Watching Sofia escort Monica Bellucci out, Helen adjusted her gold-rimmed glasses and said, “A very good choice.”
Helen’s little schemes did not escape Ryan’s notice. An actor who was about to return to Italy and had a strained relationship with her agent would be an easy target for Helen’s tactics.
“Indeed, she is quite good.”
“Unfortunately, the female lead’s screen time is limited, so the male lead is more crucial.”
“Helen, do you have any recommendations for the male lead?” Ryan asked, shifting the conversation.
Helen glanced at the work record on the desk and said, “Didn’t Sofia already arrange for male actor auditions?”
Ryan shook his head, “Yes, Sofia arranged the auditions, but I’m not very satisfied with the candidates.”
The actors Sofia had arranged for the auditions were from the agency and the Screen Actors Guild, but none of them impressed Ryan.
The female lead could be a pretty face, but the male lead needed to have solid acting skills.
“The suitable candidates I could recommend are all on the audition list,” Helen said, looking at the door to make sure Sofia hadn’t returned yet. “You should ask Sofia, not me.”
Before Ryan could respond, she continued, “The Coppola family isn’t just made up of directors.”
“You mean Nicolas Cage, Sofia’s cousin?” Ryan immediately caught on.
“Alright, it’s lunchtime. You can talk to Sofia after lunch.” With that, Helen stood up and walked out.
Compared to Nicolas Cage, she had more pressing matters to attend to.
“Nicolas Cage could be a good choice,” Ryan muttered to himself.
After lunch, Ryan called Sofia into the office to discuss Nicolas Cage.
“I heard Nicolas Cage is your cousin?” Ryan asked, already knowing the answer.
Sofia Coppola frowned. She had learned over the past few days that Ryan never asked random questions unless they were related to the film.
“Are you asking me to send him an audition invitation?”
“I advise you not to waste your time. He won’t take a role in a horror film.”
“Besides, his fee will definitely exceed your budget.”
Since “Wild at Heart” won the Palme d’Or at the 43rd Cannes Film Festival, Nicolas Cage had gained some fame and didn’t lack scripts. His fees had risen accordingly.
“I just want you to send him an audition invitation. I’ll handle convincing him and the budget.”
“As a cousin, he won’t refuse an invitation from you.” Ryan half-joked.
Even in American society, connections mattered. Nicolas Cage was part of the Coppola family, and being Coppola’s nephew, he had received support from Coppola, like in the film “Rumble Fish.”
Even in the future, when Nicolas Cage had become box office poison, he still received support from the already successful Sofia.
Their relationship had always been good.
Sofia couldn’t believe her ears. He wanted to use her to send an audition invitation!
But she agreed. It was just an invitation, after all.
“Alright, I’ll try, but I can’t guarantee he’ll accept. As for the fee, I can’t do anything, even though he’s my cousin.”
Personal connections were personal, but work was work. While the two could mix sometimes, when it came to money, it had to be handled professionally.
In Hollywood, it was rare for actors to take pay cuts unless it was for an art film aimed at winning awards.
Sofia sent her cousin an audition invitation and personally called him.
When Nicolas Cage received the call, he was speechless. He had merely helped Monica get in touch with Sofia, and now he had received an audition invitation!
But he couldn’t refuse. Regardless of the script, he had to find time for the audition.
As Ryan had guessed, Nicolas Cage and Sofia had a good relationship, and Sofia’s father had often supported him, so he couldn’t refuse.
“Sofia called?” Nicolas Cage’s agent asked, slightly surprised as he walked in.
“Yes, she sent me an audition invitation, which I accepted. It seems to be for a horror film.” Nicolas Cage didn’t hide anything.
“If it’s an invitation from Sofia, you should go. If the script is suitable, you can accept it.”
His agent saw it as an opportunity to strengthen ties with the Coppola family.
Nicolas Cage was indeed part of the Coppola family but only as Coppola’s nephew, not as close as Sofia.
Coppola’s last film, “Bram Stoker’s Dracula,” had grossed over $200 million worldwide, a staggering number.
