"If you'll all give me your attention." Sean Cunningham raised a champagne glass high above his head.
The room quieted almost instantly. Everyone turned towards him. Even I did the same, surprised to see how relaxed he looked. Sean was usually tight-shouldered and restless, always pacing or double-checking something, so seeing him loose and smiling felt strange. I guess what they say about the filmmaking business is true. It's a tiring job that wears people down.
"I couldn't have made this film without all of your contributions," Sean said once he had everyone's focus. "I know every filmmaker says that, but I mean it. No matter how big or small your role was, we wouldn't have reached the finish line without you. So please give yourselves a big round of applause."
A wave of clapping filled the space, with everyone displaying a soft smile after hearing Sean's genuine words of gratitude. It was surreal watching how a handful of sincere words could brighten an entire room. That was something I learned from Sean today. Being a good director isn't only about knowing filmmaking. It's also about understanding people and keeping them motivated without losing sight of the real goal, which is to make a good film.
"However," Sean continued once the applause settled, "there's one person here whose contributions stood far above and beyond everyone else, maybe even mine. I want to give a special shoutout to Noah Hunter, who stepped in as my co-director and made sure the movie stood on its own two legs without feeling like a Halloween knockoff. I think he deserves another round of applause."
The crew turned toward me, clapping again. Heat crawled up my neck as I suddenly became the center of attention. I dipped my head gratefully but kept my mouth shut. I didn't trust myself to take control of the situation at that moment.
"Noah," Sean said, looking directly at me now. "During our time together on set, I realized how visionary you are as a filmmaker. I have no doubt that once you make your official debut as a solo director, studios and indie producers will be lining up outside your home to work with you. And since I already know what you're capable of, I want to start early. I may not have the kind of money the big studios do, but I'll finance your first solo directorial nonetheless. Just say the word."
I froze. For a moment, all the sounds in the room faded. This was huge. Even Columbia hadn't shown that level of trust in me. Yet here Sean was, making a promise in front of everyone, without even knowing what my next film would be about.
"Thank you, Sean," I said once I found my voice. "I'll definitely take you up on that offer. I loved working with you, and we've made a great film together. I'd love to keep doing that."
Sean smiled and lifted his glass once more.
"This one's for Noah. Cheers," he said before taking a sip.
"Cheers!" Everyone echoed.
Following his cue, everyone around him copied the gesture, including me. I took a small sip and was surprised by how smooth the champagne tasted. Sean, who usually lived like a miser, had actually spent money on something good. That alone was shocking.
"Sean was right, you know?"
I turned toward the voice and saw Jeannine standing beside me. She'd come back with the rest of the cast for the wrap party.
"You did a great job on set."
"Hey!" I stepped forward and pulled her into a hug. "How are you?"
Out of all the actors who'd left after finishing their scenes, Jeannine was the one I'd missed the most. She always had this warm, grounded presence that made long shooting days easier.
She lifted one shoulder in a half shrug. "Not as good as I thought I'd be after acting in a movie. You know how it is being an actor. It's insanely difficult booking something substantial. I've been trying to get a movie or even a TV role for the past few weeks, but nothing. It gets frustrating."
"What about a stage play?" I asked. "You've done one before, haven't you? Why not try it again?"
She sighed, her gaze dropping slightly. "Stage plays are a completely different beast. You haven't done one, so you won't get it, but there's so much more work involved than what we did here. Honestly, this film spoiled me, and now I'm dreading going back to the theater."
I thought about telling her I could get her a part in my next film, but I didn't. The truth was simple. She wasn't a strong enough actress for the level of project I wanted to work on next. None of my co stars on this film were. Kevin Bacon was a bit better, but after the stunt he and Harry pulled, I had no interest in being friends with either of them.
"Can I steal Noah from you for a few minutes?" Sean suddenly stepped in front of us.
"He's all yours," Jeannine said as she stepped back. "I need to catch up with the other girls."
Sean gave her a grateful nod before turning to me with a wide grin. "We did it."
"That we did," I said. "So when can we start post production?"
He hummed thoughtfully, tapping his fingers along his champagne glass. "I'd prefer to take a week off first, but since you're leaving for Harvard in a month, I want to get as much done as possible before that. Is the day after tomorrow okay for you?"
"It's perfect," I said.
I knew a decent movie usually needed at least three months of post production, but with the time crunch, we could only hope to tackle most of the work in the next month.
