"That's the case. I need a solution now, a solution that can solve the current problem." Anthony Mingella said to her assistant director and several assistants in Miramax's lounge.

He brought them here, intending to do something here in one go and not delay the preparation of the movie, but he still was still in a stalemate. Assistants, you have seen me and I look at you, staring at you, and don’t know what to say for a moment. If you say the wrong thing at this time, you might be scolded and lose points.

After a while, Steve E Andrews, the assistant director who worked happily with Mingla in the previous movie, spoke up: "Or, can we let Jude play Ripley and other actors play Dick?"

"No, Jude is more suitable for Dick, he has that temperament." Mingla flatly denied.

"Why can't we seek other sources of funding?" With Andrews setting an example, an assistant spoke.

Unfortunately, Mingla refuted without hesitation: "Silly! Have you never seen the contract?"

If the contract did not stipulate that the investment in the movie must be operated by Miramax, and a person could not invest alone, Mingla would have to be humble here? He was extremely angry when he mentioned this. He never expected that Weinstein would make such a money in the contract, so he should be unlucky for this assistant who had not figured out.

Of course, no matter how stupid a person is, he will not give up the final editing right in exchange. It is a symbol of power. Most directors who are deprived of this power have failed because of the film. There is no such thing as Weinstein. However, this is not that, and that is not the case. Everyone has nothing to say again. Mingla glanced at them and couldn't help but look disappointed.

Then, a voice rang out: "Maybe we can have an audition, an audition for newcomers."

"Oh?" Mingla looked over in surprise. It was Dex Roman, one of the assistants, who was usually a bit inconspicuous.

"Tell me carefully." He looked at him with interest.

"Mr. Mingla just said that Weinstein finally asked us to go to the new actors to select the male lead. I think, why don't we do as we do?" Roman said.

"Then let a famous guy take the lead?" someone sneered and said in a low voice.

"Speak." Mingla didn't care at all and signaled Roman to continue.

"We have to do it very formally and look like that. It requires great fanfare, but we must let Miramax know our determination and put pressure on them: You see, you are unwilling to invest additionally and let us choose the male lead among newcomers, so we have to do it. If the movie fails, you will be the main responsibility." Roman spreads his hands, "At the same time, we can also put pressure on those actors: You see, because you ask for a high price, we have to find newcomers, and you will miss a good role."

If the previous sentence scratches Mingla's itch, the second sentence will scratch it even deeper. He has already taken a fancy to several actors before and has a good contact. The other party is very interested in this role. But the problem is that the lowest price among them is 5 million. Mingla, who has already spent a lot of money on the pay, is really unable to pay, so he finds a way to ask Miramax to invest additionally.

"This is ridiculous."

"This is too rash."

"Isn't this a cheating person to call some actors to audition and tell them not to use them?"

"Weinstein is not a fool, how could it be that we are pretending?"

The other assistants said in a verbal way, basically criticizing. Mingla, who was pondering, did not comment, and finally looked at his assistant director Andrews.

"I think it's a try," Andrews said after thinking about it, "we didn't promise that someone would get a role because of it, so this is not a deception. As long as it works well, no one can blame us. As for Weinstein, it depends on who is better in patience."

"Then do it like this." Mingla thought for a moment and then made the decision.

He didn't mind using this method to achieve his goal. As for Weinstein, he didn't have to worry about it, and someone would soon send the information.

------

"You said... Anthony Mingla and the others are preparing for a new round of auditions, and it is also an audition for new actors?" Weinstein looked at the person in front of him in amazement.

"Yes, Mr. Weinstein, and Mingla and others are doing it very formally. They have started contacting the agency and the actors' union." The person in front of them replied respectfully.

Weinstein smacked his lips, and after a moment he picked up the cigar that was stuck in his hand and sniffed: "No need to pay attention to it for the time being, let them operate, they just want to put pressure on me."

Then, he glanced at the person in front of him and tapped his fingers on the table: "Hoberg, you are also one of the executive producers of "The Genius Ripley" and have to take on your own responsibilities."

"Yes, sir, I will be responsible." Hoberg owed and then withdrew from the office. Although it was just a few simple words, both sides knew what it meant.

