Chapter Summaries

After Daewoo Group’s bankruptcy, Aaron traveled to Seoul to assess TriStar and reassure Lee Kun-hee that he supported the Lee family’s management. At dinner, Lee Boo-jin approached Aaron and urged him to pay attention to TriStar’s businesses beyond the divisions he favored.

• Aaron learned that Daewoo Group had declared bankruptcy and traveled to South Korea with Lin Zhiling.
• At the Shilla Hotel, Aaron discussed South Korea’s recovery and TriStar’s bribery scandal with Lee Kun-hee.
• Lee Kun-hee told Lee Boo-jin that Wall Street investors were withdrawing profits from South Korea, while Aaron would remain focused on TriStar.
• Aaron and Lin Zhiling discussed her plans to study and pursue modeling work in Japan.
• Lee Boo-jin met Aaron at dinner and argued that TriStar should develop all its industries, not just electronics, trading, and insurance.

Aaron traveled to Japan with Lin Zhiling and arranged for her to develop her modeling career there. Meanwhile, Joey Wong and Chong Ching planned Media Asia Entertainment's film projects and discussed artist deals as the company sought opportunities beyond Hong Kong.

• Aaron and Lin Zhiling went to Japan, where Aaron asked Norika Fujiwara to help Lin build her career, and Lin planned to return to Taipei before coming back.
• Joey Wong met Chong Ching in Hong Kong to discuss blockbuster films and expansion into the mainland market.
• Chong Ching showed Joey two Golden Harvest projects, The Storm Warriors and 2000 AD, and Joey agreed to co-finance The Storm Warriors and cast Norika Fujiwara and Kristy Yang.
• Joey approved Media Asia's investment in Milkyway Image's Needing You... and asked Wong Jing to develop a script for Leon Lai.
• Chong Ching offered to introduce Aaron Kwok's manager to Universal Music Group, which wanted to sign the singer for 60 million Hong Kong Dollars.

Aaron discussed Japan's restrictions on casinos with Minister Takashi Fukaya, then heard that Norika Fujiwara would star in a Hong Kong action film. He returned to London to oversee preparations for Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone and encountered a city still mourning the Paddington train crash.

• Aaron told Takashi Fukaya that he wanted Japan to loosen restrictions on gambling and open casino businesses, but Takashi said gambling was not permitted.
• Norika Fujiwara told Aaron she had been cast in The Storm Warriors, and Aaron praised the role's potential to raise her profile in China and internationally.
• Aaron learned that Norika had arranged work in Japan for Lin Zhiling and said he needed to return home soon.
• Aaron traveled to London to oversee preparations for Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, the only one of Dawn's major upcoming projects still in preproduction.
• Aaron arrived in London after the Paddington train crash, which had killed 70 people and injured more than 150, and sensed the public's grief.

Aaron oversaw plans for the Harry Potter films and discussed the upcoming release of The World Is Not Enough before watching Eyes Wide Shut with Catherine Zeta-Jones. He argued that Warner Bros. had altered Stanley Kubrick’s unfinished final cut and described the film as exposing the hidden lives of the ruling class.

• Aaron asked Graham Broadstreet about Harry Potter casting and insisted that the young leads sign contracts covering all seven films.
• Graham Broadstreet explained that the production was preparing auditions, group training, sets, costumes, and magical props.
• Aaron confirmed that MGM’s The World Is Not Enough would premiere in the United Kingdom next month before opening in North America.
• Aaron and Catherine Zeta-Jones watched Eyes Wide Shut at a cinema near Knightsbridge.
• Aaron told Catherine that Warner Bros. had made major edits to Eyes Wide Shut after Stanley Kubrick’s death.

Aaron and Catherine Zeta-Jones discussed British films, David Beckham, and London musicals at the Isabella Club. Aaron decided to have Graham Broadstreet contact the producers of Mamma Mia! and consider a film adaptation through Universal once the musical had built its reputation.

• Aaron and Catherine Zeta-Jones discussed Guy Ritchie's Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and his upcoming film Snatch, which featured Brad Pitt.
• Aaron spotted David Beckham and Victoria at the club, and Catherine Zeta-Jones discussed their wedding, Manchester United's treble, and Alex Ferguson's knighthood.
• Aaron and Catherine Zeta-Jones discussed the London productions of The Lion King and Mamma Mia!, including the latter's sold-out run.
• Aaron decided to have Graham Broadstreet contact Mamma Mia!'s producers and wait for the musical to gain wider recognition before Universal pursued a film adaptation.
• Catherine Zeta-Jones kissed Aaron and suggested they head home.

