I am Hollywood

[Chapter 34: Crying Poverty]

"Hey, babe, dress up a bit more tonight; we're heading to a party... huh?" Eric frowned slightly. "Meeting some TV producer, Jenny? Didn't I mention that if you wanted, I could write you a script for a TV show? I know you want to make it on your own, but what about tonight? James specifically asked for a date, and if you don't go... No way, I only have eyes for you... All right, it's settled. Talk to you later."

Once he hung up the phone, Eric sighed in disappointment. Ever since the success of Home Alone, his relationship with Jennifer Aniston had subtly shifted. The once spoiled girl who loved to be pampered had become much more reserved around him.

With his life experience, Eric easily figured out that this change had come from Jennifer reading tabloid gossip about their relationship, which made her feel insecure and inadequate. Even though Eric had tried to reassure her a few times, it hadn't alleviated her concerns much.

Jennifer was also working hard to break free from this state of mind. In just a week, she attended several auditions for different productions, both for TV series and movies, thanks to her father's connections.

Her motivation was simple: she wanted to become famous quickly. If she made a name for herself, those tabloids wouldn't view her as 'Cinderella' anymore.

...

At their home in Beverly Hills, after hanging up the phone, Jennifer sighed in disappointment as well. Deep down, she wanted to attend the party with Eric and dreamt of being the leading lady in his films. However, she knew that if she went, the public would label her as someone who relied on her boyfriend for success. That label would stick with her forever. Some women might not care or even welcome such a label, but for strong-willed Jennifer, it was hard to accept.

Sitting nearby, John Aniston pretended to read the newspaper but couldn't help noticing his daughter's distracted demeanor. "Jennifer, how about I go meet with Costner today? I'm sure Uncle Costner wouldn't mind."

Jennifer shook her head. "No, Dad, even though Uncle Costner wouldn't mind, it would be rude for me not to show up. After all, he put in a lot of effort to help me land that role."

"Jen, Eric is a good kid. He's more mature than most young men his age. I don't think he'd mind certain things," John suggested.

"But I do, Dad," Jennifer replied, a bit frustrated. "Look at what the tabloids are saying. Goodness, I didn't even realize I was seen as that kind of woman."

"Jennifer, if you keep caring about what others think, you'll never be happy," John counseled. "Eric has achieved so much at such a young age. He'll always be surrounded by various forms of attention. As his girlfriend, you won't escape it unless..."

John stopped short, realizing he might inadvertently plant a seed of doubt in Jennifer's mind about her future with Eric. Although his impression of Eric had improved, he still didn't hold much hope for their future together due to Jennifer's driven nature.

...

With Jennifer opting not to accompany him, Eric lost interest in the party too. As evening approached, he finally pulled out his father's old suit from the closet and drove over to the Hilton, where the party was being held.

As soon as he entered the ballroom, the sharp-eyed James Brooks immediately approached him. But noticing Eric's attire, James frowned slightly and pulled him aside, saying, "Eric, your status has changed now. You might want to pay a bit more attention to your wardrobe, at least wear a well-fitting suit, right?"

Eric looked down at the slightly baggy suit, a leftover from his father. He shrugged helplessly, pulling out his wallet and waving it in front of James with a wry smile. "James, aside from the car parked outside, this is all I have on me. A grand total of... well, five hundred twenty-one dollars and seventy-five cents. To make Home Alone, I even mortgaged the deed to my house, so I can't afford new clothes."

Hearing a recently celebrated young multi-millionaire lamenting about being broke felt entirely out of place, and James' mouth twitched slightly. "All right, Eric, Barry Diller is waiting for you. Let's go."

The party had begun; the hall was brightly lit as a band played soft music and waiters weaved through the crowd balancing drinks. Many stars, whom Eric had only ever seen on screen, mingled in small groups chatting away.

When the golden producer James Brooks was seen leading a young man through the crowd, people started to get curious about his identity. Although Eric's pictures had appeared in numerous tabloids, many still didn't recognize him.

When a friend nearby revealed Eric's identity, various gazes turned toward him, making Eric feel a bit uncomfortable.

