Capítulo 104: Chapter 103: Embarking on a Journey
"...Dear passengers, our flight is now approaching its destination, San Francisco International Airport. We will begin our descent shortly. The restrooms will be closed in five minutes, so please return to your seats and fasten your seat belts..."
The in-flight announcement played, marking the end of what seemed like an incredibly brief ninety-minute flight. One moment, they had just boarded the plane, barely adjusting to the cramped economy seats; the next, they were preparing to land in another city.
Since the last audition, everything had been progressing smoothly, and time flew by.
When it came to negotiating the pay, Andrew O'Connell had engaged in discussions with the production team of "The Princess Diaries." The production team had proposed a figure of $200,000.
Considering the film's total budget was only $25 million and that this was Anson's first movie role—though he was the male lead, he wasn't the primary character—the offer was quite decent. It showed Gary's sincerity.
Darren shared an insider tidbit with Anson:
The budget for actors in "The Princess Diaries" was mainly spent on bringing in a legendary star. It wasn't just Anson whose pay was modest; even the female lead wasn't paid much because this legendary star was the real centerpiece of the entire production.
Julie Andrews.
An actress whose legacy could rest on just "Mary Poppins" and "The Sound of Music." Her résumé includes not only an Oscar and Grammy but also the DBE (Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire) title, awarded by the Queen earlier this year. Julie Andrews is undoubtedly a treasure of British acting.
Though Julie Andrews had appeared in various projects over the years, her last major role in a mainstream commercial film was as far back as 1986. Since then, she had mostly been active on Broadway, showcasing her singing talents.
However, in 1997, Julie discovered a benign tumor in her throat and had to undergo surgery to remove it, forcing her to halt all work. While the surgery was successful, the doctors assured her she would recover within six weeks.
But three years passed, and Julie's voice never fully returned.
For three years, Julie was out of work. Although she could still speak, she could no longer sing, effectively forcing her into early retirement at 65.
Now, Gary Marshall had extended an olive branch, inviting Julie back to the big screen.
Julie was hesitant.
But Gary, who had wanted to work with her ever since he saw her on Broadway in "My Fair Lady" in 1956, was determined.
When he got hold of "The Princess Diaries" project, the first actor Gary secured was Julie. The script featured a grandmother character, who was also the reigning queen of a small, obscure European country. To Gary, no one but Julie could play this role.
Gary's persistence paid off, and Julie was persuaded to return to mainstream film after fourteen long years.
Naturally, with her name attached, the other newcomers had to take a backseat. Julie was the biggest star of the production, and Gary also hoped she could mentor the young leads, adding a touch of magic to the film.
Of course, Anson already knew this from his memories of a past life.
This meant that "The Princess Diaries" was already being very generous with its offer. The details of the negotiations reflected Gary's genuine belief that Anson was the right choice for the role, and he wasn't stingy with the corresponding pay.
Andrew wasn't planning to haggle excessively, but he still fulfilled his duties as a manager by trying to secure the best deal for his client. He responded with a counteroffer:
$250,000.
To his surprise, "The Princess Diaries" team agreed immediately—remarkably straightforward and decisive.
In terms of pure numbers, Anson's earnings from guest-starring in three episodes of "Friends" were $180,000, making the $250,000 for a lead role in "The Princess Diaries" seem modest. However, considering this was a mainstream commercial film, it was a different story altogether.
Just take a look at the "Friends" cast—
Initially, the renewal of "Friends" was expected to be the biggest drama and suspense of the summer. However, reality played out a bit differently.
The renewal negotiations weren't as intense or nerve-wracking as anticipated.
David Crane's meticulous planning, coupled with the unity of the six main actors, had set the stage early, limiting NBC's room for negotiation. After just three rounds of discussions, NBC gave in, agreeing to a new contract.
It all turned out simpler than expected.
In the end, NBC and the six leads of "Friends" agreed on a deal where they would receive $750,000 per episode for the seventh and eighth seasons. Naturally, the producers, writers, and production crew, along with the shooting budget, saw corresponding increases, ensuring the entire crew benefited.
They secured a two-season renewal, pushing the next round of contract negotiations to the summer of 2002.
This agreement once again shattered the salary structure within Hollywood's television sector. Discussions about compensation for lead actors in other flagship series quickly followed, with "Friends" naturally becoming the hot topic of the summer.
Logically, the six main actors should have been popping champagne in celebration.
However, that was far from reality.
David Crane never anticipated that the biggest stumbling block in the salary negotiations wouldn't come from NBC but from within the cast itself:
The six actors.
They were hesitant about whether to renew their contracts.
Some might think this was a tactic to drive up their value, and at first, David Crane thought so too. But as he delved deeper, he realized the gravity of the situation.
Starting with Jennifer Aniston and Courteney Cox, the actors were all worried about their images being irrevocably tied to a sitcom. Even with higher pay, their careers as actors might have no future. Once "Friends" ended, they feared they would be out of work.
In Hollywood, several actors have successfully transitioned from television to film and achieved great success—Leonardo DiCaprio, George Clooney, Will Smith, Bruce Willis, and the list could go on.
But in reality, such cases were rarer than one might think.
There was a nearly invisible yet substantial barrier between television and film—at least in the year 2000, when streaming platforms were not yet on the horizon. Maybe one out of a hundred, or even a thousand actors, might be lucky enough to break through that barrier.
Matthew Perry had already tasted this struggle—
"Whole Nine Yards," a film released earlier this year, had performed well at the box office, yet all the attention went to Bruce Willis, leaving Matthew in the shadows.
Courteney Cox also felt this deeply. She had starred in "Scream" back in 1996, but now, she struggled to find suitable film roles. She aspired to lead in films, to be the romantic lead in a love story, to explore different roles.
But it wasn't easy.
It wasn't just Jennifer Aniston, whose marriage to Brad Pitt had spurred her ambitions. The other five cast members still harbored dreams of making it in film, longing for the day they could headline a movie and be recognized as bona fide film stars. They had found success with "Friends," but they didn't want to be forever tied to it.
A little hesitation, a bit of doubt, and suddenly the negotiations were in flux.
David Crane had to work tirelessly to convince all six actors, and NBC realized this wasn't just a bluff. They were genuinely alarmed at the prospect of "Friends" ending. Panicking, they swiftly agreed to the deal, decisively putting an end to the negotiations to avoid dragging it out any longer. Thus, this high-paying agreement was born.
In hindsight, the actors of "Friends" might even have envied Anson's opportunity to break into film.
Chapter Four.
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