HOLLYWOOD WHAT IF

[Lillie Jones]

Thanks for the chapter

 

[Pujimaki]

[Shout out to 736b!]

Hollywood What If Chapter 141


"You look good in that suit, sir."

Erica Mendez praised Kazir.

"I don't like makeup on my face, but I guess I have no choice."

Kazir hired a professional designer. The time was hectic, so the suit he wore was made in three days. As for his appearance, he was given a light touch-up to make sure his face didn't look oily on camera.

'I'm not one of the presenters and I'm just a regular guest.'

But the cameras in the room were everywhere, ready to capture their expressions. At least Kazir had to be prepared. There was no harm in that.

"Erica, you can go now. I'll take care of myself."

"Yes, sir."

Kazir Grey was the type who preferred to be alone. As a mature old man who had gone back in time, he didn't like too much interaction.

'I am always alone in my past life, and I carried that trait with me even now.'

Some things were hard to change.

After thanking the designer and Erica, he said goodbye.

As he walked out of the building, a limousine was waiting for him. Salvatore arrived in a limousine.

"Looks like you're getting rich." Kazir grinned.

"Don't joke. I'm just renting this car, so don't scratch it."

"Of course."

Kazir got into the limousine. It would be embarrassing if he showed up at the Shrine Auditorium in a bumpy car.

"Tch, you have millions in your bank account! Why don't you buy yourself a luxury car?"

If Salvatore Barlowe made 7 figures last year, Kazir Grey made 8 figures. The difference was astronomical. Furthermore, Grey Pictures' profit for the last 8 months was over $100 million.

"Meh, my Honda works fine. Why do I need to buy another one?"

Kazir shrugged and found it pointless. He didn't like luxury cars in the first place, especially Ferraris.

'I can't customize a Ferrari car, so it's garbage.'

His opinion about cars might be incomplete.

"Kazir, I have a suggestion. Try to contact the important members of the Academy. They can help you."

"I know."

The members of the Academy are old men from the old era of Hollywood. Because of their age, they have made many connections.

Another thing to note was that the higher-ups of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science (MPAS) are mostly Jews. It was related to the migration back in World War 2, Jews gradually set their roots in Hollywood and some sectors of the US.

"Do you understand what I mean?"

"Of course Salvatore, if there's a chance I'll talk to them."

Just like that, they reached the Shrine Auditorium. The arrival of the actors was arranged, and Kazir's limousine was the 22nd car to arrive.

As usual, Kazir Grey walked the red carpet, waved, posed for cameras and was interviewed by an ABC reporter. Standard procedure.

"Our most handsome director, Kazir Grey! Where is the muse of our handsome director?"

This time the reporter was a flirtatious woman. She was wearing a red dress, her cleavage was quite obvious because she has massive ahem--!

Anyway, Kazir Grey was already a famous director, and many actresses tried to seduce him. Most of the time he attended parties and movie premieres alone. Only Reese Witherspoon was the woman who could be his partner.

Well, many women tried to break this record. Hollywood was a place where beauties were everywhere. If Kazir Grey is a real man, the time will come when he will have a relationship with another woman.

"I'm single, so I think I'm allowed to go to the Oscars with myself."

The reporter giggled and slipped her contact number into his pocket. Kazir kept his smile on, but he didn't like it at all.

"Are you confident that you will win Best Screenplay? And who do you think will win if you're not sure about yourself?"

"I watched Goodwill Hunting and I like it."

"Aha. So you think Matt Damon will get the award."

"Honestly, I want to win." He laughed.

Taken was nominated for Best Screenplay, and since Kazir Grey was the screenwriter, the honor was his.

He knew his biggest enemy was Matt Damon, who wrote Goodwill Hunting.

'Besides, Matt Damon might become Jason Bourne, so I can't make any trouble.'

Everybody knows that Matt Damon is Jason Bourne. Even though Matt Damon was young, he was Kazir's first choice to play Jason Bourne.

'Anyway, it's just a screenplay. What I want is the Best Director statue.'

"I think this is James Cameron's year. I saw Titanic and I cried a lot."

Kazir Grey excused himself and entered the auditorium. The place was already half full and the program would start once everyone was inside.

Titanic received 14 nominations. They have a good chance to win more than half of the 14 nominations.

'One thing is for sure... James Cameron is going to win Best Director this year. It's a good thing I don't have a nomination, otherwise it would be useless against him.'

No one could stop the Titanic trend. Not even Kazir Grey.

Kazir Grey looked around and found the Taken section. Liam Neeson and the rest of the Taken cast were waiting for him. He even found the little brat named Scarlett Johansson.

"You're late."

"I'm not free like you. I have so many things to do." Kazir replied to the little girl.

"Me too! I'm attending school! Humph!"

 

[Lillie Jones]

Thanks for the chapter

 

[PotatoZiriki]

Have a sneaky feeling that Director Kazir will be pleasantly surprised at the event, hehe.

 

[Pujimaki]

Hollywood What If Chapter 142


Winning an Oscar increased the popularity of an actor or actress. It was a sign that the industry accepted them. A proof of their achievement in the movie industry.

It was a great honor. Actors and actresses were crazy about this award because of what it meant.

In addition, there was the salary increase... Actors/actresses who have won the Oscars have a significant salary increase in their careers. They have a better position in the film industry, the best position to choose roles, and film companies take them seriously.

It was a status that few artists could achieve. Of course, the result was the same for directors.

Kazir Grey was one of those people who dreamed of winning the Best Director award.

In fact, he already had a formula in his head. Being from the future, he knew the best way to win the Oscars.

The jury likes realistic movies. To be precise, they like movies that are based on real people or real events. They like to see human emotion. They despise movies with a hint of fantasy genre and they don't like movies produced for profit.

In fact, many actors/actresses chose roles based on real people because of this. Hell, it was better if the role was about a crazy or handicapped or fat person.

Rami Malek won the Oscars after portraying Freddie Mercury in the movie Bohemian Rhapsody.

Gary Oldman took on the role of Winston Churchill in Darkest Hour and won Best Actor.

Eddie Redmayne as Stephen Hawking in 2014's The Theory of Relativity.

The list goes on and on. This chapter may not be enough to list them all.

