Chapter Summaries

At The Silence of the Lambs' victory party, Aaron Anderson discussed politics and business plans with Jack Wells, then arranged for Crescent Moon Pictures to pursue Farewell My Concubine. He reunited with Nicole Kidman and dismissed Sharon Stone as merely a sex symbol.

• Aaron Anderson and Jack Wells discussed the presidential election, and Aaron gave Jack two million dollars to support Clinton and cultivate California politicians.
• Jack Wells proposed reselling goods from the former Soviet Union and exploring arms deals and future mercenary work, while Aaron warned him to stay safe.
• Aaron asked Brad Grey to contact the crew of Farewell My Concubine about distribution through Crescent Moon Pictures.
• Nicole Kidman told Aaron that she envied Jodie Foster's Best Actress wins and was being offered only romantic comedies, then mentioned her upcoming film with Michael Keaton.
• Aaron spotted Sharon Stone at the party, called her a sex symbol, and left with Nicole Kidman.

Aaron supported Jane Campion’s The Piano with Crescent Moon Pictures while Dawn Pictures prepared its commercial action film Speed. In New York, Harvey Weinstein agreed to let Bob Weinstein establish a genre-film label as Miramax struggled to match its past successes.

• At the Pacific Palisades villa, Nicole Kidman told Aaron about Jane Campion’s planned film The Piano, and Aaron offered to have Crescent Moon Pictures support it.
• After Scent of a Woman finished filming, Crescent Moon Pictures invested 1.5 million dollars in The Piano, while Dawn Pictures focused on Speed, starring Keanu Reeves.
• Harvey Weinstein worried that Miramax’s recent releases had underperformed as Aaron’s films and Dawn Pictures prospered.
• Bob Weinstein proposed a genre-film label for commercial films, and Harvey agreed to let him establish it while Miramax continued supporting arthouse films.

Aaron discussed promotion for Indecent Proposal and learned about Paramount’s and Warner Bros.’ adaptations of John Grisham novels. He later met Giuseppe Tornatore and Monica Bellucci, then brought Monica to his villa, where she said she hoped to find Hollywood roles despite expecting limited opportunities.

• Aaron told Michael Ovitz that gender relations should feature in Indecent Proposal’s promotion, despite Robert Redford’s preference to focus on the film’s plot, morality, and marriage.
• Aaron asked Michael Ovitz about adaptations of John Grisham’s novels and learned that Paramount was developing The Firm with Tom Cruise and Sydney Pollack, while Warner Bros. was preparing The Pelican Brief.
• Aaron met Giuseppe Tornatore and Monica Bellucci at a West Hollywood club, offered Tornatore support for future projects, and heard that he planned to return to Italy after Scent of a Woman’s Venice Film Festival entry.
• Aaron asked Monica about her time in the United States and learned she was considering sending résumés to Hollywood productions.
• Aaron brought Monica to his Bel Air villa, where he warned that Hollywood might offer her only insignificant roles, and Monica said she was willing to accept what she had to in order to enter the industry.

Aaron promoted Monica Bellucci’s Hollywood prospects before attending a Clinton fundraiser, where he discussed voter groups and the election. He warned Jack Wells to prepare their Los Angeles theaters for violence after the Rodney King trial, and Jack said security and weapons were already in place.

• Aaron told Monica Bellucci he would arrange for her to appear in a horror film and warned her to avoid other men.
• Aaron and Jack Wells attended Clinton’s fundraising dinner, where Clinton and Hillary thanked Aaron for his support.
• Aaron advised Clinton to appeal to LGBT, Black, feminist, and AIDS advocacy groups while focusing on the economy and unemployment.
• Aaron told Jack Wells that Clinton was courting Jewish donors because their support could help his struggling campaign.
• Aaron warned Jack Wells that the Rodney King trial could spark violent protests and urged him to secure their Los Angeles theaters.
• Jack Wells said their seven theaters had retired-soldier security guards and stored weapons.

After leaving a fundraising dinner, Jack Wells and Aaron visited the Viper Room, where Jack spotted Tupac Shakur and Sean Combs. Jack and John Levin later attacked the two men in an alley, leaving Sean dead and Tupac in intensive care, while Jack considered a new career in Russia.

• Jack told Aaron that John Singleton was filming Poetic Justice with Tupac Shakur and Janet Jackson, and Aaron resented Singleton for working with Columbia Pictures.
• After Aaron left, Jack called John Levin, and the two waited outside the Viper Room for Tupac and Sean to leave.
• Jack and John followed Tupac and Sean into an alley, beat them with baseball bats, stole their valuables, and left them in a garbage pile.
• Jack warned John to watch security at their downtown movie theaters if the Rodney King verdict sparked demonstrations, then discussed traveling to Russia.
• The next morning, Sean was found dead and Tupac was found badly injured and admitted to intensive care; police initially judged the attack to be a robbery.

