The sea air was crisp and clean on March 24, 1987. Alex Hayes sat at a window booth in a small, unpretentious seafood restaurant overlooking the Santa Monica pier. He took a generous bite of his perfectly grilled salmon fillet, his face a picture of satisfying contentment.
"You know, we could be having this meeting at the Hayes Productions office right now," Nancy, his aunt and Hayes Productions head, said with a fond eye roll, setting down her briefcase. "Why are we fifteen miles away out here?"
Alex waved his fork dismissively. "Because I suddenly got an overwhelming craving for seafood, and I heard this is the best restaurant on the coast for it." He took another bite of his grilled salmon, his face lighting up. "Besides, the office is all stress. This is where decisions should be made."
He finished the salmon piece. "So, what's the news from the trenches? Tell me good things first."
Nancy's smile was genuine. "The good news is that we've officially wrapped post-production on the film, Dirty Dancing." She lowered her voice slightly. "We brought it in right on budget, just under $5 million."
Alex nodded, taking a sip of his Coca-Cola.
'Dirty Dancing' is a romantic drama centered around a young woman named Frances 'Baby' Houseman who falls for the resort dance instructor, Johnny Castle.
Alex leaned back, considering. "Did you decide on a distributor yet?"
Nancy smiled. "Many studios were ready to take it once they knew that you greenlit the project, but we've narrowed it down to the best offers."
Alex nodded. "So, who is giving the best conditions?"
"Paramount has been the most sincere," she stated. "They are giving very generous terms, guaranteeing the widest initial release and a favorable backend split."
Alex took a sip of his Coke. "Then it's clear; go with Paramount."
Nancy nodded and quickly jotted down the note.
Nancy let the subject drop, knowing the recent, highly public breakup between Alex and Mia was still fresh. She tried to lighten the mood. "Do you think you'll win any award this time for acting?"
Alex gave a wry smile. "Come on, Aunt Nancy, you know how the Academy thinks. I'm too young right now. Maybe when I hit thirty I'll get the chance."
Nancy nodded in solemn agreement. Most male actors who won either Best Actor or Best Supporting Actor were generally above forty, with winners in their thirties being rare and winners in their twenties almost unheard of compared to the women's categories.
Nancy returned to the agenda, her gaze sharpening. "What are you planning to do next? You just wrapped Moonstruck, and you have a clear schedule. You usually have the next film locked and loaded months in advance."
Alex sighed, putting down the fish burger the waiter had just placed on his table. "I'm not sure, Nancy."
"Not sure?" she asked, a genuine note of surprise in her voice. Nancy had always known Alex to be a person of unshakeable conviction about his career path.
"What's the matter?"
Alex looked at her, his usual excitement dimmed. "I'm just not getting much excitement from the scripts. They all feel like a variation on something I've done, or a retread."
Nancy raised an eyebrow. "What are you saying? I heard you received a script from Stanley Kubrick."
"Yeah, but it's a major war movie, and honestly, I just did Platoon last year. I'm not ready to plunge back into that kind of darkness yet."
"So, no good scripts are coming to you?"
"It's not like that at all. There are some incredible projects. I have a script of Oliver Stone'sWall Street. There's Big, a fantasy comedy, Bull Durham a sports comedy, and even a high school dark comedy, Heathers." He rubbed his jaw. "They're all great, but none of them excited me the way Platoon or Say Anything... did when I first read them. I feel like I've hit a snag."
Nancy leaned back, the observation sinking in. She had seen it before—stars who reach the summit sometimes feel lost without a clear, challenging mountain left to climb.
"Perhaps this will help clear the snag then," Nancy said, a small, knowing smile playing on her lips. "I have a project. Maybe it will excite you."
Alex raised his brows, intrigued.
Nancy continued, "You purchased the rights to a book about three years ago, a piece of literary fantasy. Its film rights are expiring soon, and the book's author recently completed a script and wants you to consider it before the deadline passes."
Alex hadn't immediately remembered the book. It took a moment. Then, slowly, realization dawned on him.
"Really? Are you really saying what I am thinking? How did I even forget about it?"
"Well, you've been incredibly busy over the last two years, so it's natural you forgot," Nancy said.
"When are the rights expiring?"
"By the end of this year."
Alex had loved the book when he first read it. He'd spent $500,000 to acquire the film adaptation rights after 20th Century Fox had let them lapse, seeing it as a long-shot project he could greenlight when he had more clout.
"Are you excited now then?" Nancy asked, watching the flicker of memory ignite a spark in his eyes.
"Hell yeah," Alex breathed, an exciting, genuine smile spreading across his face.
"So, do you have the script then, Nancy?" Alex asked, anticipation building.
Nancy smiled, reaching into her briefcase. She pulled out a pristine, white bound script and placed it gently on the table between the salmon and the Coca-Cola.
The words on the cover, written in elegant script, were: 'The Princess Bride' by William Goldman.
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Alex spent the next two days completely absorbed in the screenplay for 'The Princess Bride.' The script was an immediate source of renewed energy for him; its quality was evident, which he attributed directly to William Goldman's skill as both the original author and the adapter. He felt a huge wave of excitement, recognizing that this fantastical, clever, and humorous project was the perfect change of pace from the intense dramas he had recently starred in.
With the creative hurdle cleared, Alex immediately pushed for production to begin. He instructed Nancy to prepare a comprehensive pitch package to present to the major studios to secure financing and distribution. He was confident that with his name attached to the project, securing the necessary backing for a fantasy picture, even one with an unconventional tone, would not be an obstacle.
Nancy informed Alex that William Goldman had a specific and strong recommendation: Rob Reiner. Goldman's insistence stemmed from Reiner's close collaboration during the adaptation process and his deep understanding of the source material's unique blend of genuine heart and lighthearted comedy.
Alex knew Rob Reiner well, both from his iconic acting role as "Meathead" on the classic sitcom All in the Family and his more recent, impressive career as a director. He quickly analyzed Reiner's filmography. The 1984 mockumentary 'This Is Spinal Tap' proved his brilliant grasp of comedy and satire, which was followed by the strong romantic road film 'The Sure Thing.' Crucially, Reiner's recent success with 'Stand by Me' in 1986 was the key piece of evidence. That film demonstrated his ability to handle a beloved, nostalgic source text and translate its emotional core with immense maturity and sensitivity—the exact delicate touch The Princess Bride required.
Convinced by Reiner's demonstrated range in handling both satire and deep emotional storytelling, Alex agreed that Goldman's judgment was sound. He was fully satisfied with Reiner's directorial style and immediately authorized an offer for him to direct the film.
The focus on the film was paused briefly as Alex had an unavoidable commitment: The 59th Academy Awards ceremony on March 30, 1987.
True to his prediction to Nancy, the night did not see him take home a statue. However, the event was a spectacular success for his body of work.
The first film to triumph was 'The Color of Money,' securing the much-anticipated Best Actor award for his co-star, Paul Newman. The crowd roared for a standing ovation, recognizing the win as a well-deserved capstone to Newman's long and illustrious career, a moment Alex felt proud to have witnessed and been a part of.
The biggest winner of the evening, however, was Oliver Stone's 'Platoon.' The film had been a commercial and critical powerhouse, and the Academy rewarded it heavily, with the film sweeping the top categories. Platoon secured the major honors for Best Picture, Best Director for Stone, Best Sound, and Best Film Editing.
Alex left the ceremony that night without a personal award, but with an intense sense of professional vindication. His judgment as an actor in choosing impactful projects, had been validated on the grandest stage.