To send in, more to get interest in A65 than anything else. Changed some things to make it work on its own.
ADAM
I'm sure your next film will change all of that.
CASEY
You’re sweet.
He turns back to the list.
ADAM
The pronunciation's off on those words.
CASEY
Everything's off on him.”
ADAM
Then let’s go. The pasta was a lovely appetizer but
I could murder some Chicken Tikka with Saffron rice,
Sag Aloo, Raita, Samosas in plum sauce. How does
that sound?
She looks at him and smiles, for the first time.
CASEY
Lovely.
FADE OUT.
FADE IN:
A state of the art kitchen of chrome and brass. CASEY, a beautiful young woman in a cocktail dress, leads ADAM in. The same age as her, he’s bookish and in a suit. Party music and voice rumble from another room.
ADAM
(British)
Good God, this is bigger than my flat in Ruislip.
CASEY
That where you live?
She pulls two cartons of Mac & Cheese from the freezer. Pops them in a microwave.
ADAM
Nora and I, till we parted. Couldn't afford it on my
own. Is this all right?
CASEY
I bought these. Back when I spent a lot of time, here.
ADAM
Oh. Casey, may I say that Lando Grissom is a fool?
CASEY
You may.
ADAM
And...we should not have come here.
CASEY
Had to. Make everyone think all is well and good. That’s
so important in Hollywood. Always land on your feet.
ADAM
Well...you’ve made your appearance, so let us depart.
Now. Find somewhere else to feed. My ticket.
CASEY
In a minute. I don't want to leave anything behind; it'll
just rot. There's water in the fridge.
The microwave dings. She pulls the steaming boxes out, sets them on a counter and peels off the plastic film covers. Adam gets bottles of water. She pulls out silverware and hands him a spoon.
CASEY
Chow down, baby.
ADAM
God, cheesy pasta. Me mum calls this nourishment for
heart attacks, but...
He eats. Casey toys with hers.
CASEY
Y’know, I helped Lando find this house. Spent months
looking for it. Fixing it up. Connected him with my
decorator. I was here more than I was at home. And now?
Now I don’t know why he and I got together; we're too
much alike.
ADAM
I’d argue that point.
CASEY
You don't know me. My mother thinks she matched us
up, but I'd already seen him around. Parties. Awards
ceremonies. He was up for a daytime Emmy back when
I was dating an actor from one of the Soaps. Vinny. A
nice guy who couldn't decide if he was gay, straight or
bi. But being with me gave him good press in the gossip
rags.
ADAM
Have they always been at you?
CASEY
I have a reputation for being a difficult out-of-control
bitch, and they keep trying to find ways of backing it up.
Filling pages in...oh, in England it’s like The Telegraph,
The Daily Mail, OK, Hello; I mean, you must've noticed
how they can be.
ADAM
I've never paid them any mind.
CASEY
You're unusual. It’s all bullshit, you know. Vinny’s the
perfect example. His then boyfriend saw me in Neiman's
and warned me, He's using you, so don't be surprised
about me. I wasn't; I can add two and two. That's what
I told him, and he smiled and walked away. The Star
Inquirer turned it into a screaming match in the middle
of cosmetics, photos arranged to look like we were
about to get into a knife fight. I was disparaged as the
other woman in a gay man's life.
ADAM
Bad Casey. Bad, bad Casey.
CASEY
It died down. I saw Lando at a couple more parties, but
I was with this writer, then. Who suddenly decided he
loved his wife. I didn't know he was married.
ADAM
You needn’t explain yourself to me.
CASEY
Anyway, one day my limo vanished, so Lando gave me
a ride home, and we talked, and Mom said he was just
right for me. And we started seeing each other. We were
tabloid fodder by the third date, but this spin was positive.
He was kind. Attentive. Loving, even though I was a
bigger name than him. Had a dozen movies to my resume.
Two series. I liked that. Wanted him with me...so got him
onto Ilithium Four.
ADAM
I’d rather not think of that film.
CASEY
Preferred the book?
ADAM
It’s a classic work of science fiction and...sorry, but...
CASEY
It was crap. But I liked making it, because a week into
shooting we were at a beach resort near Cape Town and
had an off day. I'd finished my PPK — Publicity Press Kit.
Lando'd done his, too, and it was getting dark, so we took
the cable car up to Table Mountain. It was the last car so
we couldn't stay up long...but the ride. Clear skies streaked
with red. City lights as we whispered up and up. Every
pin-prick of light down there representing people whose
lives were as distinct and meaningful as ours. Hundreds
of thousands of them glittering under the late evening's
shadows. The beauty of it — such overwhelming beauty
— I could barely breathe. I started to weep. Lando slipped
up behind me. Wrapped his arms around my waist. Laid
his chin in the crook of my neck. And then he whispered,
So fucking cool.
