring the novel ‘Howards End’ to the big screen?”

“If we were to translate that,” it would be: “You, a director known for your cult style, how could you suddenly decide to make a film in the Victorian era English style? Are you sure you can manage such a movie? And how would you prove that you have the capability to do it well?”

They couldn’t help but think so much; if Adrian had only produced films more like “The Shawshank Redemption,” more drama-focused, perhaps Thompson would have readily agreed. But looking at his three, oh, now four films, most of them are full of swear words, brimming with violence and dark humor. The film that recently won the Palme d’Or took this style to the extreme. If it weren’t for his “The Shawshank Redemption” and his being the youngest Oscar nominee for Best Director, Thompson might think this was a joke.

The differences between the two styles are too vast to imagine, so facing his invitation, Thompson still had reservations, especially since she was now a well-known actress in the United Kingdom. Only those actors eager for fame, or those in a slump or wanting to change their type, would throw themselves into such experimental films without hesitation.

Of course, despite these doubts, they wouldn’t directly pose such questions, for that would be tantamount to tearing off the facade. In this circle, where connections and image are valued, everyone would avoid such behavior. However, as long as Adrian wasn’t foolish, he could hear the implication. If he genuinely meant it, he would naturally explain.

“This… how should I put this?” Adrian laughed, “Sorry, please give me a few minutes to think.”

After pausing for a couple of minutes, he spoke again, “You might know that my grandmother was British, and I spent a lot of time in London as a child. The cultural atmosphere of England—both the upper and lower classes—had a considerable impact on me. That’s why I chose to produce my debut work in the United Kingdom. Of course, I didn’t understand what all of this meant back then, even though I had read many of Mr. Forster’s novels during high school.

One day, I suddenly woke up—there has been plenty reported about this in the media, so I won’t elaborate. I started directing, wanting to express the countless images in my head through the camera. These ideas and feelings, which I had never experienced before, surged out forcefully, making me eager to fully depict them. Among them were Mr. Forster’s works. If ‘A Room with a View’ hadn’t been adapted into a film a few years back, I would have chosen that novel. Of course, ‘Howards End’ is also a brilliant novel, and after re-reading it once I woke up, I gained a deeper understanding so I promptly bought the adaptation rights.

But as you know, it’s not easy for a newcomer to adapt such well-known novels into films, so I chose to work on some low-budget movies first to hone my skills while accumulating experience. Fortunately, my efforts weren’t wasted, and they were recognized by many, so I believe I am now ready to start working on producing ‘Howards End,’ and I can absolutely handle and control this novel!”

Actually, convincing an actor is quite simple; first, praise what they value most, like acting or their native culture, then exaggerate about yourself, such as recounting some experiences and reflections. This is just like when actors always say this is their best film while promoting it. Of course, one must measure this degree well, striking a balance that pleases and surprises them without causing distaste.

However, what’s even more crucial is having the credentials to make such claims, like an Oscar nomination for Best Director or a Cannes Film Festival Palme d’Or. With these, though the method might be cliché, it undoubtedly works.

“I must admit, your speech is very compelling, Adrian,” Thompson said thoughtfully after a pause, as a renowned and talented actress in England, although somewhat moved, this did not mean she would agree right away, “But I heard that before this, you had already produced a more artistic film in collaboration with Al Pacino, yet you’ve kept it under wraps. May I know why?”

“This involves the intricacies of film promotion, especially the promotion of ‘Pulp Fiction,'” Adrian responded tactfully, “Although the media speculate that I was dissatisfied with the movie, considering it a failure, which is why it was shelved, I will tell everyone on a day later this year that they were wrong! I can’t say it will be my best work, but I can assure you, it’s the best performance from Al!”

Thompson fell silent, Bryan and Wilkinson did not speak either, while Adrian, with a smile, gently sipped his tea.

At that moment, although she sat properly, Emma, who had been restless, looking around, tugged at her clothes: “Ed, I need to go to the restroom.”

“Hmm…” Adrian looked somewhat troubled as he glanced at the little one, then at Thompson and Bryan.

“I’ll take her,” Bryan stood up immediately.

Emma, albeit reluctantly, followed Bryan after Adrian persuaded her.

Watching this, Thompson suddenly mentioned after the little girl had left, “She seems very attached to you.”

“I’m trying to reduce her dependency to a normal level,” Adrian sighed softly.

“Oh?” Thompson looked at him with interest.

“Do you remember the bus accident in London last year?” Adrian no longer hid, “Emma’s parents died that day, and I was at the scene…”

He tried to convey the entire matter in brief before the little girl returned. Although he simplified it, Thompson couldn’t help but widen her eyes. Seeing Emma, who had returned to Adrian’s side, interact gently with him, Thompson exchanged a look with her agent and spoke before Adrian could ask, “It seems like this might be a good choice.” (To be continued. For more information, please visit www.qidian.com. More chapters, support the author, support genuine reading!)