[Chapter 359: The Actress Arrangements]
Casting for the five films, especially the female roles, gave Linton quite a headache. Although there were many characters, he had too many women around him. Besides Winnie, there were as many as eighteen women in the entertainment industry by his side, not to mention Akina Nakamori was about to arrive in Los Angeles soon.
He had to consider not only the fit between each actress and her role but also balance each woman's circumstances to avoid unnecessary conflicts within his inner circle. That was definitely a happy problem for Linton.
Every woman around him, except Winnie, was an important resource for his cultivation. Naturally, he had the responsibility to help them continuously increase their popularity and star power. Fortunately, Madonna, Naomi Watts, Cameron Diaz, Shania, and Heidi Klum were already top-tier stars in their own right. He didn't have to worry much about their resources; his main job was to continue feeding them his essence to help them maintain their youthful and beautiful appearances -- that was the greatest support he could offer.
Then there were Sophie Marceau and Winona Ryder, both on the cusp of A-list stardom, having scored Golden Globe wins and Oscar nominations recently. If either of them managed to snag an Oscar, there'd be no doubt they'd firmly enter the A-list circle, attracting even more top-level opportunities.
So, for these women, Linton didn't have to worry much for now. Among the rest, after careful consideration, Linton finally made his decisions.
First was Mission: Impossible. Like The Man from Nowhere, it was a male-led film with most scenes centered on Linton himself. However, the female lead, Claire, had a substantial and impressive role.
He remembered being amazed by Emmanuelle Beart, who played Claire in that original film, but now, with so many women around him, he naturally wanted to cast someone from his own circle.
Back in 1991, when he first went to Paris to promote his single, Universal's Paris branch held a party for him. The two actresses he most wanted to invite were Emmanuelle and Sophie Marceau.
But fate had other plans. Only Sophie showed up, and she eventually became one of his women. Emmanuelle, reportedly, was not in Paris at the time and missed the event, missing her chance. But once missed, it was gone; he couldn't give her a second shot.
The role required a mature, glamorous woman. Although surrounded by beauties, only Nicole Kidman, Cristiana Reali, Monica Bellucci, Sophie Marceau, and Catherine Zeta-Jones truly fit the bill.
But Monica had just starred with him in The Man from Nowhere, and Nicole Kidman and Cristiana's Independence Day hadn't yet premiered. To avoid audience fatigue, they weren't suitable choices.
Excluding Sophie Marceau, Linton ultimately decided to cast Catherine Zeta-Jones. He also changed a minor role, Hannah, to an Asian character, and assigned it to Michelle Reis.
Next, The Long Kiss Goodnight was a story about an ordinary school teacher who, after a car accident recovers her memories and realizes she is actually a professional spy, setting off to find the traitor who betrayed her.
The film was tight and suspenseful, packed with action and heartwarming moments. The female lead was a strong, resilient, and highly capable woman.
Because of the story's unusual nature, the protagonist constantly existed at the intersection between reality and hallucination, with a sharp contrast between her true identity and the vivid illusions she experienced.
This was a female-led picture, considered top-tier for any actress. With box office over $60 million in North America, even with confusing advertising and the carry-over effect from Cutthroat Island, with a sequel planned, making it a much stronger platform than a mere trophy role or an Oscar-winning actress's appearance.
But the lead required a quality action performer -- a mature, beautiful woman who could portray strength and resilience.
Among his women, Nicole Kidman was the only one fitting all these criteria. There weren't many actresses who could pull off solid fight scenes -- Charlize Theron and Cameron Diaz could, but Charlize was too young, and Cameron's image was more of a sweet and naive type.
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Then there was As Good as It Gets, a narrative about writer Melvin, whose encounters with neighbor Simon and waitress Carol Connelly gradually transformed him from a racist, sexist man into a charitable individual.
This film was on par with Pulp Fiction not only in box office -- it cleared over $150 million in North America -- but also in artistic merit. It won multiple Oscar nominations and took home best actor and best actress awards.
Resource-wise, this film's lead was almost equal to The Long Kiss Goodnight in value.
Many actresses could potentially take this role: Cristiana Reali, Monica Bellucci, Sophie Marceau, Naomi Watts, and Winona Ryder -- five ideal choices.
However, Sophie, Winona, and Naomi were already solid A-list stars.
He couldn't pile the best roles onto one woman. Among the remaining two, Linton ultimately chose Cristiana Reali. He couldn't help himself -- he was a sucker for beauty, and in his mind, Cristiana was the most stunning.
The Sixth Sense was simpler: the focus was on the male lead and the boy. The female lead mainly pushed the story forward and was more of a visual presence. He chose Monica Bellucci for this part and switched the character Kyra to be Asian, casting Noriko Sakai in the role.
For Scream, the female lead was a beautiful high school girl, naturally going to Jennifer Connelly. Another character, Gale, was also changed to Asian and assigned to Akina Nakamori, who was about to arrive in Los Angeles.
Back home, Linton informed all the women in his harem about the five films and the casting arrangements. Although some were happy and others worried, after Linton's explanations and reassurances, everyone understood and accepted the choices without any conflicts.
Of course, he promised this was just the first half of the year's projects. More would come in the second half, giving everyone else their chance.
Buoyed by these five projects, the evening's party was even livelier. The cast members poured themselves into their improv scenes with unmatched enthusiasm -- especially Nicole Kidman, Cristiana Reali, Monica Bellucci, Jennifer Connelly, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Michelle Reis, and Noriko Sakai. Their energy was simply unstoppable.
There was more good news: after nearly six months of renovation, the main mansion of the estate was finally expanded, adding twenty new rooms.
Nicole Kidman and Kate Winslet immediately picked their rooms and decorated them to their tastes.
They also converted two rooms into maternity suites, purchasing the newest, most advanced medical equipment and hiring top doctors.
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