"Hey, Simon, how have you been?"
"Busy, Brian. What about you?"
"Just got back from New York. I went with Bob and the others to see a performance at the Metropolitan Opera House. It was incredible. Martin even said he's considering incorporating it into one of his future projects."
"Speaking of Martin, hasn't he been wanting to film Gangs of New York for years? I'm planning to talk to him about it soon."
"Oh, that's fantastic news. Martin's been waiting for over a decade to make that film. If you're serious, I'll call him right after this meeting."
"Of course, I'm serious."
Inside a more relaxed conference room with a few sets of sofas and a projector mounted on the wall, Simon and Brian De Palma exchanged pleasantries before greeting Ella Deutschman, the president of Highgate Pictures, and Linda Vargas, Simon's long-time casting director. Once everyone was settled on the sofas, they got straight to business.
Today's project was L.A. Confidential, based on the third novel of American crime author James Ellroy's "L.A. Quartet" series. The first book in the series, The Black Dahlia, was inspired by the infamous 1947 murder case of the same name, which had shocked Los Angeles and the nation.
After the success of The Black Dahlia, Ellroy wrote three more novels set in the same period, exploring similar themes.
As for the rights to the "L.A. Quartet," The Black Dahlia had originally been purchased by Universal, which later produced an unsuccessful miniseries based on it. When MCA was acquired, the rights to the novel ended up with Daniele Studios. L.A. Confidential, completed in 1990, was subsequently purchased by Simon's company.
The other two novels in the series, The Big Nowhere and White Jazz, held less interest for Simon and had been snapped up by other studios.
Although L.A. Confidential had been on Simon's radar for years, the project had only been officially greenlit at the end of last year due to scheduling constraints.
If Simon had wanted to play it safe, he could have simply reunited the original film's creative team. However, he decided to take a different route by bringing Brian De Palma on board as the director.
This choice carried some risk.
Back in 2007, De Palma had directed The Black Dahlia. The film was poorly received by critics and bombed at the box office. With a $50 million budget, it barely made $50 million worldwide.
Despite the criticism, Simon had watched De Palma's The Black Dahlia and found it far better than its reputation suggested. From the perspective of both a filmmaker and an audience member, the movie had its moments of brilliance. For instance, the scene where the Black Dahlia's body is discovered featured stunning camera work. Moreover, Mia Kirshner's portrayal of Elizabeth Short through a series of eerie audition tapes was widely regarded by critics as Oscar-worthy.
In Simon's opinion, De Palma's directing skills were not the problem.
The issue lay with the script.
The failure of The Black Dahlia could largely be attributed to its screenplay.
Anyone familiar with L.A. Confidential could sense the filmmakers' ambition to replicate its success. The character dynamics and story structure of The Black Dahlia mirrored those of L.A. Confidential so closely that it felt derivative.
As a result, the film alienated its audience.
Viewers had gone in expecting a deep dive into the Black Dahlia murder case, but the film relegated the case to the background while focusing on inconsequential romantic entanglements between the lead characters. It was a recipe for disaster.
This misstep was partly due to the chaotic development process. David Fincher was originally set to direct and had even completed a script. However, Fincher wanted to shoot the film as a three-hour black-and-white epic, which the studio deemed unfeasible. Fincher dropped out, and the project eventually landed in the lap of De Palma, who had been struggling to recover from the failure of Mission to Mars.
Desperate for work, De Palma had to comply with the studio's vision, and the results were predictably disappointing.
On the other hand, L.A. Confidential was a different story.
The original film had been a critical success, earning an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for its seamless integration of three main characters into a cohesive narrative.
However, Simon found the original film somewhat conventional.
While it was a solid piece of filmmaking, it lacked the bold, standout elements that could elevate it to greatness.
This was why Simon chose De Palma over the original director, Curtis Hanson. Apart from their long-standing friendship, dating back to the days of Run Lola Run, Simon hoped De Palma's distinct style could add some flair to the story and take it to the next level.
These thoughts occupied Simon as he opened a file handed to him by his assistant, who had just returned after settling the Johansson sisters. As she distributed copies of the file to the others, Simon turned to De Palma and asked, "So, Brian, what's your take on the script for L.A. Confidential?"
"It's brilliant," De Palma replied candidly. "To be honest, Simon, I'm a bit intimidated. The script is incredibly dense. I counted over 80 speaking roles and more than 60 exterior locations, not including the interior sets. That's a massive challenge for both filming and editing. I've tried to identify areas to trim, but there's nothing extraneous. Simon, this doesn't feel like something Brian Helgeland could have written on his own. Did you work on this personally?"
Simon smiled. "I don't have the time to fully write a screenplay myself these days. Most of the credit goes to Ellroy's exceptional source material. That said, I did provide the initial outline and had Helgeland revise it multiple times to get it to its current state."
De Palma nodded. He had read Ellroy's novel and wasn't surprised by Simon's involvement, given the script's meticulous craftsmanship. Choosing not to dwell on it, De Palma shifted to the topic at hand.
"Simon, this script feels like a vivid tapestry of 1940s and '50s Los Angeles—greed, corruption, lust, and decay. With so many characters and settings, the cast is crucial. If the actors can't embody their roles, the film could fall flat. On the other hand, hiring the best talent will push the budget through the roof."
