Chapter 323: Various Means

In Hollywood, the competitors of actors are not only people from other agency companies but also those so-called colleagues in the same agency company.

This point is actually about the same worldwide. For example, the signed female stars of Huayi in China, although they are "sisters" of the same company, will never be soft when tearing each other apart.

There are only so many resources. If you don't tear or play some means, how can you get resources?

William Mo Lisi Agency (WMA) is one of the oldest agency companies in the United States, established in 1898, with its headquarters in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, famous for representing film and television superstars and industry innovation.

Although it has been squeezed hard by CAA in recent years and dug away quite a few big names, it is still a former king, and the signed stars under its banner are still very many.

Natalie Portman's career has been tied to the William Mo Lisi Agency for a long time. When she became famous at the age of 13 because of *Léon: The Professional*, she was already represented by WMA.

The company helped her subsequent cooperation with directors like Luc Besson and Mike Nichols through strict resource integration.

One could say that Natalie Portman's path to fame was completely planned by the William Mo Lisi Agency. She is the company's own person.

Even if the company is dissatisfied with her mother Shelley Stevens intervening in her agency affairs, no matter what, for the company, Natalie Portman is considered the company's "own daughter."

Compared to Natalie Portman, Eva Green, born in Paris, France, is considered a female star with a relatively obvious upward momentum in the past two years.

It's just that Eva Green is not the company's direct line. She signed with the William Mo Lisi Agency only after coming to Hollywood to develop.

The company is actually a bit troubled by the development routes of the two, because both are from literary coffee backgrounds and both want to achieve something in the field of literary films.

But if they do this, the development routes of the two will overlap.

Therefore, for Eva Green, the William Mo Lisi Agency and the agent team formulated a new development route: take the sexy route and take on commercial blockbusters.

To put it bluntly, it is to give up development in the literary field and take the vase

For those in the artsy crowd, most have an obsession with winning an award to prove themselves.

Therefore, Eva Green was dissatisfied with the path her agency had carved out for her.

She had complained to her agent more than once that if things continued this way, the whole world would treat her as a sexy vase and forget that she was once an artsy actress who also had pursuits.

After taking the role in "007: Casino Royale" and becoming the new "Bond Girl," her agent was very happy, thinking the artist they managed was very likely about to become a hit.

But Eva Green wasn't too excited; she knew that once she was branded with the "Bond Girl" label, she would never be able to shake off the "sexy vase" image.

For a French actress with aspirations to develop in the field of art films, this was a very sad thing.

Just imagine, which director would look for an actress labeled "sexy" to star in an art film?

Just like Charlize Theron, who, in order to shed the "vase" label, didn't hesitate to ruin her own image, dressing up ugly to play a perverted female serial killer.

Eva Green asked herself if she could learn from Charlize Theron, and she was certain she didn't have that much determination—ruining one's image, especially dressing ugly, wasn't something every actress could do, and it was very hard to achieve.

Eva Green was already prepared to give up, and then, to her surprise, an opportunity fell from the sky.

The great director Cao Yang, famous worldwide for his art films, sent her an audition notice.

Although the film for the audition was a remake, a movie adapted from an adventure ride, it didn't count as an art film, but if she could get involved with Cao Yang, would she still have to worry about not having art films to shoot?

In the few days before the audition, Eva Green watched that failed "Pirates of the Caribbean" many times, and also watched all the films Cao Yang had shot several times, including several Chinese-language films, just wanting to be as prepared as possible.

The more of Cao Yang's films she watched, the more Eva Green admired him.

As an artsy type, she could clearly see that in Cao Yang's earlier films, his portrayal of female characters and his coaching of actresses were simply mind-boggling.

Collaborating with such a director to shoot an art film was probably every actress's dream.

"I must seize this opportunity!"

Eva Green knew that even if she were branded "sexy," as long as Director Cao Yang was willing, he could make her the new goddess of art films in a minute.

"I must seize this opportunity!"

Natalie Portman said to her mother.

Her gaze was firm, and her tone was extremely serious; this audition absolutely could not be lost.

"What do you want me to do?"

Shelley Stevens asked.

She knew her daughter very well; this was a child with strong opinions, and once she made up her mind to do something, she would definitely find a way to do it.

As a mother, she was very proud to have such a child, but sometimes she also had a headache.

"The news I got from Disney is that Director Cao Yang only sent out two audition invitations, and both were to people from William Mo Lisi."

