Behind the scenes, agents at CAA moved swiftly to capitalize on the studio's interest and their client's heat. They brokered a deal for Alex Hayes and his co-writer, Michael Swerdlick, selling the screenplay to Universal for $150,000. Crucially, the deal came with a significant condition attached: Alex Hayes was guaranteed the opportunity to play the lead role should the studio move forward with producing the film.
Across town in Beverly Hills, a celebratory meeting convened within the sleek, modern offices of Creative Artists Agency. Alex Hayes, still processing the whirlwind, sat with his co-writer, Michael Swerdlick. Across from them were the agency power players: the formidable Michael Ovitz, the sharp Ron Meyer, and Nancy Jones – Alex's own agent and, significantly, his aunt. Nancy had guided Alex's career from the beginning, balancing familial support with fierce professional representation, a dynamic well-understood within CAA's walls.
The mood was buoyant. Ovitz offered brief but sincere congratulations. "Excellent work, both of you. Universal moved quickly. That's good."
Ron Meyer leaned forward, outlining the specifics. "So, the deal is closed at $150,000 for the script. Universal is tentatively budgeting the picture around $4 million..." He looked directly at Alex. "And the acting fee for you, Alex, is locked at $200,000. A very solid number, especially tied to your own material."
Nancy Jones smiled, a blend of professional satisfaction and familial pride in her expression. "It's a fantastic narrative," she affirmed. "The My Bodyguard heat, the script sale, you starring... it gives us leverage." She glanced at Ovitz and Meyer, her tone encompassing both agency strategy and perhaps a hint of protective oversight for her nephew. "We'll be looking closely at the supporting roles, naturally. This is a great opportunity to package some of our other clients alongside Alex, ensure he has a strong ensemble around him."
"Alex," Meyer began, his tone practical but encouraging, "as development proceeds, people at the studio, and us here, will start thinking about casting. Particularly the female lead – that chemistry is going to be crucial for a film like this." He paused briefly. "Have you had any thoughts on that yourself? Anyone you envisioned when you and Michael were writing, or maybe other young actresses you admire?"
Alex blinked, momentarily shifting from the excitement of the deal to the practicalities of filmmaking. He'd been so focused on the writing and the whirlwind success of My Bodyguard that casting his own co-star hadn't fully registered. He looked at Swerdlick, then back at the expectant faces of the agents – his aunt Nancy, Ron Meyer, Michael Ovitz – who now represented his burgeoning career.
The $14 million gross of My Bodyguard felt simultaneously momentous and like yesterday's news. Today, the focus was already shifting to a $4 million teen comedy yet to be cast, a film resting squarely on his still-young shoulders. The pressure, and the potential, had just ratcheted up another notch.
"Well," Alex started, thinking about the character they'd written, the girl who starts as the popular ideal but becomes so much more. "She... she definitely needs to be beautiful, you know? Like, someone you absolutely believe is that 'it' girl, the cheerleader everyone looks at. That's kind of crucial for the whole setup to work, for why Ronald wants her."
He paused, considering the business side he was rapidly learning about. "And I guess... part of me thinks it would help the movie if she's already fairly popular? Someone the audience knows a bit?" He hesitated, then added the counterpoint, "But then again... maybe a totally fresh face would be better? Someone who feels completely real, who you haven't seen everywhere else? It might make her change, when she starts showing who she really is underneath, feel more surprising, more genuine."
He looked around the table slightly self-consciously, then offered the idea that had been floating in his mind. "I don't know... maybe we should look at models who are starting to act? Someone who obviously has the look, but brings that freshness we need?"
The agents listened intently. Ovitz remained impassive, absorbing the input. Meyer gave a thoughtful nod, while Nancy Jones watched her nephew, acknowledging the validity of his points. Alex had articulated the classic casting dilemma: balancing perceived bankability with the need for authentic character portrayal. His input, grounded in his understanding of the character he co-created, was now officially part of the development process.
