Chapter 27: Female Celebrities of Europe

"Put your résumé and photo back-to-back and staple all four corners."

Click, click, click, click. Ronald returned to Demi's apartment and told her to attach her résumé behind her audition photos, a common practice among professionals to avoid misplacement.

"And then what?" Demi asked Ronald after organizing everything.

"Then you can give it to your agent or directly to the casting director. If you need more in the future, just use these negatives to develop them again." Ronald handed Demi the photos and the remaining negatives. "The new Demi Moore."

"Actresses your age usually need to update their audition photos at least once a year. If you change your hairstyle, you'll need to update them too."

"Okay. I've got it all written down," Demi said.

"Then my mission today is complete. If there's nothing else, I'll pack my gear and head out," Ronald hinted.

"Oh, I almost forgot." Demi took out her wallet, pulled out a bundle of cash, and counted it. There were just over 40 yuan. "Ronald, I'm sorry. I agreed to pay you 50 yuan for the photography, but I only have 40 yuan now. I'll pay you the rest once I land more print ads."

"And Freddie?" 

"Oh, Ronald, Freddie doesn't really want me to become an actress. He thinks acting will make me vain, and I'll leave him one day. So I'll have to pay you myself."

Seeing only a few coins left in her wallet, Ronald softened and said, "Actually, there's another way, Demi."

"What can I do?"

Demi looked at Ronald expectantly, her voice a little hoarse.

"I need some photos of actresses to promote my photography studio. If you're willing to license your photos for advertising, I can waive your photography fees. You'd just need to cover the cost of the film and development."

As he spoke, Ronald pulled a stack of papers from his camera bag, took one out, and handed it to Demi.

Demi took it and read it. The document stated that someone had authorized Ronald Lee to use the photos, but only for display and advertising at the photography studio. They couldn't be used for commercial advertisements outside of the studio or in public spaces.

"Alright, I'll sign." Demi signed her name on the paper and handed Ronald the money for the film development.

"Thank you, Demi. You'll have a place in Hollywood," Ronald said, preparing to leave.

"Thank you, Ronald. You're a good man." Demi hugged Ronald in gratitude.

"Hey! Demi, I'm here. Where's Freddie?" came the cheerful voice of a woman from outside the door—the same person Demi had been talking to through the window earlier.

"Wow, Demi, is this your new boyfriend? He's handsome and looks like Superman. Are you going to be Superman's girlfriend, Lois?"

Ronald almost stumbled at her comment and quickly denied it.

"No, no, I'm not—"

"Just teasing you!" The visitor laughed softly, her voice as if she were whispering in your ear—unforgettable.

Demi went over to hug her. "You're back from China, Natasha?"

Ronald finally got a chance to see her. 

If Demi's face had a range of expressions suited for film, Natasha's was beyond that—a true masterpiece from the god of cinema. 

Her features carried the mystery of Golden Age Hollywood icon Greta Garbo, the sensuality of Italian star Sophia Loren, and a hint of Audrey Hepburn's innocence.

"My God, you should star in classics," Ronald blurted in admiration.

"But I'm only filming," Natasha replied.

"Natasha, this is Ronald, my photographer. I'll show you the photos he took of me," Demi said, smiling. "This is Nastassja Kinski. She's working on 'Tess' with director Roman Polanski."

"'Tess of the D'Urbervilles'?" Ronald asked, recognizing the masterpiece by British novelist Thomas Hardy. "Are you British, Natasha?" he added, imitating a BBC accent to sound familiar. If he could get her to endorse his audition studio, his rates could skyrocket.

"Ha! How's my Dorset accent? Pretty good for the role, right?" Natasha teased Demi.

Ronald sensed that Natasha wasn't interested in engaging with him, which was a shame. As the lead in a blockbuster, she likely already had a top photographer working with her. He signaled Demi and prepared to leave.

"Wait a minute, Ronald," Demi called after him. "Freddie said he wanted to discuss something with you." 

She turned around, grabbed two enlarged audition photos, and handed them to Natasha. "Look at these—they were taken by Ronald this morning."

Natasha glanced at Demi, then gave a thumbs-up. "These are great—better than the ones taken by the magazine photographer."

Demi pressed the advantage. "When you finish filming 'Tess,' you should come to Hollywood. Here, casting directors handpick actors, and few portrait photographers are better than Ronald." She shot Ronald a look, as if to say, "Help him get more business."

Ronald handed his business card to both Demi and Natasha.

Natasha studied the photos Ronald had taken. She looked at the photos, then at Demi, then back at the photos. After a moment, she asked, "How much do you charge for a set of audition photos?"

"A drama and a romantic comedy session cost $50 each, plus the black-and-white version, totaling $80." Ronald handed Natasha a price list. "But once I join the Directors Guild, my rates will go up."

"You're joining the Directors Guild?" Demi asked.

"Yeah, I worked as a second-unit director for Roger Corman at New World Productions on 'Rock and Roll High School.'"

Seeing the blank looks on both women's faces, Ronald shrugged. "Never mind, it's just a small $300,000 production."

Both women laughed together.

At that moment, Demi's boyfriend Freddie appeared. "Hey, Ronald, think you could take some audition photos of me?"

It turned out Freddie had just gone to change. He entered, wearing a red shirt. "Hi, Natasha! You're back?" he said, giving her a hug.

"I think that'd be no problem. The 'Rock and Roll' film I worked on invited the Ramones to participate. I believe musicians acting in films will become a trend. It's smart to prepare early," Ronald said.

"Alright, let's get started."

Since Freddie couldn't see well without his glasses, Ronald told him to wear them for the shoot. After all, Freddie would likely play himself in any movie, much like the Ramones.

While Freddie adjusted, Natasha and Demi chatted about Hollywood gossip. 

"I heard 'The Deer Hunter' was good. A lot of Oscar judges saw it when it premiered," Natasha said.

"Oh, the one with Robert De Niro? I heard about it last time I was in Hollywood. What do you think, Demi?"

"I didn't see it. It only ran in one theater in L.A. for seven days, and I didn't get a ticket."

"Too bad. Let's go watch it together when it's re-released," Natasha suggested.

"My agent received several scripts for me this time. Can you help me with them, Demi? I didn't have time to learn English while filming abroad, and I still can't read well."

Ronald chuckled to himself—some people were the exact opposite of him. He could read, but he wasn't great at speaking.

"How long will you stay this time? Until Christmas?" Demi asked.

"No, just a few days. I'll head back by New Year's. The cinematographer for 'Tess' passed away, and they're finding a replacement. The new director of photography gave me permission to come to the U.S. for a short break."

"Wow, how long will the filming take? I remember you started in August."

"Shooting will continue until March. You know, that little man is very demanding. Sometimes we shoot the same scene over and over for an entire day."

"Roger Corman could make ten films in eight months," Ronald thought to himself.

"By the way, you mentioned earlier that to become an actor, you need to study method acting. Where should I train?" Demi asked.

"The Actors Studio. The director says it's the best acting school."

End of Chapter