'Meryl Streep, Charlize Theron, Julia Roberts, and even Reese Witherspoon have used the same method to win Oscars. And there's nothing wrong with it. It's a sure-win strategy. So I laugh at the Academy's obvious bias.'

This is why he was a little sad about Liam Neeson. Taken was a good movie and to have nominations was an achievement. Unfortunately Liam Neeson's role was fictional.

If there was one good thing about Taken, the movie spread awareness about the horror of sex trafficking. This noble idea earned them nominations.

Fortunately, As Good As It Gets is fiction and Jack Nicholson's character is not based on a real person. At least Liam Neeson has a good chance of winning.

Maybe this was a good year for Liam Neeson to be nominated.

Kazir sits down. His row consisted mainly of the crew of Taken. Liam Neeson was next to him, quite nervous under his smile.

"Don't worry Liam, you have a good chance to win the Oscar."

"Thanks Kazir."

The two laughed to lighten the atmosphere. Perhaps Liam Neeson was the most nervous of their crew.

"Oh, I forgot about Baker Saylor. I'm sure he's nervous too."

Baker Saylor was the sound editor of Taken. He was introduced by Salvatore Barlowe. He was a hardworking man and the sound editing was perfect.

Taken received three nominations.

Best Actor: Liam Neeson

Original Screenplay: Kazir Grey

Sound Editing: Baker Saylor

Best Original Screenplay and Best Actor are major awards, while Best Sound Editing is a minor award.

More people from the industry showed up in glamorous attire.

Fortunately, fashion sense makes sense these days... Unlike next two decades when a garbage bag would become a sense of fashion. Balenciaga was crazy for selling a trash bag for thousand dollars.

The ceremony began with a parody of Titanic, hosted by Billy Crystal... From the moment the show started, everyone already knew the biggest winner of the 1998 Oscars.

Everyone was expecting it in their hearts, considering that Titanic had already crossed the $1 billion mark. The second movie to make $1 billion worldwide. They definitely got the Best Picture, for sure.

The awards ceremony continued. The presenters came out one by one and announced the winners.

Of course, no one forgets the performances. The best performance at the Oscars this year was My Heart Will Go On by Celine Dion, the theme song from Titanic.

Then the presenter for Best Sound Editing came on stage. It was none other than Cameron Diaz.

Kazir Grey didn't expect the woman to be the presenter.

The woman said a few things before opening the envelope. She looked over the audience until her gaze stopped on Kazir Grey.

'Is it my imagination or is she looking at me?'

Kazir Grey didn't avert his gaze and looked at her eye-to-eye. He had no reason to look away.

The woman smiled and said the nominations like Titanic, Taken, Air Force One, Con Air and Contact.

"Congratulations, Gary Rydstorm and Tom Johnson of Titanic for winning Best Sound Editing!"

Cameron Diaz ended the suspense and everyone in the room clapped. Titanic has won 4 awards so far.

Before leaving, Cameron Diaz looked at Kazir and winked.

"..."

The ceremony continued until the big awards were handed out.

Everyone sat in their seats.

The first to be announced was Best Supporting Actor. The winner was Robin Williams as Dr. Sean Maguire in Goodwill Hunting.

Then the presenter for Best Original Screenplay appeared. The presenter was Walter Matthau, an old veteran actor.

Walter stood on the stage.

"The nominees for Best Original Screenplay are:"

Goodwill Hunting by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck.

As Good As It Gets by Mark Andrus and James L. Brooks.

The Full Monty, by Simon Beaufoy.

Boogie Nights by Paul Thomas Anderson.

Taken by Kazir Grey.

Though his hopes were not high, Kazir Grey could not help but be nervous.

Seconds passed before Walter Matthau opened the envelope. Then he announced the winner.

"The winner for Best Original Screenplay is... Kazir Grey! Congratulations!"

The people began to clap.

"Huh?"

Kazir was surprised.

'What the fuck? We didn't do any PR, why did I win?' He thought to himself.

He stood on the stage. He hadn't prepared a speech, so he just thanked his crew, his family and the cast of Taken.

When he went backstage, he was totally stunned.

 

[Espec22]

I like that he won, this could teach him that some of fis preconceptions about the Awards are not exactly correct.

 

[Lillie Jones]

Whilst Kazir Grey auspicious wins the Taken franchise award , wether or not his preconceptions about the awards show isn't exactly correct either?
Continue on
Cheers!

 

[PotatoZiriki]

Yup, as expected hue hue hue. Good show chap, writing butterflies that shows actions have consequences as well as showing that unless people are willfully blind, people can see talent in the industry!

 

[Pujimaki]

Hollywood What If Chapter 143


"I would like to thank the entire production crew, the cast, my father, and my brother. Without you, it's impossible for me to reach this stage. Thank you very much."

Kazir smiled and the audience applauded. Kazir Grey looked like a rugged, handsome man. Over six feet tall, broad shoulders, and a dark short beard. A masculine kind of handsomeness.

He waved his hand and left the stage. The coordinator motioned for him to go backstage and Kazir Grey walked confidently... Hiding his awkwardness.

'If I know I'm going to win, I should have prepared a speech.'

He didn't think he would get the award. Especially when they didn't have any PR (Public Relations).

"Sir, you can go back to your seat when the commercial starts."

The coordinator said while another presenter introduced the nominations for Best Actress.

"Congratulations, Director Grey."

Robin Williams reached out for a handshake.

"Thank you, Mr. Williams." Kazir accepted his handshake.

The two were at backstage waiting for the commercial. They were both holding Oscar statues.

Honestly, Kazir felt awkward because Robin Williams was part of Good Will Hunting. Everyone strongly believed that Good Will Hunting would win Best Original Screenplay, but Kazir unexpectedly won it.

"Haha, you don't have to be embarrassed. These things happen sometimes. We can't predict the future."

"That's right."

Kazir Grey could not agree more. It seemed that his knowledge was slowly becoming useless against the unpredictable flow of time.

"By the way, congratulations in advance. Taken might get two awards tonight."

"You mean the Best Actor award?"

"That's right. Jack Nicholson is the strongest contender, but the impact of Taken last year is enormous. It spread awareness about the dangers of human trafficking. The movement it created caused a massive change in society. It's so influencial."

