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About to head in and meet Caiden Dell. Nervous as hell. ~ E
You’re going to be great. You always are. ~ G
“You need to wipe that goofy look off your face,” Elle joked as she took my arm and led me into Khandidin, the name of the place, with her professional face in place. The melodic sounds of Farsi filled the bright and airy eatery. We stood just inside the door, inhaling rich spices, until we spotted a tall, leggy blonde woman rising to her feet. A stunning woman with a body to rival Jessica Rabbit waved at us. I tugged my ball cap down to my eyebrows and followed Elle to the table. Caiden Dell looked up at me, his sharp green eyes touching on my casual actor trying to hide but fooling no one get-up.
“Hello, thank you for working us in. I’m Polly Mayhew, Mr. Dell’s executive assistant. And this is Caiden Dell.” She waved a manicured hand at the famous producer/director/studio head. Seemed the man with the short brown hair, gauges, and flair for bright fashion did it all at Budgie in the Dell Studios.
Caiden stood, shook Elle’s hand, then mine, and then waved at the empty chairs. “Please sit,” he said, his New York accent brash in my Mainer ears. “We’d like to get right into it if you don’t mind? I have a dinner date with my husband Devon at six and if I’m late again, he will throttle me.”
“No, sure, of course.” I sat down, took the menu a server gave me, and read it over quickly. I’d forgotten how hectic people in New York were. Go, go, go. It was quite the jolt from Kesside Isle or even L.A. where deals were done over hour long meals or poolside. Diners nearby never glanced up from their food as I peeked around the brightly lit and sparkling clean interior of the eatery. Green plants were everywhere and neon signs in Farsi glowed on the bright white walls. Every table was full and the food passing by looked amazing.
“I’d suggest trying the Fasenjan. They make it with duck breast instead of chicken and top it with sour pomegranate sauce,” Caiden offered. I nodded as did Elle. We also got a few appetizers such as fried eggplant and a fava bean borani. We also ordered saffron and bitter orange martinis for our drinks.
“So, let’s get right into things,” Caiden said after the server hustled off with our orders. “I’ve been keeping a close eye on the bullshit going on with Four Winds. First off, please let me say that I am incredibly sorry you were outed in such a sickening way.”
I took off my cap and sunglasses, placing them on the table beside my plate before replying. “Thank you. It was quite a shot in the plums.”
Polly—who bore a striking resemblance to Christina Hendricks only in a platinum blonde version—dug into a sleek leather tote to remove what I assumed was a movie script.
“This is one of the best scripts to cross my desk in three years. I’ve been looking for the right actor to star in it but failing. No one had the right look or the proper swagger to pull off the leading man. Then, out of the blue, your story went viral.” I glanced at Elle, who was listening intently as the script was handed to Caiden. “Not to sound morbid, but it was like a blessing to hear that you were on the outs with Four Winds. Personally, I find them to be incredibly stuffy and unwilling to portray LGBTQ films in any fashion.”
“They’re slightly conservative,” I said, trying to read the title of the film on the script Caiden was waving around.
“They’re regressive pigs locked in the ’70s when it comes to telling the story of people of color or the queer community. As you know, Budgie in the Dell is the leading American studio producing queer content for the theater,” Caiden said with pride.
I did know that and told him so. I’d streamed several of his films over the years, secretly of course using Katy’s passwords because God forbid Elias Lake would watch a movie with two gay men making out. It’s all so stupid.
“This project is very dear to Caiden’s heart,” Polly stated. Our drinks arrived. After the server was gone, she picked up the thread of the conversation as I sampled my martini. “He’s been saying for years that he wanted to make a trilogy of post-apocalyptic movies with a gay leading man.” My eyes flared. Caiden offered the script to me. I swallowed the slightly sweet drink, enjoying the fragrance and depth from the saffron, as I tried to settle my nerves. “This is the story of Luke Barlow.”
I cleared my throat as I put down my glass to take the script from Caiden. “Zombies?” I asked, unsure if this was the way I wanted my career to go.
“Not in the sense that you’re thinking,” Caiden explained. “There is a plague, yes, and it does turn people but not into shambling mindless husks that eat flesh. This virus is alien in nature, brought back from a Russian probe into deep space. It shuts down the human brain for a short period of time. During that time, the person falls into a coma, a brittle chrysalis forms around the body, and when the transformation is complete, a new hybrid human emerges. Smart predators with speed, humanoid yes but also with alien characteristics.”
“Damn aliens,” I teased, flipping the script around to stare at the title.Gray Rains. Huh. “What’s the story with this title?”
“Nukes launched by accident during the initial rush of infected caused black rain that then, over time, has now become gray rains.”
“Oh fuck, so nukes. Great.” I began paging through the script as Caiden prattled on and on, his voice crackling with excitement. Skimming over the dialog, it seemed like a damn potent script with lots of angst and emotion as Luke fights off the turned in a world gone gray. Ah, okay, now I was getting the title.
“This is the first in a trilogy that we’re planning on developing,” he said, pulling my attention from the first meeting of Luke and a man called Darren, the other hero I was assuming, as Luke didn’t kill him right out fearing he was infected. “I’d like you to come read for the role of Luke Barlow.”
My gaze flew from the well-written but tense encounter on the page to Caiden. “Audition for the role? Sure, I can do that. I would love to do that! But I’m still contractually bound to Four Winds for another month or so.” I glanced at Elle.
“There will be some time needed to ensure that Elias will be free and clear legally. We’re hoping that won’t take longer than a month. Legal can be sluggish at times, but Four Winds seems to be in a rush to distance themselves from Elias,” Elle informed the table.
“That’s fine. This isn’t even in pre-production yet. I’m just acting now to ensure we have the actor that we want locked down for the part.” Caiden smiled at me.
“And that’s me?”
“And that is you. You’re perfect for the role. You’re the right age, the right look, the right attitude. You’re gay and you’re out. This is the kind of movie that Budgie in the Dell makes. I want you on board. Will you come read for us sometime over the next month or two? We’ll work things out with legal for Four Winds if they drag their feet for some reason. Our legal team will work up a contract for the three films and send a rough copy to your agent to peruse.”
“What are we talking about in general terms for Mr. Lake’s salary per film?” Elle enquired as a man at the table across from us glanced my way and froze. I nodded at him. He tapped his temple, then returned to his meal.
“That’s something for legal to work out, but hopefully in the ballpark of a couple of million with some bonuses when the film goes into the black. I know that’s not the hefty salary you pulled in out in L.A.,” Caiden glanced from Elle to me, “but I can guarantee you that my movies do not demean women or gays in any way. That is not what my studio does. If this takes off and I suspect it will because the world is ready for queer leads, you’ll be right back in the spotlight, but for the right reasons this time. And for the right sort of films.”
“I’d love to come read for you,” I said, surprising Elle and myself. The few lines that I’d read were incredible and rich in queer representation. This was the kind of filmmaking I wanted to be associated with. “And if I’m cast, I’ll be happy to work for nothing.”
Elle sputtered, coughed, and quickly dismissed that possibility with gusto.
