Starlet's Web (The Starlet Series, #1) (25 page)

I ate the brownie with a tall glass of milk, savoring every bite.

I decided to do the outline and research my English essay and then finish writing it the next day. I liked background research before I started my acting projects, too. It helped me get into character and determine my voice. Memorizing the lines was so easy once I knew the character's motivations.

 

Celia's ring tone interrupted my essay planning. I rushed to the phone, almost falling on the floor in the process of getting to it.

“Hi,” I blurted out.

Celia asked, “Is this a good time?”

“Yeah, I almost killed myself getting to the phone.” I explained, “I'm writing an essay for school.”

“Lia, my suspicions are confirmed. You and your mom are both producers. All payments and expenses are run through the entity, either yours or your mom's production company depending on your accounting practices. The Muse project did not need to be renegotiated when you turned eighteen because your mother was not representing a minor. You received a declaration of emancipation immediately after you turned fourteen, after your existing contracts with your other studio and agent were in place when you were thirteen. Clearly, you and your mother did not get those contracts renegotiated after you were emancipated. I always wondered how they got around filming suggestive-sex with a minor in the
Left to Die
film. You evidently initiated your own project for your Marie Michael Productions company at the time you starred in
Left to Die
and when you starred in the “Muse” projects. You were not a minor under SAG jurisdiction. Filming the scene the way they did didn't violate any of the California child labor laws. Do you understand?”

Mom was very smart and so was Martin. I remembered being on set that day. It was April 23
rd
, the day after my fourteenth birthday. That morning, I signed papers with a notary on the set of
Left to Die
to file for the emancipation of a child actor. I remembered that I had thought that emancipation meant that I wouldn't be a slave anymore and I said so out loud. Everyone in the room had laughed. I was embarrassed and didn't know why they laughed so nervously. I did the rape scene that afternoon.

“No. Not really.” I admitted. “What does my emancipation have to do with Muse now?”

“It doesn't now. What I'm concerned with is that you have your own mini-studio, Marie Michael Productions. That means you're stuck doing Muse for a very long time. If you bail on Muse, you ruin your own finances and affect Michelle's income stream. Michelle's legal name is Michelle Marie Michael so I'm not sure how much of the company is yours and how much is hers, perhaps they're separate. Richard and Ira are also in the web. I don't see how you can get out of acting when the brand is so successful. You're
not
replaceable.”

“Oh. Now I understand perfectly.” At least I got out of some of my obligations. Mom always made it clear to me that I was bound to Muse. It seemed ironic that she tied me to Muse as she was tied to Rose. She felt like a slave. I did too; so much for me being emancipated.

Celia added, “Do I have your permission to discuss this with Michelle?”

“Absolutely. Thank you, Celia, for watching my back. Right now, I definitely feel like a child.”

“It's what I'm here for, to love and protect you. Now, you don't worry about this at all. Nothing has changed, and I'm certain Michelle is committed to protecting you, too. She loves you. Focus on school and on graduation. We are very proud of you for not taking the easy way out and just getting your GED.”

“Thanks.” I hung up. I knew it couldn't be so simple to get out of this business when I was a success. But I couldn't think about that now. I had a semester of school to catch up on before finals.

I sat at my computer, trying again to outline my English essay. I wondered about the timeless themes we studied throughout the year in all the novels we read: selfishness, unrequited love, longing, angst, greed, inequity, conflict, and suffering.  What about change? Change is the constant of time. Everything changes. I may look the same as I have looked for years but my awareness and attitudes have changed. My beliefs of what were good and bad also changed based on the context in which my beliefs were challenged. I was currently dating Manuel, the ex of my former best friend. That was an underhanded thing to do to my former best friend. But dating him was right for me, even if I might rot in hell for it later.

I went outside when I saw that the sun was setting, an incomprehensibly beautiful time of day. The orange and red glows from the sun reflected on the ocean and colored the lush green treetops with an amber haze. The color from any blossom popped out of the amber-green mosaic. I saw only a dozen houses from over a mile away on the Pacific Palisades ridge. I escaped Santa Monica, Brentwood, and Los Angeles. I was in my own world. I was at peace until my phone rang.

“Hi, Mom.” I put the cell on speaker. I was not happy that she interrupted the sunset.

“Celia just chatted with me. I can tell you're upset. I need to explain and clarify. I'm not one of those evil Hollywood controlling mothers from which SAG tries to protect child actors.”

The Screen Actors Guild is the union to which all performers and crew belong. It sets the guidelines for the treatment of child actors, recommending how they should be paid and regulating the maximum number of hours they are allowed to work. I was protected from being naked or doing stunt work, performing anything that could be considered “morally compromising” or being in a sexual act. On set, the SAG representative was there every day, making sure the director was protecting the SAG union members. One time, the SAG rep made one of the actors move away from me because she was concerned that the second hand smoke from his cigarette was too close to me. Celia wanted to know how Mom got around the SAG representative who would have been on the set of
Left to Die
the day that the director filmed the rape scene. Celia truly believed that the rape scene was morally compromising but few industry people thought so. The conservatives sure thought so when the film came out, but all the controversy guaranteed that practically everyone on the planet who had a few extra bucks in their wallet saw the movie.

“I know, Mom. I'm not upset. You just killed my buzz. I am in the hot tub. The sunset is extraordinary.”