Kazir nodded. He knew that an organization had been created to help people suffering from this kind of injustice. Moreover, Liam Neeson had become an ambassador for the movement. Maybe the members of the Academy would vote for Liam Neeson because of that. Considering that the Academy loves to shower itself with humanitarian work.

"You know what they call Liam Neeson these days? They call him the Rescuer. Some call him Daddy Rescuer... So yeah, you get the gist."

Well, Liam Neeson was famous for having roles that involved saving people. The Taken trilogy, Non-Stop, and Schindler's List. Just some of the movies he was in that were about saving people.

"Honestly, I'm skeptical about only getting three nominations. With the good influence that Taken has spread, I think you deserve a Best Picture nomination as well."

Robert Williams added. He had no grudge against Kazir Grey or the Taken crew. In his opinion, making a connection was better than holding a grudge. Making a good impression was the best choice. Maybe they could cooperate next time. After all, Kazir Grey was a great director.

"I have only one answer: Paramount."

"Understood, have a nice day."

With one word, Robin Williams knew the answer.

Paramount was one of the investors in Titanic. It could not share its resources, especially for a movie like Taken. Taken was completely owned by Grey Pictures, it would be pointless for Paramount to promote the movie.

Besides, Kazir knew that Titanic would win most of the awards this year, so he had no reason to waste his money on PR.

'It is impossible to beat Titanic. So it's better to choose a better year to compete instead of facing a huge boat.'

That was the best answer in this situation. However, Kazir didn't expect to win an Oscar without any PR.

'I guess this is another achievement I can be proud of.'

Perhaps Kazir was not confident in his movie. He didn't expect that he would win even though Taken had a very strong influence last year.

A few minutes later, the audience started clapping again.

Helen Hunt went backstage. She saw Robin Williams and Kazir Grey talking. She smiled and greeted them, and they congratulated each other on the awards they had won.

Unfortunately, Helen Hunt didn't have time to talk to Kazir Grey because the coordinator told them to return to their seats.

Kazir Grey sat down and sighed. He was happy, of course.

"Congratulations, Kazir." Liam Neeson was happy for him.

"Liam, I think you are going to win Best Actor."

At first, Kazir was skeptical about Liam Neeson's chances of winning the statue. But after what he experienced, he felt that Liam Neeson would win.

Robin Williams was right, the impact of Taken was not just a simple action movie. It opened a lot of people's eyes. And for that, the Academy deserves to give them an award.

'I regret that I didn't give Liam too many emotional scenes. The Academy loves explosive acting.'

"I hope so."

Liam Neeson laughed nervously. He knew his role was too weak against Jack Nicholson's. But this was his second chance to get nominated, and it would be foolish of him to pass up the opportunity.

Luckily, CAA was great at PR and they helped him a lot.

"Liam, let's set up a time to talk. I have something to tell you."

"I hope it's not something bad, right?" Liam Neeson looked at him.

"I don't think it is."

"Of course. If I win Best Actor, I'll take you to a nice restaurant."

"Nah, I'm good with fast food restaurants."

The two laughed.

When the commercial ended, the live broadcast resumed.

This time, the Best Actor presenter, Frances McDormand, smiled into the camera.

She announced the nominations. Five cameras were directed at the nominated actors.

Liam Neeson kept his smile on and showed a calm expression. However, he was sweating on his back.

Winning the Best Actor award was very important to him. He dreamed of getting one, especially after his nominations for Schindler's List. He wanted one, a proof of his achievement in the industry. And an Oscar statue was the best way to prove it.

He clenched his fists and hoped his prayers would be answered.

+++++

[I'm broke, so I'm shamelessly promoting my Patreon. You can read up to 127 chapters in advance on my Patreon.]

https://www.patreon.com/Puji_maki

 

[Fellwinter]

Cool that he got an unexpected Oscar.
The butterflies are spinning hard.

 

[Lillie Jones]

Thanks for the chapter

 

[Pujimaki]

[Shout out to BS Entertainment and Manognya P!]

Hollywood What If Chapter 144


The whole place fell silent, waiting for the announcement. The cameras never left the five actors, broadcasting their expressions live.

The presenter opened the envelope and paused for a few seconds, leaving the nominated actors nervous.

"The winner is..."

Jack Nicholson, Matt Damon, Robert Duvall, Dustin Hoffman and Liam Neeson held their expressions under suffocating tension.

Then the host said the name.

"Congratulations, Liam Neeson, for winning Best Actor!"

The expressions of the four actors were good... They didn't show clear disapproval, they just smiled in the right way. Although deep inside, they were devastated.

As for Liam Neeson. The man stood up and straightened his tuxedo. Then he shook hands with director Kazir Grey and producer Harold Witsend.

"Kazir, thank you for giving me this opportunity."

"Don't joke. We all know this is the fruit of your hard work."

Kazir laughed.

'Damn. Sometimes I don't know how things are going to turn out. My prediction is way off.' Kazir thought.

Liam Neeson stood on stage.

"... Liam's salary will probably go up." Harold Witsend muttered and Kazir nodded.

"You're right... Keep it down if possible. We signed a contract."

If there was one thing that worried Kazir, it was the change in the director's position.

'He's in a good mood, so he won't be mad if I tell him I'm not directing Taken 2, right?'

Only God knows the answer. One thing was clear, the crew was happy about the awards they received.

Then it was time for the Best Director announcement. As everyone expected, director James Cameron won the award.

The guy came on stage and jokingly shouted "I'm the king of the world, wooohh!". People laughed and applauded.

Everyone has probably seen the movie Titanic and knows that line.

Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio) shouted that line as he stood at the edge of the ship.

Of course, knowing James Cameron's skills, no one could deny that he was the king. The king of the blockbuster. Since then, his only competition for the biggest box office was himself. My man kept outdoing himself.

Then came the final award, and it was no shocker. Titanic won Best Picture with no suspense.

Titanic got 11 awards while Taken only got 2. Well, that was not bad.

When the ceremony was over, Kazir was invited by the old members of the Academy.

He had an idea when he saw a person he recognized. One of the old members approached him.

"Kazir Grey, I believe this is the first time we have met. I'm Frank Pierson. You can call me Frank."

"Nice to meet you, Frank."

"Hm, you look like a strict and uptight guy. We are happy to know that a person like you is becoming famous. Keep it up. You are one of us."