After taking another chew of the cigar, Weinstein leaned on the back of the chair and slowly spit out the smoke ring: "Okay, Anthony, it depends on which of us is more patient."

It’s not that he wanted to make things difficult for Mingla, but after the success of "The Patient in the UK", Mingla became an A-level director and inevitably wanted to get more rights in the film production. But in Weinstein's view, the film was so popular that Miramax's operation would have to be at least half of it, but Mingla seems to be a little proud now, which is really unbearable.

So he decided to hit him a little, so he asked the lawyer to lay a hidden foreshadowing in the contract. Mingla is an Englishman, and this little trick will not cause too much rebound in Hollywood. Besides, Weinstein did not intend to continue to stalemate like this, and it was just a gesture to get back the final editing rights. As long as Mingla shows a little weakness, he will immediately put on a slight look of resolving past grudges, and additional investment is also a trivial matter.

Weinstein laughed, pressed the cigar into the ashtray, then got up and moved his body comfortably, looking proud, as if he had seen the future scene.

------

Not to mention Weinstein's idea, under the operation of Mingla and his assistants, the crew of "Genius Ripley" which is still under preparation will be cast for the male lead again, and the news of a large range of coverage will spread rapidly in Hollywood. Although the media didn't know much about it because of its deliberate low-keyness, the well-informed agents still rushed over like sharks smelling blood.

Who made Mingla famous? At the end of the previous year, "The Patient in the UK" not only won two awards for Best Movie and Best Director at the 69th Academy Awards, but also made Juliet Binoche one of the few French actresses who can win the performance award at the Oscars. So even if you think there might be any problem, the actors still came to the audition with the hope of being favored.

"How is it?" After another new actor who came to audition went out, assistant director Andrews leaned into Mingla's ear and asked.

"A few are not bad," Mingla said.

Since you have to pretend to be a formal look, as a director, it is normal to go to the audition site to check it out. Of course, Mingla is not always there. There are many people participating in the audition this time, so usually the actors or agents submit their resumes first. After several assistants select according to the director's requirements, the first round of auditions will be held by a dedicated casting director.

The first round of auditions has a lot of room for play, but it is too big. Generally, a question is drawn and then performs on the spot based on the topic. The assistants and casting directors present will eliminate a group of them according to the specific situation. In the second round of auditions, the actors who participated in the audition will receive a script for "The Genius Ripley", and Mingla will come to take a look at it.

But I just looked at it. Although I did find a few very good new actors, some things were already destined. Mingla could not use a less famous actor to serve as the leading actor in the movie. So, at this moment, he looked at his watch and prepared to get up and leave.

Dax Roman, who was sitting on the other side, couldn't help but feel anxious. He wanted to say a few words to keep him, but couldn't think of a suitable reason. When he was in a dilemma, the next candidate had already walked in. Mingla was stunned for a moment, and sat back with her raised butt. Everyone had already come in. It would be a bit rude to leave without hesitation. Although as a director and producer, he was understandable to do this, he felt a little guilty in his heart, so he sat down again, which also made Roman breathe a sigh of relief.

The one who came in was a young man, about twenty years old, with dark brown hair, and his facial features looked obviously mixed, but it gave people a very sunny feeling. The script he got was that Ripley impersonated Dick after impulsively killed Dick and lived as his identity, but was discovered by Freddy in person.

This scene is not easy. Ripley has to be nervous and worried about what the other party finds, and also calm down. He cannot let the other party discover anything, and at the same time he has to endure the other party's sarcasm. He wants to grasp that conflicting emotion just right, many senior actors may not be able to do it, let alone these young people.

But this is also one of Mingla's strategies, using this method to eliminate some people as much as possible, so as not to say they are deliberately fooling around.

"In fact, the only one who looks like Dick...is you!"

"It's not that similar."

"You've done hair?"

"What do you want to say, Freddy?"

"What?"

"What do you want to say?"

"I think I'm talking about something wrong, either he changed his faith or something else happened."

"I suggest you go to Dick by yourself to ask, the Aotelo restaurant is at the intersection where you go out of the street."

"Just at the intersection of the street? You learn so quickly, didn't you? Last time you couldn't even tell the elbows and ass in Italian, now you can give me the way. This is so unfair, you might be able to tell your butts and elbows...we'll meet again."
Chapter completed!