Their first meeting didn't rush into business; they just chatted casually.
After more than ten minutes, Simon patched the tire, washed his hands, and came back, finally taking a good look at Sandra Bullock in front of him.
In the original timeline, compared to Hollywood stars like Julia Roberts or Nicole Kidman, whose acting careers sailed smoothly, Sandra Bullock was more of a late bloomer.
Born in 1964, Sandra Bullock was already thirty when she starred in her breakout hit, Speed.
But with her hugely popular "America's sweetheart klutz" image and her own diligence and high output, Sandra Bullock kept her acting career buzzing for over twenty years straight from her rise to fame.
In 2013, when veteran actresses like Julia Roberts were starting to fade from the spotlight, Sandra Bullock could still command a record-breaking $70 million for a single film with Gravity, making her Hollywood's undisputed box office queen.
The Sandra Bullock now was just twenty-two.
Truly "just."
Simon had called her Friday evening after getting back to L.A., but he hadn't set the meeting for yesterday—because yesterday, July 26, was Sandra Bullock's birthday.
He'd seen it on her resume that Thursday.
From the resume, he'd also noted that Sandra Bullock had graduated with a drama performance degree from North Carolina—that was why he was basically set on her for the lead in Run Lola Run without even an audition.
Thanks to the ultra-low entry barriers, Hollywood stars often gave off the illusion that they were born knowing how to act without any training, but that couldn't be further from the truth.
In Hollywood, almost every star had to undergo all sorts of performance training during their rise, whether by choice or necessity. Take the infamous Oscar perennial Meryl Streep—most people just saw "Meryl" racking up nominations, but few realized she was a bona fide Yale drama grad.
Those clueless types banking on good looks alone to hit the Hollywood jackpot were far more likely to end up in "the Valley."
No Hollywood studio would casually hand a role in a multi-million-dollar film to a newbie with zero acting experience. Likewise, Lola Rennt was crucial for Simon in knocking on Hollywood's door—he wasn't nearly as casual about picking the lead as he seemed.
He'd invited Courteney earlier after learning in their chats that she'd been kicking around Hollywood for three years and had just done a TV show; she had the experience and creds.
Now, the classically trained Sandra Bullock fit the bill too.
After all, it was an ultra-low-budget production of just around $100,000; Simon wanted to pour as much as possible into the filmmaking itself. Flashier pros were out of the question—this girl was just right.
And familiar enough.
Under the motel's eaves, Sandra had dressed somewhat formally for the afternoon meeting in a women's shirt and casual slacks. Seeing Simon eyeing her unapologetically, she figured the "audition" might have started, so she straightened up and tried to meet his gaze.
But.
This guy had a pair of beautiful blue eyes.
She didn't even have that.
The thought popped up, reminding her of the scar at the corner of her left eye from a childhood fall, so she instinctively tilted her head.
Her confidence deflated completely.
Simon didn't catch those details in her expression, though. Finally glancing down at her flat sandals, he walked over to his bike, patted the handlebars, and said to Sandra, "Come on, I happen to have some errands—I'll explain on the way."
Hearing him speak, Sandra Bullock nodded quickly.
Then she thought her reaction seemed a bit dumb. After a beat, she pointed to Simon's bike. "We're... riding?"
Simon nodded. "It's right near Douglas Park. You can leave your car here for now."
Sandra Bullock recalled the distance she'd just driven from there and didn't object.
Simon called a goodbye to the Spanish old man still watching the show nearby, then led Sandra away from the motel.
Even on a weekend, traffic on the street outside was sparse. Simon pushed the bike off the curb, swung a leg over, handed his backpack to the girl behind him, and pointed to the rear seat. "Hop on."
Sandra Bullock took the backpack without thinking, feeling a bit dazed as she perched on a guy's bike.
Sitting sideways on the back, clutching a dusty canvas backpack, Sandra stared blankly at the receding street-side greenery, her jumbled thoughts swirling until they coalesced: Dad, your daughter's about to be whisked away by a poor kid on a bike!
The little voice from deep inside hollered that, and Sandra couldn't help it—she burst out laughing with a snort.
What a silly thought.
Simon heard the laugh behind him and asked, "What's up?"
"Nothing, nothing," Sandra shook her head quickly, grabbing a bit of Simon's T-shirt hem as she offered, "You can call me Sandy."
Simon agreed. "Sure."
"So, Simon, why don't you tell me about the movie?"
"It's mostly not something I can sum up in a sentence or two. I promised dinner—we've got the whole afternoon, right?"
"Fine, but there must be a story, at least?"
"The story's simple: Small-time crook Manni loses $100,000, and his girlfriend Lola has to scrape it together in 20 minutes, or Manni's boss will probably take him out."
"Sounds pretty thrilling."
"Filming it will be even more thrilling—and exhausting. So be prepared."
"I haven't agreed to star in your movie yet, you know?"
"Picture this: Years from now, you're writing your memoir. 'When Simon Westeros invited me to his first film, it felt like destiny—I said yes right away.' How legendary is that?"
Sandra couldn't help laughing again. "Legendary or not, I don't know, but I definitely met an egomaniac today."
"Yeah, better leave that part out."
"Hehe."
Since they'd touched on the movie, their chat naturally circled around it.
As Simon detailed more about Lola Rennt, Sandra gradually realized that, no matter what, this was bound to be a seriously cool film.
For the girl behind him, Simon didn't pedal fast.
About ten minutes later, he pulled up with Sandra outside a shop called "Strong's Clock Store" near Douglas Park.
Unlike other clock shops, this one offered custom handmade services for customers.
Simon had gotten the info from Jonathan's assistant, Owen Wright—apparently, a lot of Hollywood films sourced clock props here.