"Yes," Kazir said.

Now he understood why he had won. Most of the old members of the Academy were Jews, and despite their age, they had a strong influence.

Since Kazir was one of them, it was not a bad thing to give him an award. It was his award for spreading awareness in society.

The two ended their conversation, leaving each other with impressions.

'... Looks like I can win the Best Director award if I try hard.'

That was the only thing he realized when he talked to Frank Pierson, the current president of the Academy.

"Hm?"

Suddenly Kazir saw some people out of the corner of his eye. He turned around and saw three people staring at him.

Three people. Harvey Weinstein, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck.

'Now that I think about it, Miramax is the distributor of Good Will Hunting. I heard they spent a lot of money on PR to win some awards. '

Unfortunately, Titanic was their biggest obstacle.

'But I guess they didn't like it when Taken won two awards.'

To be honest, Kazir felt good seeing Harvey's unfiltered resentment. He looked ugly with that expression. The fat in his face was quivering angrily.

Still, Kazir didn't like that Matt Damon was staring at him, too. He could not read Matt Damon's feelings because the guy was just staring, Ben Affleck was doing the same.

Kazir was hoping to invite Matt Damon to audition for the role of Jason Bourne.

'Do I have to find another actor, like I did with John Wick?'

Anyway, Kazir walked away because it was so awkward. He was the director in the first place. He would pick whoever he wanted.

'If Matt Damon had a grudge, so be it.'

With this unexpected victory, the crew decided to throw a party.

Liam Neeson's team prepared a party for the crew. Even though Liam's chances of winning were slim, they should prepare a party just in case.

"Kazir, ahahaha! Choosing your script is the best decision I have ever made in my life!"

Liam Neeson hiccupped after downing a bottle of alcohol. Well, he had every reason to celebrate and get drunk.

"That's good to hear. Now promise me that you will not leave Taken 2, no matter what happens."

"Of course! Why would I leave the crew? It's the movie that gave me my Oscar statue!"

"Haha."

Kazir was satisfied with that. He drank another glass of vodka and sighed at its smooth heaviness.

He knew he was getting tipsy. He got up and went to the balcony to get some fresh air. He thought he was hallucinating when he saw a woman sitting next to a statue.

"You are...?"

He narrowed his eyes. Maybe he drank too much because his vision was blurred.

Winning Best Original Screenplay made him so happy that he didn't hesitate to drink any alcohol he touched.

++++

[Author's Note: I have three things to say/ask.]

1. [I decided to let Liam Neeson win, because why not?]

2. [Do you want Matt Damon to be Jason Bourne?]

3. [Who do you think was the woman next to the statue?]

 

[Fellwinter]

Too bad awards can't be shared. Matt Damon was fantastic in Good Will Hunting.

I rather have him as Jason Bourne. He's an awesome actor.

As for who the woman is I guess Cameron Diaz but I hope it's Reese. Pls, no harem in this story.

 

[Pujimaki]

Too bad awards can't be shared. Matt Damon was fantastic in Good Will Hunting.

I rather have him as Jason Bourne. He's an awesome actor.

As for who the woman is I guess Cameron Diaz but I hope it's Reese. Pls, no harem in this story.

Click to shrink...

My patrons are still divided but I'm against harem as well.

 

[JustAnotherFan217]

Oh please no harem! The only multi relationships in Hollywood are like Charlie Sheen (rich guy dating hot nobodies) or someone cheating on a spouse. The very idea of rich, beautiful, and famous A-list actresses sharing is beyond laughable and ruins any credibility these kinds of stories have.

I'd love to see Matt Damon as Bourne again, but if you get someone just as good (like Affleck funny enough) I would be ok with it.

 

[Lillie Jones]

Jason Bourne for Matt Damon sure, but Matty boy has to hear Kazir Grey out for the Bourne Identity series first.
Although, I'm speculating it's Cameron Diaz, but definitely could have been Reese Witherspoon for the won ?
Continue on
Cheers!

 

[Pujimaki]

[Shout out to Mili B!]

Hollywood What If Chapter 145


Kazir stumbled to the railing, wobbling quite a bit.

The woman turned to her right and found an unsteady man.

"Excuse me, are you okay?"

She looked up at the city lights as the man stepped onto the balcony. Still, this was a party and the balcony was free for everyone to use.

"Yeah, I think I'm fine," Kazir replied, kneading his forehead hard.

"Um, do you want me to get you a glass of water?"

"Thanks, I really need it." He smiled bitterly.

His head hurt and his vision was blurry. He also felt like throwing up.

Kazir Grey likes to drink, but he never likes the feeling of a hangover. So he never gets to the point where he has to go blank. But today's party affected him.

To be precise, he was happy about winning the golden statue and got drunk because of it.

"O- Okay, I'll get you one."

The woman went to the party and found a waiter handing out glasses of water. She grabbed two glasses and returned to see the man vomiting violently. Kazir was leaning against the wall, spitting out what he had ingested.

The woman flinched. It was disgusting to see a stranger throwing up.

Still, she handed him the water.

"Here."

"Thanks..."

Kazir Grey sobered up after vomiting and drinking two glasses of water.

'Damn, I'll definitely have a hangover tomorrow."

He thought.

"It's okay. Alcohol can be dangerous sometimes." The woman put down the glasses.

"Too much alcohol is dangerous."

"That's true." She agreed.

"By the way, have we met before?"

Curious, Kazir looked at the woman. He felt like he knew her, but he could not remember.

"Your pick-up line is too rusty. You should use a better line."

The woman sighed. It was the third time she had heard it tonight. She was here to make connections because her career was not getting any better.

She had heard that Grey Pictures was a new production company and the prospects were good.

But all she got was endless flirting from the opposite sex.

"Ah? I think you misunderstand, I have no intention of doing that."

"Okay?" She tilted her head.

She helped the man to his feet. The light on the balcony was too dim, so she had to get close to see his face.

Suddenly, the woman remembered a scene in the gym three years ago. She could not forget this memory because it was quite funny.

"Ah, now I remember. You're the fat guy who was wheezing in the gym!"

"..."

That was embarrassing. Sober for a while, Kazir remembered that scene as well.

"You're Jennifer Connelly."