Adam covers a laugh with a cough and bite of the Mac & Cheese.
CASEY
Yeah, Shakespeare couldn't have put it better. But I didn't
care. We gave the tabloids a lot of niceness to fill their
front pages for the next three years. Helped my reputation
as well as his career.
ADAM
I find it difficult to believe anyone could believe anything
negative about you.
CASEY
You’re sweet. But my first series...word got around that
I was demanding. A little diva. It’s followed me, no matter
how perfect I am. Keeps getting brought up when something
goes wrong. Like it did two weeks ago. And now look
where I am; in a kitchen, comfort-eating and spilling my
guts to a man who never wanted to be here. Cut. Print. On
to the next scene.
ADAM
I'm glad I accompanied you.
CASEY
You’re definitely not what I thought you'd be.
ADAM
Nor are you what I expected, really.
CASEY
Adam, let's be honest — you hadn't even heard of me
till I made you come on this party, had you?
He gives her a shrug and smile.
ADAM
The rest of my family would know of you. They watch
the telly. Follow social media, online, phones, tablets,
whatever. But for me, if it's not a volume that goes onto
a shelf nothing else matters. But in truth, the only
reason you and I met is because my university coerced
me into flying here from London.
CASEY
To pick up my grandfather’s book?
ADAM
It’s an important volume, and we couldn’t risk having
it shipped via UPS or FedEx. Also, it’s in my area of
expertise, and they know that once I begin my research,
I lose myself in it, often to the point of forgetting things
like meals, meet-ups, anniversaries and such. Nora was
often aggrieved.
CASEY
C'mon, baby, you really that bad?
ADAM
She wanted me tested for autism. Said I'm too easily
distracted by minutia. Then one day we met for tea and
she told me to get on with my life. So I moved back with
Mum.
He notices a slip of paper on the refrigerator.
ADAM
Meat-flies; water-vaYter; come-comb; house-wees?Is Lando learning German?
CASEY
He was in Berlin doing publicity, a few days ago. He's
off on the Pacific tour, tomorrow. Shanghai, Sydney,
Hong Kong, Tokyo, you name it they loves their Lando
Grissom.
ADAM
Don't they love their Casey Blanchard, too?
CASEY
Not like they used to.
He draws near to her.
A state of the art kitchen of chrome and brass. CASEY, a beautiful young woman in a cocktail dress, leads ADAM in. The same age as her, he’s bookish and in a suit. Party music and voice rumble from another room.
ADAM
(British)
Good God, this is bigger than my flat in Ruislip.
CASEY
That where you live?
She pulls two cartons of Mac & Cheese from the freezer. Pops them in a microwave.
ADAM
Nora and I, till we parted. Couldn't afford it on my
own. Is this all right?
CASEY
I bought these. Back when I spent a lot of time, here.
ADAM
Oh. Casey, may I say that Lando Grissom is a fool?
CASEY
You may.
ADAM
And...we should not have come here.
CASEY
Had to. Make everyone think all is well and good. That’s
so important in Hollywood. Always land on your feet.
ADAM
Well...you’ve made your appearance, so let us depart.
Now. Find somewhere else to feed. My ticket.
CASEY
In a minute. I don't want to leave anything behind; it'll
just rot. There's water in the fridge.
The microwave dings. She pulls the steaming boxes out, sets them on a counter and peels off the plastic film covers. Adam gets bottles of water. She pulls out silverware and hands him a spoon.
CASEY
Chow down, baby.
ADAM
God, cheesy pasta. Me mum calls this nourishment for
heart attacks, but...
He eats. Casey toys with hers.
CASEY
Y’know, I helped Lando find this house. Spent months
looking for it. Fixing it up. Connected him with my
decorator. I was here more than I was at home. And now?
Now I don’t know why he and I got together; we're too
much alike.
ADAM
I’d argue that point.
CASEY
You don't know me. My mother thinks she matched us
up, but I'd already seen him around. Parties. Awards
ceremonies. He was up for a daytime Emmy back when
I was dating an actor from one of the Soaps. Vinny. A
nice guy who couldn't decide if he was gay, straight or
bi. But being with me gave him good press in the gossip
rags.
ADAM
Have they always been at you?
CASEY
I have a reputation for being a difficult out-of-control
bitch, and they keep trying to find ways of backing it up.
Filling pages in...oh, in England it’s like The Telegraph,
The Daily Mail, OK, Hello; I mean, you must've noticed
how they can be.
ADAM
I've never paid them any mind.
