Hollywood (我就是好莱坞) Part I

CHAPTER 16 - BOLD IDEA

"What do you want to eat ? I have some.... uhm, chocolates, and apples ?" Eric asked as he opened his somewhat empty refrigerator.

Stuart Runkle who was sitting on the couch, shook his head and said: "No, eating late at night is not a good habit, however if you have milk, you can give me a glass as drinking it helps better sleep at night."

Eric's eyebrows arched, he poured a glass of milk to Stuart and asked: "Where did you learn these things ?"

"In books, Eric don't think that because I'm small I don't understand anything, I'm already seven years old you know."

Eric laughed and nodded: "Well, big guy, why did your parents quarrel about today ?"

"Dad resigned to start his own company, and when he told mom, they started to fight. Sigh, women are really troublesome, when dad was still working there, she would nag him everyday about how the size of the company was too small and that it had no future. Now that dad finally mustered up the courage to resign, mom said he was irresponsible for giving up the house's only stable income."

Eric nonchalantly sat on the sofa, he didn't really care about the Runkle's couple, he chewed an apple and smiled: "I think that you little fellow, heard and saw too many things not suitable for your age."

Stuart grinned and his eyes sparkled as he heard the compliment, he jumped off the couch, sat down beside Eric and asked: "Eric, are you still filming ?"

Eric nodded: "Yeah, it'll soon be over though, so don't forget to ask your mom to take you to watch it."

"Eric, do you think I can make a movie ?"

"Ha ? Stu, how did you suddenly come up with this idea ?"

Stuart's eyes glowed with hope as he replied: "I heard that movie stars are payed a lot, so if I became one, I would be able to make a lot of money and mom and dad wouldn't have to fight anymore."

If the Runkle couple had heard those words, they would have certainly felt ashamed.

Eric thought for a bit before saying: "But you're too young now. You may not know, but children are the most difficult to control during filming, and people usually try to minimize their screen time. There was once a director whose child actor started bawling on set, and the entire crew was paralyzed. There's also the Child Protection Act, I think it's better if you wait until you're old enough, maybe when you're eighteen like me."

"Hey Eric, do you think I'm like those kids ? I'll behave, you know. I heard that you're a scriptwriter, you could also write a role for me, please Eric, I would be so grateful to you." Stuart looked at Eric with sparkling eyes.

Although this child was more clever than children his age, he was still a kid after all. It was naive to think that as long as Eric helped write a character for him, he could go and play in a movie...

Eric's heart jumped slightly, he sat up and carefully seized up the boy. He had suddenly thought of someone: Macaulay Culkin. The global superstar child from Home Alone.

At this instant, an extremely bold idea involuntarily started to form in Eric's mind. It was still not completely clear, but he knew that if he the plan was a success, he could directly cross the most difficult stage of experience accumulation, age and fund problems, as well as other factors, that got in the way of his dreams. Although this would be a difficult challenge, but if he didn't try, how would he know he couldn't do it ? Life was a battlefield that had to be treaded !

He looked at the kid that had unknowingly laid on his lap; at least with Stuart's IQ, the movie's biggest uncertainty was gone.

"Hey Stu, to be honest, I do have a role for you, and it's even the protagonist."