Chapter 5 #2
‘I feel like I’m on one of those shows where some smart bloke is explaining a connection between the digestive system of whales and climate change and I’m supposed to understand it.
I don’t get what’s happening here. If the money is acceptable, then what?
The shooting schedule? Because that’s the one thing that’s going to be pretty non-negotiable and, let’s face it, that factors into the reasons they’re paying the big bucks. ’
‘And that’s the problem. Well, not just that. All of it.’ Say it. Say it. ‘I just don’t want to do this anymore.’
‘Erm, what was that?’ Calvin strained one ear towards him. ‘I think I misheard. It’s my age. My sexagenarian brain thinks you said something about jacking in the job that has made you rich, famous and respected for your talents.’
Ollie sighed. It was out. Real. And he repeated it so that he could have a second bash at using the words. ‘You heard right. I just don’t want to do it anymore. You know, I was thinking earlier how young me would snatch this up…’
‘There are very few people on this earth that wouldn’t. Hell, if I had the knees for a kilt, I’d have a bash at it myself.’
Ollie overlooked that statement of fact. ‘But I’ve already gone through one marriage, primarily because we lived in different time zones for most of the year…’
‘And because Sienna had a fondness for fondling her muscular co-star…’ Calvin interjected unhelpfully.
Even now, almost two years later, that still made Ollie flinch.
He didn’t regret the break up – in hindsight, he’d realised towards the end of their five-year marriage that they’d never been right for each other in the first place.
However, when Sienna and her co-star had got caught in a compromising situation, it had caused a relentless riot of scandal, publicity and media intrusion that had lasted for months and had definitely given him the full experience of the downside of fame.
‘Yeah, but would she have done that if our marriage had been working? If we’d lived together? If I’d given her everything she needed?’
Calvin rolled his eyes. ‘I want to say yes, but I realise that’s not the point.’
‘It really isn’t. Look, I want to make it work with Stevie, but she isn’t interested in any of this.
She doesn’t care about the fame or the money.
She just wants us to be together and live a pretty normal life.
She doesn’t want to commit to someone who’s on the other side of the world for most of the year. ’
‘And she won’t travel with you? Come on location? Because you know they’ll facilitate that for you if you write it into the contract.’
‘She won’t. And how could I ask her to do that? To leave her life here and a career that she loves, to sit around and wait for me while I work sixteen-hour days on set? She’d never go for it, and she shouldn’t – she’s worked too hard, and she loves her job. Why should she give it up for me?’
Calvin wasn’t giving up. ‘But you’re going to give all this up for her?’
Ollie could feel the muscle in his left jaw pulse, the way it always did when he was stressing. ‘Not just for her… for a normal life. Maybe a family.’
Calvin took a slug of his water, regrouping to continue the debate.
‘I think you need to speak to Stevie. Ask her what she thinks and whether there’s a compromise in there. I’ve got to know her well enough that I’m sure the last thing she’d want is for you to sacrifice your career for her.’
‘That’s exactly why I can’t speak to her about it, because you’re right – she would never want to be the reason that I walked away from The Clansman.
This has to be my decision alone because I refuse to put that pressure on her.
Look, I’m so grateful for everything the show has given me, and I’ve loved it.
But maybe it’s time to come off the road, time to stop living most of the year out of a suitcase.
Not just for Stevie, but for me too. I’m not saying I don’t want to work.
I’ll look for short-term roles. Maybe a movie every year or so.
And then there’s the Netflix deal for another series of the Academy documentary… ’
‘Which might not be renewed. Look, I know we hoped they’d come in with an offer before now, but they’re still stalling and we won’t know that until tomorrow at the earliest. They’ve said they want tonight’s viewing figures and to gauge the public response before committing to more.
And I don’t need to list every major TV star whose movie career flopped because he was too typecast by his previous role.
Have you seen the cast of Friends pick up their Oscars? ’
Ollie shrugged. It was harsh, but Calvin wasn’t wrong.
Ollie wasn’t arrogant enough to think that he’d just snap his fingers and get a great movie role that would change the trajectory of his career and give him a much more manageable work/life balance.
And then there was the other issue. One that they were both skirting around.
‘We might as well get the other elephant out of the room. If my earnings drop dramatically, there’s a risk I won’t be able to contribute financially to the Academy at the same level as I do now.
I mean, we’ll be fine for the next year or two, but it does add uncertainty to the future.
And, trust me, the thought of that kills me.
We employ the people I love there and it’s the only chance for some of those kids to chase their dreams. So there it is.
What do I do? I either lose Stevie, and a real shot at happiness, or I risk crushing everyone else’s dreams – including yours and my mum’s. ’
Calvin groaned as he put his head on the table for a few seconds, before straightening back up and checking that his fine silver mane hadn’t budged from position.
‘I have nothing,’ Calvin shrugged. ‘Other than the need for a lie-down in a dark room until I can wrap my head around the magnitude of this. Look, let’s think about this. Take your time. Process it all. Then circle back in a few days.’
‘There’s a slight problem with that.’ Ollie knew that no amount of green juice was going to make him feel better about the next confession. ‘The thing is, I’ve been sitting on this for a while, so I have to give my answer soon.’
Calvin’s eyes narrowed. ‘How soon?’
Ollie looked at his watch. ‘The deadline is 10 a.m. LA time. So 6 p.m. here.’ There was no denying his timing was terrible.
He should have made the decision long before now.
Last week. Last month. But he’d been delaying, hoping that Netflix would renew before the show aired, and then at least the Academy would have a secure future.
‘No wonder I have heartburn,’ Calvin groaned. ‘So what’s the plan?’
‘If I had a plan, I wouldn’t be sitting here taking years off your life. I’m sorry, mate, but I needed a partner in crime today and you’re it.’
‘You know they jail partners in crime. Or shoot them.’
Ollie appreciated that Calvin was dealing with this with his usual mix of fatalistic sarcasm and humour.
‘So I guess it all boils down to what my gut is feeling five minutes before crunch time. I need to speak to my mum. Hope the Netflix deal comes in. Weight it all up again. And I need you to come along for the ride. Keep my management team off my back, and help me work out what to do. Because whatever decision I make at six o’clock tonight is going to change my life.
And I think I’m going to need something stronger than green juice to deal with it. ’