I am Hollywood

Chapter 431: Chapter 432: Mischief



[Chapter 432: Mischief]

Eric handed over the script for Dumb and Dumber to TG Films. Other than some suggested notes he had attached, he didn't inquire further about the film's preparations until filming began. After the shoot commenced, Eric only managed to see a few rough cuts that Drew brought to the set at the Liberty City Mansion, and the original directors, the Farrelly brothers, were replaced by Keanu Reeves' breakout director, Stephen Herek. This change didn't significantly impact the film. Eric had decided to go with Stephen Herek after watching his movie, Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, which had a style very similar to Dumb and Dumber. When he entered the set with Drew, they were filming a scene where Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels, playing the characters Lloyd and Harry, discovered a suitcase full of cash and went on a spending spree. The original soundtrack for this scene was notably amusing, featuring the classic Pretty Woman, the music that accompanied the male lead taking Julia shopping in Pretty Woman. However, in Pretty Woman, Julia transformed from a Cinderella into a princess after being pampered, while in Dumb and Dumber, the protagonists' makeover just ended up looking ridiculous.

Eric and Drew quietly stood at the edge of the set, watching the filming. Moments later, he heard director Stephen Herek shout "GOOD!" Drew giggled and said to Eric, "You're fantastic! You stood here, and they've already shot the scene a bunch of times!"

"If the director hears that, he'll surely be heartbroken," Eric replied with a laugh.

"He can't compare himself to you. Even though his last film, Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, did quite well at the box office, the producers weren't initially planning on letting him direct the sequel. It was only because they heard we invited him to direct Dumb and Dumber that he got to keep that franchise alive."

Eric wasn't too interested in the gossip Drew was sharing about Hollywood. After the scene wrapped, an assistant approached Stephen Herek and whispered something in his ear. Stephen glanced over at Eric and quickly got up to greet him, announcing a break for the crew.

"Mr. Williams, it's great to see you," Stephen Herek said as he approached with a few of the film's lead actors.

Eric shook hands with the bespectacled man in his early thirties. Although Drew had sounded dismissive when she spoke of him, Eric knew that directing a movie at such a young age in Hollywood was quite a feat, indicative of real talent and potential.

After chatting briefly with Stephen Herek, Eric greeted the two male leads, Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels. Jeff, having starred in several films prior, was somewhat more well-known than Jim, making it easier for Eric to gather the original two leads. In Dumb and Dumber, Jim Carrey's outrageous performance overshadowed Jeff Daniels', which meant Jim carried the spotlight while Jeff continued to remain a steady presence, somewhat neutrally received.

Originally, Jim Carrey had chipped a front tooth accidentally, which added an unexpected classic flair to his character. Since he had completely embraced the script, Eric decided not to overlook this small but classic detail, and Jim's front tooth appeared to have a gap -- though it was cleverly covered with makeup.

Stephen Herek and Eric discussed some filming details, then they watched the recently shot footage together before the crew resumed working. Eric didn't disturb them; he continued standing outside with Drew, watching the performances unfold.

...

After a while, an assistant director approached them and said a few words to Drew. She nodded and then tugged at Eric, saying, "Eric, come with me. I want to show you something really cool."

"What is it?" Eric asked, a bit puzzled, but he followed her outside.

Once they stepped out, Eric spotted a double-decker bus parked on the roadside. A group of tall, stunning women began disembarking from the bus, all dressed in matching pink t-shirts and white high-waist jeans, most of them wearing sunglasses. The women were chattering excitedly among themselves and greeted the crew members with the kind of indifference one would expect from a bunch of prideful canaries.

"Is this the 'cool thing' you were talking about?" Eric pointed towards the group of women and asked Drew.

He noticed that the t-shirts they wore had "Elite" printed on them, which made it clear that these women were models from the famous Elite Model Management. Piece together the context of the script, Eric quickly figured out their purpose for being there.

He silently lamented the foolishness of the young girl. It would have sufficed to just find some attractive local actresses in Hollywood for a few ending shots. These women weren't even supermodels from Elite -- having them show up wouldn't create much buzz, but the expenses were undoubtedly high.

But Drew had a proud grin on her face, and upon seeing Eric's expression, quickly understood his thoughts and explained, "We didn't spend a dime! About a week ago, when I was flipping through a fashion magazine, I saw that Elite was holding some runway shows in Los Angeles. I contacted their head, and once they heard this movie was based on your script, they eagerly agreed to sponsor us. All we had to do was mention Elite's name in the last few lines of dialogue, and there's that bus with their logo."

Eric responded with a satisfied "uh-huh." Just then, the group of models walked closer, and the chatter quieted down as they noticed Eric and Drew. The models were aware of Eric due to the media frenzy surrounding him; his fame had eclipsed that of any other star in Hollywood, let alone his several billion-dollar fortune that made their eyes sparkle with interest.

Feeling dozens of unabashedly lingering gazes upon him made Eric uneasy. These alluring women should have been the target of hunting for many men, yet here, he felt like the prey. "Hello, Miss Barrymore," a striking model among them approached with an alluring smile, clearly the leader of the group, greeting Drew.

Drew and the model clasped hands, "Hi, Claudia. Where's Mr. McDonald?"

