Chapter 281: Refusing the Backdoor

Chapter 281: Chapter 281: Refusing the Backdoor

Hill stood frozen for a full thirty seconds before he came back to himself. The wine on the back of his hand had already gone cold.

He opened his mouth, but his throat felt blocked. For a long time, no words came.

His chest was a mix of elation he couldn’t contain and a thread of doubt. The editing suite was home. A producer’s job — financing, development, wrangling resources — was foreign ground.

"I..." He tried to speak, but nothing came. He just tightened his grip on the champagne glass.

Seeing that, Irene stood and walked over, resting a hand lightly on his shoulder. Her voice was gentle but firm. "You don’t need to answer now. Echo Pictures will have more projects going forward, and I can’t personally run every one. You’re the partner I trust most — the one who gets how I think. If you want this, the door’s open."

She paused, then added, "Take time to think. Learn what the job really is. No pressure. I believe in you, and I believe in the shorthand we’ve built over the years."

She turned back to the screen, letting the seriousness drop, her tone returning to its usual calm. "By the way, I finished the final cut of Million Dollar Baby. It’s excellent. Rhythm, emotion, transitions — all spot on. The negative space you used in the hospital scenes carries that weight exactly right."

She picked up her coat from the sofa and headed for the door. At the threshold she stopped, looked back at Hill, still lost in thought, and smiled. "I hope you’ll have an answer for me when the movie opens."

The editing room door closed softly, leaving Hill alone.

He looked down at his hands — hands that had lived on the editing console for years, thin calluses across the palms. They were trembling now because of what she’d just offered.

Producer.

The word had always felt distant. Now it was right in front of him.

He walked to the desk and sat. His fingertips brushed the cool keyboard, Irene’s words looping in his head.

Maybe this really was a new start — a chance to step out of his comfort zone and stand at a higher level beside her.

Sunlight fell through the window onto the screen, and he saw his own face reflected there. He took a breath, picked up his phone, and dialed his old mentor. Maybe it was time for advice.

When Irene got back to the Echo Pictures studio, Robert was already in the conference room. Two thick folders sat in front of him — prep reports for Saw and Little Miss Sunshine.

He stood as she entered. "Irene, pre-production on both films is locked. Crew’s set, main cast is basically done. We can roll next month."

Irene took a seat at the table. "That’s smooth. Thank you."

"There’s one small issue," Robert said, hesitant. "We haven’t finalized Olive for Little Miss Sunshine. We’ve screened a lot. We’re down to three, and we’re stuck."

"Oh?" Irene looked up, interested. "Who’s on the list?"

"Abigail Breslin, Dakota Fanning, and... Margaret Coppola." Robert’s voice dropped on the last name.

Irene paused with her water glass halfway to her lips. Confusion crossed her face. "I know the first two. How did Margaret Coppola get on the list?"

Margaret was her cousin’s daughter — six years old. Irene barely knew her, just a few family gatherings.

The kid was shy, quiet. She didn’t match Olive in Little Miss Sunshine at all.

Robert looked embarrassed and rubbed his hands. "Your cousin went to Shelly Ovitz and asked him to pass along a message. Said the girl loves acting and wanted you to give her a chance. Shelly didn’t feel he could say no, so he added her to the list and set up an audition."

Irene sighed softly and rubbed her brow.

There were always family members who tried to use the Coppola name as a shortcut. They forgot this business doesn’t reward connections alone.

"Does she have experience? How was the audition? Can she carry Olive?"

Robert stumbled, unable to answer directly. "She hasn’t acted before. At the audition... she was earnest, but it was her first time. She didn’t really know how to find the character yet."

Irene understood immediately. Not enough chops. She was on the list because of strings pulled.

She was quiet for a few seconds, then decided. "Put her in the film. No major role. Find her a small part — one of Olive’s classmates. A few scenes. That’ll be an answer for my cousin."

Her tone firmed. "If she shows real potential during shooting, note it for me. We’ll find her something proper on the next project if it fits. But Olive’s out. That role is the heart of the movie. If we cast someone who can’t carry it, the whole film collapses. I won’t risk the work."

No question — Abigail, who played Olive in the other timeline, got an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress. The role mattered that much.

Robert nodded quickly. "Makes sense. That’s the safe call."

"What about the other two?" Irene asked, back to business. "You see their tapes? Thoughts?"

"I wasn’t at the auditions, but I watched the tapes closely," Robert said, opening a folder, tone professional now. "On skill alone, Dakota Fanning is more polished. Lines, emotional control — she’s a rare child actor. Problem is her quote. Too high for a low-budget film like this."

"Abigail Breslin’s a bit green. No complex roles yet. But she has this simple, natural quality. No acting tricks. That unforced feel lines up perfectly with Olive. And her rate fits our budget."

"Then we go with Abigail," Irene said without hesitation. "What’s to debate? Olive doesn’t need perfect technique. She needs that natural innocence and stubbornness. Abigail has exactly that."

Robert looked uneasy again. "I was leaning that way too, but Shelly pulled me aside. He said Abigail just worked with Mel Gibson on Signs, and given your... history with Mel, he’s worried casting her could stir things up. Maybe cause trouble for promotion and distribution."

"Mel Gibson?" Irene raised an eyebrow. "My issues with him are mine. What does that have to do with the actor? I’m not passing on the right kid because she worked with him. That’s absurd."

Her voice left no room for doubt. "Ignore that. Lock Abigail Breslin. Tell her parents we’ll offer fair terms and protect the child’s experience on set."

"Got it. I’ll reach out to her team now," Robert said, relieved, and jotted a note.

Irene watched him stand to leave and added, "And make sure we have full safeguards for the child actor. Dedicated child welfare on set, strict hours, no overwork. Little Miss Sunshine needs care. We’re not rushing. Shoot slow, get every detail right."

Robert stopped and turned back, nodding seriously. "Understood. I’ll put all of that into the production guidelines and enforce it."