Dreams of Stardom (Hollywood SI)

July 2003, Kloves Residence, London

Tobias took a deep breath as he entered his employer's villa. The interior was astounding, top-of-the-line yet cozy enough to feel like a home.

"We'll beat you today, Troy, Emma," a male voice called out from the adjoining room. Having been here many times, Tobias didn't need any help navigating, so he walked straight to the living room. A huge TV was installed front and center, with a game console attached. Four teenagers were sitting in front of it, and two boys (Jamie and Evan) were currently playing a game.

Troy and his girlfriend Emma sat on the couch behind the boys, their hands interlocked. While Jamie and Evan were engrossed in the game, Troy took advantage of the moment and kissed Emma.

Before things could get more awkward for him, Tobias loudly cleared his throat, making Troy and Emma jump and look up at him.

"Good Lord," Emma exhaled. "You almost gave me a heart attack, Tobias."

"He's a lonely single man," Troy remarked. "Maybe that's why he can't stand seeing anyone else happy."

Ignoring the mean comment for what it was, Tobias noticed that Jamie and Evan had paused their game to see what he wanted. He decided to address Troy.

"We need to talk, Troy. Can we do it elsewhere?"

Troy groaned audibly, "But today's Sunday, man!"

"Yeah, and tomorrow you'll leave for your vacation for a full month. Or did you forget that?"

"Fine," Troy grumbled but got up nonetheless. He turned to his friends, "Don't start the next round without me."

The two walked to a different room, which turned out to be a study. Troy took a seat on the couch and gestured for Tobias to sit beside him.

"So?" Troy asked. "Don't beat around the bush. I have a game to get back to."

"It's about my job," Tobias said quickly. "I'm very grateful that you gave me this chance, and I love it so far. But I don't think I have much to do for the next few months. I've finished most of the work for the film you want to produce, but we can't move forward with it until the script and storyboarding are finished. Your next [Harry Potter] film won't be released until November, so even if we were to start promotions, it's still more than five months away. You don't have any other projects lined up yet."

"Don't worry," Troy said. "Even if you don't have much to do, I'll still pay you."

"I don't want that kind of job," Tobias said firmly. "I mean no disrespect, but I like to stay busy. As long as I have a target or something to work toward, I'll be much happier than sitting idle, even if I'm being paid more for sitting idle."

"Are you quitting?" Troy asked bluntly.

"No."

"Then what do you want?"

Tobias took another deep breath before speaking. "It's just an idea, and you can say no if you want."

Troy nodded slowly.

"Since you don't have an agent or a manager besides your mother, and since you've also finished high school, I was thinking maybe I could be your manager. You don't have to do anything—go on your vacation, and have fun. Meanwhile, I'll look up your next project. If you like the script I selected for you, you can do it. That way, I'll have something to do, and you can enjoy your break."

Troy went silent for a few moments, thinking it over.

"How about I pay you ten thousand pounds to go have a vacation of your own?" Troy offered. "You've been working non-stop since you joined me."

"Pass," Tobias shook his head. "Maybe after [Prisoner of Azkaban] has been released, but not now."

"Man, you're slightly mental, you know?" Troy rubbed his forehead thinking over the whole ordeal. "Okay," He finally agreed. "If you want to search for a script for me, go ahead. But let me give you some criteria for my next film. It shouldn't be a small, insignificant role unless it's a very memorable cameo, like… Drew Barrymore in [Scream]. If it's something like that, then I'll do a small role, otherwise, no."

"Okay," Tobias nodded. "Anything else?"

"I don't want something extravagant. Choose a script with a small budget—nothing above $50 million. Also, try to get a project based in the UK. I wouldn't say no to shooting in the US or elsewhere, but if it's between two films, try to get the script based in London and the surrounding areas."

"I'll keep it in mind," Tobias nodded confidently before remembering something. "Can I go to LA if a potential meeting arises?"

"Sure," Troy shrugged as if the ticket price didn't matter to him. Then again, it probably didn't. "LA, New York, wherever—just send me an invoice of your credit card, and I'll reimburse your flight, stay, and other expenses. Now, if you don't have anything else…"

"Go ahead," Tobias waved, and Troy went back to his group of friends.

Now with a mission in hand, Tobias could breathe a sigh of relief. It wasn't just about his salary. He could have easily sat back and relaxed, as Troy had suggested, or better yet, gone to some less expensive beach country like Fiji or Thailand. He could have done so much with the 10k Troy was offering, but he couldn't. He needed to show Troy and his parents that he could be more than a glorified butler on a film set. If Tobias successfully secured a role for him, it was highly likely that Troy would give him the manager role permanently.

