The Most Famous Actor in Hollywood

"Wouldn't you want a broader platform?" Patrice Kinsley looked intently at Matthew, countering his unspoken thoughts. "The operational model and resources that CAA controls are unparalleled in Hollywood. No other agency can compete."

Matthew was well aware of CAA's dominance in the industry.

Patrice continued, "The agency you're with, Angel Agency, can't offer you better resources. Your agent, Helen Herman, although she has been with CAA, was only a minor employee there, hardly scratching the surface. If it weren't for her father, Michael Rosenfield's network, would she be where she is today?"

Matthew listened without responding. He had learned last year that Helen's father was one of CAA's five founders, although not as prominent as Michael Ovitz and Ron Meyer. After CAA's rise, Michael Rosenfield was edged out of the core group and was essentially retired now.

Helen's surname, Herman, came from her grandmother, a fact revealed when he had inquired about it, with reasons akin to those of Nicolas Cage choosing his stage name.

However, Amanda had once mentioned that this was related to Helen's parents' divorce among other family issues, which Matthew felt inappropriate to pry into.

Helen's achievements owed some credit to her father's networking, but Matthew knew she was not as Patrice described.

Patrice's pitch continued, "Look at CAA's client list, Matthew. Eighty percent of the top stars in Hollywood are with us, and most of them were propelled to stardom by CAA!"

She then posed a direct question, "Don't you want to reach the A-list, to become a superstar like Tom Cruise?"

"Of course, I do! I dream of it!" Matthew didn't hide his ambition.

"Has Angel Agency ever made anyone a superstar? Does Helen Herman have experience handling a superstar?" Patrice confidently pressed on. In recent years, post the departure of Michael Ovitz, CAA had been growing even more rapidly and poaching talents was routine for them. She slowed down, pointing to herself, "CAA has what it takes, and so do I!"

Matthew nodded, acknowledging that she wasn't wrong. CAA's status in the entertainment industry was indeed impressive, and Patrice Kinsley was undeniably a top-tier agent.

Frankly, Matthew was tempted. Normally, between Angel Agency and CAA, between Helen Herman and Patrice Kinsley, 99% would choose CAA and Patrice.

Matthew did not hide his intrigue, and Patrice noticed, adding, "When I first took on Tom Cruise, his industry status was similar to yours, and I elevated him to superstardom!"

This middle-aged woman's style was entirely different from Helen's more reserved approach. "You should know, my collaboration with Tom Cruise has ended, and I need someone new with sufficient potential to fill his shoes."

Hearing this, Matthew asked, "You mean to push me to a superstar status?"

"That's exactly what I mean!" Patrice stated confidently.

Matthew rubbed his chin, considering. Talk was cheap; Helen was also aiming to push him to superstardom.

It takes more than words to lift a secondary star to the heights of superstardom.

Looking at Patrice, he probed, "Do you have a specific plan?"

Patrice, representing CAA, naturally came prepared. "CAA will tailor a plan specifically for you. I can share a bit of it with you."

"Go ahead," Matthew said, interested. If CAA truly had a viable plan that suited his career trajectory, switching might be an option. "Let's hear it."

Patrice countered, "What do you think is your biggest weakness?"

"A weakness?" Matthew was puzzled.

He had many flaws, such as greed, duplicity, moral flexibility, and sometimes ingratitude...

"Regarding your career as a star!" Patrice clarified bluntly. "You lack major awards!"

She explained, "With your current commercial draw, if you had a Golden Globe, a major European film festival award, or an Oscar, you wouldn't be seen as a secondary star!"

Matthew nodded slowly, "You make a good point..."

However, he wasn't interested in pursuing that path.

Unaware of his reluctance, Patrice continued, believing these awards to be highly desirable for any actor.

"Helen Herman is clearly holding you back," Patrice adeptly sowed seeds of doubt. She didn't expect immediate belief but prepared her arguments well. "Your current strategy is too commercially focused, neglecting awards. Commerce shows your draw, awards denote your class. Developing both..."

She smiled, "For example, as long as the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' series maintains its box office, your commercial appeal won't be in question."

Matthew felt that his time at the café had been wasted.

Patrice then discussed CAA's proposed superstar plan, "CAA believes, aside from

 the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' series, you shouldn't take any other commercial roles. Focus on roles that aim for awards. With the sequel's box office matching the first, and spending four to five years pursuing a major acting award, becoming a superstar is inevitable."

Matthew nodded, seeing no point in continuing the discussion. "I understand."

"You can think about it," Patrice said, not expecting an immediate answer but showing her sincerity, "We're prepared to cut the commission to five percent."

Matthew didn't want to burn bridges with CAA, a powerful entity in Hollywood. He had even heard Helen mention a potential return to CAA.

"Those are generous terms," Matthew replied diplomatically, "Ms. Kinsley, I'll consider it carefully."

Patrice smiled confidently, "Good, I await your favorable reply."

She handed him her card, which he accepted and stored carefully, then stood to leave.

"Let's end here for today," he said.

Patrice also stood and shook his hand.

Leaving the café, Matthew spotted paparazzi lurking nearby. He suspected news of his meeting with Patrice would soon leak, possibly even arranged by CAA to pressure him into joining.

Smaller agencies often struggle to retain stars against the lucrative offers from giants like CAA and William Morris.

For instance, securing prestigious awards like the Golden Globes or Oscars, even just nominations, was far more feasible with a major agency.

Matthew recalled statistics showing that over the last decade, over 90% of major Oscar awards went to clients of a few top agencies like CAA and William Morris.

If he aimed for the Best Actor Oscar, CAA, and Patrice, who had helped Nicole Kidman reach the top, were indeed good options.

Settling into his Mercedes G-Wagon, he paused before starting the engine. Since he had no intention of switching to CAA, he could use this as leverage in upcoming negotiations with Helen. Their initial three-year contract was nearing its end, and Helen's agent commission was at eight percent. Using CAA's poaching attempt, he could push for even lower rates.

Suddenly, the idea of being poached seemed beneficial—let William Morris come and try as well.

This could help him push Helen's commission down to five percent.

With that thought, he called Helen, "Helen, it's me. Just to let you know, Patrice Kinsley from CAA just approached me."

Her calm voice came through the phone, "Did you accept?"

"Of course not! I refused!" Matthew asserted, "Am I that kind of person? I'm loyal. You're not just my agent; you're a partner and a friend. How could a minor agency like CAA ever sway me?"

After a pause, Helen replied, "I hope your words match your thoughts."

Matthew said no more, feeling he had said enough. After a brief chat, he hung up and drove off.

As the Oscars approached, it was time to implement his plans to woo Charlize Theron...

With more than half a year since the Stuart Townsend incident, enough time had passed to clear him of any suspicions of being an interloper.

For a dramatic impact, Matthew had prepared a major move.

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