Chapter 257: White Supremacy
Faced with Aaron's question, Mario Kassar found himself at a loss for words.
After all, even Terminator 3—which James Cameron had already agreed to direct—still hadn't materialized.
And now Carolco wanted to bring Cameron in for Spider-Man as well… it was clearly too ambitious, too soon.
Watching Kassar leave, Aaron leaned back in his chair and took a sip of wine.
"They've got quite the nerve… trying to drag me into their plans."
---
Meanwhile, Don Steel finalized the purchase of Good Will Hunting from Castle Rock Entertainment for $1 million—something that left Rob Reiner genuinely surprised.
After all, the script was essentially a warm, character-driven drama—far from the kind of commercial projects Dawnlight had been focusing on in recent years.
At the same time, New Line Cinema—also recently acquired by Turner Broadcasting System—was preparing to shoot the absurd comedy Dumb and Dumber, starring Jim Carrey.
Because the deal had been signed before Ace Ventura hit theaters, Carrey's salary remained relatively low—just $580,000.
---
That evening, in the Beverly Crest neighborhood, Aaron lounged in a spacious luxury bathtub.
In his arms, Sophie Marceau leaned against him, her voice soft.
"You were in Los Angeles during the earthquake, weren't you?"
"Yeah," Aaron replied. "Gave me quite a scare."
He remembered it vividly—he had been in bed with Jennifer Aniston when it happened.
Sophie smiled, brushing a kiss against him.
"Good thing you're alright. Otherwise… that would've been such a waste."
Aaron laughed.
"True enough. If something had happened to me, my fortune would probably have been torn apart."
He didn't have much in the way of family, after all.
"Oh please," Sophie teased, kissing him again.
"You're young, healthy—what could possibly happen?"
Her kiss deepened, warm and unrestrained, carrying that unmistakable French passion.
---
After a moment, Aaron spoke again.
"By the way, Four Weddings and a Funeral picked up quite a few nominations at the BAFTAs this year."
"You'll be heading to London soon, right?"
Sophie nodded.
"Everything's already arranged. And besides—I am European."
She would soon be traveling with the film's team to attend the British Academy Film Awards.
She looked up at him with a faint smile.
"What about you… thinking of coming along too?"
Aaron shook his head.
"The Sundance Film Festival just wrapped up, and the Berlin International Film Festival is about to begin."
"I'll probably need to keep an eye on a few films—don't think I'll have time to go to the UK."
Sophie didn't mind. She had always been rather easygoing with him.
"Suit yourself. Oh, by the way—recently, a producer approached me. Mel Gibson wants to make a film about Scottish independence leader William Wallace."
"The script is already done, and it's being backed by Paramount Pictures and 20th Century Fox."
Aaron immediately recognized it—Braveheart.
"That one, I know," he said with a faint smile.
"It's adapted by Randall Wallace. Mel Gibson came across the script and loved it—so he's planning to direct it."
He glanced at her.
"And he's directing and starring, right?"
Sophie nodded.
"He actually wanted to focus only on directing at first and let someone else play William Wallace. But Paramount insisted he take the lead role—said it would guarantee box office appeal."
Aaron chuckled.
"That makes sense. Gibson's star power is undeniable. Just a couple of years ago, he directed and starred in The Man Without a Face."
That film, adapted from a novel, told the story of a disfigured teacher and a troubled boy finding redemption in each other.
However, due to changes made during adaptation—particularly regarding the protagonist's sexuality—it had sparked controversy. Gibson was accused by watchdog groups of harboring homophobic views, which somewhat damaged his public image.
As for Braveheart, Paramount and Fox had split responsibilities—Paramount handling North American distribution, Fox overseeing international markets.
It was also a sign of Paramount, under Sherry Lansing, increasingly embracing co-productions with other studios.
Sophie added,
"I heard the production also approached Sean Connery and Jodie Foster before—but both turned it down."
Aaron nodded—it wasn't surprising.
Connery wouldn't take on a minor supporting role, and Foster, a two-time Oscar winner, had no reason to accept what was essentially a decorative part.
For Sophie, though, playing the French princess was a natural fit. She had recognition, but there was still a clear gap between her and Hollywood's top-tier actresses.
Aaron leaned in and kissed her gently.
"Don't worry. Gibson knows what he's doing—and he's a major star."
"Whatever his personal flaws, he's still one of Hollywood's top names."
---
Meanwhile, as the Oscar nominations were announced:
The Piano received eight nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress, and Best Supporting Actress.
At the Berlin International Film Festival, Tom Hanks won the Silver Bear for Best Actor for Philadelphia—and was now also nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor.
---
Samuel Goldwyn Theater, Beverly Hills — Oscar Nominees Luncheon
After making his rounds among Dawnlight's teams, Aaron unexpectedly ran into Winona Ryder, who had earned an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress for The Age of Innocence.
"Winona," Aaron said with a smile,
"You won the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress last month—I didn't get the chance to congratulate you."
"And now you've got an Oscar nomination too. That's impressive."
Winona Ryder, fresh off filming Little Women, returned a faint smile.
"Thank you."