Aaron attended a reception with Nicole Kidman, where Jeffrey Katzenberg offered to have Disney acquire Dawn Pictures and make Aaron president of Disney Films Group. Aaron refused, insisting Dawn remain independent.

• Jack Wells read that Tupac Shakur had been admitted to intensive care and expected Poetic Justice to halt production.
• Sidney Ganis told John Singleton to find a replacement male lead for Poetic Justice, and Singleton agreed to approach Cuba Gooding Jr.
• Sidney Ganis read Dawn's proposal for The Mask of Zorro and considered its planned director, Ridley Scott, and first-choice lead, Kevin Costner.
• At a Beverly Hills reception, Jeffrey Katzenberg discussed Hollywood's growing media conglomerates with Aaron and offered Disney's acquisition of Dawn Pictures.
• Aaron rejected Katzenberg's offer and said Dawn Pictures would remain whole and independent.

Aaron rejected Jeffrey Katzenberg’s approach while backing Jonathan Demme’s proposed AIDS drama and discussing upcoming film promotions. The acquittal of the four officers in the Rodney King case sparked violent unrest that spread across South Los Angeles and into nearby neighborhoods.

• Aaron suspected Jeffrey Katzenberg wanted to acquire Dawn and Pixar, while Nicole Kidman told him that Giancarlo Parretti had been indicted and Crédit Lyonnais planned to reclaim MGM.
• Aaron discussed Cannes with Nicole Kidman and said he might attend as Dawn prepared to promote new films.
• Aaron approved Jonathan Demme’s script concept about AIDS discrimination and told him to refine the script and begin preparations for production.
• Jennifer Connelly returned from filming Reality Bites in Houston to train for Speed, then discussed the film with Aaron at his Bel Air villa.
• After a jury acquitted four white officers in the Rodney King case, protests and violence erupted across South Los Angeles, and Mayor Tom Bradley declared a state of emergency as unrest spread to Koreatown and East Hollywood.

As the Los Angeles riots spread, Aaron and Jack Wells stayed safe and watched the city’s damage mount before the National Guard and Marines restored order. Afterward, Aaron advised Jack on investing in Russia, and the two went to inspect riot damage in Koreatown and at one of their theaters.

• Aaron watched the fires in Koreatown and South Central Los Angeles and spoke with Jack Wells, who joined Angel Security Company personnel near a tense police standoff.
• Aaron reassured Jennifer Connelly that Bel Air was safe while the riots continued, and the next day National Guard troops and Marines helped police bring the unrest under control.
• After the curfew ended, Aaron discussed Russia’s financial opportunities with Jack Wells and gave him Leon Cooperman’s business card, noting his investment in Omega Fund.
• Aaron and Jack Wells visited devastated Koreatown, where Jack joked that Aaron might have gone on a killing spree if he had still lived there.
• Jack told Aaron that one of their theaters had been hit with Molotov cocktails, and they decided to inspect the damage in Hollywood.

Aaron approved Dawn Pictures’ plan to acquire the adaptation rights to Interview with the Vampire, while Sophie Marceau prepared to film Four Weddings and a Funeral. Indecent Proposal opened alongside Lethal Weapon 3 and drew mixed reviews.

• Aaron watched a rough cut of Schindler's List and predicted it would win Best Picture at the Oscars.
• Dawn Steel recommended that Dawn Pictures negotiate for the film rights to Interview with the Vampire, and Aaron approved.
• Aaron discussed Sophie Marceau’s upcoming work on Four Weddings and a Funeral and her plans to attend Cannes, where Basic Instinct was stirring controversy.
• Lethal Weapon 3 earned 33 million dollars in its opening weekend, while Indecent Proposal earned 19 million dollars in fewer theaters.
• Indecent Proposal attracted significant attention but received both praise and criticism from reviewers.

Aaron reviewed recent box-office results and Dawn Pictures projects before attending the wrap party for Reality Bites. He and Winona Ryder discussed her career and breakup, then agreed to go out to sea together that weekend.

• Aaron compared the box-office performance of Indecent Proposal, Far and Away, and Alien 3, and heard that Sleepless in Seattle had tested well.
• Aaron learned that Reservoir Dogs had earned less than 3 million dollars but gained support among independent filmmakers and stars.
• Aaron attended the Reality Bites wrap party and praised the film to Winona Ryder, estimating that it would earn good reviews and make Dawn money.
• Winona Ryder told Aaron she had joined Martin Scorsese's The Age of Innocence and had broken up with Depp.
• Winona Ryder said she was suffering from insomnia, kissed Aaron, and agreed to go out to sea with him that weekend.