"Great." His smile grew even wider. "I rented a studio in Brooklyn. Let's meet there in two days." He paused, as if remembering something. "By the way, I sold the movie's distribution rights to Columbia."
I blinked, caught off guard. "What? When? Why didn't you tell me sooner?"
"Easy there." Sean raised his hands in a calming gesture. "Someone named Samuel Rivers from Columbia has been interested in this project for a while. Apparently because of you. He stopped by yesterday to watch some sample footage, and he liked it so much that he convinced Columbia to buy the distribution rights."
Samuel Rivers was the same man who'd auditioned me for The Blue Lagoon along with Randal Kleiser. Randal had told me later how reluctant Samuel was about hiring me for the role. And now here he was buying the rights to my second movie before it was even properly edited.
"For how much?"
I wouldn't have asked if I didn't have a stake in the film.
"$5 million upfront, plus a 15% cut of all revenue in perpetuity."
My eyebrows shot up. That was incredibly generous.
"Did he know we made this film for less than half a million?" I asked.
Sean shook his head. "He offered me two million at first. But you and I made such a high quality movie that I told him it cost us $3 million, and I wouldn't sell it for anything less than five. He believed me and agreed."
"You greedy motherfucker." I jabbed him playfully in the arm. "I love it."
"Thank you." He grinned and pulled a folded paper from his pocket. "Here you go. As promised."
I took it carelessly at first, but the moment I read the numbers on the check, everything inside me froze.
$250,000.
It was more money than I'd ever held in my life. Columbia had offered me something similar for Risky Business, but I'd ended up taking only $100,000 upfront in exchange for profit participation. This, though, felt unreal.
"Wow," I whispered as I slipped the check safely into my jacket. "Can't believe this is real."
"It is," Sean said with a nod. "You're probably the first newcomer who hasn't even debuted yet and is already making this much noise. I hope you didn't mind that I told that…"
He trailed off when two figures approached us.
Kevin and Harry.
"Hey, Noah," Kevin said. He sounded stiff, unsure, like he wasn't happy to be standing here.
"Kevin," I replied politely before turning to the other guy. "Harry."
Silence dropped over us for a few seconds, thick enough that I felt every awkward beat of it.
Sean cleared his throat loudly. "Ahem, why don't you guys talk? I need to check in with a few more crew members."
He escaped before any of us could respond, leaving the three of us facing one another. I turned fully toward Kevin and Harry, giving them my attention.
"What's up?"
They exchanged a look before Kevin spoke.
"I wanted to say… that I'm sorry for what happened between us."
I didn't show it, but the apology surprised me.
"Yeah, me too," Harry said. "We escalated things way too much."
"No, you didn't," I told them. "You didn't like the way I was acting in the room, and that's fair. No one should feel uncomfortable where they're staying, even temporarily. What bothered me was that you two didn't come to me directly. Instead, you went to Sean while the entire crew was around. That's how everyone found out what happened between Jeannine and me. They didn't judge me. They judged her. So if you really want to apologize to someone, apologize to her."
To be honest, I knew Jeannine and I were equally to blame, maybe even more, for doing what we did in a shared room. But sometimes, when you're in the heat of the moment, you don't think about the consequences. Still, after the way Kevin and, to a lesser degree, Harry reacted, I couldn't ever trust them the way I'd trust actual friends.
Kevin grimaced. "I hadn't thought of that. I'll apologize to her too. But will you forgive us? We're all in this industry, and I don't want this to mess up anything between us long-term."
Honestly, I didn't care enough about either of them to hold a grudge.
"Sure," I said.
"Thanks, man." Kevin offered his hand, and I shook it. Harry did the same.
When they walked away, I stood there for a moment, still unsure how to process the interaction. What had changed between the day they left set and now? Why were they suddenly so eager to apologize? I didn't dwell on it for long. I wanted to find the girls. I had no idea when I'd see them again after today.
I spotted the trio huddled together near one of the cocktail tables, heads bent over something in Laurie's hands. The moment I approached them, all three of them looked up in unison.
"Hey, ladies," I said with a smile. "What've you got there?"
Laurie lifted a magazine. The title, bold and unmistakable, read Variety. It was the top entertainment magazine, packed with gossip, celebrity profiles, movie news, music, and everything in between. The girls flipping through it wasn't surprising. Reading it during a party, though, definitely was.
"You're reading that now?" I asked, confused.
They exchanged a look before Jeannine said, "You don't know."