“Oh, Marie,” she laughed. “You're so simply pleased by the smallest joys. You're very special, dear.”

“Thanks, Mom. So how did you get around SAG filming that rape scene?”

“Ha! Straight to the point, just like Celia. I like that, you know.” She enjoyed speaking to me. Good. She did not feel guilty. She was not a Hollywood monster mother.

“Martin is brilliant. The contracts we signed when you were thirteen bound you to your agent and film studio for only five years, until you were eighteen, a legal adult. You were required to do two projects per year at first, but we negotiated that you only needed to do four feature films within the contract period and that you could produce your own work as long as you met your promotional obligations for the four studio films.” Mom sounded proud of herself.

“What your agent and studio did not know, was that Martin simultaneously set you up as a producer of the
Left to Die
project and prepared your paperwork to seek emancipation for a child actor, which you were allowed to apply for at fourteen years old in California.

“You met the requirements to become emancipated: need for personal gain, maturity to handle adult responsibilities, and financial independence.

“Martin submitted your request for emancipation to the courts and you received the Declaration of Emancipation when
Left to Die
was in the editing room, before the project was complete. Since you were fourteen and would be emancipated before
Left to Die
hit theaters, Martin was sure that SAG could not come after us for filming that scene with a minor.”

“Okay, so how does that affect me now? How does it affect Muse?” I asked, wanting to both know and not know the answer. It was a good news/bad news worry. How far trapped was I? Was I a fly in a black widow's web?

“The producers are Richard, myself, Ira, and
you
. You have your own production company, Marie Michael Productions, a mini-studio. That's how it's done with stars. I have my own production company, too. It's a lot better than being tied to a movie studio. Trust me, I was so tightly bound to the ‘Rose' projects, I had no choice but to do the TV series.” She paused, waiting to see if she needed to say more. Mom only tells what is necessary, never more. Being in this business for so long has made her guarded, even with family.

“How come I wasn't listed as a producer on the credits?”

“You didn't need to be, except in the Hollywood accounting. But don't worry about that, dear. I promise you that none of us are cheating you out of anything. Like the rest of us, you get gross points, a percentage of gross revenue, rather than net profit participation. Based on each producer's percentage of ownership in the project, we share in the production, distribution, and marketing overhead. Rather than billing your birthday party to just your share of the marketing overhead, we essentially all pay for it.”

“I didn't know that I paid for my own party. I thought the studio did. Now I see. Interesting. I guess I'm a businesswoman,” I laughed.

“Yes, you're very talented, dear.”

“So I screw all of you, my family, if I quit Muse. Mom, this really sucks.”

“I know, dear. And, I won't lie to you. There's more. You're bound by the production contracts you have with us. But we'll talk about it when I get home. We all want this to work out, and we all love you,” Mom said sincerely.

I sighed. Of course there was more. There was always more.

“Marie, we just want you to focus on school and relaxing for now. Go shopping. Buy some new shoes or something.”

I laughed, picturing myself buying my one-thousandth pair of shoes. Mom loved shoes. Every time she got mad at Dad when they were married, she would storm out of the house, go to Fred Segal on Broadway and 5
th
in Santa Monica, and come home happier with a new pair of shoes or a bag. The departments were separated into little nooks, as if you were strolling on a curved path in a quaint little street market. The staff was aloof. Mom could find all the brands she liked, banter the help, and no one would stare. It was private.

“No, Mom. No shopping today. Yuck!”

“Oh, Marie. Some day you will see what you're missing! I want to go shopping now. I can't wait to get back!”

“Well, thanks for explaining. We'll talk about ‘Muse' after graduation. I really need to eat and study some more.”

“Wait, what happened with Manny?”

“We're good. But I realized that I can't live without him.” I took a big breath. “I worry that I'll lose him if I don't sleep with him.”

“I don't understand.”

“Mom, Renee told me how it goes. I loved Evan and lost him because I didn't show him. I love Manny with all my heart. If I don't do it, he won't think I love him.”

“Oh, no, dear. Be true to yourself, please. Manny understands. I'm sure of it.”

“I hope you're right. Otherwise I'll do what I have to do. Love you, Mom.”

“Stay strong, Marie. I love you to pieces. Goodnight.”

I reached out of the hot tub and pressed “end” on my cell. I turned to reach for my towel but was startled to find a large black spider on it. I bravely shook the spider off, careful to see where it had fallen to be sure it would not crawl on me.

Of course, I could not help but think that I was very much the struggling fly trapped in the black widow's web. I only then realized how incessant that web was. This was a web that could only collapse on itself if I broke it.

 

I put down my history book when I heard the front door open and then close.

“There weren't any photographers here when I got off work this morning,” Manuel wondered. “I was all ready to punch someone.”

I beamed as he crawled on the bed next to me. I was in my sweats, he was in his busboy uniform, shoes off, of course. It was after midnight.

“Well, they want photos of us together. So there will be many cameras this morning when we leave for school. I canceled with Elise for today because I need to get some sleep. I can't deal with the pain of physical exertion after such a tough weekend. Maybe we should take your Vespa, helmet free. Give the fans what they want.” I laughed.

Turning to my side to make sure he paid attention, I added. “And please, please don't punch, push, flip off, cuss out, or even speak to a photographer. You'll make things worse and can seriously get sued.”

He understood. “I promise to restrain myself. I can do this because you are more than worth it.”