(3 Weeks Later)

Tobias felt like tearing his hair out. He had asked around everywhere in London, and it seemed as if no one was making films with 14-year-old protagonists anymore. Wherever he went, someone would say he was either too old or too young. Comments like, "If only he was 16/12/18" became more and more common the more he talked to different filmmakers and casting directors. Then there was another problem with Troy's casting—he was too big for a TV show in the UK. Here, they didn't pay actors as much as in the US, and many casting directors Tobias spoke with weren't even considering Troy because they could easily get a cheaper actor for the same role.

Similarly, most British films had much smaller budgets compared to Hollywood, making it difficult to afford Troy's salary. To remedy this, Tobias even offered to take a percentage instead of an upfront salary, but he was yet to receive any good scripts. There was one script he was very interested in, but it was a huge Disney production with a budget in the hundreds of millions. It was an adaptation of [The Chronicles of Narnia], a book Tobias used to love as a child, but he knew Troy would likely decline the role because it seemed too similar to [Harry Potter].

Finally, when all avenues seemed closed in London, Tobias started contacting casting agencies in Los Angeles and New York. Long-distance calls were expensive, and not everyone responded to emails promptly, but he didn't give up. Finally, his efforts bore fruit. Universal Studios was remaking 1978's [Dawn of the Dead]. The casting process was underway, and they were inviting actors of all ages, races, and nationalities. Based on the actors selected for the roles, they would adjust the script accordingly.

This seemed like the perfect opportunity for Troy. No one would expect him in an R-rated zombie apocalypse movie—this was as far from a kid-friendly film as Troy could get.

The call with Troy to begin negotiations went a little weird.

"[Dawn of the Dead]?" Troy asked curiously over the phone. "I've seen that one. The original I mean. Who did you say the director for this version would be?"

"Zack Snyder." Troy went silent for a few moments, so Tobias explained further, "He's mostly done music videos and short films so far, but he's got a good reputation in the industry. His work is well-acclaimed. I can send you a rough script of the idea—"

"I'll trust your judgment," Troy cut him off cheerfully. "I'm not very enthused about doing such a film, but I'll do it for you. So if it turns out to be a disaster, I'll know who to blame. You have my blessing to negotiate everything. Ask for at least $5 million as my salary. If they can't afford that much, ask for an equivalent share in profits."

And with that, Troy disconnected the call.

Tobias set up a meeting with the director, Zack Snyder. It was a bit challenging with Troy thousands of miles away on some private island, but somehow, Tobias convinced Snyder that having Troy in the film would benefit everyone.

Fortunately—or unfortunately, depending on how you see it—the solo meeting with Zack Snyder was canceled. Instead, Tobias was offered a meeting with four people involved in the film: James Gunn, the writer; Richard Rubenstein, the producer; Snyder; and Ron freaking Meyer, the President of Universal Studios. But the meeting came with a condition—Troy or one of his parents had to attend in person to finalize the deal.

At that moment, Tobias understood how crucial this deal could be for Troy. They weren't just asking for an audition; they were offering Troy the chance to be cast directly—something that only happens to superstars in the industry. Tobias had read a basic outline of the script, and there wasn't even a role close to Troy's age and looks. If he joined the cast, they would essentially write a character exclusively for him. Such an opportunity couldn't be ignored.

With that in mind, Tobias immediately called Troy, fully expecting him to cut his vacation short and come to LA as soon as possible. When the President of a major studio asks for a meeting, you oblige.

But Troy either didn't care or wasn't interested in the film, because he said in all seriousness, "I'm not cutting short my vacation for anyone. Tell them I've been shooting non-stop for a year. I'll come when I come. If they want to cast someone else, I won't mind in the least."

Hearing that from his boss, Tobias lost all hope of getting the role for Troy. Surely, no studio head would adjust a meeting to the whims of a teenager, even if the teenager was a world-renowned superstar. So Tobias made up a lie.

"Troy can't be reached at the moment," he said over the phone with as much conviction as possible. "He's vacationing on a remote island with his family, and I'm unable to contact him."

"That puts me in a difficult spot, Tobias," Hannah, Ron Meyer's assistant, replied with an apologetic tone. "We can't move forward without Troy, and we have to finalize the cast this week."

"Please understand my situation, Hannah," Tobias said, desperation clear in his tone. "Troy has made it clear to me that he loved the original [Dawn of the Dead], and he's desperate to be a part of this film. He even gave me the authority to sign on his behalf. If he finds out he lost the film because of me, I'll lose my job. As an assistant yourself, I hope you understand."

