Chapter 164 Water Walking

   "So Jane Fonda is really coming to CAA this morning to discuss the script with me?"

   "Sure, Ronnie."

   This is the third time the same conversation has happened between Ronald and his agent Richard. He kept asking after picking up Ronald from the hotel, and also asked in Richard's car, and when he got to the CAA elevator, Ronald asked again.

   Soon to meet the double Oscar actress, Ronald still feels that all this is like a dream. How could Jane Fonda have just written a second independent script? Is it because I am really talented, or I am lucky.

All this mess aside, Ronald is in CAA, the front desk clerk is saying hello to him, Rick Nisita is hugging him in a light suit, Paula Wagner looks great today, but Ronald doesn't Care, just one thought in mind, will Jane Fonda come?

If Ovitz had lied to him, or if Jane Fonda hadn't been persuaded, then he wouldn't have turned against him, so he would gently forgive him, and then ask him to work harder to sell his script, except for "my brother's Protector", I also have a copy of "Intersection", which is also very popular.

   Ovitz may be ashamed of yesterday's bullshit. No, the word "shame" is not in the dictionary of these agents, and they were bragging in front of a newcomer yesterday. I must point out the point of lying and put a little pressure on them.

  But we can't blame too much, let the president of a brokerage company not step down, this must be properly measured, Ronald secretly thinking about the lines in his mind, and Ovitz's reaction.

Nisita pushed open the door, and there were three people sitting in the executive meeting room yesterday, and the one on the left was CAA President Ovitz, who smiled and asked a man and a woman opposite, "So I can take this as your participation in the show. promise, Jane?"

   "Of course, I promise to participate."

  Ronald's eyes moved over, and the person speaking was a middle-aged beauty with huge gold earrings on both ears, and her hair was casually combed into a bun behind her head. Wearing a brown vertical striped shirt on the upper body and a khaki skirt on the lower body, it is precisely because of Jane Fonda who was awarded the second title of the heroine of "Return".

   "Can you walk on water like Jesus?" Ronald blurted out, turning his gaze back to Ovitz.

  Everyone was stunned for a moment, and then burst into laughter.

   Ovitz smiled especially happily, stood up and said to Jane Fonda, "Jane, this is the screenwriter of the script, Ronald Lee. I believe you have been friends for a long time."

  Jane has recognized Ronald as the sleepy Luo who supported her in the TV interview back then. She was also interviewed by the TV station and asked her opinion on Ronald's comment on the deer hunter. The competition for the Oscars was very fierce that year, and this uninvited audience evaluation gave him some extra help in his quest for the title of Best Actress.

   So Jane Fonda stood up and hugged Ronald. "Ronnie, great to meet you. It seems that you are not only good at criticizing, but also good at creating."

  Although she is in her early 40s, Jane Fonda's figure is still amazing. Ronald and Jane greeted each other twice, and then greeted her producer Bruce Gilbert.

  Caucasian actresses can maintain this figure and temperament at the age of 40 because of a lot of exercise and a moderate diet. No wonder her ex-husband Vadim gave up Catherine Deneuve, Brigitte Bardot and other European beauties for her, willing to come to America to marry her.

"So, tell me, how did you come up with the idea to write such a script about the Vietnam War?" Jane Fonda took Ronald's hand and asked him to sit beside her, looking at Ronald with beautiful eyes , asking questions that people cannot refuse to answer.

  This is the charm of a star. It can make people feel good in an instant. No matter on or off the screen, the audience will always think that the star is their friend. With this kind of charismatic star, you can command the emotions of the audience, make them loyal and dedicated.

Ronald took a deep breath and replied, "You actually inspired me, Jane. My aunt was a Vietnam War widow. She saw your return and said to me, Ronnie, you have to write a book." In the Vietnam War script, Jane Fonda played a happy ending, fell in love with the Vietnam War veterans, and lived happily ever after."

"Hahaha, she is really a lovely woman with great vision." Jane Fonda laughed, "So you heard the details of the Vietnam War stories from your uncle's former comrades-in-arms? "

   "Yes, I interviewed more than 50 Vietnam War veterans and their wives." Ronald reached for his briefcase, took out a large interview notebook, and handed it to Jane Fonda.

   "This is my interview record. In fact, they have many true stories, but sometimes they have to buy them a drink before they tell the truth, otherwise they always use some urban legends to fool children."

  Jane Fonda took Ronald's interview book and flipped through it a few times. It was full of various shorthand symbols, and a typewriter-typed draft that was supplemented later. Then he winked at his companion Bruce Gilbert calmly, and handed the notebook back to Ronald.

