Find a quiet spot, turn the page, and let’s see what this story has been hiding 🌙 ✦ When Evan and Luke opened the apartment door, the atmosphere inside was painfully awkward.
Naomi sat near the balcony with the script in her hands, staring strangely at the girl on the sofa.
Jimmy had brought a beautiful young woman and a young man with him, and the three of them had been waiting in silence.
The moment Evan and Luke came in, everyone seemed to wake up.
Jimmy stood and gestured toward his clients.
“Hey, Luke.
Evan, these are my clients.
Ms.
Uma Thurman, and Mr.
Ethan Hawke.” Evan nodded tiredly and motioned for them to sit.
He held up one hand, went into the bathroom, washed his face, changed clothes, and only then returned to the sofa across from them.
“Evan, did you eat lunch?” Naomi asked before he could speak.
She set the script aside and walked over, looping her arms around his neck while her gaze drifted toward the girl on the sofa.
“I bought pasta.
Do you want me to make you some?
My spaghetti with cheese and meat sauce is excellent.” Evan suppressed a sigh.
Hollywood truly had no innocent people.
“No, thanks.
Luke and I had burgers on the way.” He turned to Jimmy.
“This is our lead actress, Naomi Watts.” Naomi used the opening to greet him.
“Hi, Jimmy.” “Hi, Ms.
Watts.” Before the greeting could stretch any further, Evan cut in.
He picked up the resume on the coffee table and addressed the young woman opposite him.
“Uma Thurman.
Your resume says you’ve already done a feature, right?
Kiss Daddy Goodnight.
I haven’t seen it.
Why don’t you introduce yourself?” Uma stood first and turned once, giving Evan a clear look at her figure before she sat down.
“I’m Uma Thurman.
I was born April 29, 1970, in Boston, Massachusetts.
My family is in New York now.
I made my film debut in 1987 in Kiss Daddy Goodnight, playing a teenage girl who seduces men.
“A modeling agent found me on the street in New York when I was fifteen.
I started modeling and appeared on several magazine covers after that.
Jimmy showed me the script, and I think I can handle the lead.” She sounded confident as she introduced herself.
Watching Evan study her resume, she seemed convinced she could impress the handsome young director.
Evan looked up in surprise.
From the balcony, Naomi silently mouthed an insult at him.
Evan frowned, then glanced at Jimmy.
Jimmy had definitely told her which role was available.
This young woman had done her homework and come prepared to push.
“Ms.
Thurman, your experience is good,” Evan said.
“For a newcomer, very good.
But I want to be clear.
I need Lori, the supporting actress, not Tree, the lead.
If you aren’t willing to play Lori, then I’m sorry.” He did not look at Uma after that.
He turned to Jimmy instead.
Jimmy frowned too, then said, “Evan, she can handle Lori.
Trust me.” Then he looked back at Uma as if to say, See?
I told you.
“Evan, I can play Lori,” Uma said.
“Of course I can.
I only meant that if you needed someone for the lead, I could try that too.” Evan tapped a finger against the coffee table, took out a Marlboro, and lit it.
Through the smoke, he watched her quietly.
Uma was ambitious, prepared, and quick to protect the opportunity still within reach.
When the bigger prize was impossible, she immediately secured the role she could actually get and made sure Evan saw her confidence.
“This role won’t pay much.
I’m sure Jimmy told you that already.
Your look works for what I need.
If you’re willing, you can sign the contract today.
Take a moment to think.” Then he turned to the young man, who was still very good-looking and very young.
“Mr.
Hawke, would you introduce yourself?” “Of course.
I’m Ethan Hawke.
I’ve appeared in three films so far.
I was in Explorers in 1985, played Todd Anderson in Dead Poets Society in 1989, and had a supporting role in Dad that same year.
I’ve read the script, and I can handle Carter.” Only after Ethan finished did Evan set down his resume.
“This movie has three central roles: Tree, Carter, and Lori.
The budget is tight, so the terms are exactly what I laid out: low pay and a short shoot.
If you can accept that, we can sign now.” “Of course,” Ethan said.
“I’m ready to sign anytime.” He had already thought it through before coming.
This might be an opportunity.
Even if the film never reached theaters, he would at least have a lead role on his resume.
Evan nodded to Luke, who took out the prepared contracts and set them in front of Uma and Ethan.
Jimmy looked them over, then nodded to both actors to show there was no problem.
In truth, Jimmy had explained the situation to them before bringing them over.
If they had not been willing to participate, they would not have come.
