"Hello, Mr. Horner. My na is Ronan Farrow. I'm a reporter with The New Yorker."
Matthew nodded to him. "Hello, Mr. Farrow." He gestured to the sofa next to Brown Williams. "Please, have a seat."
Ronan Farrow walked over and sat down, his gaze unconsciously drifting toward Brown Williams, who was seated nearby. Matthew Horner was being cordial, but also cautious, deliberately seating his guest next to his bodyguard.
Not that he minded—anyone who had survived an assassination attempt would be just as guarded.
Matthew inquired politely, "Did you want to talk to
about the director for the G.I. Joe sequel?"
"Yes." Ronan Farrow knew he needed to be direct when dealing with a man of Matthew's stature. "I received a tip that Paramount Pictures wants to replace Stephen Somrs and hire a man nad Jon Chu to direct the sequel."
Matthew nodded.
"I was wondering what your plans are," Ronan Farrow asked, a hint of anxiety in his voice.
The mont the question left his lips, he realized he'd misspoken. Hastily composing himself, he explained with a smile, "As we all know, you and director Stephen Somrs are friends, Mr. Horner. You rose to fa early in your career starring in his films. You two are close, so you wouldn't just stand by while Paramount Pictures pushes him out, right?"
"Oh?" Matthew could tell this Ronan Farrow had ulterior motives for seeking him out. "Do you know Stephen Somrs?"
Ronan shook his head. "I don't. I've never t him."
Matthew looked at him but said nothing.
Ronan Farrow felt the pressure and added, "But I do know Jon Chu."
Hearing this, Matthew imdiately made his assessnt. "Do you have a grudge against Jon Chu?"
"You could say that." Ronan chose his words carefully. "I don't want to see Jon Chu directing such a high-profile project."
He looked at Matthew. "I believe our interests are aligned on this matter, Mr. Horner."
After a mont to adjust, Ronan Farrow stated his case more clearly. "I'm sure you wouldn't want a complete novice with no experience directing a film you're starring in, would you, Mr. Horner?"
His words hit the mark, echoing the sa concerns Matthew had previously discussed with Helen.
Matthew, however, brushed that aside and asked, "What makes you so sure I'll support Stephen Somrs?"
Ronan Farrow wasn't sure at all—that's precisely why he had co—but he didn't admit it. Instead, he said with a smile, "I've studied your career, Mr. Horner, and I've found that many people have a deep misconception about you."
Matthew raised his eyebrows slightly. "Oh, really?"
"Yes!" As a reporter, Ronan had his own way of analyzing people and events. "Many people only see how you've overco your rivals to reach the heights you're at today, but they never see how you treat your friends."
He began to speak more quickly. "You treat your friends with incredible loyalty and integrity, Mr. Horner. Whenever you have the chance to help them, you take the initiative. I've analyzed it specifically. The friends you knew before you were famous, the people who helped you early on... you always... how should I put it? You always give back far more than you ever received."
"Take director Stephen Somrs and producer Sean Daniel, for example, who gave you your big break in The Mummy series and The Scorpion King. Sean Daniel's career hit rock bottom a couple of years ago, and no studio wanted to hire him. Yet it was you, Mr. Horner, who brought him on as a producer for the Twilight series when he needed help the most."
Matthew looked at Ronan Farrow but didn't say anything.
It was, after all, the simple truth. On one hand, Matthew had hired Sean Daniel because he was confident in his abilities; on the other, he had genuinely intended to give him a leg up.
Back then, Sean Daniel and Stephen Somrs had chosen him for The Scorpion King, a decision that had allowed him to take a decisive step on his path to stardom.
Ronan continued, "And according to dia reports, it was Stephen Somrs who first officially brought you onto the G.I. Joe project."
His tone was thick with praise. "A man like you, Mr. Horner, so loyal and upstanding with his friends, surely wouldn't sit idly by and watch a friend get pushed out by a new director—especially not by soone like Jon Chu."
Matthew smiled. It was the first ti anyone had so clearly told him to his face that he was a loyal and upstanding man.
'Turns out I've been a good guy all along.'
The thought flickered through Matthew's mind, but he didn't get sidetracked. "Tell
about yourself. What's your grudge against Jon Chu?"
Hearing Matthew's question, Ronan Farrow felt a wave of relief. While he still wasn't sure if Matthew was truly on Stephen Somrs's side, the question itself already revealed a certain alignnt.
For Matthew Horner to proactively side with Stephen Somrs was, naturally, the most ideal outco.