Aaron Anderson spent time with Catherine Zeta-Jones and Britney Spears as CBS’s new game show Millionaire became a ratings hit. Britney prepared to launch her North American tour after her debut album’s major success, while Aaron anticipated her rise as a superstar.

• Aaron and Catherine Zeta-Jones discussed their travel plans, with Catherine intending to return to Swansea while Aaron planned to go to Los Angeles with Jennifer Connelly.
• CBS’s Millionaire quickly became the season’s highest-rated program, and CBS officially joined Dawn’s system after its integration.
• Aaron asked Britney Spears about her upcoming North American tour, which was set to begin after the MTV Video Music Awards in Europe.
• Britney told Aaron that her debut album had sold millions of copies and that preparations for her second album were underway.
• Aaron and Britney discussed Christina Aguilera, NSYNC, and the Backstreet Boys as Britney looked forward to her first tour.

Aaron discussed Britney Spears’s tour, Dawn Pictures’ upcoming films, and plans for The Bourne Identity, including using Germany’s film tax rebate and casting Jude Law. The chapter ended with Aaron wondering about Constantine Pictures Germany’s Resident Evil adaptation after Milla Jovovich returned to the United States.

• Aaron met Rupert Murdoch and Wendi Deng at Matsui Sushi Restaurant, then left with Britney Spears for his Bel Air Estate.
• Ethelind Beckett told Aaron that Steven Soderbergh was assembling the cast for Traffic and that Girl, Interrupted had received a good response.
• Aaron directed Ethelind Beckett to cast Jude Law in The Bourne Identity after Matt Damon proved unavailable, and said the novels would become a trilogy.
• Aaron read that Luc Besson’s The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc had failed at the box office and that Besson had divorced Milla Jovovich.
• Aaron wondered how preparations for Constantine Pictures Germany’s Resident Evil adaptation were progressing after Milla Jovovich returned to the United States.

Aaron discussed Naomi Watts’s possible role in Twilight Pictures’ remake of The Ring, then considered Forum Company’s offer for the Houston Post and Los Angeles Daily News. After The Talented Mr. Ripley opened to strong reviews, Cate Blanchett told Aaron she was wondering whether to slow down and focus on honing her craft.

• Aaron told Nicole Kidman that Twilight Pictures planned to approach Naomi Watts about starring in its remake of The Ring, and they spent the rest of their vacation together.
• Ethelind Beckett informed Aaron that Forum Company offered $170 million for the Houston Post and Los Angeles Daily News, and Aaron said the price had to be at least $200 million.
• Aaron and Ethelind Beckett discussed Forum Company’s interest in the Times-Mirror Company and the Chandler family’s internal disagreements.
• The Talented Mr. Ripley premiered and earned $12.7 million during its opening weekend, receiving strong reviews.
• Cate Blanchett told Aaron she was going to Paris to film The Man Who Cried, then said she wanted time to settle down and hone her skills.

Aaron discussed the possible sale of the Los Angeles Times with Otis Chandler, then visited the Wells Fargo Center construction site and watched the Rockets face the Lakers with Britney Spears. The chapter ended with Britney planning to stay with Aaron before flying to Dublin for the European MTV Video Music Festival.

• Aaron outlined how Forum Company could expand by acquiring the Houston Post, The Sun, and the Los Angeles Times, while Otis Chandler discussed his doubts about print media and Times-Mirror's future.
• Aaron left the Chandler estate and visited the construction site of Wells Fargo Center Stadium, home of the Los Angeles Starlight.
• Aaron watched the Houston Rockets play the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center with Britney Spears and discussed the teams' players and championship prospects.
• Aaron asked Britney about the European MTV Video Music Festival, and she said she would fly to Dublin the day after tomorrow.
• Britney told Aaron she wanted to stay with him that night and the next day before her trip.

After the Lakers lost to Aaron’s team at Staples Center, Jerry Buss discussed the arena and the growing competition among Los Angeles sports owners with Aaron. Aaron left with Britney Spears, and they returned to his villa, where they talked about Madonna and her new lover before going to bed.

• After the game, Jerry Buss invited Aaron and Britney Spears to a bar, where Aaron teased him about the Lakers’ poor results.
• Jerry explained that the Clippers shared Staples Center because owner Donald Sterling had not built his own arena.
• Aaron and Jerry discussed AEG’s influence in Los Angeles and Anderson Sports’ plans to establish the Los Angeles Starlight in the NFL.
• Aaron and Britney left the bar and returned to his Beverly Hills villa.
• Aaron told Britney that he had seen Madonna Ciccone with British director Guy Ritchie, whom he identified as Madonna’s new lover.
• After they were intimate, Britney compared the feeling to seeing God, and Aaron reminded her to sleep.

