Request

"Everyone's talking about me, but what about you? Are you a native of Los Angeles?" Charlize asked.

I'm from another time. You'll be terrified if I told you!

Henry said, "Alaska, a boring place just like yours. The only good thing is there's a lot more snow-related activity. Skiing isn't just for fun, it's practically a life skill."

"So there's really nothing to talk about about my childhood. A boring place, a boring life, I don't even want to think back on those days. It wasn't until I came to Los Angeles that I felt like I was truly living."

There was really nothing to mention about their childhood before the time travel. They all grew up to be overworked office workers, experiencing the strict father and loving mother dynamics of childhood – what experiences could they possibly be proud of?

Perhaps due to similar experiences, Charlize never mentioned "father" in her speech, and Henry didn't even ask about it. When Henry didn't mention "parents," Charlize wouldn't deliberately ask about them either.

As if by unspoken agreement, the two selectively brought up that period of time, without asking about the parts they hadn't mentioned.

In the ensuing conversation, Charlize talked about her experiences in Europe and New York, naturally focusing on the happy parts.

Henry then recounted his experience as Audrey Hepburn's assistant, traveling the world with her.

Don't be fooled by the Angel appearance of the children in the publicly available photos. The parts of the story that went undocumented were filled with many heartbreaking and absurd events.

Language barriers are the most common source of problems. It's impossible to expect every child in impoverished countries, who may not even have access to proper education, to speak fluent English.

Overall, the lunch was pleasant. As long as he didn't make any hurtful remarks, Henry was quite good at creating a good atmosphere and could make Charlize laugh from time to time.

However, during the part where the two finished their meal and were drinking coffee to aid digestion, Charlize Theron's hesitant and evasive manner suggested she had something to say.

Henry smiled and said, "What If...? there's anything I can help you with, please don't hesitate to ask. But you should know..."

"Say something like, 'I'll give you a lead role in a multi-million dollar production tomorrow,' that's something you'd only say to a genie, not to me."

"Okay, my wish isn't that exaggerated." The joke calmed her nerves.

Charlize said, "Yesterday I met a guy who claimed to be a talent scout named John Thaddeus Ross."

"He did me a huge favor. He also said he wants to talk to me about a management contract, and we've arranged to meet this afternoon. I'm completely unfamiliar with Los Angeles, so I was wondering if you could come with me?"

Henry readily agreed, "Sure. Where would you like to meet? What time?"

"A coffee shop on Hollywood Boulevard, around 3 p. m.."

Henry nodded and said, "Well, we still have some time. Before that, let me tell you about what I know about Hollywood newcomer agency contracts."

"The initial contract is valid for one year, and can be renewed for up to three years. Only big-name actors can fire their agents so easily."

"For ordinary people, there are termination clauses, but generally it involves the agent's commission. For the work agreed upon and completed during your cooperation, the agent still has to receive their share. This money won't be withheld just because the contract is terminated."

"As for compensation, generally there isn't any. Unless the agent has made some kind of investment in you,"

For example, training, acting courses, etc. He needs to make up some initial investment in order to be able to claim compensation when he terminates the contract early.

"Regarding the revenue sharing ratio, the agent's commission cannot exceed 10%. Agents also cannot participate in the production process."

Or enjoy the client's work results, including partial enjoyment.

"This is mandated by law to ensure that brokers stand on the side of the client, that is, you, rather than on the side of the investors, in order to avoid conflicts of interest."

"But you also need to know that although the law stipulates this, there are always ways to circumvent it. For example, the broker's commission is 10%, which is his fee."

"But What If...? agents also have business expenses, can they ask actors for these expenses? Just like the investment in training I mentioned earlier, these expenses are usually paid by the actors under different names. This is considered normal practice in the industry."

"So, I can give you some unprofessional legal advice. As long as it's not an obviously trap contract, you have to consider whether you're willing to accept the other terms yourself."

"The most important point is that newcomers don't have much room for negotiation. So when you say he did you a favor..."

Could you please tell me what happened?

"What If...? it's just owing someone a favor, there might be room for negotiation on the contract terms. But What If...? it's more, you might only have the option of agreeing or refusing after repaying the favor."

After thinking about it, Charlize decided to speak up. "Yesterday I received a check from my mother. But when I went to the bank to cash it, they refused to let me because it was an out-of-state check and I'm not a United States. citizen."

"That money was a lifesaver for me, so I argued with the bank teller. John Thaddeus Ross happened to be right behind me in line; he cashed the check for me and gave me his business card to contact him."

"I see." Henry pondered.

There is a time lag in the exchange of bank checks within the internal check system. Insufficient account balance...

Unredeemed checks are not uncommon in the United States.

If the bank makes payment at this point, it will incur a loss regardless of how high the discount rate and handling fees are set.

Different states, different banking systems, and not being a United States. citizen certainly present risks. So, it's not exactly news that Charlize Theron was rejected.

Henry then asked, "When Mr. Thaddeus Ross cashed your check, did he deduct all the fees, or did he pay you the full check amount?"

"They've all been deducted. It's not like I've never cashed a check before; of course I know there are fees. I won't take advantage of someone like that."

"Well, then this is just a favor, there's no debt involved."

What Henry didn't say was that this favor could be big or small. Basically, it was the talent scout risking his own credibility to gamble that the check Charlize's mother sent wouldn't be worthless.

What If...? there's a problem with the checks, the bank will naturally contact John Thaddeus Ross, not Charlize Theron.

Of course, there is indeed money in the checking account, and the money can be cashed normally, so there is no major problem. But this is still a help.

Looking at the clock on the restaurant wall, Henry said, "It's about time. Let's go meet this talent scout. Shall we ride over in my car?"

"Okay," Charlize nodded.