What kind of actor qualifies for a profit-sharing deal? "A-List star" might sound like an easy answer but that's not quite right. The real qualification lies in whether an actor can carry the box office, whether they can shoulder the financial risks of a film's success or failure. In other words, only those with true box-office appeal have the right to profit participation.
In Hugo's career so far, while his first five films before Hudson Hwak had all received critical acclaim, none of them were box-office hits. Even his best-performing film, Dead Poets Society, had grossed about $95 million, and it was Robin Williams not Hugo who carried that success. The three major commercial flops that followed only confirmed the perception that Hugo had acting talent but lacked box-office draw.
It wasn't until last year's Scent of a Woman and A Few Good Men that his fortunes turned around. Both films achieved strong box-office results, and A Few Good Men, which topped the U.S. box office for eight consecutive weeks and earned $170 million, was one of the year's biggest surprises. That success was partly due to Hugo's performance, which is why the media began to call him an A-lister.
However, Hugo's so-called box-office appeal was based solely on those two films — hardly a solid foundation. It wasn't enough to justify a back-end deal. In Hollywood, the number of actors who actually qualified for box-office profit participation could be counted on two hands, and Hugo certainly wasn't one of them.
This made Joseph's job all the more difficult, but he knew that was part of being Hugo's agent. After everything they'd been through together, he understood that his best support now was to fight tooth and nail for Hugo's interests. So even if the task was daunting, Joseph launched into tough negotiations with the film's producer, Gary Foster.
Gary wasn't exactly a heavyweight in Hollywood — which fit the underdog reputation of Sleepless in Seattle. His first film as an executive producer was Short Circuit (1986), a modestly budgeted movie of under $10 million that grossed over $40 million, a solid success that spawned a sequel two years later. Unfortunately, Short Circuit 2 flopped, earning only $21 million.
Since then, Gary had produced two more films, neither making much of an impact. In short, he was a minor player among producers. Still, Joseph never underestimated any producer — after all, producers were famously sharp and calculating. They never gave up profit margins easily.
"Gary, you need to show a bit more sincerity," Joseph said after nearly twenty minutes of deadlocked discussion. Finally, he decided to play his trump card. "You know Hugo is genuinely eager to take on this role. And an actor like Hugo — talented, committed, and eager — isn't easy to find. I'm sure Nora's been searching for someone like him for quite a while now…"
The implication was clear: no one else wanted to take the male lead in Sleepless in Seattle. They should be grateful Hugo was interested at all.
Gary let out a small laugh. "I think I've shown plenty of sincerity. You know as well as I do that Hugo doesn't have that many scripts to choose from right now." Like everyone in the industry, Gary was well aware of Hugo's uncertain career situation.
"But Hugo and I can wait," Joseph replied smoothly. "You know we can afford to wait — say, until after the Oscars." It was a calculated reminder. Hugo had received double nominations at the Golden Globes, and although he hadn't secured an Oscar nomination, both Scent of a Woman and A Few Good Men were strong contenders. If either film won, Hugo's reputation would soar once again.
Gary opened his mouth to respond, but Joseph cut him off before he could. "I know what you're going to say, Gary. But are we really going to keep circling around like this? Are you that sure Hugo won't walk away from this deal?"
It wasn't the first time they'd had this exact exchange — they'd been going in circles all afternoon. Joseph decided it was time to take the initiative.
Gary studied Joseph carefully, trying to find a crack in his composure. He couldn't tell if Joseph was bluffing or serious. Still, he refused to back down — this was a contest of nerve now. Whoever blinked first would lose leverage, and that leverage could mean millions of dollars. With a total budget of only $20 million, Gary couldn't afford reckless generosity.
Joseph, however, wasn't waiting for Gary to surrender. He offered him a way out instead. "I've already told Nora that $8 million is unnecessary. Hugo never expected that figure. So why not show some sincerity? Give me a realistic number instead of just crossing your arms and waiting for me to compromise."
Gary's opening offer of $3 million had been unacceptable. A year ago, Hugo earned $3 million for A Few Good Men. Given his current status — despite the recent uncertainty — staying at the same rate was out of the question. A Few Good Men was still performing strongly at the North American box office, after all. Joseph had no reason to back down.