Aaron spent time with Britney Spears and promised to vacation with her in Malta after her tour. Meanwhile, Disney moved to remove Jamie Tarses and restore ABC’s standing, while Rupert Murdoch and Peter Chernin speculated that Aaron was waiting for an opportunity to strengthen Dawn’s news operations.

• Aaron promised Britney Spears they would vacation in Malta after her North American tour, and they kissed at his Beverly Hills villa.
• Michael Eisner told Robert Iger that Jamie Tarses had become too disruptive and that she should leave ABC.
• Eisner warned Iger that Disney needed to fix ABC and protect its interests, and Iger agreed that ABC News would adopt a neutral, independent stance.
• The Chicago Tribune Company paid $220 million for Dawn’s stakes in the Houston Post and the Los Angeles Daily News, as Dawn exited newspapers and focused on CBS Online News.
• Rupert Murdoch and Peter Chernin discussed Dawn’s limited internet spending and speculated that Aaron was waiting for an opportunity to improve Dawn’s weak news presence.

Aaron Anderson celebrated Sophie Marceau’s birthday in Aspen while discussing Hollywood’s box-office competition and the struggles of MGM and European cinema. The chapter ended with Aaron and Sophie becoming intimate at their resort hotel.

• At MGM headquarters, Edgar Bronfman Jr. questioned Frank Mancuso and Ronald Meyer about the studio’s prospects beyond the James Bond series, and Mancuso pointed to the upcoming End of Days.
• Aaron told Sophie Marceau that The World Is Not Enough had opened with $35 million, while The Talented Mr. Ripley had earned $39 million in ten days.
• Aaron and Sophie compared the success of The Sixth Sense and The Blair Witch Project with other films, and Aaron explained how viral marketing had helped The Blair Witch Project succeed.
• Sophie told Aaron that Luc Besson planned to step back from directing after The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc failed and had founded EuropaCorp to develop commercial films.
• Aaron discussed European film funding and production incentives with Sophie before they embraced and fell onto the sofa together.

As Sony appointed Amy Pascal to lead Columbia Pictures amid skepticism about her prospects, Aaron and Sophie Marceau vacationed in Aspen and discussed her film career and investments. Aaron noticed Michael Bloomberg at lunch, considering a possible partnership between CBS and Bloomberg for a financial cable channel.

• Sony appointed Amy Pascal president of Columbia Pictures after Howard Stringer fired Mark Canton, making her the third woman to head a major Hollywood studio.
• Aaron and Sophie Marceau discussed her role in Gone in 60 Seconds and her preference for City of Angels.
• Aaron and Sophie Marceau strolled through Aspen and talked about buying a vacation villa, Sophie’s winery, and her possible future as a director.
• Aaron spotted Michael Bloomberg at a restaurant and considered Bloomberg Company as a potential partner for CBS’s planned financial cable channel.

Aaron discussed Penélope Cruz’s upcoming role in Traffic and the success of All About My Mother as Hollywood debated feminism and Amy Pascal’s rise at Columbia Pictures. He planned for Dawn to pursue Spanish-language projects and expand in Latin America, while Cruz prepared to join the film’s set.

• Aaron met Penélope Cruz in Los Angeles and confirmed she would begin filming Traffic in two weeks.
• Aaron and Cruz discussed All About My Mother’s acclaim, its feminist themes, and the limited roles available to Spanish actresses in Hollywood.
• Cruz told Aaron that Salma Hayek credited him with helping her establish herself in Hollywood.
• Aaron said Dawn would develop Spanish-language projects for Latin America and discussed the company’s international distribution network.

Aaron discussed launching a CBS financial cable channel with Eric Ober and talked with Christiana Yeri about the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, her investment plans in Brazil, and the construction of his yacht. He left her with encouragement to invest in Brazilian agriculture and livestock.

• Aaron told Eric Ober to contact Bloomberg and McGraw Hill about partnering on a CBS financial cable channel.
• Aaron and Christiana Yeri discussed CBS airing the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show and plans to take future shows to Cannes and other cities.
• Christiana Yeri told Aaron that construction had begun on his luxury yacht and that it would not be delivered until the second half of 2002.
• Aaron said his Starlight could serve as a party yacht for Victoria's Secret events.
• Christiana Yeri asked Aaron about investing in Brazil, and he recommended agriculture, poultry, and beef.

