I am Hollywood

Chapter 40: The Leading Lady in his Heart



[Chapter 40: The Leading Lady in his Heart]

Eric nodded and turned to Jeff. "Jeff, I'm having a party at my place tonight and I thought I'd need a chef... and a server to help out. So I figured I'd come to you."

Hiring out chefs and waitstaff for parties had proven to be quite the lucrative business. After hearing Eric's request, Jeff replied happily, "No problem. I'll have Vanessa and Cindy go."

"Vanessa can handle the cooking just fine. As for the server, let's get this young lady. Miss Julia, does that work for you?"

Julia Roberts glanced hesitantly at Jeff before giving a slight nod.

With the details settled, Eric casually chatted with Jeff while jotting down the menu for the evening. Since he worked as a server at the restaurant, listing off a series of dish names came naturally to him.

Once he finished the menu, Jeff took a look and stood up to address Julia Roberts, who still stood beside him. "Julia, can you come over here and help me for a sec? Eric, just a moment, this won't take long."

Eric nodded.

Once in the kitchen, Julia noticed that Jeff handed the paperwork to a chef without intending for her to assist. Out of curiosity, she asked, "Mr. Jeff, what do you need me to do?"

Jeff looked Julia up and down, noting that besides her large smile and good figure, there wasn't anything that distinguished her too much. He became even more curious. "Julia, don't you know who Eric is?"

Julia stared blankly. "Mr. Jones, I'm certain I've never met him. I just moved to LA a few months ago."

Jeff wasn't in the mood for beating around the bush. "You must have heard of Home Alone, right? He's the young director behind that movie."

Julia's eyes widened at the mention, and she remembered seeing a picture of the young director in a newspaper recently. "You mean... that... that one."

During this time, in all of North America, if someone hadn't heard of Home Alone or that miraculous young director, well, they must have just returned from Mars or traveled to another dimension.

"Yep, that's him. When we were chatting, I casually mentioned you were an actress. At first, Eric just wanted to hire a chef, but then he decided to add a server and specified you."

Hearing this from Jeff, Julia covered her mouth, excitement bubbling up inside her. After nearly a year of auditioning, she faced countless rejections. No one understood better than she did how important just one opportunity was.

"So," Jeff patted her on the shoulder, "make the most of this, girl. I hear Eric is prepping to shoot his new film soon, and you might snag a role."

"Thank you for the heads-up, Mr. Jones."

Jeff waved dismissively, though he felt a bit selfish in his eagerness. Since Eric became famous, the tabloids had outed the fact he used to work in Jeff's restaurant. This made the place quite popular, boosting business significantly. If a well-known actress emerged from here, the restaurant's success could only skyrocket further.

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"Mr. Williams, can I ride with you in your car?" Julia asked just as Eric pulled out his keys to start the engine, expecting her to hop into the chef's van instead.

"Of course, Miss Julia, be my guest."

He casually glanced at the young woman slipping into the passenger seat, buckling her seatbelt. Julia had exchanged her restaurant uniform for a deep red jacket and light blue jeans, which hugged her legs perfectly, showcasing her long figure. At just 21 years old, while not conventionally stunning, she radiated a vibrant youthful energy.

"So you know who I am now?" Eric casually asked while gripping the steering wheel.

Caught off guard while she thought of how to break the ice, Julia instinctively nodded. "Yeah, Mr. Jones told me."

"That explains it." Eric chuckled lightly.

Julia curiously inquired, "Mr. Williams, explains what?"

"Miss Roberts, I'm paying you ten dollars an hour, yet your outfit looks like you're heading to a party, not to serve."

"Oh," she said, glancing at her attire. Upon hearing Jeff's words, she aimed to leave a good impression on the director, hastily changing outfits. "I... I'm sorry, Mr. Williams. I can go back and change."

Eric shook his head with a smile. "No need, you look just fine. I heard you have a movie which came out in October?"

Nervously, Julia replied, "Yes, it's called Mystic Pizza. It's about three girls who work in a bakery and their love stories with their boyfriends. It's already grossed over ten million dollars."

Even as Julia beamed slightly about the film's box office success, she couldn't help but be dampened by Eric's accomplishments. Though ten million was decent for a low-budget film like Mystic Pizza, it couldn't hold a candle to the blockbuster that was Home Alone.

"Ten million sounds good," Eric responded, showing little interest in the film. He merely knew it marked Matt Damon's debut. "Jeff mentioned you hadn't landed a role in a year. After this success, I'm sure someone would be wise to notice you."

Speaking of this issue stirred frustration in Julia. Ever since Mystic Pizza performed well, her previously indifferent agent had suddenly wanted to capitalize on her newfound potential, pushing for auditions. Yet Julia had kicked that same agent to the curb -- one who hadn't fought for her to land a single role in an entire year.

"Mr. Williams, I've heard... I've heard you're about to shoot your next film?"

"Right now, it's just a thought. No actors attached, no script yet."

Eric laughed lightly, pondering the coincidence that the leading lady of his former life showed up right before he aimed to start shooting Pretty Woman.

Whether or not to cast her was the dilemma.

His preferred leading lady was Sophie Marceau, a star who perfectly blended innocence and sensuality. At that moment, Eric couldn't conjure up another name that fit the bill.

But even though this French rose hadn't yet made her mark on the prestigious European film scene, and didn't boast much fame in North America, he had to at least try to make the offer. In the meantime, his reason for hiring Julia as a server was that he wanted an angle to bring her under his management. After all, she was the first female star to enter Hollywood's twenty million club, solidifying her status as a leading lady whose talent was undeniable. With these thoughts in mind, Eric asked, "Julia, are you with any agency right now?" Julia's heart leaped when she heard Eric's question. "No, I recently fired my agent. Currently, I'm managing my own affairs."

"That works out perfectly," Eric said. "How about joining my agency, Julia?"

After learning that Stuart Ronkel had signed with CAA from Barry Diller, Eric began entertaining the notion of starting his own agency. He didn't want the stars he helped rise to fame to end up benefiting someone else instead.

She assumed Eric was about to invite her to audition for the film; if that were the case, Julia would have jumped at the chance without hesitation.

However, it turned out he was inviting her to join his agency instead, making Julia a little wary. She was cautious not to join the wrong management and risk wasting another year or

longer.

"Mr. Williams, I'm not really considering that right now. My last agency didn't bring me any work for a whole year, forcing me to work in a restaurant just to make ends meet."

Eric reassured her. "You can trust me, Julia. I can guarantee you'll have at least two film roles arranged this coming year; we can even write it into the contract."

It seemed that the very film that might earn Julia an Oscar nomination, Steel Magnolia, was set to be shot by Columbia next year. Although his issue with Cohen Blount over contract disputes had soured relations a bit, recommending a female actress was still plausible. Columbia wasn't entirely monolithic; it was just about the exchange of interests. When it came to

bargaining chips, Eric had plenty.

Julia hesitated before answering, "Can I think it over, Mr. Williams?"

"Of course, take your time." Eric casually replied, then added, "Actually, the leading lady I'd like to invite for my next film is Sophie Marceau. If she declines, you'd still have a shot."

Julia clenched her hands that rested on her lap, pursing her lips tightly, clearly torn inside. With both her parents and brother in the industry, Julia understood exactly what landing the lead in Eric's next movie meant. The boy from Home Alone was now riding high. However, knowing her parents were in the business also meant she was all too aware of the deception that could plague the industry. Eric's previous words seemed more like a lure than a

solid promise.

If she let her excitement make her say yes, and Eric discarded that assurance, she'd be left regretting the decision without any way to turn back.

*****

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