"I don't know what?" I asked.
Laurie didn't answer. Instead, she flipped to a specific page and turned the magazine toward me.
The moment I saw the photo, I felt my stomach drop.
It was me, wearing only black swimming trunks, water dripping from my hair as I climbed out of the pool. Jordan had taken the picture last year after our shoot ended early, wanting to test some new lighting ideas. It wasn't tied to any brand or campaign, and I'd never imagined the photo would end up in a celebrity magazine of all places.
This wasn't the first time one of my photos appeared in print, but it was the first time I wasn't just a nameless model. Next to the picture was a full article.
I took the magazine from Laurie's hands and started reading.
MEET HOLLYWOOD'S NEWEST HEARTTHROB: NOAH HUNTER MAKES WAVES BEFORE HIS DEBUT!
If you haven't heard the name Noah Hunter yet, trust us, you will very soon. At just eighteen, the newcomer is already being talked about on studio lots and in casting offices from Los Angeles to New York. And with two major motion pictures set to launch his career in 1980, Noah might be the biggest breakout star of next year.
But who is this golden-haired sensation everyone's suddenly buzzing about?
Before stepping in front of cameras, Noah was far more familiar with swim lanes than soundstages. A national-level competitive swimmer, he's been winning medals since junior high, known for his effortless backstroke and lightning-fast freestyle. His athletic build and natural confidence caught the attention of modeling agent Jordan Duncan, who immediately recognized Noah's charisma and hired him as a full-time model.
Under Duncan's guidance, Noah has worked with multiple clothing, sports, and lifestyle brands.
"The first time I saw Noah, I knew he was a superstar," Duncan told Variety during a recent chat. "Only he didn't know that. Over the last few years, I've come to see him almost like my own son, and when a casting director called asking about him, I told him he had to hire Noah at all costs."
Most young actors are lucky to land a single small role their first year, but Noah is starting off with not one, but two feature films, both already generating serious buzz.
First up is The Blue Lagoon, a dreamy romantic adventure set on a deserted tropical island. Rumor has it Noah will star opposite Julianne Moore, another teen debutante. Early script readers say the story is bold yet tender, perfect for showcasing a fresh face with natural charm.
Then comes Friday the 13th, a chilling new horror film from rising filmmaker Sean S. Cunningham. While details remain tightly guarded, the movie promises thrills, screams, and shocking surprises. Noah's role hasn't been officially announced, but insiders hint he'll be one of the key teenagers caught up in the terrifying events at a mysterious summer camp.
"Noah is a delight to work with," Cunningham said in a conversation with Variety. "I haven't seen a more talented young man. Not only is he a fantastic actor, he's a natural filmmaker. After the first few days, he gave such useful suggestions that I brought him onboard as an associate producer. Mark my words, the day isn't far when Noah makes his directorial debut."
Sources also reveal that Noah has sold a script to Columbia Pictures and will star in his third feature film next year, though the title hasn't been announced yet.
Talk about range.
And if you think he's just a good-looking athlete with talent to spare, here's another twist. Noah is set to attend Harvard University this fall. He earned his place on a sports scholarship, but he plans to study economics, one of the university's most challenging fields.
With his striking looks, modest personality, athletic background, filmmaking instincts, and two wildly different films on the horizon, Noah Hunter is shaping up to be the teen idol of the new decade. Whether he's battling island wilderness, escaping big-screen terrors, or studying Adam Smith at Harvard, he's one name you'll be hearing a lot in the months to come.
Better start saving space on your bedroom wall. This is one rising star you'll definitely want a poster of.
While I wasn't sure why this article had popped up now, I had a strong feeling Columbia's recent purchase of Friday the 13th had something to do with it. With two of their upcoming films riding on my shoulders, it made sense that they were suddenly promoting me like I was the second coming of Jesus.
It also explained why Kevin and Harry had abruptly decided to apologize. They must have read the article and figured it was time to mend bridges before they burned them for good.
I looked up from the page and found three grinning women standing in front of me.
"Why didn't you tell me you were a national-level swimmer?" Jeannine demanded. "I challenged you to a swimming match… and I won. Did I even win?"
I only smiled, refusing to give anything away.
"So you were a model before acting? How is modeling as a career?"
"Will you be participating in the Olympics?"
"You wrote a script? Can I be in that film?"
The questions came at me rapid-fire, one after another, and I knew it'd be a while before I'd be allowed to escape.
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