The Best Movie Actor In Hollywood!

Chapter 405

In an office near the Warner Bros. Building, Akiva Goldsman welcomed a visitor: the celebrated agent Kevin Huvane.

"Hello, Mr. Goldsman," Huvane said, his face breaking into a warm smile. "It's been a while."

Akiva shook the proffered hand, returning the smile. "Hello, Kevin."

Huvane was a major player, renowned in Hollywood as the lead agent for stars like Will Smith and Halle Berry, and part of the team managing Julia Roberts and Meryl Streep. To a producer, an agent in and of himself was rarely a source of profit—more often, they were a source of trouble. There was truly only one criterion by which a man like Goldsman judged an agent: the caliber of the stars on their roster.

Kevin took a seat and got straight to the point. "A few days ago, Will Smith received an audition invitation for your new project, I Am Legend. He was thrilled and is very interested in the lead role. He's always wanted to work with you and specifically asked me to come here to thank you. He's very much looking forward to the opportunity to audition."

Akiva was slightly taken aback but kept his expression neutral. "Will is a fine actor," he said noncommittally. "I've wanted to work with him as well."

"Will is a longtime fan of Richard Matheson's work," Kevin continued, clearly well-prepared. "He's gone over the script and the original novel several times in the last two days. He's eagerly awaiting the next round of auditions."

Since the official invitation had already been sent, Akiva couldn't very well refuse him a spot in the next round. He offered a smile. "I'm looking forward to it, too."

Kevin smiled, then opened his briefcase. He pulled out a document and handed it to Akiva. "Here's the box office data for every film Will has starred in, starting with Bad Boys."

He remarked, "Will has been a major star for over a decade. He's built a massive fanbase and is one of the most bankable commercial actors in Hollywood today."Akiva took the file and opened it. He already knew who Will Smith was, of course. In fact, at one point, the protagonist of I Am Legend had been developed with Smith himself as the template.

It was no exaggeration to say Will Smith was at the zenith of his career. With two or three more box office hits, he was poised to become the first black superstar in Hollywood history. A glance at his record confirmed it: since the release of Bad Boys in 1995, Smith hadn't starred in a single flop—with the sole exception of Bad Boys II, which had underperformed. A decade of success and a dozen hit films had brought him to the very brink of superstardom.

Turning to the final page of the document, Akiva couldn't help but frown.

Kevin watched him intently, perfectly still. Reading people was, after all, one of an agent's most fundamental skills.

"This is the statistical breakdown of theatrical audience demographics since the turn of the century," he said, timing his words perfectly. "In recent years, there's been a slow decline in the total number of moviegoers, particularly among white audiences."

Akiva said nothing, his eyes fixed on the Cinv data before him.

****

"Francis and I have known each other since my time in Destiny's Child."

Will Smith gave a slight nod.

Beyoncé continued, "Francis is someone who champions equality for Black people."

She smiled at Smith. "He's mentioned more than once that he considers you a standout among Black actors."

"That's good to hear," Smith replied with a smile. "Thanks for making the introduction."

"Don't mention it, Will," Beyoncé replied, her tone earnest. "You've helped me out plenty of times. Besides, we have to stick together."

Smith nodded again.

Deep down, he didn't entirely agree with Beyoncé's sentiment. He had always felt that Hollywood, on the contrary, had treated him quite fairly. But Will Smith knew better than to say so aloud. Some things were best left unsaid, lest his own community pounce on him and tear him to shreds.

The car soon pulled up to a private club. After a few minutes, their agent, Kevin Huvane, arrived. They greeted each other and went inside together to meet with Francis Lawrence.

Beyoncé made the introductions and then departed without another word. Though she and Will Smith were friends and he had helped her in the past, favors had their limits. Her part—connecting the two men—was done, and she made a swift exit.

"Will, I've always admired your acting style."

Inside the lounge, Francis Lawrence seemed somewhat starstruck upon meeting Smith in person. "I'm a big fan."

Although Lawrence was a well-known director, he was still a relative newcomer to the feature film industry and was several years younger than Smith.

Smith replied graciously, "I saw the music video you directed for Beyoncé. It was unique and very impressive."

He then added, "Watching it gave me an idea. If we were to work together, imagine the distinctive style of film we could create."

"Uh... Will, you mean we could work together?" Lawrence asked.

"Of course we have an opportunity!" Will Smith exclaimed, feigning surprise. "Didn't you know? The I Am Legend team already sent me an audition invitation for the lead. Once I land the part, we can make our wish to collaborate a reality."

Lawrence caught on immediately. "Will, I genuinely do want to work with you," he replied. "And I can offer my opinion on casting, but the final decision rests with Akiva Goldsman."

He paused for a moment, then added, "And Goldsman has all but finalized Matthew for the lead role. The two sides are still in negotiations, but as the director, my influence is limited."

"We don't need you to do any more than that," Kevin Huvane, who had been silent until now, interjected. "Director Lawrence, all we need is for you to mention Will to Akiva. Put in a good word for him, maybe suggest that a Black actor would be a better fit for this particular project. That's all."

"And that's it?" Lawrence asked. It sounded simple enough.

"Yes," Huvane confirmed, well-versed in the unwritten rules of Hollywood. He added, "Will and CAA will remember this favor. I can even arrange an introduction for you at the agency, should you be interested in joining. I'm sure you're aware that being with CAA means more opportunities and a much broader path for your career."