Gary narrowed his eyes, sizing Joseph up again. The man sitting across from him wasn't at all like the easygoing agent he'd heard about — he was sharper, tougher, and far more strategic than expected. Gary hadn't prepared for this.
Just as Gary began to reconsider his position, Joseph spoke again. "I understand the studio's situation. And I understand Hugo's. So why don't we both take a step back — show some sincerity?" His tone softened. This was the opening Gary had been waiting for. Joseph was finally the first to yield. Gary's eyes lit up — until he heard the next line. "How about this: six million. What do you say?"
Gary had to admit — it was a fair and reasonable offer. That was the exact figure Hugo had earned for Hudson Hawk, and it matched his current market value perfectly. No one in the industry would call that greedy.
But the problem remained: Gary's budget couldn't stretch that far, especially with Meg Ryan's salary already factored in. He exhaled and pushed back. "Four million." It was a steep cut, but he didn't hesitate — this was his job. In his view, raising the offer from three to four million already showed generosity.
Joseph simply shook his head and smiled politely. "If that's your idea of sincerity, Gary, then I think we're done for today. No need to make this more unpleasant." He stood, extending his hand.
Gary hesitated. Was Joseph bluffing, or was he truly walking away? The producer wasn't seasoned enough to tell. Nervous, he rose quickly and blurted out, "Four and a half million! That's our final offer. Joseph, you have to understand the production's limitations."
"If this is your version of sincerity, Gary, I will convey Hugo's regrets to Nora," Joseph shook his head firmly. He was absolutely not going to accept that figure. With that, he really prepared to turn and leave.
Gary remained standing, his expression wavering. In fact, the studio had set Hugo's base pay at $4.5 million, with a ceiling of $5 million, and he was still debating whether to reveal his final card. But even if he did, Joseph seemed unlikely to accept — the gap to Hugo's target of $6 million was still significant. Offering $5.5 million would give them a chance to close the deal.
"Joseph, you have to understand — the studio's situation really leaves us no choice," Gary said, softening his stance, but he trailed off, hesitating to continue.
Joseph, with his back to Gary, offered a slight smile. Both men were far from being the top "old foxes" of Hollywood, and in this negotiation, both were cautious. Yet it seemed Joseph had finally gained a slight upper hand, revealing a small crack in Gary's armor. He quickly suppressed his smile, knowing the next move needed to be decisive.
Turning calmly to face Gary, Joseph's expression became serious, thoughtful. "Gary, I understand all of these circumstances — we've discussed them many times. But you know Hugo's situation too. He deserves better." Joseph's tone was careful, almost apologetic, as he paused to consider his words, as if wrestling with an internal struggle.
Gary's intended counteroffer of $5 million froze on his lips. He waited for Joseph's response.
Sure enough, Joseph spoke: "Here's an option: if you agree to give Hugo 20% of the box office revenue, his base salary can be reduced to $3 million."
The box-office bonus was Joseph's most practical solution — it didn't diminish Hugo's prestige or value, yet allowed for sufficient compensation. The only real concern was whether Sleepless in Seattle would perform well. Joseph had discussed this with Hugo, and to his surprise, Hugo agreed immediately. Despite the doubts from everyone around them about the film's potential, Hugo firmly believed it could succeed.
Thus, Joseph had formulated his final strategy: either a base pay of $5.5 million, with a minimum of $5 million, or $3 million plus 20% of the box office.
"One more thing — no minimum box-office threshold," Joseph added.
Typically, box-office bonuses include a floor — for example, only after the film exceeds $100 million would actors receive revenue participation. This incentivizes performance; otherwise, if the film loses money and still shares revenue with actors, the studio suffers significant losses.
However, Joseph was still uncertain about Sleepless in Seattle surpassing the $100 million mark, so he included this clause. This way, Hugo's final pay would at least surpass what he earned for A Few Good Men.
Of course, this arrangement meant Hugo now bore some of the box-office risk for Sleepless in Seattle. But the question remained: did Hugo have the ability to shoulder that risk?
...
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