"It can be seen that you have done a lot of preparatory work. I wonder why you can know a lot of slang words among Vietnam veterans at your age, such as the nicknames they call various weapons. I went to Vietnam back then, heard some, and you It's written perfectly."

"Yes, they generally don't want to talk too much about the details of the battle, but they are very loyal to their weapons, giving them various nicknames, such as calling the M16A1 rifle The Musketeer (The Musket), the M60 machine gun It's called The Pig..."

  Ronald and Jane Fonda hit it off and had a pleasant conversation. The two talked about a lot of creative ideas and characters around "My Brother's Protector".

Time passed quickly during the conversation between the two, and Michael Ovitz knocked on his watch, "Jane, Ronnie, as your agent, I have to remind you that you have to sign a letter of intent for cooperation. With this letter of intent , we will be able to inquire with the eight major studios.”

   Jane Fonda sat up straight and nodded, "I will sign, as long as you meet one of my conditions."

   When she said this, Jane Fonda looked at Ronald.

  Ovitz didn't expect this unexpected incident, so he jokingly adjusted the atmosphere, "What's the condition? I hope it won't embarrass Ronald too much."

   "I want Ronnie to change the protagonist of the script to me, change the platoon leader to a female officer in the Vietnam War, and then change the title of the film to 'Her Brother's Keeper (Her Brother's Keeper

   Ronald was taken aback by thunder. Is this the legendary star in Hollywood who forced the screenwriter to change the script? Regardless of the logic of the story and the development of the characters, just to have more screen time, more shots, and force the character of the character to adapt to his star image, instead of being an actor to adapt to the character of the character?

  But Jane Fonda doesn't seem to have such a bad reputation?

  She played "Kroot", "Return", and even the earliest exploitation film "Space Heroine Barbara", all of which have different images, and Jane Fonda played them very well.

  Her social image is mainly due to her many anti-war and peace actions with her current husband Tom Hayden, including going to Vietnam to engage in peace actions, and she was called Hanoi Jane. It has nothing to do with the screen image.

  But when the situation is approaching, saying anything is superfluous.

  Ronald hesitated for a long time, and finally choked out a sentence, "During the Vietnam War, did the Mi Army have female officers?"

"Ha ha ha ha…"

   Jane Fonda was amused, "Gotyou!"

   "I thought you could write such a mature script, and other aspects are also very mature. Now it seems that you are a real Hollywood newcomer."

   "It turned out to be a joke." Ronald said in his heart, wiping his sweat secretly.

   "Ronnie, come to my house party tonight. I'll introduce you to some young Hollywood guys."

   "Jane's parties are known in Hollywood as crazy and star-studded." Ovitz interjected.

   "That's all in the past. Now the party at my house is mainly a conversation between some creative geniuses. Are you coming, Ronnie." Jane Fonda invited.

   "Of course, I am very honored."

   "This is the address of my home. Let your agent bring you here tonight." Jane Fonda said as she stood up, signed the letter of intent for cooperation, and handed it to Ovitz.

   "Then I'll wait for your good news, Michael?"

   "Of course, I won't let you down." Ovitz and Jane Fonda hugged goodbye.

   "I'll drive you to Jane's house in the evening." Ovitz said to Ronald, then turned around and called Ronald's agent, Rick Nisita, "Rick, come with you too."

   As he spoke, he nodded to everyone and returned to his office.

   "How is it? Are you very happy, Ronald", Rick Nisita had the opportunity to go to the party at Jane Fonda's house. It was a good social opportunity, and he came to press Ronald's shoulder and asked him happily.

   "I feel like I'm walking on water, as if my legs can't touch the ground." Ronald has not yet recovered from the surprises one after another.

   "Hahaha, you'll get used to it, this is Hollywood. You can go from nobody to somebody overnight."

  …

   "Jane, so Ronald is really the writer of the script?" producer Bruce Gilbert asked partner Jane Fonda on the drive back.

"There is no doubt that it is him. His interview notes and ideas are very correct. If it was someone else's script, he would not know the details of the gun's nickname. It seems that he is not the nephew of Ovitz or some big man. .”

   "But with such a script, can the audience accept you? After all, you used to appear as an anti-war image. In order to please most of the audience, you risk destroying your anti-war persona."

   "So I can't play a female officer like you think. I have to play a character who is away from the war, whose family is hurt by the war, and finally falls in love with the retired officer who deeply reflects on his war behavior."

   "But you have already won two Oscars for Best Actress, and there will be another Vietnam War-themed movie in the short term. It is very unlikely that the judges will give you a third award."

   "Yes, that's why I need to fight for a large guarantee contract. I want to set an example in Hollywood for equal pay for men and women, Bruce."

  (end of this chapter)