"That's right. Wow, I can't believe you look so good now. Looks like you work hard."

"I'm proud of my accomplishments."

"It looks that way."

They both looked into each other's eyes before realizing that they were quite close. Jennifer was the first to step back. She smelled the terrible smell of alcohol on Kazir.

"Anyway, what's your name? It seems you're part of this industry too."

"I'm a director."

"Oh really?"

"I'm Kazir Grey."

"... You've got to be kidding me."

Jennifer Connelly was stunned. She didn't expect to hear that name from the man who threw up.

When she attended the party, her agent told her to flirt with Director Grey. To be honest, she didn't like the idea.

But now that she saw Kazir's performance... She had second thoughts, no, third thoughts.

"W- Well, I guess I have to go now. See you later."

"Okay, take care. Thanks for your help. You can go to Grey Pictures if you're interested in working with us."

Kazir waved his hand without a problem. He was shocked to see an actress alone on the balcony, but that was all.

He didn't have to act starstruck, he was a famous person too.

In fact, his name is probably more famous than Jennifer Connelly's. Especially after the scandal two years ago. Almost everybody knows his name.

Of course Kazir Grey found her attractive, but he was not a creepy asshole.

'Besides, I don't want to be part of the Me Too movement, the negative side of it, of course.'

Well, the main antagonist of the Me Too movement was none other than Harvey Weinstein.

"Jennifer Connelly, huh?"

Kazir actually has a crush on the actress. He was one of his top 5... that sounds bad.

Anyway, Kazir said goodbye to the party and finally returned to his apartment. He hired a taxi because it was too dangerous for him to drive.

As expected, he threw up in the toilet again.

He fell asleep in his dirty tuxedo. He was too tired to change.

.........
......
...

When Kazir opened his eyes, a sharp pain hit his head. He groaned and rolled over to the left side of the bed.

"Fuck..."

He said. Then he sat up and looked at his watch. He realized he was late.

"Fuck!"

Kazir had never been late for filming. This might be the first time. He didn't have time to shower, so he changed his clothes instead.

He checked his phone and found dozens of messages and missed calls.

-- Hello, Kazir? Where are you?

Producer Harold Witsend contacted him.

"I'll be there! Just give me 15 minutes, no, half an hour. Give me half an hour and I'll be there. While I'm gone, tell Fremont to shoot the gas station scene."

Kazir quickly came out of the apartment and ran to the elevator.

"Okay. By the way, congratulations on the Oscar."

"Thanks." He said and ended the call.

Kazir Grey smiled. He was happy to have won Best Original Screenplay...

Unfortunately, the throbbing pain hit him again and his smile disappeared.

"Fuck. Painkiller might not be bad..."

 

[Lillie Jones]

Thanks for the chapter

 

[Pujimaki]

[Shout out to ABDI ALI!]

Hollywood What If Chapter 146


When Kazir arrived at the set, he saw that the filming was already underway.

He nodded. It was good that there was someone who could help him with such things.

"I thought you would arrive within half an hour? It's already been over an hour."

Harold sighed and handed him a Starbucks coffee. Kazir looked at it before taking a sip. He needs something to fight his hangover.

"Traffic. Two cars collided and caused traffic."

Kazir was not lying. He took a different route because of it.

"Anyway, look at Fremont."

The two were a few feet away from the filming. Harold and Kazir looked at Fremont, who was watching the monitors intently.

"If you think he can do it, why not let him direct a small budget movie first?"

"Hm? Did Salvatore say something to you?"

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

"I guess not."

Kazir shrugged. Only two people knew, Salvatore and him. Kazir was waiting for the right moment to tell the crew. Maybe 1/4 of the crew would work for Fremont next year to film Taken 2.

'Salvatore is already putting together a new production team for Fremont.'

"Anyway, I know you are training Fremont to be a director. Everybody knows it."

"Salvatore asked for a favor and I can't say no. Besides, it will be good for Grey Pictures."

"I guess so. So what do you think?"

"He can do it, but it won't be easy."

"It's not easy for everyone. Making a movie is never easy."

"Indeed."

"Cut! Let's reshoot this scene. Viggo, keep a serious expression this time."

"Alright."

The gas station scene was where Iosef Tarasov and John Wick met.

The make-up team checked the two actors and gave them touch-ups to avoid sweating. It would look bad on camera if their faces were oily and shiny.

The crew started to move after being quiet. They saw Kazir Grey standing a few meters away from them. They greeted their boss and congratulated him on the award he had won last night.

Kazir was grateful. He hadn't expected to win, but he accepted it with all his heart.

"Director."

Then Fremont Smith stood up and greeted him.

"This is the footage we shot today, you can watch it while the actors rest."

"All right, I'll check it later. For now, keep doing what you're doing."

"Huh?"

Kazir tapped him on the shoulder.

"You are the director today. You know the schedule, so it will not be a problem. Just think of this as your training."

"O- Okay, boss!"

'Boss? Am I in mafia or something?'

Fremont smiled and nodded. He returned to the director's chair and watched the footage.

"What about you?" Harold looked at Kazir.

"I'm going to take a rest. I can't think straight with a hangover. What about you? You drank last night too."

"Not as much as you."

Harold chuckled. He knew Kazir was drunk dead last night. A very rare moment to see his friend not sober.

"How do you like your job? Do you enjoy being a producer?"

"I still like doing props, but it's not bad. It's actually quite good... I realized that commanding people is not so bad."

"You sadist."

"Haha."

Harold didn't deny it.

"So are you okay with supervising two projects in one year?"

"It depends, if the two projects are filmed at the same time, it might be difficult. I prefer both to be set in the US rather than abroad... Wait a minute!"

Harold paused and stared at Kazir, who was casually sipping coffee.

"Kazir, don't you dare..."

Kazir didn't answer. Instead, he walked away and went to the trailer reserved for him.

"Damn it!" Harold cursed. He already had an idea of the impending doom he would face.

"Well... The pay's not that bad."

Last year his salary was 7 figures. He might as well take on another project to make more money. He was currently dating a woman and was thinking about their future.

House, engagement ring, wedding, children and so many things. He had a lot to think about.

He scratched his head.

Now that Kazir had passed the baton to Fremont, the man started shooting again.

.........
......
...

