Chapter 261: Casting for the Film

[Chapter 261: Casting for the Film]

After two days of reviewing male actors' profiles, Link decided to reach out to Tom Hanks for the role of Dr. Malcolm Crowe in The Sixth Sense.

The Sixth Sense centered around a psychologist named Malcolm Crowe who encountered a young boy claiming to see the spirits of the dead. Burdened by this unique ability, the boy became reclusive and developed various psychological issues. With Dr. Malcolm Crowe's help, the boy gradually accepted his differences, leading to an astonishing revelation for Malcolm Crowe.

The actor portraying Dr. Malcolm Crowe needed to meet certain criteria: he had to be between 35 and 45 years old, a top-tier actor with strong box office appeal, exceptional acting skills, a pleasant demeanor, and an overall kind appearance.

There were not many actors who fit these qualifications, including Tom Hanks, Bruce Willis, Al Pacino, Sean Penn, Dustin Hoffman, Mel Gibson, and Robin Williams. Bruce Willis appeared to be a suitable choice; however, he was currently tied up shooting Die Hard with a Vengeance and couldn't find the time.

Link sifted through other options and decided to make Tom Hanks the top candidate. Hanks had a friendly appearance, outstanding acting ability, and gained tremendous popularity over the summer with Forrest Gump, making him a more cost-effective option.

However, Tom Hanks was an important client of CAA and known to be picky about scripts, so persuading him wouldn't be easy.

...

Link called Jay Moloney to inquire about Hanks's schedule to see if he'd be available at year-end for a new film that would take about three months to shoot.

The reason for targeting year-end was that the story's setting took place in autumn and winter, making it more suitable to film at that time.

Jay Moloney mentioned he would reach out to Tom Hanks and also shared some news: CAA's Vice President, Ron Meyer, was leaving to take the presidency at Universal Pictures and asked if Link had heard any rumors.

Link was aware of the chatter regarding this transition. The primary reason for Universal's change in leadership was Panasonic's decision to sell the company. In 1989, Panasonic had acquired MCA, Universal Pictures' parent company, for $6.1 billion. However, due to significant cultural differences, Universal's performance declined under Panasonic's management, especially after the rise of Guess Pictures.

To prevent further losses, Panasonic sold Universal to Canadian brewing giant Seagram in August. With the change in ownership, the presidency was vacant, leading to extensive media speculation around the appointment, which ultimately pointed to Ron Meyer.

Considering Meyer's departure, the VP position would soon be open at CAA. Link asked Jay Moloney if there might be a chance for him to be promoted to VP.

Jay Moloney indicated there was a slight possibility, but it was slim since CAA had been established for over twenty years, and some individuals had more seniority. Link encouraged him to pursue it actively, offering his assistance, as he was eager to see Maloney advance and looked forward to more collaboration.

...

After the call, Link gathered Daniel DeVito and others for a meeting to propose filming The Sixth Sense first. According to Richard Fox's report, Warner Bros. still needed two weeks to complete the preliminary budget, planning to allocate the initial production funds for the Batman project to the project account before November.

Once funding was secured in November, casting, actor training, set creation, and prop and costume design would take about two months, with holidays around Christmas. If everything went smoothly, shooting could begin around February or March of the following year.

The timeline allowed enough room to complete The Sixth Sense before starting on the other project. He informed Daniel DeVito and the others that the project for The Sixth Sense was officially launching, and he would handle casting the leads while the production department would select the remaining actors.

The most crucial role was the young boy, Cole, who needed to be between eight and twelve years old, good-looking, and interested in acting, exuding a mature charm. Finding such a young actor wouldn't be easy, so they needed to hold auditions gradually.

Daniel DeVito understood the plan. After finalizing the project details, Link put down the materials and stood to stretch his legs and back.

...

Ding-a-ling!

The phone on his desk rang, and he shook his head at the caller ID. Ever since he had allowed Nicole Kidman to call him regularly, she seemed to reach out almost daily to chat about life, work, and her troubled marriage with Tom Cruise. He found himself talking to her even more than he did with Winona Ryder.

When he had the time, he found these chats to be a pleasant distraction.

"Nicole, what's on your mind today?" he asked as he leaned back in his office chair, grabbing a pen to continue revising the screenplay for The Sixth Sense.

"Link, I dreamt about you last night!" Nicole Kidman exclaimed excitedly.

"Really?"

"I swear it's true! I dreamt that you held me tightly and kissed me, and your warm breath made me tremble. I couldn't even remember to breathe."

"That sounds like a lovely dream," Link chuckled.

"Yes, it was a wonderful dream! We were together so intimately, but when I woke up, I found only myself in bed. It left me feeling so empty, and I thought, 'What if you were really here, Link? I think I'm falling for you. Would you think that's silly?'"

"Well, a little bit, considering you are Mrs. Tom Cruise."

"I don't want to be Mrs. Cruise anymore. Honestly, I've considered divorcing him, but he won't let me go. The court hasn't supported it, either. In reality, we've been sleeping in separate rooms for six months now, and no intimacy. Link, do you have time today? I'd like to see you."

Nicole Kidman's tone was almost pleading.

Link remained unmoved.

After achieving fame, he often encountered beautiful women dressed to impress, seeking the attention of the rumored "playboy" he was said to be, hoping to become stars like Monica Bellucci, Renee Zellweger, or Jennifer Connelly. But he wasn't the kind of man who was desperate; the women he truly admired were few and far between.

Nicole Kidman, while attractive, also came with her share of complications. He held a respectable status, surrounded by numerous beautiful women, many younger and just as stunning as Nicole. There was no need to risk pursuing such a commonplace temptation.

"Nicole, that wouldn't be appropriate."

"Link, I understand what you mean. We could meet quietly, anywhere you want. I'll follow your lead, okay?"

Nicole's breath accelerated, her voice trembling slightly. Even though Link sat calmly, ripples stirred within him, but they dissipated quickly.

He also became cautiously aware. Initially, he assumed Nicole Kidman was interested in the role in the Batman sequel.

Now, it seemed much more complicated. Nicole Kidman was a prominent star in Hollywood, having been voted the "Sexiest Star" by People magazine in 1992, and was renowned as Tom Cruise's wife and a key client at CAA.

In Hollywood, she had ample resources and connections and had played lead roles in five major productions since 1990. While many actresses would view the role in the Batman sequel as a significant opportunity, it held little value for her.

There was no reason for her to tempt him in this manner.

If not for the role, her interest was likely in him personally. Link was aware of his considerable allure -- wealth, status, fame, and talent all made him irresistibly attractive to women.

But Nicole Kidman wasn't the kind of naive woman who would abandon her identity as Mrs. Tom Cruise to chase after something so intangible. There was likely more complexity he hadn't grasped.

"Nicole, I can't today. I have work to finish; let's plan for another day."

Link hung up the phone and glanced at his watch, signaling to Lily to head home for the day. With Monica Bellucci and Jennifer Connelly around, along with Lily, he was surrounded by three stunning women. Not only were they beautiful and elegant, but they were also incredibly considerate.

He figured it was much better to spend time at home with them than to date a woman whose intentions seemed unclear outside.

*****

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