With Jimmy present, both signed without delay.
Once the contracts were finished, Evan smiled and clapped his hands once.
“Thank you for trusting the project.
Tomorrow I’ll bring the whole crew together for a meeting.
Once we’re ready, we’ll head to Orange County to shoot.
The expected schedule is about two months, so prepare yourselves.” Jimmy nodded, then asked, “What about the other roles?” “Use your clients,” Evan said.
“CAA shouldn’t be short on new actors.
For the teacher, find someone good-looking.
Leave a few slots for student extras at the school.
I promised the principal we’d give some of the kids practical experience.” “No problem.
I’ll handle it.” Jimmy stood, greeted Luke, and left with his two clients.
Soon after, Luke said goodbye as well and went out to prepare props for the hospital location.
Evan leaned back against the sofa and closed his eyes.
One thing after another kept demanding decisions, and the constant pressure was starting to wear him down physically and mentally.
A pair of hands settled lightly against his temples.
As Naomi massaged his head, some of the tightness eased.
“Evan, are you feeling all right?” He opened his eyes and caught one of her hands.
“Headache.
I’ve been too busy lately.
My head is full of production problems.
It feels awful, like someone is standing behind me with a whip, forcing me to keep moving.” Naomi came around and sat beside him, gently pulling his head against her chest.
“Don’t put that much pressure on yourself,” she said.
“If you get sick now, the crew you just built collapses immediately.
You need to find a way to relax.
You can’t think about work every second.” He breathed in the scent of her body wash and, for once, felt no particular desire beyond the comfort itself.
Having a woman nearby was not a bad thing.
It had been a long time since Evan had let himself rest in anyone’s arms.
He wrapped an arm around the blonde beauty, used her as a pillow, and drifted off without realizing it.
When he woke again, he was lying on the sofa with a blanket over him and a pillow under his head.
He rubbed his eyes, sat up, and saw Naomi cooking dinner in the open kitchen.
“Oh, sweetheart,” he said, standing.
“Sorry.
I don’t know how I fell asleep.
What are you making?
I’m starving.” He threw off the blanket, walked up behind her, and wrapped his arms around her waist.
Whatever her motives were, pure or not, she knew how to make him feel cared for.
“It’s fine.
You didn’t sleep that long.
About three hours.
You were exhausted.” Naomi heard the softness in his voice and smiled to herself.
Effort paid off sometimes, didn’t it?
Evan leaned against the counter and watched her pour meat sauce over the cooked pasta.
Then he picked up both plates and carried them to the coffee table.
“I can’t stop,” he said.
“If I stop now, the whole project stalls.
This is good, by the way.
Just like you said.
Your spaghetti really is excellent.” Naomi ate with her head lowered, then tried a request.
“Evan, I don’t like Uma.
She’s too calculating and too greedy.
Maybe you should consider more options.” Of course he had seen it.
That kind of thing was not strange.
His mother used to warn him that competing ambitions could make any set political, especially when two actors wanted the same spotlight.
Naomi’s attempt to undermine Uma proved the point.
“Listen,” Evan said evenly.
“I already signed her.
As long as she fits the role, I have no reason to look elsewhere.
Your attention should probably stay on the script.” Naomi did not look bothered by the response.
She immediately changed the subject and began discussing Tree’s transformation across the story.
She was smart.
A test cost her nothing.
If she could make Evan even slightly unhappy with Uma, she would consider it worth the attempt.
After dinner, Evan called Jasmine Cafe near USC and reserved space for the next day.
He needed the whole crew gathered in one place so everyone could meet and so he could see whether any part of preproduction had been overlooked.
The school location was set, and the hospital option looked promising.
The remaining scenes were limited.
They could find a quiet road and an underpass for the rest.
In truth, the film was built around many cost-saving tricks.
Tree’s repeated deaths, for example, took place in extremely simple settings.
The storyboards were based on the finished images in Evan’s memory, so the camera positions were already mostly designed.
Because he knew what the final film should look like, he expected to waste less film stock than a normal first-time director.
If he did not need to shoot unnecessary coverage, he could save a large amount on film.
That would leave room for mistakes during production and enough money for post.
Fortunately, this film had almost no special effects.
The biggest prop expenses might turn out to be tomato juice and a mask.
✦ ✦ ✦ Ready for more?
CREATORS’ THOUGHTS TheBacklot Thank you for reading.
I hope this chapter drew you further into the story.
Stick around, because there’s still a lot waiting just ahead.