"He had a last-minute emergency in Milan, and he asked me to apologize on his behalf. But I think we sisters will be enough for the shoot, right?"

"Of course!" Drew nodded. Just as she was about to introduce Eric to the model named Claudia, she enthusiastically extended her hand toward Eric. "Mr. Williams, I'm so thrilled to meet you! I'm Claudia Schiffer."

Eric vaguely recalled the name -- she must have been one of the supermodels from his previous life. However, looking at the still somewhat young model, he guessed she had just started her journey in the industry. He smiled and shook her hand lightly, "Hello, Miss Schiffer! It's an honor to meet you too."

Claudia smiled back, the corners of her mouth lifting in a unique way. Taking a small step closer, she said, "Mr. Williams, just call me Claudia."

"All right, Claudia," Eric said, taking a slight step back, feeling a bit overwhelmed by her unabashed interest.

"I heard this script was written by you personally, Mr. Williams. My sisters and I have been anticipating it for days! By the way, I've seen many of your films. Those scenes with Cruise and Hanks in Running Out of Time were stunning! Mr. Williams, do you think Andy really dies in

the end?"

With Claudia inching closer, Eric had no choice but to step back a bit more. "Well, let's leave a little suspense for everyone. You must have heard, Columbia has already started on the sequel to the movie, and Cruise will be back."

"It's a shame you won't be directing the sequel. That just makes it less appealing," Claudia Schiffer said with a look of regret.

"Definitely not," Eric replied, glancing over at Drew, who was enjoying his teasing, and shot her a mildly reproachful glare before continuing to address the models behind Claudia. "All right, how about you ladies head back to the set and take a break? It's not too hot now, but standing under the sun could easily lead to sunburn."

The models were already rather disgruntled with Claudia monopolizing Eric's attention. Yet, they were cautious not to create awkwardness for him and maintained a somewhat reserved demeanor. Upon hearing Eric's suggestion, they rushed toward him, encircling him without hesitation. A few even discreetly nudged Claudia outside of the circle, leading Eric, surrounded by the fragrant scent of beauty, towards the set.

Drew watched the scene unfold and didn't mind in the least, simply shrugging her small shoulders and following along.

...

Once inside the set, Eric turned the group of beautiful women over to an assistant director, giving them direction. Afterward, he found a spot near a resting trailer by the crew and sat

down to collect his thoughts.

"So, did you find anyone interesting?" Drew said, squatting down by Eric's knees with a beaming smile after the ladies left.

"Interesting in what way?"

Drew made a dismissive face, "I mean, who are you interested in? I can send her over

tonight."

Eric playfully tapped her on the head; it had been a while since he'd done such a thing, so he fumbled a bit. But Drew's reaction was the same, letting out a whine as she rubbed her

forehead. "I'm a big girl now! No more head tapping!"

"I'm curious about when you plan on shifting to the business of matchmaking," he retorted.

"Geez, such is the price of being nice," Drew grumbled, then glanced at the women not too far away. "They're just a bunch of pretty faces, meant for fun. Hey, what about Claudia? She's tall and blonde, with luscious lips -- fits your taste perfectly."

"That sounds oddly strange," Eric chuckled. "Your phrasing reminds me of something I've heard before -- oh, at the farmer's market. Those vendors always use phrases like that to describe their vegetables. 'Look at my fresh cabbage, so crisp and just picked!""

Drew laughed but replied, "Well, it is exactly like that."

"All right, cut out the nonsense," Eric said, patting her head again. "Besides, did you see how they looked at me just now? I feel like I'm the one being hunted."

Drew giggled, followed by an exaggerated "Oh!" with her eyes rolling before turning back towards the women, considering her options. "Hmm, Claudia Schiffer is nice. I'll choose her!" Eric had no idea what was going on in Drew's mind. He stood up, saying, "Well, if there's nothing else, I'm off. I need to swing by the Firefly headquarters again." Drew waved her hand absently, without paying much attention, "Go on, go on."

Eric playfully pinched her cheek, enduring her protests as he let go, and after saying goodbye

to the director and the others, he left.

...

In the afternoon, at the Firefly headquarters, he discussed the progress of the Disney acquisition with the acquisition team. After work, Eric drove to pick up Famke Janssen. The

two then headed to Sunset Boulevard for dinner before driving back to his Malibu villa.

As they drove into the villa, the guard at the entrance recognized Eric and recalled Drew's previous instructions, so he ultimately said nothing. After all, it wasn't his business, and getting on the bad side of that little dynamo could mean losing his job.

After parking the car, Eric took Famke's hand and showed her around the estate before

returning to the villa.

"What have you been drawing lately?" Famke asked as they reached the small living room, picking up a sketchbook resting on the coffee table and casually flipping through it. Eric poured coffee for them, glanced back, and said, "Just doodles."

"Is that a playing card?" Famke asked, holding up a drawing after Eric sat down next to her.

Eric frowned slightly, "How is a heart a playing card? Didn't you notice the surrounding

patterns?"

"What's this then?"

Eric opened his mouth, paused, and ultimately didn't hide it, replying honestly, "A ring, a

design for a ring."

Famke seemed taken aback, a mix of apprehension and excitement in her gaze. "You mean an

engagement ring?"

Eric nodded.

*****

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