Aaron explored Dawn Pictures’ plans for investing in film rights and expanding its media business, while sounding out Amy Pascal about joining the company. The chapter left Amy considering Aaron’s offer to lead Dawn’s production department.

• Aaron asked Robert Evans whether Paramount would give Dawn the North American distribution rights to Sliver, but Evans indicated that Paramount would retain them.
• Aaron told David Komansky that Dawn might acquire publishing companies, advertising agencies, and distributors, and they discussed a possible future move on Orion Pictures.
• Aaron encountered Amy Pascal at 20th Century Fox and asked whether Joe Roth was available, then learned Roth was at Universal Studios.
• Aaron offered Amy the position of head of production at Dawn, and Amy said she would consider leaving 20th Century Fox.

Aaron spent a weekend with Winona Ryder before returning to Dawn Pictures’ projects, where he pursued North American distribution rights for The Crying Game. He also agreed to attend the Sleepless in Seattle premiere with Nicole Kidman, and the chapter ended with them alone in his office.

• Aaron and Winona Ryder enjoyed a yacht getaway near Santa Catalina Island and spent the weekend together.
• Speed began filming in Los Angeles as Indecent Proposal reached $75 million at the box office.
• Brad Grey reported that Harvey Weinstein had beaten him to The Crying Game, and Aaron decided Dawn Pictures should acquire its North American distribution rights.
• Nicole Kidman invited Aaron to the Sleepless in Seattle premiere, and he agreed to attend.
• Nicole told Aaron about Australia’s film-production support before the two became intimate in his office.

Aaron advanced Dawn Pictures’ projects, including Philadelphia and The Mask of Zorro, while Philadelphia secured Tom Hanks and Monica Bellucci. He then considered introducing Monica Bellucci to Sophie Marceau, leaving a bold idea forming in his mind.

• Harvey Weinstein learned that Dawn Pictures had bought the North American distribution rights to The Crying Game for $4 million and was furious that Miramax had been outbid.
• Aaron told Dawn Steel to approach Robert Zemeckis about developing Forrest Gump and urged her to secure Kevin Costner for The Mask of Zorro.
• Aaron and Jonathan Demme settled on Tom Hanks for Philadelphia’s lead and discussed Denzel Washington for the defense attorney role.
• Sleepless in Seattle earned $43 million in ten days, while Indecent Proposal reached $85 million at the box office.
• Aaron cast Monica Bellucci as the male lead’s wife in Philadelphia and promised to help her build a Hollywood career.
• Aaron asked Monica Bellucci if she knew Sophie Marceau and considered introducing the two actresses.

Aaron attended a banquet in Buckingham for Dawn UK Films’ first production and discussed The Crying Game and Four Weddings and a Funeral with their creators and cast. Elizabeth Hurley asked Aaron about Catherine Zeta-Jones’s upcoming film role and her own Hollywood prospects, then flirted with him.

• Aaron attended Dawn’s banquet in Buckingham and praised The Crying Game while speaking with its producer, Stephen Woolley.
• Aaron reassured Hugh Grant that he was suited to star in Four Weddings and a Funeral.
• Elizabeth Hurley asked Aaron about Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Aaron revealed she was training for a lead role in Ridley Scott’s Zorro adventure film.
• Elizabeth Hurley told Aaron about her supporting role in Passenger 57, and Aaron encouraged her by saying audiences might remember her sexy flight-attendant character.
• Elizabeth Hurley asked Aaron whether someone like her could attract a man like him.

Aaron Anderson met with Ridley Scott, Anthony Hopkins, and Catherine Zeta-Jones to confirm the $60 million production of The Mask of Zorro, which would begin filming the following month. After celebrating with Catherine in London, he discussed her preparations for the role and her rivalry with Elizabeth Hurley.

• Aaron Anderson told Ridley Scott, Anthony Hopkins, and Catherine Zeta-Jones that Dawn and TriStar would each invest $60 million in The Mask of Zorro.
• Ridley Scott said preparations were nearly complete and filming would begin the next month, exciting Catherine Zeta-Jones about her lead role.
• Aaron and Catherine walked past London theaters displaying Sleepless in Seattle and Batman Returns posters, and Aaron discussed the films' box-office performance.
• Aaron and Catherine went to a bar and then the Savoy Hotel, where they spent the night together.
• Catherine told Aaron she would travel to the United States at the end of the month to rehearse and prepare for filming, and said Elizabeth Hurley envied her role.

