Capítulo 104: Chapter 104: Mel Gibson
"Hey, you Aussie savage!"
Mel Gibson looked at the young man walking straight towards him, burning with anger. He called him a savage?
"You're dead! You're dead tonight!"
He pushed away the two women beside him and swung his fist at Arthur.
Arthur just shook his head as he saw Mel Gibson charging at him, sped up, and as he passed, he elbowed him in the neck.
Mel Gibson, slightly drunk, stumbled a few steps after being hit. Arthur then kicked him to the ground!
"No bodyguards? Serves you right!" Arthur ignored the two screaming women and kicked Mel Gibson a few more times.
One-on-one, Arthur wasn't afraid. If Mel had brought bodyguards, Arthur wouldn't have acted so directly.
At that moment, Hollywood director Richard Donner and producer Bruce Davey heard the commotion and ran over, shouting, "Arthur, Mel, why are you fighting?"
Recently, Arthur Smith becoming the boss of Orion Pictures was big news, and many in Hollywood knew him.
Mel Gibson got up, "Arthur, how dare you hit me? You're done for!"
Richard Donner and Bruce Davey held back the furious Mel Gibson.
Arthur lit a cigarette and smirked, "You better apologize honestly, or I can guarantee what you said to Winona Ryder will be all over the press tomorrow. Acting in a few action movies, you really think you're Superman?"
Arthur called Michael Ovitz from CAA, briefly explaining what Mel Gibson had done.
"Arthur, I'm coming over right now. Don't do anything rash," Michael Ovitz advised over the phone.
"What did I say?"
"You said Jews should go to the incinerator," Arthur glanced at director Richard Donner and producer Bruce Davey, "You guys are his friends, right? Call his agent to deal with tonight's incident!"
Bruce Davey, Mel Gibson's partner, broke into a cold sweat hearing that Mel had made comments about Jews, "Please stay calm. Mel was just drunk, he didn't mean it."
"Let's discuss this in the hotel. I'll notify Mel's agent, Ed Limato!"
Bruce Davey then spoke to Richard Donner, "Richard, please handle this here."
This kind of matter couldn't spread; the fewer people who knew, the better. Bruce Davey asked Richard Donner to deal with the two women.
Richard Donner, the director of the Lethal Weapon series, was currently discussing the development of Lethal Weapon 3 with Mel Gibson.
…
Half an hour later, in a conference room at the Hollywood Celebrity Hotel, Michael Ovitz arrived with Arthur's agent, Tracy Jacobs, and Winona Ryder and Nicole Kidman's agent, Jessica James.
Mel Gibson's agent, Ed Limato, and partner Bruce Davey were also present.
"Mel, did you say Winona Ryder avoided the incinerator?" Michael Ovitz, being Jewish himself, was naturally angry upon hearing such a comment.
"Michael, calm down. There might be some misunderstanding," Ed Limato tried to soothe the situation and then looked at Arthur Smith, "Arthur, I'm sure there must be some misunderstanding."
"Misunderstanding?" Arthur's tone was flat, "Winona Ryder wasn't the only one there; Nicole Kidman was too, and she can testify."
Arthur then glared at Mel Gibson angrily, "Did you lose your mind in Australia? Talking like that to a 20-year-old Jewish girl? Is your head filled with alcohol and shit? A 35-year-old man insulting a 20-year-old girl? Do you really think you're a Hollywood star? How much did the two Lethal Weapon movies make?"
Both Lethal Weapon 1 and 2 grossed a hundred million dollars globally.
"Arthur, are you challenging me?" Mel Gibson, flushed with anger, was about to lash out, especially after Arthur had just kicked him a few times.
"Challenging you? What are you to be my rival?" Arthur mocked openly, "Are you Schwarzenegger or Stallone? Or can you compete with Bruce Willis or Harrison Ford?"
Mel Gibson was still in his rising phase, not yet the global superstar he would become after starring in the epic Braveheart.
"Sue me? Go ahead," Arthur smiled, staring at Mel Gibson, "I can afford millions in legal fees. If you've got the guts, call the police and make tonight's incident public. If you can still work in Hollywood after that, I'll respect you. How about it? Do you dare? You bastard! If you ever disrespect my people again, you better wait until I'm down, or you become someone I have to look up to. Arrogance requires capital!"
Arthur said, even pointing his finger at Mel Gibson.
"Arthur, nothing happened in the parking lot," Ed Limato quickly tried to calm Arthur Smith down, covering for Mel Gibson.
This was Arthur Smith, the new boss of Orion Pictures, not some small-time actor like Winona Ryder.
Moreover, Michael Ovitz was involved now. If Mel Gibson was confirmed to have insulted Jews, he'd be in big trouble!
Tracy Jacobs, who had been silent, spoke up, "Arthur, let us handle this now. You should go back and rest."
Michael Ovitz also advised, "Arthur, go home with Jessica and check on Winona. We'll take care of the rest."
"When is Marvin coming?" Michael Ovitz asked Ed Limato. Marvin Josephson was the head of ICM, with Ed Limato being a senior partner.
"He's on his way by helicopter," Ed Limato replied.
Michael Ovitz nodded, watching Arthur Smith and Jessica James leave before looking at Mel Gibson, "Hollywood respects power. Winona Ryder might be a small star, but her man is not a nobody. Can you match Arthur Smith? He can develop a movie with your salary and make the studio millions. That's the capital of his arrogance!"
Arnold Schwarzenegger and Mel Gibson were both ICM clients and competitors. CAA had signed Schwarzenegger, but their star, Stallone, wouldn't allow his position to be threatened, so CAA quickly ended their contract with Schwarzenegger.
As for Mel Gibson, when he negotiated with CAA, he only offered 5% commission, which led to a breakdown in talks.
CAA's commissions for many top directors and actors ranged from 4% to 6%, often with a separate fee for the agent, but Mel Gibson wasn't in that league yet!
*****
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