As he neared the edge of the crowd, he finally spotted a familiar face. Sitting at a long table in the corner, Penny Marshall was chatting with Tom Hanks, dressed in a black gown. Their eyes met, and they both smiled and nodded at each other. Unable to resist, Eric took a look at Tom Hanks next to her. Even at thirty-two, Tom was still handsome and fit, showing no signs of future weight gain.

Reaching a room door, James said to Eric, "Go on in; Barry Diller is waiting inside. I'll be going now."

...

Eric knocked on the door and opened it after receiving a response. Inside, a man and woman sat on a sofa, deep in conversation. Upon seeing Eric enter, the exquisitely attractive woman, probably around thirty, leaned close to the big-nosed middle-aged man to whisper something, then picked up her handbag and left the room. The big-nosed man was obviously Barry Diller, a media mogul Eric had seen many times in the tabloids before.

"Hello, Eric," Barry greeted as he stood up and extended his hand.

Eric pretended not to notice the woman's slight blush as she left. "Hello, Mr. Diller. It's great to meet you."

They shook hands and took seats on the sofa across from each other.

"Did you know, Eric? A lot of people feel a sense of defeat when they see you," Barry stated casually.

Eric raised an eyebrow, unable to help but ask, "What about you, Mr. Diller?"

Barry chuckled, unfazed by Eric's somewhat cheeky question. "Not me. I don't believe in luck or shortcuts; I only trust in my own abilities. I climbed the ranks from being a mailroom clerk at the William Morris Agency to where I am now. I might envy your success, but I'm still proud of my own journey."

"Mr. Diller, do you think the success of Home Alone was purely a coincidence?" Eric questioned.

Barry nodded. "I had someone do a thorough analysis, and there were indeed several coincidences behind the movie's success. So, I'm curious, Eric, why did you dare sign that bet deal with Columbia? You know the odds were 80% that you wouldn't see a cent."

"I had nothing to lose. If I lost, I lost. I could always start over," Eric replied.

Barry sensed Eric's words didn't quite reflect his true feelings but chose not to dwell on it. "So, Eric, I'm representing Fox and I'd like to invite you to join us. What do you think?"

Eric didn't want to tie himself down to one company. Once he accepted, he'd likely be signing away several years of his life.

Shaking his head, Eric said, "Thank you for the offer, Mr. Diller, but I don't like being restricted. I plan to start my own independent film company and produce a few low-budget films to hone my skills first."

Barry didn't press further after Eric declined the offer. Since Eric had risen to prominence, several agencies had thoroughly analyzed his background and personality. Barry had seen those reports and knew the young man had a decisiveness that was rare among his peers. Once he made a decision, it wasn't likely to change.

At the same time, Barry wasn't concerned about Eric starting his own film company. Many directors, after achieving fame, sought independence, wanting more profit and control, and often left major studios to go it alone.

It was usually those who struggled without the support of the major studios who ultimately realized that going solo was nearly impossible. Even the most positioned studio, DreamWorks, failed in its efforts, as the terrain was harsh and littered with difficult lessons.

Investing in films was essentially like gambling; no one knew if a film would be successful before its release. The downfall of DreamWorks wasn't just due to losing connections; the primary issue stemmed from multiple failed projects, leading to massive financial losses and a quiet exit from the industry.

However, this gambling risk didn't affect Eric. As someone who had traveled through time, he already knew the outcomes of most bets, giving him the confidence to carve out his own niche in the industry.

Perhaps the industry giants would join forces to suppress him to maintain their monopoly, but Eric wasn't afraid. If his films consistently succeeded, nobody would turn against money in this profit-driven world.

Just like in his past life, media tycoon Summer Redstone, who had directly clashed with Tom Cruise, had no choice but to share meals with him in the years that followed for the sake of profit, laughing and chatting like old friends. Even Tom had made a satire of Redstone's opportunistic nature in one of his films, which Paramount distributed.

After a casual chat, the topic returned to Home Alone, which was currently the only chip Eric had to catch the attention of the giants. Even Jurassic Park hadn't yet garnered sufficient notice.

"Eric, let's talk about Home Alone," Barry suggested. "I have an idea: how about selling the overseas and merchandising rights, as well as the sequel rights to Fox? We'd offer a very reasonable price."

*****

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