制霸好莱坞

CAA, Creative Artists Agency, is a highly renowned talent agency. Both Jenny and Zhen have heard of this name—it's too famous to miss. Anyone who knows even a little about the American entertainment industry will have heard of CAA.

Founded in 1975, CAA is headquartered in Beverly Hills, Hollywood. It's the undisputed number one talent agency in the world, with a market share far exceeding that of its competitors. Outside of the U.S., being signed by CAA is something to be proud of. Stars who are signed often boast about it. In the U.S., becoming part of the CAA family is considered a significant stroke of luck. The company covers every aspect of the entertainment world—if an investor has a great idea and sufficient funds, CAA can assemble a star-studded team. If there's enough money, they can pull together everyone from the lead actors and directors to producers, costume designers, and artists, all with Oscars in hand. Of course, the investor must be willing to spend astronomical sums.

As soon as Jenny heard the name "CAA," she immediately understood why Jim, the overweight agent, was so confident. If Jim was the agent of a major star, someone like Dave, an actor-director with a decent reputation, would seem insignificant in comparison.

Of course, it was a little surprising for a major star's agent to show up just to watch her perform, but in Hollywood, anything is possible. At Universal Studios, the shooting locations aren't just for TV series; they're for large-scale movie productions as well. The director's meeting had been held in an office building on set, and it's not unlikely for a superstar's agent to walk in and watch. Since Jim saw her and knew she was filming, it wasn't a big deal for him to come and take a look.

Jenny stayed silent during the ride. Jim, overly excited, talked non-stop, but most of it was about Cesare's temper, how precious Jenny's opportunity was, and how she should present herself to Cesare.

"This is your chance," he said. "Girl, you don't understand how precious this opportunity is. You'll rise to the top in no time. Oh my God, this is a perfect match! But you have to be flawless. Cesare is a perfectionist. You need to understand, me taking you there is a risk."

Sweating profusely, Jim wiped his forehead, and Jenny felt slightly uneasy. She deliberately moved a little farther away from him to avoid his sweat getting on her costume.

"Cesare," she asked. "Jim, can I ask who Cesare is?"

CAA isn't far from Universal Studios, and Jim quickly pulled into the parking lot and rushed out of the car. He wiped his face with his tie and gestured for Jenny to follow him quickly. "Vieri, Cesare Vieri. You haven't heard of him?"

"No," Jenny replied. "Is he Italian?"

Jim grimaced, making an exaggerated face. "No, no." He was already on the phone, "Please tell me Cesare is still there!"

As he continued on the phone, Jim used his pass to get Jenny into CAA's building, heading straight for the elevator. Jenny didn't even have time to admire the décor of CAA before being whisked inside. Jim hit the button for one of the higher floors—just two floors below the top.

"I have to explain something to you," Jim said, now seeming more composed as he wiped away the sweat. "Since you don't know Cesare, you probably don't know how things work at CAA. We don't use titles, just positions. There are no exclusive meeting rooms or offices. We operate with flat management. We claim that all agents are treated equally, but that's just public relations nonsense. There's definitely a hierarchy, and at CAA, that hierarchy is reflected in the floor levels. The higher your status, the higher the floor. The floor we're going to is for senior agents only. Few people there don't have their own offices."

He paused to catch his breath. "So you see, why this opportunity is so precious? Even within CAA, resources are limited, and competition is fierce. Cesare is a 45th-floor guy. Once you're on the 45th floor, you'll always be on the 45th floor. Girl—"

"Jenny," she interrupted. "I still have a lot of questions."

"You can ask later. Cesare's leaving for the airport in an hour, and there's no time for anything else. All I can say is you'd better do everything you can to seize this opportunity," Jim said.

The elevator made a ding and stopped on the 45th floor. Jim rushed out like a whirlwind, but Jenny moved at a steady pace. Jim shot her a sharp look but held back from speaking due to the curious gazes from the nearby cubicles.

"If you want me to make a good impression on him," Jenny said matter-of-factly, "I can only keep my pace."

"Yeah, yeah," Jim muttered, still a little rattled. "Come on, Cesare's office is this way."

They reached the corner, and Jim knocked softly before speaking with the assistant at the door. His usual frantic movements became cautious, as if any sudden movement might disturb something sleeping in the office.

"Come in," a calm voice called from inside.

Jim pushed the door open and signaled for Jenny to follow. She stepped inside and was immediately taken aback.

Cesare Vieri is a European-sounding name, and Vieri is a French surname. Thankfully, Jenny was a good student and knew enough to recognize it. Cesare is also a common name in Southern Europe, so she expected a middle-aged man with Southern European roots, average height, and dark skin—someone with a friendly demeanor.

But Cesare Vieri defied every expectation.

He was tall, with pale skin, blue eyes, a high nose, and dark eyes. His short golden hair was slicked back with wax. His appearance was strikingly handsome.

Jenny, used to seeing beautiful people in the media, immediately realized that Cesare was on another level. Even if he was a fool and couldn't speak, his looks alone would land him a prominent role in no time.

So why was someone so handsome and young staying behind the scenes? She couldn't help but wonder if Cesare Vieri was perhaps someone else's client.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Jim, who was now enthusiastically pitching Jenny to Cesare. "You have to see her, Cesare. She's the best find I've ever made. Look at how beautiful she is—and that's just the start. She can act! Trust me, man."

As Jim rambled, Cesare gave him a cold, disinterested look. Then, he turned to Jenny.

Jenny felt a chill as Cesare's gaze swept over her. His coldness wasn't just because of his looks; it was as if his aristocratic demeanor put everyone at a disadvantage. Even Jenny felt uncomfortable under his gaze, as if she were suddenly aware of all her imperfections.

Yet, Jenny wasn't just Jenny. She was also Zhen, the former wife of a real estate tycoon.

Despite the pressure from Cesare's gaze, Jenny straightened her back and gave him a casual smile.

Cesare narrowed his eyes. "You look good. I'd give you a 90 out of 100," he said, still looking at her. "But your aura is flat. What makes you think she has the potential to become a superstar? I've told you before, you have to look beyond the surface."

Jim was caught off guard and missed his chance to explain. Cesare returned to his desk, continuing to organize his papers. "She's beautiful, sure. She can model. She's good at acting too, but we're talking about a superstar here, Jim. Do you understand? I know you're always chasing women, but barging into my office with this?"

Cesare paused for a moment before adding coldly, "This is a new low for you."

Cesare gave Jim two minutes to convince him not to fire him. Meanwhile, Jenny had a different plan.

"Now it's 10:44," she said, sitting across from Cesare, crossing her legs and placing her hand on the armrest elegantly. "You have one hour and 47 minutes before 12:30. Vieri, it's nice to meet you."

She smoothly shifted into a Marilyn Monroe-like demeanor, lowering her voice and smiling confidently. "Now, you have 1 hour and 47 minutes to convince me you're a good agent."

Cesare remained impassive, his eyes showing a slight flicker of interest. Jenny knew she had piqued his curiosity.

"Well," Cesare said, "you've caught my attention. Points for that."

He opened a blank folder and asked, "Can we start now?"