A few minutes later.
"Wait, you want to be the director, too?"
Lauren Vance stared at her brother, needing to confirm she hadn't misheard.
Upon learning that Leo wanted to write, direct, and star in his own project, her eyes, which had already been full of suspicion, now looked at him as if he had finally lost his mind.
"That's right," Leo nodded, his expression calm.
After a heated debate, Leo finally agreed to his sister's terms: she would hire a veteran director to oversee the project, and Leo would be credited as the "Assistant Director."
Leo had his own reasons for agreeing. His reputation in Hollywood was currently radioactive. If actors heard that the "Hollywood Hellraiser" was the sole writer, director, and star, they'd probably run for the hills before even reading page one. It was better to have a "professional" face for the production for now.
Before he left, Lauren gave him a final reminder: "Go see Mom and Dad this weekend. And if you have a spare second, check in on your little sister, Chloe. She's at the UCLA School of Theater, Film, and Television. Don't let her get into the same kind of trouble you did."
...
Knock, knock, knock!
Not long after Leo returned to his luxury penthouse in West Hollywood, there was a frantic rapping at the door. When he opened it, he froze.
"Leo... Hi..."
A somewhat dazed, adorable girl with a bun hairstyle and a youthful, charming aura peeked her head out. Leo scrutinized her carefully.
Wait... is that Riley Evans? In his previous life, this girl was a legend, a generational talent who had dominated the industry for over a decade. She was known as the "Queen of the Box Office," a top-tier star who possessed a rare, magnetic "audience appeal" that made every project she touched a massive hit. She was a unicorn in the business: a superstar with an iron-clad reputation and absolutely zero scandals.
Looking at this younger, more wide-eyed version of Riley, Leo finally remembered: she was a talent signed to Vance Media. After Leo had started landing lead roles, Lauren had assigned Riley to be his personal assistant. Riley, however, had no idea he was actually the CEO's brother.
"Leo? Is... is something wrong?"
Riley was clearly terrified of him. Seeing him stare at her with that strange intensity made her knees weak. In the past, whenever Leo was dissatisfied, he'd scream and throw a tantrum. If the salary hadn't been so high and Lauren hadn't personally asked her to look after him, she would have quit and blocked his number months ago.
"Nothing. Come in." Leo collected himself and gestured for her to enter.
After closing the door, Leo poured two glasses of water. Seeing Riley still standing awkwardly in the foyer, Leo handed her a glass. "Sit down. Why are you standing there like an idiot?"
"Thank... Thank you, Leo." Riley took the glass, looking absolutely floored.
Then, as if a lightbulb went off, she frantically reached into her bag and pulled out a USB drive. "Oh! Lauren asked me to give this to you! It's the talent database, it has all the headshots and reels for the available actors!"
"Thanks, I appreciate it." Leo took the drive and plugged it into his laptop.
Riley's eyes widened. The "Hollywood Hellraiser" Leo just said thank you? And he appreciated it? Had he started taking new medication? Or was he just having a stroke?
Leo was oblivious to Riley's internal monologue. He was already deep in the talent profiles.
As expected of Vance Media, the roster was stacked. They had everyone from grizzled veterans to the latest teen idols. He even spotted some actors who had been massive stars in his old world but were currently struggling or underutilized here.
"Hey, Riley," Leo asked casually, eyes still on the screen. "Have you ever thought about acting?"
Riley, who was currently propping up her chin and wondering if Leo had a brain tumor, blurted out, "Leo, do you have a fever?"
Leo nearly choked on his water.
Good lord, he thought. I forgot she had that 'The Blade' reputation. She was known for being blunt to a fault.
"I'm shooting a series," Leo said, turning the laptop to show her a character sketch. "And I think there's a role that suits you perfectly. You should come in for a screen test."
Leo's eyes gleamed as he looked at the "treasure" in front of him. Riley's natural screen presence and acting chops were a waste if she just spent her time carrying his lattes.
Before she could protest, Leo added another jab: "By the way, hit the gym a little more. For my next project, I might want you as the female lead."
Riley's brain officially crashed.
He has a series?He wants HER to act?As a LEAD?
No way, she thought, watching Leo's self-absorbed, confident grin. Leo is still Leo, completely delusional!
An hour later, Leo had finalized his "Dream Team."
In his opinion, these actors, whether in terms of look, temperament, or raw talent were the perfect embodiments of the Jujutsu Kaisen cast. He jotted the list down on his phone to send to Lauren.
THE CAST OF JUJUTSU KAISEN (LIVE ACTION):
- Gojo Satoru: Leo Vance
- Yuji Itadori: Lucas Miller
- Megumi Fushiguro: Steven Grant
- Nobara Kugisaki: Bella Brooks
- Suguru Geto: Robert Sterling
- Yuta Okkotsu: Justin Cross
- Maki Zen'in: Jade Lane
- Mai Zen'in: Maya Lane
- Kasumi Miwa: Riley Evans
- Kento Nanami: Mason Knight
- Aoi Todo: Ashton Stone
- Shoko Ieiri: Natalie G.
Some of these younger actors didn't have "perfect" acting skills yet. But in Leo's eyes, that didn't matter. A director's job was to steer the ship.
With his "God-Tier Director" and "God-Tier Acting" buffs from the system, coaching these kids would be effortless. He could teach a golden retriever to play Hamlet if he had to.
With the right makeup, costume design, and the "character aura" boost from the system, these actors would become their characters. If Ashton Stone wasn't naturally built like a brick wall, I'd use elevated soles, forced perspectives, and CGI to make him look like a total tank.
And the most important part? In his previous life, every single person on this list was a massive superstar who could carry an entire franchise on their own.
Putting them all in one project? It wouldn't just be a hit, it would be a nuclear explosion at the box office.