The line went silent for a moment before Hannah quietly replied, "Let me see what I can do."

Tobias wasn't expecting much. A lot of money goes into making a film, and no one just hands over such a big project to an actor simply because he's popular. Even for a small-budget studio-backed film, thousands of actors vie for a single role.

So he was more than a little surprised when he got a call back from Ron Meyer himself.

"I'm willing to adjust the meeting for Troy," Ron Meyer said without preamble. "But he has to come in person. That's non-negotiable. Can you arrange that?"

"Definitely," Tobias replied, though he wasn't feeling confident at all. "As soon as Troy is back, I'll put him on a plane to LA."

"Make sure you do," Ron Meyer said before abruptly disconnecting the call.

Now all Tobias could do was hope that Troy would return home as soon as possible.

As if some deity had heard his request, Troy came home the very next day.

"You came back early," Tobias noted when he received the call. "I hope the vacation was good."

"It was. You should've come along, man. It was so much fun. Unfortunately, Dad had some urgent [Harry Potter] work. He offered to let us stay, but Evan also wanted to come back to continue learning post-production with Alfonso. Jamie had already left a week ago because he had to shoot a film in the States. That left just me, Emma, Chloe, and Mum. Too many women for poor old me."

"Chloe?" Tobias asked, amused.

He could sense Troy rolling his eyes through the phone. "Don't ask. Just tell me what happened with that film deal with Universal."

"Okay," Tobias agreed easily, getting to the important matters. "So, I set up a meeting with the President of Universal Studios for you."

(Break)

I was surprised to see this level of tenacity and initiative from Tobias of all people. When I suggested he get me a role, I didn't expect him to be successful—especially not in a film I wasn't fully opposed to. From my memories, I could tell I had originally seen the [Dawn of the Dead] remake, and it was an alright movie, all things considered. It wasn't a movie I'd be desperate to do, but there were big reasons to consider it. Well, three, if I'm being honest.

The biggest one was the involvement of Zack Snyder. He was a phenomenal director with a visual style so distinct and appealing that it influenced action cinema to such a degree that most action directors after him copied his style in some way, shape, or form. Say what you will about his films lacking good scripts, but you can't deny that the man has a lot of style.

The second reason to take up the project was the scriptwriter, James Gunn, who would go on to direct the [Guardians of the Galaxy] film series and later take control of the DC Universe. The third reason was the opportunity to establish close ties with Ron Meyer and, by extension, Universal. In Hollywood, you never know when such contacts might come in handy.

With those reasons in mind, I flew to LA to get the pesky meeting out of the way. My parents stayed behind in London, confident that I was old enough to travel solo, especially since I was using my private jet and had Tobias and Roger accompanying me.

"Nervous?" I asked Tobias while we waited in Universal's lobby. I didn't really need to ask; he was sweating bullets.

"Yes," he nodded emphatically, wiping the sweat from his brow with a handkerchief. "This is my first meeting with the president of a big company like Universal."

"Then let me give you a heads-up: you'll handle the money talk," I said in a no-nonsense tone. "And just so you don't settle for less, I'll give you an incentive. You'll get a bonus based on a percentage of my final salary for the film."

Tobias looked even more nervous if that was possible.

"Hey, Troy!" A man exclaimed from across the room, walking over excitedly.

Before he could get within five feet of me, a security guard stopped him. "Sir, you can't do that. That's so unprofessional—"

"It's fine," I interrupted before the situation could escalate, noticing everyone in the lobby had turned to watch. "Let him through." I never turned down a fan's simple request, and I knew Ron Meyer wouldn't make me wait long.

The man, around thirty, had a round face, wore glasses, and was on the chubbier side.

"I'm a huge fan of your work," he said, shaking my hand enthusiastically. "I've seen all your films."

"Thank you," I smiled politely.

"You know, it's such a big coincidence meeting you here when I have the perfect script for you. Seeing how tall you've gotten, you'd be just right for this role." With that, he pulled a script from his bag and offered it to me.

Oh. He was one of those guys. It happened more often than I liked. A lot of crew members and even some extras on film sets think that handing a script to a big actor might get them noticed in the industry.

"Troy," a female voice called out behind me. "Mr. Meyer is ready to see you." Right on time.

I turned to the man apologetically, "I have to go. Why don't you give me the script, and I'll get back to you in a few days?"

He didn't look very happy, but he handed over the script nonetheless. Poor guy must've heard enough rejections to know what this meant. I passed the script to Tobias, who put it in his bag before we were escorted to meet Ron Meyer.

______________________

AN: Any guesses who the man at the end is?