John Wick stopped at the gas station. His jolly dog looked out the window. The dog was professionally trained and could perform well when not under stress.

Then Iosef Tarasov and his bodyguards also stopped at the gas station. They spoke in Russian.

As for John Wick, he was minding his own business.

Unfortunately, Iosef Tarasov saw John Wick's car while lighting a cigarette. He was interested in the car.

"Nice ride. Mustang?" He said as he looked at the car.

"Mustang Boss 429." John replied.

Another term for Mustang Mach 1.

"Oh, nice car. How much?"

Iosef tapped the car and asked John Wick.

"Excuse me?"

"How much for the car?" Iosef asked in a slightly raised voice.

"It's not for sale."

John Wick jumped into the car.

"Oh, I love dogs." Iosef rubbed the dog and then looked at John Wick.

"Everything has a price." He said in Russian.

Out of Iosef's expectations, John Wick replied in Russian as well.

"Not this bitch."

Iosef was very annoyed as he looked at the Mustang leaving. He suddenly had an idea, a decision that would cost him his life.

.........
......
...

"Okay, that's enough! Let's finish filming today."

Fremont was a little sad that he was only shooting one scene today. He had experience making short movies, but this was different.

Fremont could not help it. He wanted to get the best shot.

Now he realized how amazing Kazir's direction could be. He was fast and precise and knew how to film the scene without any excess.

He sighed.

He needs to step up his game.

+++++

[Many of you prefer Jennifer Connelly... and I'm happy with that. I will find a way to work her into this plot. Let me cook.]

[Edit... You might see her next 100 chapters.]

 

[Lillie Jones]

Thanks for the chapter

 

[Pujimaki]

[Shout out to Clifton R P and Hollo!]

Hollywood What If Chapter 147


"Fuck this! All that investment, for nothing!"

"Brother, you need to calm down."

Harvey Weinstein smashed the vase in his office. He was furious. His brother, Bob Weinstein, tried to stop him, but fat Harvey was too difficult to calm down.

"How can I calm down?"

Harvey flipped the table, sending more stuff to the floor.

"We have so much invested in this movie! We think we will win the Oscars!"

"I know. But we can't predict the future. Who knows Titanic will have a strong influence on the Academy members?" Bob Weinstein replied.

"Fuck Titanic! The critics said it was a big disappointment! Then what happened? Titanic has already grossed over 1 billion dollars! I tell you, movie critics are stupid! They are stupid!"

He gritted his teeth in anger.

"Calm down. We stopped all our investments when we realized that Titanic will compete for the Oscars. In a way, we are preventing greater damage."

Indeed. Miramax pulled back on its PR once Titanic began to show its strength.

To be honest, Harvey was not angry with Titanic...

If there was anything he was angry at, it was Taken. It was all Kazir's fault!

'Kazir Grey! You fucking bastard!'

Miramax believes they will get at least 2 awards, but the reality was often disappointing.

Good Will Hunting got only one award. The Best Supporting Actor award went to Robert Williams.

Miramax believes they will win Best Original Screenplay, but Kazir won it instead. It was a big slap in the face for Miramax, known as the king of PR.

"Fuck! My cholesterol is quivering with rage!"

He kicked the table. He almost slipped.

"Hah... Hah..." After throwing a fit, Harvey was breathing hard. His face was covered with oily sweat.

"... Contact some actresses, I want to have some fun."

"Okay."

"Tell them I will cast them in our next project."

He sat down.

"Kazir Grey, this is not the end.

..........
.......
...

"Matt, are you okay?"

Ben Affleck asked his friend, who was depressed after what had happened the night before.

The two were the screenwriters of Good Will Hunting. But Matt Damon had invested so much in the project more than him. He was deeply affected by the outcome.

"I'm sad. What about you?" Matt Damon looked at Ben Affleck.

"Same as you."

They both chuckled.

"Honestly, I thought I had a chance to win Best Original Screenplay and Best Actor."

"Nah, you are too young to win Best Actor."

"Haha, maybe you are right."

The two were silent for a minute. What happened at the Oscars was still fresh in their minds.

"I thought Good Will Hunting was our door to fame." Matt Damon said as he looked away.

"We're just unlucky. Titanic is so strong, while Taken is trending last year. Besides... We are not Jewish."

There were instances why people hated Jewish people. Probably this was one of the reasons.

"..."

"Anyway, this is no time to be sad. In fact, I have to congratulate you. Congratulations on getting a role in Saving Private Ryan. How scary is director Steven Spielberg?" Ben Affleck joked.

"You don't want to know."

"All right. Let's not think about it. We did our best. Besides, maybe we can work with Director Grey."

"Yeah..."

Matt Damon had a complicated look on his face, but he knew how important it was to make a connection. It was already a miracle that he got a role in Saving Private Ryan.

"If they have another project, how about we audition for the important roles? Luckily, we are both under CAA."

.........
......
...

"Is everything ready?"

Kazir asked into his megaphone. The crew gave him the go signal.

"Graveyard scene, Take 5, Lights, Camera, Action!"

A sprinkler was used to create artificial rain in front of the camera, making the whole scene look desolate and depressing.

Everyone wore black clothes.

John Wick (Viggo Mortensen) stood in front of a grave. He watched as his wife's casket slowly descended to the ground.

Holding a black umbrella, his eyes never left the grave.

Time passed until only a few people remained at the funeral.

"John, I am sorry for your loss."

Raizo (Enzo Park), a ninja currently hiding from a certain organization, attended the funeral of his friend.

"Raizo, this place is not safe for you."

"I know."

After those two lines, the man walked off into the darkness and disappeared completely.

"I guess Raizo feels indebted to you."

Suddenly another man appeared.

"Marcus..."

"It's been a while. My condolences... How are you?"

"I keep asking why..."

The two talked for a while.

"John, don't blame yourself."

There was a pause in their conversation before John Wick asked him. The atmosphere turned cold.

"What are you really doing here Marcus?"

"... Just checking up on my old friend."

The rain did not stop, it became stronger instead.

"Cut! Let's do the scene again! Marcus, I mean, Willem, try to smile at the last line. Just a little smile."

"I understand, director."

"Throw more water on the ground! Make the spot look wet. That spot is dry, put some water there."