CASEY
You're unusual. It’s all bullshit, you know. Vinny’s the
perfect example. His then boyfriend saw me in Neiman's
and warned me, He's using you, so don't be surprised
about me. I wasn't; I can add two and two. That's what
I told him, and he smiled and walked away. The Star
Inquirer turned it into a screaming match in the middle
of cosmetics, photos arranged to look like we were
about to get into a knife fight. I was disparaged as the
other woman in a gay man's life.
ADAM
Bad Casey. Bad, bad Casey.
CASEY
It died down. I saw Lando at a couple more parties, but
I was with this writer, then. Who suddenly decided he
loved his wife. I didn't know he was married.
ADAM
You needn’t explain yourself to me.
CASEY
Anyway, one day my limo vanished, so Lando gave me
a ride home, and we talked, and Mom said he was just
right for me. And we started seeing each other. We were
tabloid fodder by the third date, but this spin was positive.
He was kind. Attentive. Loving, even though I was a
bigger name than him. Had a dozen movies to my resume.
Two series. I liked that. Wanted him with me...so got him
onto Ilithium Four.
ADAM
I’d rather not think of that film.
CASEY
Preferred the book?
ADAM
It’s a classic work of science fiction and...sorry, but...
CASEY
It was crap. But I liked making it, because a week into
shooting we were at a beach resort near Cape Town and
had an off day. I'd finished my PPK — Publicity Press Kit.
Lando'd done his, too, and it was getting dark, so we took
the cable car up to Table Mountain. It was the last car so
we couldn't stay up long...but the ride. Clear skies streaked
with red. City lights as we whispered up and up. Every
pin-prick of light down there representing people whose
lives were as distinct and meaningful as ours. Hundreds
of thousands of them glittering under the late evening's
shadows. The beauty of it — such overwhelming beauty
— I could barely breathe. I started to weep. Lando slipped
up behind me. Wrapped his arms around my waist. Laid
his chin in the crook of my neck. And then he whispered,
So fucking cool.
Adam covers a laugh with a cough and bite of the Mac & Cheese.
CASEY
Yeah, Shakespeare couldn't have put it better. But I didn't
care. We gave the tabloids a lot of niceness to fill their
front pages for the next three years. Helped my reputation
as well as his career.
ADAM
I find it difficult to believe anyone could believe anything
negative about you.
CASEY
You’re sweet. But my first series...word got around that
I was demanding. A little diva. It’s followed me, no matter
how perfect I am. Keeps getting brought up when something
goes wrong. Like it did two weeks ago. And now look
where I am; in a kitchen, comfort-eating and spilling my
guts to a man who never wanted to be here. Cut. Print. On
to the next scene.
ADAM
I'm glad I accompanied you.
CASEY
You’re definitely not what I thought you'd be.
ADAM
Nor are you what I expected, really.
CASEY
Adam, let's be honest — you hadn't even heard of me
till I made you come on this party, had you?
He gives her a shrug and smile.
ADAM
The rest of my family would know of you. They watch
the telly. Follow social media, online, phones, tablets,
whatever. But for me, if it's not a volume that goes onto
a shelf nothing else matters. But in truth, the only
reason you and I met is because my university coerced
me into flying here from London.
CASEY
To pick up my grandfather’s book?
ADAM
It’s an important volume, and we couldn’t risk having
it shipped via UPS or FedEx. Also, it’s in my area of
expertise, and they know that once I begin my research,
I lose myself in it, often to the point of forgetting things
like meals, meet-ups, anniversaries and such. Nora was
often aggrieved.
CASEY
C'mon, baby, you really that bad?
ADAM
She wanted me tested for autism. Said I'm too easily
distracted by minutia. Then one day we met for tea and
she told me to get on with my life. So I moved back with
Mum.
He notices a slip of paper on the refrigerator.
ADAM
Meat-flies; water-vaYter; come-comb; house-wees?Is Lando learning German?
CASEY
He was in Berlin doing publicity, a few days ago. He's
off on the Pacific tour, tomorrow. Shanghai, Sydney,
Hong Kong, Tokyo, you name it they loves their Lando
Grissom.
ADAM
Don't they love their Casey Blanchard, too?
CASEY
Not like they used to.
He draws near to her.
ADAM
I'm sure your next film will change all of that.
CASEY
You’re sweet.
He turns back to the list.
ADAM
The pronunciation's off on those words.
CASEY
Everything's off on him.”
ADAM
Then let’s go. The pasta was a lovely appetizer but
I could murder some Chicken Tikka with Saffron rice,
Sag Aloo, Raita, Samosas in plum sauce. How does
that sound?
She looks at him and smiles, for the first time.
CASEY
Lovely.
FADE OUT.
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