Chapter 86: Final Assignment

Chapter 86: Chapter 86: Final Assignment

"Now that the male lead is set, what are your thoughts on Stella and Steve?" Irene asked, looking around the conference room as she moved the agenda forward.

John Owen spoke up right away. "Based on today’s performances, character fit, and market potential, I think the candidates for Stella come down to Cate Blanchett and Charlize Theron."

He pulled up the audition clips and profiles for both actresses. "Cate Blanchett has a strong presence. She can give the character a cool, elegant quality. Charlize Theron brings more power and a raw kind of beauty, and her action work was excellent."

As soon as he finished, Adelaide Griffin added firmly, "I’m leaning toward Charlize Theron. Her film with Matt Damon, The Legend of Bagger Vance, comes out later this year. By then, audiences will already be familiar with them as a screen pair. That gives us a built-in advantage for the chemistry in our film."

Irene nodded, not giving anything away. The original film had used Charlize Theron, and her audition today had been strong. Irene had no objections.

"John, go on."

"As for Steve..." John paused, looking a bit conflicted. "Professionally speaking, Russell Crowe gave the best performance today, but his agent told me privately after the audition that his salary expectation is around fifteen million dollars."

"Then we move on," Irene said without hesitation. Her decisiveness caught a few people off guard.

"The total salary for all actors on this film has to stay within budget. If one actor’s fee is too high and throws off the balance, we replace them immediately." Her tone was firm, drawing a clear line.

John nodded quickly and turned to the next page. "If we switch, Jude Law and Johnny Depp are both options. Jude Law is good at playing refined, self-interested characters, which fits Steve’s personality.

Johnny Depp has a laid-back, magnetic charm. He seems careless on the surface, but there’s real depth and calculation underneath. If he played Steve’s betrayal, it would feel unpredictable and give the character a unique, chilling edge."

Irene could hear that John admired Johnny Depp. Her fingers tapped lightly on Depp’s name without her realizing it.

Before today, she hadn’t paid attention to which actors the casting director had invited. So when she saw Johnny Depp walk in front of the camera, she was surprised.

She had always thought this independent-minded actor only took unique art films or director-driven projects, and rarely appeared in traditional blockbusters like The Italian Job.

In fact, while planning Pirates of the Caribbean, she had wondered how she would convince him to play Captain Jack.

But now, here he was, without any warning.

At this point, Johnny Depp hadn’t yet been defined by Captain Jack, and playing a charming villain came naturally to him. Irene really wanted to cast him, not just for The Italian Job, but for that bigger, more adventurous project down the line.

"In terms of unique character work and screen presence, I personally prefer Johnny Depp," Irene said, tapping Depp’s audition file lightly and looking up at John Owen. "But I have a question. Given how picky he usually is about scripts, how did he agree to audition for our commercial film?"

The casting director smiled knowingly and answered simply. "Easy. He needs money."

That blunt answer stunned Irene, and she looked surprised. She had always seen this unconventional artist as someone who stayed far away from working just for a paycheck.

John explained further. "Depp had a daughter last year and has been home taking care of her, so he hasn’t taken any new work. And his expenses are high. He supports his friends, covers childcare costs, and keeps up his art collections and music projects. Put it all together, and his savings are running low. So he needs to take on some work that pays well and moves fast."

Irene couldn’t help but laugh and shake her head. It came down to simple family responsibility and financial pressure.

"Then what are his salary requirements?" Irene asked seriously, pulling herself back to the budget. She had just said they couldn’t go over the limit. If he asked for too much based on his reputation, she would have to pass, as much as she liked him.

After all, if she wasn’t comparing him to Johnny Depp, Jude Law was also a strong choice.

John immediately gave a number. "His agent said eight million dollars after tax, and it’s negotiable. That price is very competitive compared to our other options."

Hearing that figure, Irene understood. The number reflected both Depp’s current market value and the fact that he needed work. She exchanged a look with Adelaide and saw the same judgment in her eyes. This price was worth it.

"Contact Depp’s team," Irene finally decided. "Stella will be Charlize Theron, and Steve will be Johnny Depp. Move quickly on the contract details."

After that, the other roles were confirmed one by one, and Edward successfully landed the part of the getaway driver, Rob.

"Lina, are you free this weekend? John invited us to go surfing," Susan said, jogging out of the classroom to catch up with her friend.

Lina shook her head. "This weekend? No, Wood and I are going to see Irene Coppola’s new movie, Mean Girls!"

Ever since she saw Legally Blonde with her boyfriend last year, Lina had become a fan of Irene. She had waited a whole year, and now that a new film was finally out, there was no way she would miss it.

"Ah! Is that the director from Legally Blonde?" Susan looked interested. "I love that movie! Now that you mention it, I want to see it too. I’m free this weekend, so I’ll come with you!"

Lina narrowed her eyes and smiled. "John has asked you so many times. Are you going to stand him up again?"

"Just ask him to come too. We can make it a double date!" Susan said excitedly.

"Oh my, someone finally admitted his status."

"Well, he has to work harder. Otherwise, how will he know how special I am?"