April 12, 2005


How often does the term "blind item" actually help clear up just who the story is about?

When someone wins the Academy Award, it can spin them (and their people) silly. In the media, we often love to run the story about the terrible decisions that can come after Oscar. Was Halle Berry's Oscar win a bizarre fluke? Does she just plain understand that she is a decent actress whose body of work will forever be attached to how she works her body? She hopes to start her first dramatic film role since Oscar soon… after a half dozen body beautiful roles. But gee, Joel Silver was more than happy to pay her $250,000 a breast… or at least to leak to the press that she bonused for the boobies.

What would you do if in one year you suddenly found yourself in the first two starring roles in your career that grossed over $25 million? What if you were Oscar nominated for both roles and won one golden boy? What would you ask for if your quote already jumped from $3 million to $10 million, paid by the director who gave your career life? (He helped you cruise your way to your only $100 million grosser.)

Perhaps you would start negotiations for a lead in a musical in which you finally get to sing in your own voice. Perhaps you'd be okay with a great role that would keep your gold shining, even if the Oscar this time is going home with a much bigger star who understands the power of stealing the show... whether as a man or a talking animal. And wouldn't it be nice to be in a film that ushers in another new young male star in his ongoing transition from music to film?

It goes beyon' saying that you could trust the Oscar winner at the helm and the man behind the scenes so powerful that he leaves people with nothing to say but, "Gee."

Apparently, our man's representatives thought they had the studio in a vice, as the final list of demands turned up shortly after Oscar turned up on the mantle.

The List:

• $15 million for the role (1/4 of the budget, even though there is a $20 million-plus actor who is working mostly for backend and no fewer than two major recording stars who are doing the same)
  
  
• 15 percent of the gross
  
  
• Shared producer credit and fee
  
  
• Department head approval
  
  
• The sure-to-be-a-cash-cow soundtrack to be released on his still unborn personal record label
  
  
• Delay of production for four months so he could complete his tour in support of his new/first album
  
  
• Three picture deal with the studio for his personal managers, including one put picture... guaranteed greenlit sight unseen
  
  
• Exec Producer credit for his personal managers

And I am telling you… he's not going… to play the best role he's ever had… there's no way he can get his demands… no, no, no, no way. No, no, no, no way they're payin' that quote now. They're not payin' that quote now - not that they want him for free. Not payin', not payin', and they, and they, they're not gonna love him, ooh, they're not gonna love him.

Wait… I forgot that I don't do blind items… Foxx, Beyonce, Condon, Geffen, Dreamgirls… I'll let you figure out the other two stars that are on deck... you can probably put them all in their places. DreamWorks certainly put Mr. Foxx in his.

EXTRA SUPER SPECIAL BLIND ITEM W/ SEEING EYE DOG: Who plays the King of Jerusalem in Ridley Scott's Kingdom of Heaven? You won't see his name in the credits. And he spends all but a few seconds of his screen time in a mask... those other seconds behind realistic leper make-up.

I'm actually going to leave this one blind for the moment. But as you guess, keep in mind that the vocal choice in the performance is very reminiscent of the late great Marlon B... with whom this young man did not get along.

E-ME: Guess away...