One Percent (1)
Titanic. Reading it on a proposal was one thing, but hearing the name actually come out of Charlie's mouth made Sion's heart skip a beat. It felt as if "My Heart Will Go On," the film's iconic theme song, was already playing in his head. Then, a moment later, the terrible recorder version he had seen on YouTube started playing... No, no, stop. Once you heard that cursed recorder meme, you could never listen to the moving Titanic soundtrack the same way again.
"Not the lead, but the female lead's fiancé?"
"Yeah. They've already cast the two leads: Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. They want you to play the charming antagonist who drives a wedge between them."
"Charming?"
"Right. A wealthy, sexy, successful aristocrat—a villain who pressures the female lead in his own twisted way. The problem is the guarantee. They only offered three million. The media already knows you're a ten-million-dollar actor now, but they claim they can't go any higher."
"...Hmm. Talk about looking down on someone."
"Exactly. I'll politely turn them down."
"Please do."
After giving a casual, brief reply, Sion paused awkwardly before speaking up again.
"Actually, wait a second, Charlie."
"Huh...?"
"Give me a moment to think about it."
Pretending to agonize over the decision, Sion rapidly analyzed the situation based on their conversation. In this life, altered by his regression, why had this casting offer come to him?
"Is there really anything to think about? It's dirt cheap. They probably offered three million because of the character's screen time—lowballing you because it's a supporting role. Plus, this offer came in before we announced your ten-million-dollar contract..."
No, that's not it.
Sion immediately dismissed Charlie's muttered analysis. No matter how he looked at it, the real reason had to be the director himself, James Cameron.
Titanic was a film that James Cameron had conceived, directed, and micromanaged in every single aspect.
I saw it in a Titanic making-of documentary back in my past life, when I was a shut-in watching anything and everything film-related.
In other words, the actors in this film weren't meant to draw the audience in solely through their star power; they were tools to execute the grand narrative of "disaster" and "romance" crafted by James Cameron.
That's why he avoided famous actors like me, who already have a firmly established public image.
Even Tom Cruise had reportedly shown interest in starring in the film, only to be flatly rejected by James Cameron.
And yet, why had a supporting role offer found its way to him?
"Hey, Charlie. Who sent this casting offer?"
"Oh, a casting director from 20th Century Fox."
"...Of course."
"Why? What about it?"
"Nothing. So, what do you think?"
"Well... right now, this is known in the industry as a pretty 'insane' project."
An unprecedented, astronomical amount of money was being poured into production. The director himself had even given up a portion of his salary.
"We can't believe every rumor we hear... but just looking at the rough outline, it seems like a massive film. Since it's a supporting role and the shooting schedule might not be too long, I think it might be worth taking. We'd just need to renegotiate the contract terms. Three million is still way too cheap, no matter how you look at it."
"I agree. ...Could you set up a meeting for me?"
"What? You just said you wouldn't do it."
"I changed my mind. Now that I think about it, I really enjoyed watching documentaries about the sinking of the Titanic when I was a kid."
"...Uh, and that helped you make up your mind?"
"If it's about starring in a wonderful film that recreates that era, honestly, I'd be willing to take a pay cut. I suppose that's just how an actor like me reminisces about his childhood."
Sion wore a bittersweet smile, as if lost in the memories of those documentaries. Observing his expression, Charlie thought to himself.
Yes, indeed...
Though decades had passed, the tragedy of the Titanic remained a historic milestone in Western cultural history. Recreating it accurately held immense value in itself. Therefore, appearing in such a work would carry profound meaning.
Yi-siony. He's no longer just looking at the money; he's become an actor who considers the deeper meaning of a project.
Charlie smiled warmly at Sion, looking incredibly proud.
"Alright! I'll set up a meeting right away."
Beaming with a paternal smile, Charlie had absolutely no way of knowing.
Starring in Titanic means I get to work with Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, and even James Cameron?
He had no idea just how much Sion planned to milk this opportunity, nor what kind of wicked schemes were brewing behind that handsome face.
James Cameron. A director who had proven his caliber in Hollywood time and again with films like the Terminator series, Rambo: First Blood Part II, and True Lies.
Yet even he, to be perfectly honest, viewed this Titanic project as a massive gamble.
Because we are burning through an insane amount of money.
And the film they were making was a "disaster romance." With its period-drama elements, it looked like something only middle-aged housewives would enjoy, making a global box office smash like Terminator seem highly unlikely.
