Movie Star

I couldn't have been more flattered. She read through a big stack of writers and chose me. We met for coffee today at a sort of hip/Latino/intellectual cafe near my house. She's an authentic movie star. An Oscar all her own. At least two genuinely iconic roles. Every single one of you has seen both of those movies. Then her star fell a little. Well, more than a little. For a season she starred in a TV show. For a while it was a sensation. Then it fell apart and was cancelled. Like I said, I was incredibly flattered that she wanted me to write something for her. But my heart sank when I found out what it was: she wanted to go to the network that canceled her show and get them to redevelop it. To try another pilot with the same character and setup. Yes, the head of the network had said to her "Sure, sure, absolutely, bring me an interesting writer and we'll give it a try. " Who isn't going to say that to an authentic movie star? Who isn't going to let her go through the exercise? She looked small and pale without the makeup and the gorgeous lighting and she was a little nervous as she read her ideas to me out of a scribbled-in notebook. A friend of mine who happened to be stopping by for a latte came up to me with a huge "Hi! You'd better introduce me!" smile. Out of respect to my new friend, the authentic movie star, I didn't bite. I just said "Hi, Bob," and he went away un-introduced. She called our mutual agent after the meeting and told him she was in love with me. Why? Because I told her what a fan I am, how brilliant and funny I think she is, how the show did not do her incredible comedic talent justice, and every word of that was true. Because I listened to her sad hopeful bring-Lazarus-back-from-the-dead ideas with open eyes and yes, even an open heart. But I went away sad. Ten years ago--or is it fifteen by now?--she got up and thanked the Academy and her parents and her agent and her husband. I told her I needed to decide if I could really do her and the show justice and I'd call her in a week when I was settled into pre-production on my movie. And so, like the head of the network, I won't actually tell her what I really think. I'll call her in a week and tell her that with everything I have going on right now I don't think I can do her or the series justice. Truth is, I'm a little in love with her too. I have been since the first time I saw her in a movie and fell out my chair at how funny and moving and real she was. But today I came home sad.