It would be embarrassing if some parts of the place were dry even though it was "raining". That kind of problem should not be shown on camera.

The filming was already 3/4 finished. It would take at least two weeks to finish the whole shooting. Everyone in the crew was happy. As for the cast, they were quite surprised because they didn't expect it to go so fast.

Kazir Grey was efficient as always, and the cast noticed.

Well, Hong Kong movies could be finished in a month. There was nothing strange if Grey Pictures could do it as well.

++++

[Merry Christmas guys! I'm busy yesterday so I can't update. Hope you guys will have a great day!]

[And since it's Christmas, I want to promote my Patreon! If you're interested in reading more of HWI, please visit my Patreon.]

https://www.patreon.com/Puji_maki

 

[Espec22]

Ok, I'm going to be honest here, first of all the name is ROBIN Williams, I saw the mistake a few chapters ago but I though it was just a lip of the hand, it happens sometimes, but Robin is not a diminutive of Robert, his full name is Robin McLaurin Williams.

Second, Hollywood is not controlled by just Jewish people, yes, there are a lot of big names there that are Jewish but they are also other people that are chatolic, protestant, and Episcopalian, but the only true MASTER of Hollywood since their beginning has always been the MONEY, no matter what, Western Movies make money? Then we will make a hell lot of them. Biblics movies made money, then we will made a lot of them Funny movies make money? then we will make a lot of them. Honestly I'm not suprised that you haven't deal with a lot of 'clone' movies yet.

 

[Lillie Jones]

Thanks for the chapter

 

[Pujimaki]

[Shout out to Seth P and Jofrey V!]

Hollywood What If Chapter 148


"Are you okay?

Reese put a worried hand on Kazir's forehead. The man looked tired, the dark circles around his eyes were obvious.

"I'm fine. I can't miss this event. It's the first movie where you're the protagonist."

"... Okay." She smiled and kissed him on the forehead.

"Now let's contact Jane to hide your haggard face."

"I hope so."

The two chuckled.

John Wick wrapped in the second week of June. After that, Kazir Grey put all his time into post-production.

Of course, he hired his trusted editor, Rector Richman. The two have a good relationship and can talk without barriers. Other than that, Kazir had an editing team to take care of other editing jobs such as cutting useless scenes.

The movie was slowly coming together. The dubbing, the sound, the music, the editing, the transitions, everything was going well.

Then, after spending three weeks in the editing room, Kazir Grey was invited to the premiere of There's Something About Mary.

It was a publicity stunt to get attention. He would go to the theater with Reese Witherspoon.

In fact, 20th Century Fox, the investor in the movie, asked Kazir Grey to be one of their promotional methods.

People love to gossip, and 20th Century Fox would use Kazir and Reese's relationship to create hype. They would use this news to their advantage and promote the movie. That way, more people would see the movie.

Kazir was hesitant at first, but decided to agree. He wanted to make sure that Reese's movie would be successful.

However, Reese was the one who was against it. She felt like she was using Kazir and she didn't like it.

In the end, the two agreed to attend the premiere together. When reporters asked them about their relationship, they gave ambiguous answers.

"Alright. Looks like you can go."

Reese was pleased with Kazir's makeover. The bags under his eyes were gone and he looked fresh.

"We can go to the premiere!"

The two entered the limousine holding hands.

The main cast of There's Something About Mary was Matt Dillon, Ben Stiller, Lee Evans and Chris Elliott.

In the movie, these men were obsessed with Mary (Reese Witherspoon). They did their best just to get Mary's attention.

Some famous actors also attended the premiere. Ed Helms and Pedro Pascal were at the premiere to support Reese. Another reason why they were at the premiere was to promote Napoleon Dynamite III, which will be released in December.

Even Hugo Lameire was there. He was the director of Napoleon Dynamite II. He was smiling and letting the press take pictures of him. The attention he got was so-so.

The limousine arrived and Kazir Grey was the first to get out. He was wearing a neat gray tuxedo. He held out his hand to a beautiful woman.

Reese smiled and took his hand. The two walked down the red carpet, looking nice together.

Reporters bombarded them with pictures and questions, but the two just posed and smiled.

Most of the reporters were from News Corporation, maybe 2/3 of the reporters.

Of course, the interview from a major TV network would ask them before they went to the theater.

"Wow, you look good together." The reporter said.

The two giggled. Showing their affection for each other.

"Ahem, I know I'm crossing the line, but I have to ask this question. Are you two dating?"

Reese and Kazir were expecting this question. They looked at each other before answering.

"Reese is very important to me."

"I feel the same way about Kazir."

"Aww..."

After that, the reporter let them slide into the theater. Their answer was enough to make a topic.

"I must apologize." Reese smiled bitterly.

"They made you dirty." She added.

"What are you talking about? It doesn't concern me. Besides, it's good for John Wick as well, another method to promote my movie."

"I see. So only John Wick is all in your head." She pouted and tightened her grip on his arm.

"Honestly, yes."

"What did you say?"

"Haha, of course I'm joking."

"Humph!"

The two found their seats, which were in the front row with the cast.

Before the movie started, the higher-ups of 20th Century Fox greeted them. Kazir Grey met Tom Rothman again... As always, they talked about scripts and whether Kazir was interested in working with 20th Century Fox.

The two of them had a good relationship, so there was no need to play hard to get. In the end, Kazir didn't promise anything.

'Our contract with Paramount expires next year. Maybe working with 20th Century Fox is not bad... Let's think about it when we get there.'

.........
......
...

The premiere of There's Something About Mary did well. It grossed $4 million on the first day. That was a good result back in the 90s. Only abnormal movies like Taken could get $17 million on the first day.

After that, the first weekend got a result of $17 million.

Unfortunately, The Mask Of Zorro was released in the same week, so There's Something About Mary didn't get the box office champion for that week.

The next weekdays also had a good result. From July 20 to 25, the movie earned another $23 million. All in all, the movie grossed $40 million.

The budget of There's Something About Mary was only $23 million. It was obvious that the box office already exceeded the investment, which was a good thing.

It seemed that Reese Witherspoon's career would be better after this. From a second-rate actress to a first-rate actress who could easily get a million-dollar contract.

However, while others were celebrating the movie's success, one person was gritting her teeth in regret.