Cage might have reservations about a horror film, but his agent had none. “Bram Stoker’s Dracula” was also a horror film and a huge success.
Nicolas Cage didn’t say much more, thinking it might be nice to work with Monica Bellucci.
The next morning, Ryan had Sofia reschedule the other auditions for the following afternoon.
The reason was simple: Nicolas Cage was coming for an audition.
Around 9 AM, Nicolas Cage arrived at the office.
This younger version of Nicolas Cage, though already 30, looked very young and not as mature and charismatic as in later years.
His appearance wasn’t particularly outstanding in Hollywood, but it was memorable—he was unmistakably Nicolas Cage.
Even without the charm accumulated over time, he was still impressive and fit the role in “Saw.”
The only potential issue was his fee.
Nicolas Cage put down the script and looked at the expressionless Sofia, saying, “An interesting script.”
“It’s not as beautiful and elegant as ‘Bram Stoker’s Dracula,’ but it’s full of horror. Just closing my eyes, I can see countless bloody scenes.”
“But I don’t understand why Sofia would be interested in a horror script!”
He knew Sofia well, a typical art-house girl, not someone who would work as an assistant to a horror director.
With the Coppola family’s connections and status in the indie film world, Sofia could join any crew.
Even big-budget commercial films wouldn’t be difficult.
“Why can’t I be interested?”
“Just because it’s a horror film?”
Sofia retorted, “The ultimate goal of art is always commercial. I’m just getting familiar with it in advance.”
She had seen through art films early on. No art film director didn’t want their work to be a box office hit.
Including her father, all directors pursued more profits and fame.
“Sofia, you haven’t changed.”
Nicolas Cage rolled his eyes, not wanting to argue with an art-house girl.
In his eyes, Sofia was an art-house girl, even a problematic one.
Otherwise, she wouldn’t have ended her acting career in anger over a Razzie Award and media ridicule just as she was gaining fame in Hollywood.
“Director Ryan, I’m very interested in the role. You can have Sofia talk to my agent about the details.”
With that, Nicolas Cage closed the script and glanced at Sofia, saying, “I look forward to working with you.”
Clearly, this was addressed to Sofia, not Ryan.
Ryan was surprised by how easy it was. He was somewhat shocked.
Given the same conditions, any director would prefer to work with a reliable actor, and Ryan was no different.
In reality, Ryan didn’t know that Nicolas Cage wasn’t having as smooth a career as he and Sofia imagined.
“Wild at Heart” won the Palme d’Or at the 1990 Cannes Film Festival. As the lead, Nicolas Cage was on the brink of stardom.
However, the reality wasn’t as promising. At the film’s premiere, 300 out of 350 audience members left.
The film’s market response wasn’t great, with mixed reviews from critics and audiences.
In the following years, Cage mostly starred in low-budget productions.
The only significant film, “Honeymoon in Vegas,” earned him a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy.
However, the film’s box office didn’t do well. With a budget of $25 million, it grossed only $7.1 million in North America and $35 million worldwide.
Recouping the investment would take time and was uncertain.
The March release “Guarding Tess” was another disappointment. With a budget of $20 million, it grossed $7 million in North America and only $27 million worldwide.
Despite revenue from VHS and TV rights, recouping the investment was still difficult.
So facing a lead role, even in a low-budget horror film, he couldn’t refuse easily.
Especially with the success of “Bram Stoker’s Dracula” and Sofia’s invitation.
Based on previous experience, such a small indie film wouldn’t take long to shoot.
Following his career path, two films he starred in this year, “It Could Happen to You” and “Trapped in Paradise,” didn’t do well.
“It Could Happen to You” grossed $8.1 million in North America and $37 million worldwide, with a budget of $20 million, barely breaking even.
“Trapped in Paradise” grossed only $2 million in North America and $6 million worldwide.
Next year, he would star in the low-budget film “Leaving Las Vegas,” lowering his fee to join the cast and winning the Best Actor Oscar, becoming an Oscar winner.
With a budget of $4 million, the film grossed $49.8 million worldwide, making a fortune for the production company.
Then he would rise to fame and transition into an action star.