This is equally Hollywood-weird: One time, Warren Beatty ambushed me in the outdoor restaurant at the Hotel Bel-Air.
Warren’s agent had asked if we—meaning the agent and I—could meet. I agreed to that. When we met, the agent told me, in strict confidence, that Warren Beatty might want to talk to me. “Sure,” I said. “I’d love to meet Warren Beatty.”
The agent shook hands with me and left. Okay. Fine. Less than a minute later, Beatty strolled up to my table, said hello, and sat down. He’d been there in the restaurant the whole time.
We talked for a while, mostly about an idea he had for a mystery film and whether I’d like to collaborate with him. I’d heard (and I don’t know if this was true) that Warren had trouble pushing the “go” button on projects, so I told him I wanted to think about it, but eventually I declined. I don’t even know if it was a serious offer.
I met with Idris Elba one time in the Roof Garden at the Peninsula Hotel. Idris wanted to play Alex Cross, and I wanted Idris to play Alex. I loved the BBC crime drama Luther that he’d starred in for five seasons. Idris is physically imposing. He’s also a very funny man.
Jamie Foxx was very interested in playing Alex Cross too (this was well after the two films starring Morgan Freeman). Jamie even agreed to a meeting at Paramount, which is somewhat unusual for a star like him. It’s not unusual for writers. Our problem is actually getting a meeting.
Paramount—which owned the rights to Cross—was going through some ups and downs at the time. Jamie and I met with the fourth or fifth different production head they’d had in about a year. This guy was basically a kid, outfitted in a wrinkled T-shirt and ripped jeans, and he seemed pretty full of himself. He asked Jamie, “What would be so different about this new film from our last two Alex Cross films?”
Jamie started to laugh. Then he said, “Do I look like Morgan Freeman to you?”
Then Jamie turned on the charm and I was sure he knew the head of production from somewhere in their Hollywood pasts. When we were leaving Paramount, I asked Jamie about it. He doubled over, laughing. “I never met that squirrelly little fucker in my life.”