Nevertheless, James, who was desperately determined to make this film, had staked his entire filmography to persuade 20th Century Fox, secure their signatures on the contract, and plunge headfirst into production.
Yet, the initial spark had stemmed from a rather trivial, personal desire.
I just wanted to go deep-sea diving.
Deep down, he was drawn to the sublime—things beyond human comprehension, like outer space, the deep ocean, and futuristic technology.
Thus, since the late 1980s, James had been plagued by a relentless urge to film Titanic.
But who would fund an incredibly expensive deep-sea expedition for a film director, not a scientist?
And so, he resolved to film the shipwreck resting at the bottom of the ocean and build a movie around it. He decided it shouldn't be a mere disaster flick, but a story infused with universal human emotions.
Fleshing out that concept over time had led to the very film he was currently making: Titanic.
In a way, Titanic was an extension of James's obsession with deep-sea exploration.
However, while filming the actual sunken vessel, a realization had struck him.
Ah. I must accurately recreate the moment this ship sank and show it to the world.
From that moment on, James Cameron's signature perfectionism took over. Once he fixated on something, he became an unstoppable runaway train.
He gathered data relentlessly, obsessing over historical accuracy as if he were filming a documentary rather than a feature film.
Driven solely by his passion for Titanic, he even worked straight through Christmas, completely consumed by his labor.
Naturally, when he received a sudden call from 20th Century Fox, his immediate reaction was irritation.
"……What did you say?"
[We're thinking of casting Sion Lee.]
"In what role, exactly?"
[As the female lead's fiancé. Don't you think that would play incredibly well?]
"I don't see it that way at all."
[Director, it might not be what you intended, but his side is willing to take a pay cut just to be in this movie. You saw the articles about Sion Lee's market value shooting up to ten million dollars recently, right? Getting an actor of his caliber for this price is an absolute steal.]
"No, the kid is too handsome. He has an aristocratic, decadent look. He fits the role too well—dangerously well. Honestly, if he's in the movie, Kate Winslet will be completely overshadowed. He'll end up in a visual face-off with Leonardo DiCaprio. The Caledon Hockley I envision for this film is not that kind of man."
[Director, we let you have your way when you insisted on casting Leo.]
"……."
James fell silent.
Casting Leonardo DiCaprio had been the result of James Cameron's stubborn insistence. 20th Century Fox had tried to reject him because he wasn't well-known yet, but they had ultimately yielded to the director's relentless, borderline obsessive stubbornness.
Now, it was his turn to accommodate the studio's wishes.
[Just meet with him. If you say yes, we'll fly over to you immediately.]
"……Sigh. Fine. But if I meet him and don't like him, I'm cutting him instantly."
Slightly disgruntled, James scheduled a meeting with Sion Lee's side.
That kid should just stick to making money with superhero movies and rom-coms.
He couldn't comprehend why an actor who was already wildly successful would want to appear in this slightly anachronistic film, which was fueled entirely by James's personal obsession.
In the first place, James didn't look favorably upon the "image-making strategy" Sion was currently employing in Hollywood. Such actors inevitably ended up overshadowing the film itself.
If Tom Cruise had starred in this, it would have become 'Tom Cruise's Titanic.'
Determined to prevent that, James had gone through immense trouble to find a raw diamond like Leonardo DiCaprio.
To him, Sion Lee, who was now trying to force his way into the project, felt like a villain set on ruining his master plan.
A few days later.
At Rosarito Studio in Mexico, where preparations to construct a full-scale replica of the ship's hull were in full swing.
Inside the office, in front of the set blueprints and miniature models.
Furious upon hearing that someone had dared to show these materials without his permission, James Cameron kicked the door open—only to freeze the moment he saw Sion standing before the models.
"I don't know if I... should even be allowed to look at this."
An incredibly handsome young man was standing there, weeping with a look of profound reverence.
"Ah, I'm sorry, Mr. Cameron. I've behaved rudely."
"Oh, my! Our dear actor is surprisingly sensitive!"
Beside him, the casting director from 20th Century Fox was grinning from ear to ear.
Normally, these internal confidential materials were strictly off-limits. James had rushed over, his anger hitting the ceiling after receiving a tip-off that the casting director, who was already set on hiring Sion, had taken him inside without authorization to show him the set designs.
Yet... confronted with the young man's tears, James found himself utterly dumbfounded.
Why on earth is he crying?
"Because... I love the Titanic."
"……What do you mean, you love the Titanic?"
