Chapter 195: Chapter 195: A Guest Appearance
[Chapter 195: A Guest Appearance]
Eric stopped in his tracks and turned around. "Is there something else, Miss Anwar?"
Gabrielle regretted speaking up as soon as she did. She felt she had come off as too eager. However, since she had called out to him, she mustered her courage and said, "Mr. Williams, would you like to dance with me later?"
Eric looked at the petite figure of the girl in her deep red V-neck dress, complemented by her delicate legs in low-heeled shoes. He naturally recalled that stunning tango scene and smiled slightly as he asked, "Are you asking for a tango?"
Gabrielle nodded, her lips curving into a teasing smile. "If that's what you want."
"Okay, just give me a moment," Eric said, pointing toward the end of the hallway.
Gabrielle understood and nodded. She watched as Eric turned and left until his figure disappeared behind a door. Then she quickly clutched her chest, taking a couple of deep breaths, while her mind raced with ideas on how to capture this man's attention.
Fortunately, after landing the role of the tango dancer, Gabrielle had spent several months in the U.S. The deeper her understanding of Hollywood grew, the more determined she became to stay.
The tango scene, though only a few minutes long, took over a week to shoot at a hotel in New York, as Al Pacino was very particular about his work. During that time, the girl stayed glued to the set, and she marveled at the respectful demeanor of everyone, from the director down to the production assistants. Despite being a newcomer who made her share of mistakes -- some of them laughably basic -- the director Martin Brest and Al Pacino never lost their temper with her. At most, they furrowed their brows in displeasure but quickly returned to patiently guiding her through the nuances of the performance.
Initially, Gabrielle assumed that both men had naturally calm dispositions. However, on the third day of shooting, a background actor had spaced out in front of the camera, necessitating several retakes for a complicated shot. Al Pacino, visibly irritated, smashed something in anger and unleashed some harsh words that left the temporary actor in tears, prompting him to shamefully exit the set. It was then that Gabrielle realized Martin Brest was no softie either, which left her curious about why she was afforded special treatment.
A small incident clarified the entire situation for her.
A young man named Matt Damon, after spending several days on set with her, developed a crush and attempted to strike up a conversation. However, Al Pacino caught wind of it. Gabrielle witnessed firsthand as Al summoned the naive kid into a room for a serious talk, and afterward, Matt never approached her again.
With this revelation, Gabrielle began to put the pieces together. She understood that her favorable treatment stemmed from being recommended by Eric Williams. Even more importantly, they seemingly viewed her as Eric's lover, which explained the unexpected kindness she received. Interestingly, being a newcomer to the industry, she encountered none of the typical harassment that often plagued aspiring actresses. It almost felt like a miracle. Even back in England, despite her parents being television personalities, she still faced unwanted advances when acting in a television series.
Thanks to this misunderstanding, she gained considerable advantages. Consequently, she had no intention of clarifying anything and would casually drop Eric's name in conversations, leaving people with certain implications.
Now, most of those who knew her, including her agent and even the general manager of her agency, Kepler Hyde, categorized her as Eric's romantic interest. They didn't look down on her for that; after all, there was a chance she could become his official girlfriend or even his wife someday.
However, Gabrielle knew that she and Eric didn't share any real relationship. They had spoken only a few times and met just once.
As time passed, she worried about what would happen if the truth came out and those who felt deceived found out, especially her agent, who had been asking whether she had been on any dates with Eric in recent days, sometimes deliberately, sometimes not.
...
"Hey, what are you thinking about?" a voice suddenly interrupted Gabrielle's thoughts.
She looked up to see Eric standing before her and quickly shook her head. "Nothing."
"Shall we head in?" Eric said nonchalantly.
"Sure," she replied, boldly stepping forward to loop her arm through his.
Eric noticed the girl's sudden intimacy with intrigue. Gabrielle, avoiding Eric's perceptive gaze, looked down, but stubbornly held onto his arm.
Eric chuckled softly, not addressing her subtle intentions, feeling momentarily disappointed that his arm lacked the soft touch he was used to. If Nicole had two barely graspable bulges on her chest when she was lying prone, the girl who was hugging him at this moment had completely flat breasts.
...
"Eric, I've decided to let Firefly Films handle the distribution. I think what Robert suggested made a lot of sense," Al Pacino said, spotting Eric from across the room with a genuine smile. He approached, glancing at Gabrielle leaning against Eric and playfully exchanging glances with him.
Eric had anticipated this outcome. If Robert Shea could persuade him, Al Pacino would be no different. The more eager Al was for an award, the more likely he'd heed Robert's suggestions.
"I believe that's a solid choice," Eric nodded and smiled. "By the way, Al, do you have plans for your next film?"
Al shook his head. "I plan to take a break. Kepler suggested it too. After filming two movies this year, Kepler said it's best I wait until after the next Oscars before diving into my next project." He paused, gauging Eric's reaction, then added, "But Eric, if it's a film you're producing, I'm always available."
"No, Al, I don't have anything suitable for you right now," Eric clarified. "Actually, you probably heard I'm working on a television show..."
Al's face lit up. "Of course, I've heard! I even know you directed a couple of episodes yourself. Eric, your ideas are... distinct. Most directors I know only take on TV projects when they can't land film roles. So what's this about?"
Eric explained, "I'm producing a sitcom and would like to invite you for a guest appearance."
"Uh... that..."
Al hesitated. The idea of guesting on a show wasn't unusual, but he worried about the show's reputation. If the ratings tanked, appearing would feel like being in a flop film -- he still had nightmares about a bomb he starred in years ago. Now, he was more cautious.
Eric read his reluctance and added, "Al, this series is airing as we shoot. The premiere is on September 3rd on Fox. I understand your concerns. Here's a deal: if the average ratings are below fifteen million, we can pretend this conversation never happened. If it exceeds that, I hope you'll consider it."
"Then I'm game," Al replied immediately upon hearing Eric's conditions. He had enough knowledge to know that a show gathering over fifteen million was a hit. Guesting would also boost his profile.
"Great! You can take a look at the show whenever you have time."
Al chuckled, "You directed the first two episodes, so I'll definitely tune in! By the way, can you give me a hint about what role I'll be playing?"
"Sure, I want you to play yourself."
"Myself?"
"Exactly," Eric explained. "The gist of the plot is one of our six main characters is a temp actor who gets hired to be your body double..."
Although in the previous version, Joey portrayed Al Pacino's rear end, it never featured Al himself. Now, with Eric's connection to Al, it was a prime opportunity to get him on screen.
"Whoa," Al laughed at Eric's pitch. "You know, if necessary, I wouldn't mind appearing nude."
Eric shrugged. "Well, you understand, it's for the story."
"Of course! This sounds like it will be a lot of fun. So, Ms. Anwar must be getting impatient. Sorry I took up so much of Eric's time. You guys are off to dance, right? By the way, Eric, Ms. Anwar is quite skilled at tango."
"Thanks for the compliment, Mr. Pacino." Gabrielle hadn't shown any impatience; she respected his presence greatly.
"Enjoy the party! I'm going to chat with some others. See you later."
"Catch you later," Eric nodded, leading the girl toward the dance floor.
*****
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