Aaron discussed British royal scandals and the pound’s economic pressures before preparing to return to the United States as his work on The Mask of Zorro approached. After parting from Sophie Marceau, he encountered Elizabeth Hurley on his flight from London to New York.

• Catherine Zeta-Jones and Aaron joked about the British royal family after reading a scandal about Sarah Ferguson in the Daily Mirror.
• Aaron read about the European Exchange Rate Mechanism and planned to have someone watch the pound for a chance to short it.
• Aaron told Sophie Marceau he was returning to the United States, and she said she had accepted the lead in a French-language romance.
• On his flight to New York, Aaron read about Whitney Houston’s marriage and thought about Kevin Costner’s upcoming films.
• Elizabeth Hurley approached Aaron in first class and greeted him.

Aaron returned to New York after an intimate flight with Elizabeth Hurley and prepared to short the pound using leveraged funds. He also celebrated Indecent Proposal’s box office success and learned that Crédit Lyonnais had taken control of MGM and might sell it.

• Aaron and Elizabeth Hurley became intimate on the flight, discussed her acting career and Hugh Grant, and agreed to meet again in New York.
• Aaron arrived at JFK with Elizabeth, who gave him her hotel details and asked him to contact her.
• Aaron borrowed 50 million US dollars against his Microsoft shares and instructed Tianhai Fund to watch the pound and short it at an exchange rate of 2 using tenfold leverage.
• Aaron attended a celebration at the Pierre Hotel after Indecent Proposal passed 100 million US dollars at the North American box office and congratulated Michael Ovitz.
• Michael Ovitz told Aaron that Crédit Lyonnais had seized MGM and Pathé Films as collateral and was considering selling MGM.

Aaron visited Elizabeth Hurley in New York, then returned to Los Angeles as several films entered production and discussed Tom Cruise's projects with Paula Wagner. After learning that Cruise had passed on Frank Darabont's adaptation of The Shawshank Redemption, Aaron proposed adapting Interview with the Vampire for him.

• MGM appointed Frank Mancuso as CEO, Michael Marcus as president of MGM Pictures, and John Calley to oversee United Artists.
• Aaron visited Elizabeth Hurley at her hotel, and they spent the night together.
• Sleepless in Seattle passed $80 million at the North American box office, while Philadelphia and The Mask of Zorro advanced into production preparations.
• Aaron spoke with Paula Wagner about Tom Cruise's upcoming work, including The Firm and his concerns about Frank Darabont directing The Shawshank Redemption.
• Aaron told Paula Wagner that he wanted to adapt Interview with the Vampire and believed Tom Cruise would be interested.

Aaron pursued Tom Cruise for Interview with the Vampire and secured David Geffen’s investment in the film. He also offered Tom Hanks the lead in Forrest Gump and celebrated Nicole Kidman’s growing success, while he and Geffen discussed casting Brad Pitt alongside Cruise.

• Paula Wagner agreed to have Tom Cruise read Interview with the Vampire, while Aaron planned a budget of about $60 million.
• Aaron told Tom Hanks about his plans to adapt Forrest Gump and invited him to read the novel for the lead role.
• Nicole Kidman celebrated her rising fame with Aaron and discussed Jane Campion’s The Piano, which Crescent Moon Pictures had invested in.
• David Geffen visited Dawn Pictures and offered $30 million for Geffen Pictures to co-produce Interview with the Vampire, with Dawn handling distribution.
• Aaron and David Geffen discussed casting Brad Pitt as the other lead opposite Tom Cruise.

Aaron visited the sets of Speed and The Mask of Zorro, where he spent time with Jennifer Connelly and Catherine Zeta-Jones. At a Palm Springs hot spring, Jon Peters offered Aaron a script, and Catherine remarked on Aaron’s many relationships as he reflected on wanting greater success.

• Aaron watched an explosive action scene on the set of Speed and learned from Jan de Bont that filming would likely wrap at the end of the following month.
• Aaron spent the night with Jennifer Connelly, who said she had taken leave from Stanford and would return after finishing her scenes in Speed.
• Aaron visited Catherine Zeta-Jones on the set of The Mask of Zorro, where she said she had turned down a role in The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles to focus on the film.
• At a Palm Springs bonfire party, Jon Peters greeted Aaron and Catherine and offered Aaron a script, which Aaron told him to send to Dawn Pictures.
• Aaron and Catherine soaked in a hot spring, where Catherine listed the countries represented by Aaron’s women and Aaron acknowledged her knowledge.