"I watched documentaries about it when I was young, and I recently watched them again. I was deeply moved. Thinking about the sheer despair those people must have felt, the absurd class divide between the first, second, and third classes, and how easily a ship built on human arrogance crumbled before the colossal power of nature... Looking at this miniature sent shivers down my spine. It felt as if I were standing right in front of the real Titanic."
"Oh, is that so! See? He is the perfect fit for our movie!"
"……."
Sion's sentiments aligned flawlessly with James's own philosophy regarding the Titanic.
Letting out a long sigh, as if still annoyed by his presence, James thought to himself:
I want to hear... more of what this man has to say!
However, as a cold-blooded perfectionist of a director, he showed none of this on his face. He gestured for them to follow him into the office. Plopping down onto the sofa first, he glared at the assistant who had let them in, ordered some coffee, and invited his guests to sit.
"Have a seat. Let's talk first."
"Ah, yes."
Sion was, as expected, an exceptionally handsome Hollywood star. While Tom Cruise and Leonardo DiCaprio possessed a certain boyish innocence, Sion exuded a mysterious aura, looking like someone who had lived through a profound, untold history. When shadows fell across his eyes, a decadent charm emerged, and when he smiled with those crinkling eyes, it was enough to make even another man's heart skip a beat.
But right now, James felt his heart race for an entirely different reason.
"……So, you watched documentaries about the Titanic?"
"Yes. That's why the moment I heard this tragedy was being made into a film, I knew I had to be a part of it."
"It must have been a long journey from the States all the way here. ……And you're willing to take a pay cut?"
"If it were up to me, I wouldn't take a single dime."
Chloe, the young female agent sitting next to him, shot him a highly strained look.
……Judging by her reaction, this was definitely not part of their pre-discussed strategy.
And here I thought he was just another typical Hollywood star.
Yet, James found himself increasingly drawn to the actor's philosophy and sheer boldness.
"Interesting. You do realize you're going to suffer like hell on this set, right?"
"I know. You're planning to actually submerge us in freezing water, aren't you?"
"……How did you know that?"
Sion obviously couldn't say, Because I've already seen the movie.
"The structure of that miniature looks like it's designed to collapse spectacularly once water is poured in."
"Ho. No other actor has ever noticed that."
Given James's nature, from the moment he decided to make this film, he had a clear blueprint to depict the sinking of the Titanic as dramatically as possible, utilizing miniatures, physical sets, and CGI. He was pouring astronomical sums of money into this, earning himself the reputation of a madman and even sacrificing his own salary, just to ensure his vision was realized no matter who tried to stop him.
Faced with an actor who understood his vision just by looking at the set designs, James's earlier fury evaporated, replaced by a broad grin.
"If you match my terms to the same tier as the lead actors, I'll do it."
"……Well, I'll be. Cody."
James turned to the casting director, laughing in disbelief.
"To be honest, I was annoyed when you said you were bringing in an unexpected actor out of nowhere. But I like this kid."
"R-right? Sion Lee's acting skills are absolutely flawless, and……!"
Just as the conversation was heading in a favorable direction, Sion chimed in.
"Ah, but it seems my agency wants a running guarantee."
"A running guarantee……?"
"Yes, just a symbolic figure. You know how it is. When an actor takes a massive pay cut, they're usually given a nominal percentage as a gesture of goodwill. It makes it look like they joined the project out of sheer belief in the film's potential."
"……."
"This movie is already costing an astronomical amount. If my salary is cut too drastically, people might start whispering that you're pinching pennies in the wrong places. Think of it as a buffer."
"……The percentage is what matters, I suppose."
"Oh, well."
Sion smiled sheepishly and raised a single finger.
"How about one percent of the total box office gross?"
The so-called first-dollar gross contract. While not a common contract structure in the industry, the low percentage made James think he understood what CK Agency was trying to achieve.
They want to build his image as an actor prestigious enough to secure a running guarantee on a massive, big-budget blockbuster.
Since James believed breaking even on the production budget would be a miracle in itself, he nodded readily. Based on his projections, Sion would walk away with around two million dollars at best.
"Doesn't sound too bad. We'll need a meeting to finalize it, of course. Right, Cody?"
"Indeed. It's something we have to approve internally, but it's a condition that's highly likely to pass."
Watching the two men smile warmly at each other, Sion thought to himself:
Wow, they actually bought it.
...In reality, he had just demanded an astronomical sum.
The total box office gross of Titanic would eventually reach 2.2 billion dollars.
And one percent of that was a staggering 22 million dollars.