Ahem.
Edgar suddenly felt a tickle in his throat. He quickly took a big sip of water. Rather than discussing the paparazzi, it was better to—
"So, what exactly did you say to Charlie Kaufman at the award ceremony?"
Sure enough, this change in topic successfully diverted Anson's attention, and he didn't continue asking about the paparazzi. "We didn't talk about much. Just dreams, dieting, desires—some trivial topics."
Edgar: ...
"Excuse me, sir, are you sure? These topics are just casual, small talk?"
Anson shrugged lightly. "Hey, they're only deep if you think they are."
Edgar raised his hands in surrender. "Alright, I'll let it go. But that's not the point. Whatever you said to Charlie, you convinced him."
Anson didn't hide his surprise. "That simple?"
Edgar nodded. "I was surprised too. There was no audition, and everything just fell into place."
"I heard that Charlie Kaufman is very satisfied with you. He changed his mind and no longer insists on having Nicolas Cage as the lead. Instead, he's sided with Focus Features."
"He thinks you're perfect for the role. In fact, you bring a fresh take to the character. You can make people believe that even someone as handsome as you could suffer from heartbreak, breakups, or even become a mess."
Anson: ???
He almost choked on his drink.
Edgar reaffirmed, "You heard me right. That's exactly what he said. You really didn't discuss anything related at the award ceremony?"
Anson thought about it. An answer flashed in his mind, but he didn't say much because it involved Charlie Kaufman's dreams and personal privacy, which he didn't think should be casually shared. "I guess Cameron Diaz must have put in a good word for me."
Edgar thought about it seriously and quickly understood—
At the awards, Anson and Cameron sat next to each other. It seemed likely that Cameron had praised Anson in front of Charlie.
After all, Cameron starred in "Being John Malkovich," which Charlie wrote.
Not only did she act in it, but for the sake of the movie, Cameron was even asked to be locked in a cage with a gorilla.
This clearly crossed the line. Cameron is now a top Hollywood star, and if she had refused, that scene would have never happened. But after deep conversations with Charlie and director Spike Jonze, Cameron agreed to the idea.
Both Spike Jonze and Charlie Kaufman owe her a favor for that.
Cameron, being the straightforward person she is, never saw it as a favor. She agreed, so in her mind, it was just part of the job. She never planned to cash in on that favor.
Because of this, Cameron became close friends with Spike and Charlie.
No matter what Cameron said to Charlie, as long as it was positive, it could have made an impact.
Thinking about it this way, the current situation makes sense.
Anson had already left a good impression on Charlie, and with Cameron's influence, things naturally fell into place.
Besides, this is only the negotiation phase. There are still variables, and Charlie hasn't explicitly insisted that "Anson is the only choice." He's merely expressed his interest to Focus Features.
After a brief pause, Edgar continued, "But director Michel Gondry hasn't made up his mind yet."
This time, there was no hesitation.
"Focus Features is asking about your availability and your rate. If everything works out, there shouldn't be an issue with moving forward."
"I've done some research."
"Nicolas Cage, like for 'Adaptation,' is asking for $5 million. Also, his schedule is pretty tight."
"The success of 'Adaptation' proves that Nicolas still has clout in the indie film scene. It's not about the box office, but about catching the attention of the Academy. So many indie projects hoping to enter awards season are vying for his involvement, but his schedule is full for the near future."
"If Charlie insists on using Nicolas, the production won't be able to start right away."
Edgar took a deep breath, glanced at Anson to see if he had anything to say, and then continued.
"On the other hand, Jim Carrey's schedule is wide open."
"He's very eager and willing to clear his calendar for this project. As soon as the shooting dates are confirmed, he can join the crew immediately."
"This kind of dedication is why Michel Gondry finds it so hard to pass on Jim Carrey. In his eyes, having a star of Jim's caliber so willing to cooperate with the production is an opportunity they can't miss. Plus, Gondry already thinks Jim is a perfect fit for the role."
Edgar glanced at Anson again but noticed he remained calm and composed, just as always. It seemed like Anson had been telling the truth—recent events were having an impact, but it wasn't anything to worry about.
Anson noticed Edgar's pause. "But?"
Edgar snapped back to attention and continued without explaining further. "But when it comes to salary, Jim Carrey's side is very firm."
This time, it was Anson who looked surprised—
How much could an actor demand for an indie, art-house film? No matter what, the budget limits are clear.
Edgar: "Twenty million dollars."
Anson: "What?"
Even Anson couldn't hide his shock.
Edgar was pleased with Anson's reaction and smiled. "You heard me. Twenty million dollars."
Anson made a strange face. "What's the production budget from Focus Features?"
Edgar: "It's still under negotiation. But Focus Features agreed to put up the money, which is one of the reasons they convinced Charlie Kaufman. Still, for a project like this, the production cost can't be too outrageous. Focus thinks $20 million is a reasonable number."
Anson wasn't surprised because that's typical for indie films.
To be fair, for a movie like "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," a $20 million budget is generous, especially since the film requires special effects.
For comparison, "Being John Malkovich" cost $13 million to make, while "Adaptation" cost $17 million.
In major productions, $3 or $4 million might not seem like much, but in small-budget indie films, it's significant.
For "Adaptation," Nicolas Cage alone took $5 million, while Meryl Streep, because she loved the script, accepted a pay cut. That's how they managed to get two A-list stars.
From "Adaptation" to "Eternal Sunshine," the budget increased to $20 million, showing that Focus Features was serious.
And let's not forget that Focus is backed by Universal Pictures, the "cost-control experts," making that number even more impressive.
However, Jim Carrey was asking for the entire production budget?
And the craziest part—
Anson looked at Edgar. "Even so, the director still thinks Jim Carrey is the best choice?"