In the end, Monica Bellucci agreed to go for the audition. After all, such an opportunity was rare for her. If not for their shared Italian heritage, she might not have gotten this chance at all.
Hollywood was like that, full of various groups. The Italian group was just one of them, not particularly powerful compared to the Jewish community or even the Australian group.
Still, it had helped her land roles, like in “Bram Stoker’s Dracula.”
Unfortunately, as one of the vampire brides, the film’s success—grossing $82 million in North America and over $200 million worldwide—didn’t bring her much fame.
Sofia Coppola called Ryan and then headed to the studio with Monica Bellucci.
After about an hour, Sofia pushed open the office door with an expressionless face and invited Monica Bellucci inside.
As Monica walked in, Ryan’s eyes lit up. He couldn’t help but take in her appearance.
A typical Italian beauty, her long dark brown hair fell gracefully, highlighting an exquisite silver pendant, making her look very fashionable.
At 5’8″, she had a slender figure, a testament to her modeling background. She was undeniably beautiful and fit Ryan’s aesthetic perfectly.
Ryan couldn’t help but recall the movie “Malèna” and the image of its lead character.
Her sensual portrayal in the film was unforgettable.
Unfortunately, Monica Bellucci’s career hadn’t been very smooth. Her role in the commercial blockbuster “The Matrix Reloaded” didn’t lead to further success.
Meanwhile, Monica Bellucci looked curiously around the simple office, at the young director, and the beautiful woman present. It didn’t seem like the typical setup for a film crew.
But she wasn’t a newcomer and knew that many independent film crews operated like this.
Still, the director seemed unusually young. If Sofia hadn’t vouched for him, she might have left.
Ryan pulled his gaze away and pointed to a chair in front of him, saying, “Hello, Miss Bellucci, please have a seat.”
“Let me introduce myself. I’m Ryan Gosling. You can call me Ryan. I’m also the director and sole investor of ‘Saw.'”
“Hello, Director Ryan.”
“I’m Monica Bellucci. I’ve appeared in ‘The Apartment,’ ‘The Lover,’ and Francis Ford Coppola’s ‘Bram Stoker’s Dracula.'” Monica greeted him politely and briefly introduced herself.
At the same time, she felt a bit surprised. The sole investor?
Sofia had mentioned that the film’s budget might exceed a million dollars. Being able to invest such an amount alone was impressive.
Often, money spoke volumes.
Helen looked at the information in her hand, her eyes gleaming. Monica had a great appearance and some fame in the modeling world, clearly a potential talent.
The only downside was her age.
In Hollywood, a male actor’s career often started at thirty and improved with age.
Female actors, however, faced challenges like weight gain and aging after thirty, gradually seeing their careers decline.
“I’ve seen ‘Bram Stoker’s Dracula.’ Your performance was outstanding, or rather, quite stunning.” Ryan had indeed seen the film and remembered Monica Bellucci’s role vividly.
Undeniably, among Keanu and the three vampire brides, she was the most beautiful.
“I’m really looking forward to our collaboration.”
Given her experience, she was well-suited for the lead in a horror film. Ryan trusted his judgment.
At the very least, she could serve as an attractive presence on screen.
Don’t underestimate the difficulty of finding an attractive actress who can also act. Sometimes, it’s not that easy.
“I feel the same way.”
Monica Bellucci sat gracefully. Despite Ryan’s talk of collaboration, she showed no excitement, remaining calm as she asked, “Sofia mentioned your last film was unbelievable.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Can you tell me the name of the film?”
For Ryan, “The Blair Witch Project” was already in the past. For Hollywood insiders, keeping its details a secret indefinitely was impossible.
For instance, the Directors Guild had records of him as the director of “The Blair Witch Project.”
So Ryan didn’t keep it secret, calmly saying, “Of course. It was ‘The Blair Witch Project,’ a very boring film.”
What!
“The Blair Witch Project!”
Monica Bellucci stood up suddenly, slightly agape, looking shocked.
“Oh my God, I can’t believe it’s ‘The Blair Witch Project!'”
“The box office miracle of this summer.” Monica Bellucci found it hard to believe.
Ryan shrugged. “I don’t think anyone would pretend to be associated with it, given the amount of criticism it received.”
“Miss Bellucci, I can assure you that Ryan is not only the director of ‘The Blair Witch Project,’ but the promotional plan was also his creation,” Helen interjected.
“Just as Sofia said, it’s truly unbelievable.”
It took Monica Bellucci a while to calm down, feeling slightly embarrassed. “I apologize for my rudeness earlier.”
Facing a director whose film grossed over $100 million in North America and over $200 million worldwide, she struggled to remain calm.
She hesitated before asking, “Can I see the script for ‘Saw’?”
Ryan didn’t refuse, saying, “Of course.”
“Sofia, please give Miss Bellucci a copy of the script.”
Sofia Coppola stood up and retrieved a script from the file cabinet, handing it to her.
“Thank you,” Monica Bellucci said sincerely.
If not for Sofia’s persuasion, she might not have come for the audition and missed meeting a director of a film grossing over $200 million worldwide.
Monica Bellucci began reading the script seriously.
Having studied law at the University of Perugia, she was academically superior to many Hollywood actors.
She quickly noticed some issues. For instance, the female lead in the script felt more like a supporting role with limited screen time.
“Saw” seemed to be a male-dominated film with little emphasis on the female lead.
Despite this, she decided to accept the role. Facing a director whose film grossed over $200 million, she couldn’t bring herself to say “no.”
Moreover, associating with such a director, even without pay, would attract numerous Hollywood actresses.
“The script is great. Just a quick read gave me chills.”
“I hope we can start shooting soon.”
Monica Bellucci wasn’t exaggerating. She had starred in “Bram Stoker’s Dracula,” a horror film, and was familiar with the genre.
She knew that the key to a horror film was its ability to evoke fear. A film that didn’t scare the audience wouldn’t succeed.
In this regard, the director was exceptional.
“Thank you for the compliment.”
“By the way, did your agent come with you today?”
Ryan asked a crucial question. Often, actors agreed to roles but then reneged because of their agents.
Agents also negotiated terms like pay and conditions.
Monica Bellucci looked embarrassed. “I had a fight with my agent recently and haven’t told him about the audition.”
“But I can inform him later. I don’t think it will be a problem.”
Actually, Monica Bellucci had decided to return to Italy this year, leading to a fallout with her agent. They hadn’t been in contact for a while.
An actor about to leave Hollywood was of no value to an agent, so he wouldn’t care anymore.
“You can have your agent contact Sofia. She’ll discuss the terms and pay.” Ryan wouldn’t personally handle these negotiations.
Helen’s eyes gleamed as she noted the agent’s phone number, thinking it was worth a try.