The richest actor in Hollywood.

The next day was the weekend. Matthew stayed in the manor, inspecting the newly planted trees in the front garden with Liszt in the morning. In the afternoon, he received a visitor.

"You mentioned in your blog this morning that you planned to stay home and relax," Ilana Boyar said as she accepted the coffee from the servant, thanked them, and then turned to Matthew. "So I came over to check on you."

Matthew leaned back on the large sofa and asked, "Did you really just come to see me?"

Ilana Boyar didn't blush at all, replying directly, "And to see if you have any juicy news."

"The most explosive news lately has already been published by you," Matthew adjusted to a more comfortable position. "A historic boxing match with the world's worst director, the 'Angry Uwe.'"

"I heard he sent you an invitation? Are you planning to go?" Ilana asked, seeing Matthew nod. "Can you take me along?"

The invitation mentioned he could bring a guest, so Matthew agreed right away, "Sure." Then he asked, "Is Uwe Boll's directing really as bad as you wrote?"

"Well... let me put it this way," Ilana pondered for a moment. "A reporter from my team visited Uwe Boll's set and interviewed some crew members. They asked if they felt guilty about working on such a bad film. Do you know what the crew said?"

Without waiting for Matthew to answer, she continued, "They said no, because they would never watch the films they worked on."

Matthew was speechless. It seemed that the quality of the director influenced the entire crew.

Ilana added, "I heard recently that Uwe Boll is negotiating with Blizzard to acquire the film adaptation rights for the popular game 'Warcraft.'"

Matthew knew the name "Warcraft" and shrugged, "Maybe Uwe Boll can create a different kind of game adaptation."

Ilana then changed the subject, asking, "How are your negotiations with the 'I Am Legend' crew going? When will you officially sign?"

"Helen is still negotiating with them. It might take some time to reach an agreement," Matthew replied.

"You and Helen better hurry and stay vigilant to avoid being outmaneuvered," Ilana warned. "I got word from inside CAA that 'I Am Legend' director Francis Lawrence just fired his agent and is about to sign with CAA."

"Really?" Matthew immediately became alert. "Are you sure about this?"

"TMZ has informants inside CAA, so we occasionally get reliable information," Ilana said. "Francis Lawrence and CAA have probably been in contact for a while."

Matthew frowned, knowing that Will Smith was a CAA client and had already made contact with Francis Lawrence.

"Thank you for the tip, Ilana," Matthew said earnestly.

"We're old friends. No need to be so formal," Ilana smiled.

Matthew nodded lightly, "I need to call Helen Herman."

Ilana waved casually, "Go ahead. I'll take a look around your luxurious estate. I haven't had a good look yet."

Matthew went to a side room to call Helen Herman. She had just found out about Francis Lawrence firing his agent but wasn't aware he was joining CAA.

After a brief conversation, Matthew ended the call and headed to Angel Agency with Ilana to discuss strategy with Helen.

At Century City, in a conference room at CAA's office building, Francis Lawrence sat beside his lawyer, listening to explanations about a few questionable contract clauses. Next to him were two representatives from the Directors Guild, and opposite them was Kevin Huvane, patiently waiting.

Soon, under the supervision of his lawyer and the Directors Guild representatives, Francis Lawrence would sign a formal agency contract with CAA.

CAA's reputation and power were well-known in Hollywood, and the agency had been portrayed as an omnipotent star-making machine. Joining CAA seemed to guarantee success for actors and directors alike.

This had influenced many choices. Not only Francis Lawrence but even Matthew believed CAA's resources and influence were unmatched by other agencies.

Even the long-established William Morris Agency was slightly inferior.

Moreover, CAA had a lineup of big stars and directors, making it highly attractive to ambitious individuals seeking greater opportunities in the industry.

After discussions with Will Smith and Kevin Huvane, Francis Lawrence had seriously considered their proposal and his future.

Transitioning from an ad director to Hollywood movies, he still used his previous agent, who belonged to a mid-sized agency. That was sufficient for commercials and music videos but inadequate for the film industry.

In comparison, CAA was far superior.

Francis Lawrence believed that joining CAA would provide him with more opportunities and better development.

"No issues," his lawyer said. "You can sign now."

Hearing this, Francis Lawrence looked at the two Directors Guild representatives. The taller one nodded, "The contract meets all guild requirements."

With cross-checking by the lawyer and the guild, Francis felt reassured. He took the pen and signed his name on three copies of the contract.

After signing, he handed one copy to his lawyer, the guild representatives took one for records, and Kevin Huvane came over to shake his hand.

"Welcome to CAA," Kevin said warmly. "From today, CAA will provide you with the world's best agency services."

"Happy to cooperate," Francis Lawrence replied with a smile.

After a few polite exchanges, Kevin Huvane dismissed everyone else, leaving only him and Francis in the room.

"Now you can be at ease?" Kevin asked.

He knew that Francis Lawrence had delayed voicing support for Will Smith in the lead role to secure this agency contract.

"I've always trusted you," Francis said earnestly. "The delay was just for preparation and waiting for the right moment."

Kevin Huvane had spoken eloquently back then, but empty promises were unreliable. Only tangible sincerity mattered. CAA had a history of failing to deliver.

Since Kevin Huvane made his proposal, Francis had been waiting for concrete actions from Will Smith and CAA.

Hollywood operated on a quid-pro-quo basis. Despite believing that America and the entire Western world owed a debt to Black people and being interested in Black women, Francis had no interest in men like Will Smith. He wanted tangible benefits.

Even if he were interested in Will Smith, he couldn't act on it. Compared to Will Smith, he was just a minor director.

Kevin Huvane continued, "Helen Herman is still negotiating with Akiva Goldsman. Progress is slow on both sides." He reminded, "I've met with Akiva a few times. He's preparing to hold auditions for Will."

"I know," Francis said, carefully choosing his words. "I'll attend the audition with David Heyman and Akiva Goldsman. I have some say in the matter. If Will performs well and your offer is right, with me as the director, the chance of securing the lead role is high."

Kevin Huvane noticed a change in Francis Lawrence. After signing the agency contract, he seemed much more confident.

He still believed Francis Lawrence could influence the casting to some extent. Directors typically had more sway over a film than actors, and Matthew Horner, even if he reached an agreement, was only up for the lead role. Akiva Goldsman didn't plan to include him in the producer team.

This gave the director a natural advantage.

"One more thing," Francis said, "there's an important female supporting role in this project. If Will gets the lead, I hope he can support casting Paula Patton."

The name sounded familiar. Kevin quickly recalled that Paula Patton was a Black actress who had a small role in Will Smith's "Hitch."

Then he remembered Beyoncé's comment that Francis Lawrence was indeed white on the outside, black on the inside.

Francis wasn't done, adding, "I can't guarantee Will gets the lead."

"I understand," Kevin nodded.

No one could guarantee such things, given the unpredictable nature of the industry. Otherwise, there wouldn't be a contest for the role.

Francis continued, "Even if Will doesn't get the lead, we should still support Paula Patton."

_________________________

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