Ronan considered the question for a mont before replying, "I really don't like Jon Chu."
Matthew smiled. And that was the reason?
"Jon Chu was recomnded to Paramount Pictures by Woody Allen. You could even say that Jon Chu is Woody Allen's protégé." Ronan Farrow knew there was no point in holding back now, so he told the truth. "Woody Allen admires Jon Chu."
A sudden hatred flared in his eyes. "I hate Woody Allen!"
Matthew looked at Ronan Farrow, his eyes filled with suspicion. It seed this young man was genuinely furious with Woody Allen.
At that mont, Ronan clarified, "My mother is Mia Farrow."
Matthew nodded slowly. "I see."
The feud between Woody Allen and Mia Farrow was notorious in Hollywood, and he had certainly heard about it. It was more than understandable for Mia Farrow's son to hate Woody Allen, his own father.
Matthew didn't press for details, simply remarking casually, "Woody Allen is your father, after all."
"He is not my father." Ronan's expression suddenly turned grim. "Woody Allen should be in prison! All the bastards who coerce won into sex should be sent to the electric chair!"
Matthew looked at Ronan Farrow and suddenly felt there was sothing interesting about this young reporter.
The son of Woody Allen and Mia Farrow, he had been under his mother's influence since childhood. He'd likely grown up hearing stories about Woody Allen coercing won...
Woody Allen had indeed been embroiled in such scandals for years, but Hollywood in the 1980s and 1990s was a far more chaotic place than it was now.
Perhaps Ronan Farrow's personality and his extre views were a direct result of having such a terrible father?
Mulling this over, Matthew said nothing more on the subject. "Mr. Farrow, I understand what you're getting at."
Matthew added, "How about this: leave your contact information, and I'll call you if I need your help later on."
Ronan Farrow hastily pulled out his business card and handed it to Brown Williams, saying, "Mr. Horner, you can contact
anyti if you need
in the future, especially regarding the Jon Chu situation."
"Absolutely." Matthew smiled and nodded at Ronan.
Ronan didn't linger. After excusing himself, he left.
"Keep this man's contact information." Matthew stood up, also preparing to leave, and said to Brown, "Tell Amanda and Helen to do a thorough background check on this Ronan Farrow."
Brown put the business card away and replied, "Alright, I'll contact them."
***
Just two days later, Helen Herman and Amanda sent over a detailed file on Ronan Farrow. He was, indeed, an unusual young man.
Matthew filed Ronan Farrow away for future reference, but for now, he had to deal with Stephen Somrs and the G.I. Joe sequel.
Helen was handling the initial negotiations for the sequel with Paramount Pictures and Hasbro. Beyond his salary, Matthew's most important condition was this: if he were to star in the sequel, Paramount and Hasbro had to keep the core creative team intact, which ant Stephen Somrs had to return as director.
This condition was undoubtedly a clear signal to Paramount Pictures and Hasbro.
They could either keep Stephen Somrs, or they would have to find a new lead actor and director altogether.
Furthermore, he had soone specifically look into Jon Chu, a rookie director whose only credit seed to be so video award from Woody Allen.
Why would he risk working with a novice like that when he already had a relatively reliable director?
In response to Matthew's conditions, Paramount Pictures and Hasbro had yet to reply, telling Helen they needed ti to consider before making a decision.
Matthew didn't wait around for them. He imdiately contacted Ilana and had TMZ leak the news that Paramount Pictures and Hasbro were planning to replace both the director and the male lead for the G.I. Joe sequel.
***
Note:
Mia and her children before Allen:
Shortly before eting Woody Allen, the actress separated from her husband, musician André Previn. They had three biological sons (Matthew, Sascha, and Fletcher) and three adopted daughters (Lark Song and Sumr Song from Vietnam, and Soon-Yi from Korea). All the children remained with their mother and later moved in with Woody Allen. At the ti Soon-Yi t Allen (1980), she was 10 years old.
1992:
Woody Allen and Mia Farrow separated. The reason was his affair with their shared adopted daughter, Soon-Yi Previn. Allen was 57 at the ti, and Soon-Yi was 21. A few months after the scandalous breakup, Mia Farrow accused Allen of molesting their other adopted daughter, seven-year-old Dylan.
1993:
The court did not find sufficient evidence to charge Allen with molesting Dylan, but Farrow was granted sole custody of the children—which Allen believes was due to the scandal involving Soon-Yi Previn.
1997:
Soon-Yi Previn and Woody Allen married in Venice on December 22; at the ti of the wedding, she was 27 and Allen was 62.
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