Natalie Portman said to her mother with bright eyes:

"The other person invited already has a development path tailored for her by the company, and she's developing quite well on that path recently; there's no need for her to compete with me for this role."

Shelley Stevens understood her daughter's meaning; she wanted her to use her connections to stop Eva Green from auditioning from within the company.

This matter was a bit difficult; Eva Green's development momentum was very obvious, and the new film "007: Casino Royale" was scheduled for November, so she would soon have the "Bond Girl" label.

Besides, her agent would definitely not let go of such an opportunity either.

Shelley Stevens was silent for a moment; it seemed that relying solely on lobbying to achieve the goal was a bit difficult, and it would require adding interest exchanges.

One favorable point was that Natalie Portman was considered a direct descendant cultivated by the company, and like several company executives, she was of Jewish descent, so there was still a chance to achieve the goal.

Especially since Eva Green only signed her Hollywood agency contract with William Mo Lisi, and she had another agency in Europe.

"If because of this matter, the company wants you to take on a few more films later, are you willing?"

Shelley Stevens asked.

Natalie Portman didn't hesitate at all and said: "I can accept it."

"Even if it's a script you don't like?"

Shelley Stevens asked again.

Natalie Portman frowned, then nodded firmly: "I have no problem!"

Three days before the audition date, Eva Green's agent came to her home, saying there was something they wanted to discuss with her.

Eva Green thought her agent had come to discuss the audition; after all, not only did she value this audition immensely, but her agent also valued it very much.

However, the agent brought her bad news: the company wanted her to give up the audition for "New Pirates of the Caribbean," and as compensation, the company would give her three A-level resources next.

"I don't want your fucking A-level resources!"

Eva Green's anger erupted; what kind of bullshit A-level resources? As long as she could become the female lead in Director Cao Yang's new film, would she still have to worry about not having A-level resources?

Look at the former nobody Anne Hathaway; just because she starred in Director Cao Yang's "Milk," she was now an A-list star, receiving good resources until her hands were soft.

Stopping me from auditioning, isn't this bullying an honest person?

"What if I insist on going to the audition?"

Eva Green wanted to question her agent, but she didn't say this out loud.

It was very simple for the company to stop her; the easiest way was to report her salary very high, exceeding the market price, and report a low price for that despicable bitch, then she would definitely be out.

Eva Green was very disappointed in her agent, and even more disappointed in William Mo Lisi.

She didn't argue with her agent; she knew that since the agent had come here, they must have already been "handled" by the company.

"I know."

She replied to the agent like this, and then decided to find a way to "save herself."

Eva Green instinctively wanted to call her boyfriend Marton Csokas; the two met and fell in love while filming "Kingdom of Heaven," but then she extinguished this idea.

Marton Csokas wasn't doing as well as she was; what kind of solution could he possibly have?

Before coming to Hollywood to develop, Eva Green was in the European art scene, and many of the directors and actors she knew were acquainted with Cao Yang.

For example, in "The Piano Teacher," which she participated in, not only did director Michael Haneke know Cao Yang, but Isabelle Huppert, the European art queen from France, was also very familiar with Cao Yang.

She and Isabelle Huppert were both born in Paris, France; there was a large age gap between them, but their relationship was very good, and Isabelle Huppert took good care of her.

So, she called Isabelle Huppert and told her about her encounter, hoping to get some help.

Isabelle Huppert didn't refuse; her relationship with Cao Yang was quite good.

Last year, when Cao Yang won the Golden Lion in Venice again with "Black Swan," she also won the Venice Special Golden Lion Award for "Gabrielle."

Isabelle Huppert called Cao Yang, but she didn't say she was recommending Eva Green; she understood that great directors were very wary of others interfering in their films.

She only said that she had a junior who admired Cao Yang very much and liked Cao Yang's films, and now that this junior happened to be in Los Angeles, could he give her a chance to meet.

Cao Yang didn't think too much at first; he thought meeting was nothing more than signing an autograph and taking a photo, and he had seen too many such things, so he didn't refuse.

Eva Green met Cao Yang under these circumstances.

When actresses meet directors in private, most have certainly made up their minds to let the director "test" their acting.

Eva Green was no exception.

What? She has a boyfriend?

So what if she has a boyfriend? You still don't understand the romance of the French; even if you're married, not having a lover is a bit shameful.

At Eva Green's strong request, Cao Yang conducted a test.

At this period, Eva Green still had plenty of screen time; young, beautiful, and with long legs, these were all her capital for the test.

(End of chapter)