At a Beverly Hills reception, Aaron discussed DreamWorks’ prospects with Seagram chairman Edgar Bronfman Jr., arguing that the studio lacked the resources to challenge Hollywood’s Big Seven. Elsewhere, Amy Pascal and Dawn Steel discussed Columbia TriStar’s problems and the pressure on Amy to turn the studio around.

• Aaron greeted Edgar Bronfman Jr., who complained that MGM’s End of Days had received terrible reviews while DreamWorks’ American Beauty was succeeding.
• Aaron praised American Beauty and noted DreamWorks’ recent successes, prompting Edgar to reflect on the studio’s momentum and Hollywood’s business model.
• Aaron argued that DreamWorks would need substantial financial backing or a repeat of Dawn’s success to break through, then compared its three founders to monks who stopped working together.
• Aaron left Edgar deep in thought and joined the reception elsewhere as Amy Pascal spoke with Dawn Steel about Columbia TriStar’s difficulties.
• Dawn Steel reminded Amy Pascal that Aaron had once invited her to join Dawn, and Amy acknowledged Aaron’s rise while noting that Sony’s reforms had not been enough.

Aaron discussed MGM Grand’s plans to acquire Mirage Resorts and heard Sumner Redstone propose a Paramount theme park near Universal Studios Orlando. Considering the weak prospects of UPN and WB, Aaron recognized an opportunity to create a fifth major television network as media companies raced to consolidate.

• Sheldon Adelson told Aaron that MGM Grand was preparing to acquire Mirage Resorts, and Aaron acknowledged Kirk Kerkorian’s return to the Las Vegas casino business.
• Christiana Yeri brought Aaron to meet Sumner Redstone, who proposed building a Paramount theme park near Universal Studios Orlando.
• Aaron welcomed the idea of using Paramount’s intellectual property but cautioned Redstone that a theme park required major, sustained investment.
• Redstone described Viacom’s reliance on cable networks and its struggling UPN network after its failed attempt to acquire CBS.
• Aaron reviewed UPN and WB’s poor ratings and coverage, recalled that they would eventually merge into a fifth broadcast network, and anticipated that Viacom would pursue NBC.

Tom Rothman told Aaron about Lionsgate’s growth and the backlash against its release of Dogma. At a cathedral groundbreaking, Archbishop Roger Mahony invited Aaron to join a dialogue between Hollywood and religious leaders about controversial films and moral responsibility.

• Tom Rothman told Aaron that Lionsgate had raised more than 30 million dollars and planned to merge with Trimark Pictures.
• Tom Rothman explained that Lionsgate’s Dogma had opened to 8.6 million dollars and drawn protests from religious groups.
• Aaron praised Twilight Pictures’ successes and upcoming films, including Scary Movie and Final Destination.
• Aaron attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, where Roger Mahony asked about Jack Wells.
• Roger Mahony criticized religious elements in Dogma and Eyes Wide Shut and invited Aaron to take part in a dialogue between the religious community and the entertainment industry.

Aaron and Winona Ryder discussed her films, awards-season plans, and a romance project she had turned down before returning to his villa. There, they became intimate as Aaron remarked that she might have suited the queen’s role in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace.

• Aaron and Winona Ryder relaxed at a West Hollywood bar after attending the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels groundbreaking ceremony.
• Winona Ryder said Girl, Interrupted had not performed as well as she hoped, and Aaron reassured her that the film had received good reviews.
• Winona Ryder told Aaron she had turned down Autumn in New York after Al Pacino passed on the romance film and she finished work on Shakespeare in Love.
• Aaron urged Winona Ryder to focus on promoting Shakespeare in Love, and she said its first Premiere would be in London before another in New York.
• Aaron and Winona Ryder returned to his Beverly Hills villa, where he said she could have suited the queen’s role in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace before they became intimate.

Aaron restructured CBS’s leadership under Mel Kamins and directed him to reform the network, prioritize its news division, and pursue a business channel. Aaron also discussed the AOL-Time Warner merger and pledged CBS’s support for George W. Bush’s coming presidential campaign.

• Aaron appointed Mel Kamins as CBS president and a Dawn board member, while naming Karen McKee and Jovin Adams to senior CBS roles as Les Moonves and other executives departed.
• Aaron told Mel Kamins that CBS’s news division was a priority and urged him to pursue a business channel with McGraw Hill Companies.
• Aaron and Lloyd Bentsen Jr. discussed the expected AOL-Time Warner merger and its regulatory review.
• Lloyd Bentsen Jr. said he planned to return to Austin as George W. Bush prepared to run for president.
• Aaron said CBS would support George W. Bush, giving his campaign publicity while directing advertising business toward Dawn.