+++++

[I would like to apologize if I made grammatical mistakes or misspelled people's names and movie titles. I have no excuse except my own stupidity... As for correcting the grammar mistakes, names and movies, I'll say that I'm too lazy to correct them. I publish this story in four platforms and I'm lazy to edit them. That's the truth... I really apologize].

 

[Lillie Jones]

Thanks for the chapter

 

[WillowFriend]

However, while others were celebrating the movie's success, one person was gritting her teeth in regret.

Click to shrink...

Wonder who's the person regretting their awful life choices? Could it be the certain ex who tried to fuck over the rising star? Or is it the dumb guy that fucked the ex? Either way, great job on the chapter.

 

[Pujimaki]

[Shout out to bomber-harris!]

Hollywood What If Chapter 149


"Tch... I made a big mistake this time."

Cameron Diaz bit her nail in frustration. She could not sleep properly these days. Regret was haunting her.

The third week of There's Something About Mary ended and the result was $60.05 million.

The movie was a success. And Reese Witherspoon was becoming more famous by the day.

The cast of There's Something About Mary was promoting the movie in North America and it was clear that they were doing well.

"Damn it!"

She screamed, smashing the nearest object to her, a painting that cost at least $50,000.

She breathed hard... She tried her best to accept the reality that she didn't get the role. But it was still painful to think about it.

'I should have accepted a $1.5 million salary! No, I'll take it even if it's $1 million.'

It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to advance her career, and she lost it.

"No... This is not over."

Cameron Diaz looked at the newspaper on the table. The headline was about Kazir and Reese's relationship. Some speculated that the two were hiding the truth, but they were actually dating.

To be honest, Cameron Diaz was attracted to Kazir. The guy was her type. And now she has all the more reason to seduce him.

'Let's see how he can last.'

What is the best way to break someone's heart? By destroying the trust/love they have been building for so many years.

.........
......
...

"Director, is it true that you're the one who recommended the script to Reese Witherspoon?"

"How can I put it, I just heard that there was a project that 20th Century Fox was cooking up, so I asked Reese to try and audition. I'm clueless about everything."

Because the movie was selling well, some reporters interested in their relationship knocked on the door of Grey Pictures.

The entrance to the company was blocked by dozens of reporters who wanted to know about director Grey.

Kazir Grey stayed in the editing room for three days before leaving the company. He was stunned to see so many people waiting for him.

In the end, he decided to play with them for a few minutes.

'I am not lying anyway.'

"Director Grey, is it true that you and Reese Witherspoon are dating?"

Kazir glanced at the reporter asking him the question. He recognized the man.

'I think he's from News Corporation. As expected, 20th Century Fox is stubborn.'

He just smiled and got into the car. He had entertained the reporters/paparazzi enough. They tried to block Kazir, but the man was quite strong.

"Phew... This is getting out of hand."

"Sir, it's because you're famous. You are one of the people in Hollywood who has a normal life and people are interested in you."

Erica Mendez said to him during the ride.

"..."

The life of a celebrity was dangerous. He didn't want to shower himself with fake compliments and become a narcissist.

There are so many narcissists in Hollywood. People who live in lies. People who think they are gods and goddesses to be worshipped.

Fortunately, Kazir Grey knew the reality and he would never succumb.

Drugs, sex, vice, pedophilia, abortion, even rape. Hollywood has it all.

"Take me to Paramount."

Today was his meeting with Brad Grey. He gave Hector a day off after three days in that dark room. They both need a break to relax their minds. When it comes to editing, the two of them put their heads together to come up with transitions and cuts that are perfectly in sync with the theme of the movie.

So yes, rest is important.

"It will take 15 minutes."

"Alright."

They arrived at Paramount's headquarters within the expected time.

"Hm?"

Kazir turned around and noticed that some people were following his car.

They are acting normal, but it's obvious that they are paparazzi.

"Don't mind them, sir, they can't get any closer." Erica Mendez knew there were some cars following them.

"Okay..."

Ah yes, the paparazzi who didn't care about privacy. There must be a place in hell for these people.

Kazir shook his head and left them alone. They could not enter the Paramount headquarters anyway.

'Wait all you want.'

"I'm here to meet Brad Grey."

"Let me check the list, sir."

Kazir spoke to the receptionist. The woman contacted Brad Grey's secretary to let him know that Director Grey had arrived.

The two reached the CEO's office.

"Kazir! My nephew!"

'... I don't know about that. You and my father are third cousins, and I believe we have no connection at all. Except as acquaintances or business partners.'

Kazir kept that in mind and accepted Brad Grey's warm hug.

"You can sit down. And you too, Miss Mendez."

The two began to talk about their collaboration. As for Erica, she was just there.

"Kazir, the last round of auditions for Meet The Parents is next week. I hope you can be there."

"Of course."

Kazir nodded. He didn't have a problem with it. He was the executive producer and screenwriter of the movie. He wanted to make sure that his script would do well at the box office.

"Is Ben Stiller the protagonist?"

"Yes, we have already signed a contract. The only roles that are open are Jack Byrnes and Pam Byrnes. We have invited Robert De Niro to audition for the role of Jack Byrnes."

Jack Byrnes was the father-in-law in the movie. He was a retired CIA agent who caused so much trouble to Gaylord Focker (Ben Stiller).

Kazir nodded.

"About Pam Byrnes..."

"I know. Your agent, Salvatore Barlowe, introduced us to Brianna Evans. I can tell you there's no problem with her acting or her salary. However, some actresses have the same advantage as her, like Teri Polo."

"..."

Kazir realized something immediately.

'There must be some politics going on in the crew. People are trying to push their favored actress to get the part. Well, I'm basically doing the same thing. Helping Brianna Evans get the part. Also... Who is Teri Polo? Never heard of her.'

Anyway, it all depends on the results of the last round of auditions for the heroine.

+++++

[IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: I want to say that this is just a fanfiction. Do not take it seriously. Just have fun.]

 

[ArsMagna1337]

Teri Polo

Click to shrink...

Wait, wasn't she the one from Meet the Parents Trilogy?

 

[Pujimaki]

Wait, wasn't she the one from Meet the Parents Trilogy?

Click to shrink...

She is. But I decided to use another actress because why not.

 

[Lillie Jones]

Thanks for the chapter