From Flower Vase to Film Emperor in Hollywood

Edgar found it somewhat difficult.

In fact, those extravagant and casually fabricated lies are often simpler because they require no thought. He could borrow from movies, novels, or other templates in life. As an agent, he had already witnessed the classic persuasive tactics of other top agents at William Morris when dealing with actors. A simple copy and paste could make it sound exceptionally beautiful and ornate.

But the truth is different.

Because those words must originate from oneself, from the heart. He not only needs to think for himself but also needs to truly understand, deeply explore, and discuss based on the person in front of him. Every word, every sentence, starts from scratch and needs careful consideration. Even a little bit of deception would fail to achieve the desired effect, potentially ruining his opportunity.

“I think…”

Edgar took a deep breath. Because of his honesty and vulnerability, he couldn't help but want to avoid eye contact. His lowered eyelids revealed a rare glimpse of tension and unease, almost preventing him from speaking. But he still raised his eyes, looked at Ansen, and sincerely gazed into Ansen's bright eyes.

“I think you are a special actor.”

“Even though you are only eighteen years old, you know what you are doing and what you want. This wisdom is the most valuable thing.”

“Hollywood doesn't lack actors or stars, but there are few superstars. Right now, the only one who can be called a true superstar is Leonardo DiCaprio, but he is in Indonesia, on an island, searching for himself. This is the Hollywood we have.”

“So, I hope to work with you. We can build a future together and become the next superstar, a unique superstar.”

“I want to be the witness of your journey to the peak.”

Frank, sincere, and without concealing his ambition, his eyes and cheeks revealed a flamboyant and unrestrained ambition. This is Edgar's true face: a tycoon full of desire and energy.

Now, Ansen truly saw Edgar clearly.

Moved?

Of course.

Ansen wasn't a stone statue. Edgar's words made his heart surge and his blood boil, truly feeling the vigor and vitality of an eighteen-year-old, eager to roll up his sleeves and sprint with Edgar.

Edgar said, “So, you don't like this role? Peter Parker?”

Ansen nodded. “I like it. And I also look forward to playing this role, but I also know that the competition will be very intense.”

Edgar agreed. “Of course, I can't guarantee that you will get this role. To be precise, no one can guarantee that an actor will get a specific role. But that's my job—to increase the odds through various methods and get you the roles you deserve. So, how about this? Trust me this time and give it a try?”

Ansen spread his hands. “Anyway, I have nothing to lose, right?”

That was the truth—

A trial out of nowhere, and it was for “Spider-Man.” No matter what happens in New York this time, Ansen has nothing to lose.

Does Ansen like “Spider-Man?”

Undoubtedly.

After all, it's 2000 now, and the movie in front of him is “Spider-Man,” a completely different situation than twenty years later.

In 2023, superhero movies have fallen into clichés and aesthetic fatigue. The quality of the works is lackluster, and box office and word-of-mouth performances have declined across the board. It's even incredibly difficult to find a decent popcorn movie.

Moreover, after the full rise of Marvel movies, actors and superhero roles are bundled together. On-screen and off-screen, online and offline, a unified persona is required. This is a good thing for movie promotion, but it's a nightmare for actors—

Indeed, superhero roles are rare breakthrough opportunities in a career; but at the same time, this role will also become an image cage for the actor. No matter what role they play, they cannot get rid of the superhero image.

Among Marvel's series of actors, including the most popular Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans, none have been able to escape the shackles of superhero roles. After leaving Marvel, their acting careers have encountered different bottlenecks. The role that once became a breakthrough in their careers is now playing the burden of holding them back.

Only a few actors, like Scarlett Johansson and Mark Ruffalo, who started in independent films, can maintain their own colors and continue to explore different acting paths.

In fact, this is a superficial phenomenon. The deeper reason is the strategy of Hollywood film production companies, which completely reverses their passive situation in the film production process.

In the 1980s, Harrison Ford and Tom Cruise rose to prominence, igniting the market, and the Hollywood superstar era reached its peak.

In other words, audiences don't care about the type of movie or the story. They will enter the theater because of the actors. Box office appeal comes from superstars.

The 1990s became witnesses. Will Smith broke the 100 million USD mark at the North American box office with five consecutive films, writing history. This earned him the title of "Big Willie."

Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jim Carrey, Julia Roberts, Meg Ryan, Tom Hanks, Denzel Washington, and other superstars all had such appeal.

As you can imagine, the initiative has always been in the hands of the actors.

If film production companies want to win at the box office, they must invite superstars—this is the root cause of the “blind belief in superstars” in the first decade of the 21st century. Then, they pay these superstar actors more and more salaries, even box office dividends, and reach their peak around 2010.

When Johnny Depp filmed “Pirates of the Caribbean 4,” the 56 million USD salary shocked the entire market.

Until 2008, with the appearance of “Iron Man.”

With the decline in the originality of movies, the increase in audience demand for genre movies, and the decline in the box office appeal of actors, film companies began to look for different tracks in this era background.

Disney set its sights on comics. They chose Robert Downey Jr., who had fallen into a long career slump due to white powder, as the protagonist, in an attempt to get rid of the influence of the superstar aura.

This became a watershed.

However, now, in 2000, the situation is completely different. The risks that actors need to face are reflected in other aspects—

Comics? Second dimension? Superheroes?

It is still a marginal culture and not valued, but it is precisely in this context that the production team does not need to consider the needs of the mainstream market and can instead create colorful works based on the style of the original work.

First update.