"That's what today's meeting is for," Simon said, motioning to Linda Vargas. "I've asked Linda to prepare a list of potential candidates."
Linda rose, turned on the projector, and took a seat near her laptop to control the presentation.
The first image appeared on the screen: Nicole Kidman.
In the photo, Nicole was dressed in a form-fitting silver silk gown with a fur shawl draped over her shoulders. Her golden waves of hair and bold red lips exuded the glamour of Hollywood's Golden Age.
Simon noted everyone's reaction before explaining, "In my interpretation, the greed, corruption, and moral decay of the City of Angels all stem from desire. And there's no desire more immediate or universal than sexual desire. Lynn Bracken, as a high-class escort, may not have much screen time, but she's pivotal to the story. She's both a key plot driver and a symbol of the city's collective lust.
"Setting aside the book's description, I envision her as a woman in her 30s with the aura of a Golden Age Hollywood star—someone who evokes both a man's desire to conquer and his instinct to protect. Nicole perfectly embodies these qualities."
Simon had no fondness for Kim Basinger, who had played Lynn Bracken in the original film. While Basinger had won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for the role, Simon felt her victory was more a product of studio lobbying than merit.
To illustrate his point, Simon recalled Julianne Moore's performance in Boogie Nights, which far outshone Basinger's. Unfortunately, Boogie Nights was produced by New Line Cinema, a company with little influence during awards season, leaving Moore without the recognition she deserved.
As Linda flipped through photos of Nicole in various test costumes, De Palma studied them thoughtfully. Meanwhile, Ella Deutschman leaned over and whispered to Simon, "Nicole's fee might be a bit steep, don't you think?"
Highgate Pictures was expected to manage the production, and Deutschman was aware that Simon wanted to keep the budget between $30 and $40 million.
That left little room for extravagance.
De Palma's fee alone was $5 million. Adding Nicole Kidman, who commanded $5 million for commercial films after her success in Pulp Fiction and Batman Forever, could strain the budget even further.
However, Simon shook his head. "Linda's already negotiated with Nicole. She's agreed to $3 million and a promise of an Oscar campaign for Best Supporting Actress."
While Lynn Bracken was technically a lead role, her limited screen time made it feasible to position her as a supporting actress during awards season. This strategy had worked for Kim Basinger, and it could work again for Nicole.
Deutschman relaxed at the news.
But as the casting discussion progressed, she began to worry again. Would the rest of the cast be as costly?
Simon, however, was confident. He had a clear vision for the film and its budget. The $35 million cap was non-negotiable, and Nicole would be
the highest-paid actor in the ensemble.
Next, Linda displayed the photo of another candidate.
Simon explained, "Jack Vincennes is a morally ambiguous character. On the surface, he's a corrupt cop who manipulates the system for his own gain. However, he retains a shred of conscience, which ultimately drives him to help uncover the truth, even at the cost of his life. It's a complex role, and I think Kevin Spacey is the perfect choice. He's fresh off his Oscar win for The Usual Suspects, and his performance in Se7en was outstanding."
Simon didn't make an immediate decision on Spacey, leaving the matter open for De Palma and Deutschman to explore further.
As for the other two leads—Ed Exley, a morally rigid officer, and Bud White, a brutish but loyal enforcer—Simon offered several alternatives in addition to the original actors, Guy Pearce and Russell Crowe.
For Bud White, Simon strongly recommended Hugh Jackman. After casting him in Contact to play a charismatic priest, Simon believed Jackman's combination of physical presence and emotional depth made him ideal for the role.
Linda displayed a still of Jackman from the Australian TV series Correlli, where he played a brooding prisoner. His short-cropped hair, stubble, and intense gaze perfectly matched Bud White's character.
For Ed Exley, Simon suggested Matthew McConaughey as a possible alternative, though he also entertained Deutschman's idea of bringing Brad Pitt into the mix.
However, Simon warned, "If Pitt joins the project, his fee must not exceed $1.5 million—the same as Spacey's."
Deutschman hesitated but eventually agreed, recognizing the opportunity to secure Pitt before the release of Face/Off, which was expected to be a hit and could significantly raise his asking price.
The meeting continued until noon, with discussions spanning everything from casting to script details. Simon emphasized the importance of staying within budget while maintaining high creative standards.
Afterward, Simon invited De Palma and Deutschman to lunch at the studio's executive dining room. Remembering the Johansson sisters, he had them seated at a separate table with an assistant.
Over lunch, Simon decided to give Scarlett's sister, Vanessa, a small audition.
The result was disastrous.
While Vanessa had the looks, her acting skills were non-existent. Linda bluntly described her as "a wooden plank."
Still, Simon wasn't discouraged. Acting could be taught, and many Hollywood stars had started with little to no training.
He instructed Linda to enroll Vanessa in acting classes and offered her a minor role in the upcoming disaster film Deep Impact. If she improved, she could play a high school student—originally portrayed by Leelee Sobieski in the original film.
Incidentally, Simon had his casting team reach out to Leelee Sobieski as well. At just 14, the young actress had a striking resemblance to Simon's aesthetic preferences, and he wanted to secure her talent before someone else did.
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