It was Nancy who offered a suggestion.
"You know who might fit that perfectly?" Nancy said, her eyes lighting up with an idea. "Phoebe Cates."
The name hung in the air for a moment. Meyer frowned slightly. "Phoebe Cates?" Ovitz looked towards Nancy, waiting for elaboration. Even Alex and Swerdlick didn't show immediate recognition of the name in an acting context.
Nancy seized the opening, ready to elaborate. "She's primarily been modeling, but she's huge with the teen girl demographic right now. She was just on the cover of Seventeen magazine a few months back." She pushed her chair back slightly. "Hang on..."
She walked briskly over to a shelf in the well-appointed office, rummaging briefly before pulling out a recent issue of the magazine. She returned to the table and laid it down, displaying the cover featuring a young, stunningly beautiful brunette – Phoebe Cates.
"This," Nancy stated, tapping the cover. "Every teenage girl in America knows this face. She's got that beauty Alex mentioned, absolutely believable as the popular girl. But she's not really known as an actress yet, just starting out. She fits that 'popular enough, but still fresh' window perfectly."
She continued, providing crucial context, "And the timing might be right. We know she's serious about transitioning to acting full-time. She's been making the rounds, meeting with us, WMA, the others, looking for the right opportunity."
Meyer picked up the magazine, studying the cover. Ovitz peered at it as well. Nancy had presented a concrete option, backed by visual evidence of appeal to their target audience, and fitting the parameters Alex himself had just outlined. A beautiful, relatively fresh face that teenage girls already recognized – it was a compelling pitch.
Alex stared at the cover too; she definitely had the look, he thought to himself. Yeah, maybe... maybe it will work, if she can act that is.
The agents exchanged glances, the wheels clearly turning. Phoebe Cates was now officially on their radar for Alex Hayes's film.
The suggestion of Phoebe Cates lingered in the air long after the meeting at CAA concluded. Armed with the agency's consensus and her own conviction, Nancy Jones moved decisively. She reached out to Phoebe Cates, capitalizing on the actress's ambition to transition from modeling. Impressed by CAA's interest and the specific project tied to Alex Hayes, Cates signed with Nancy Jones, officially joining the agency's roster. True to her plan, one of Nancy's first actions was submitting her new client for the female lead – the "Cindy" role – in the upcoming Universal film based on the Hayes and Swerdlick script.
Meanwhile, Universal Pictures was putting the pieces together for the project. Thom Mount, the president of the studio known for having a good eye for young talent, was tasked with finding a director. He sought someone with a fresh perspective, someone who could capture the nuances of the teen romantic comedy script. His choice landed on Amy Heckerling, a promising, sharp-witted director, then just 26 years old, who had garnered attention with her short films. Heckerling was brought on board, eager to make her mark with a studio feature.
With the director in place and CAA championing their client, the casting process moved forward. Phoebe Cates auditioned for the role of Cindy Mancini. Her combination of beauty, vulnerability, and the fresh-faced quality that both Alex and the agents had discussed resonated with Heckerling and the studio executives. The stars aligned. Following successful auditions and screen tests, the decision was made: Phoebe Cates was officially cast as the female lead opposite Alex Hayes. The key elements were now falling into place, paving the way for the film to move into pre-production.
With the director and lead actors secured, the remaining pre-production elements for the film began to lock into place. Universal also negotiated the rights to use the iconic Beatles song "Can't Buy Me Love" itself, reportedly paying around $80,000 to incorporate the famous track, complementing the film's title and themes.
Attention then turned to finding the perfect setting to represent the archetypal American high school backdrop for the story. Location scouts settled on Tucson, Arizona, selecting the sprawling campus of Tucson High Magnet School as the primary filming location. As the summer drew to a close, contracts were finalized, crews were hired, and schedules were set. Finally, with all the pieces assembled, the film officially went on floors in September, marking the transition from development deals and casting discussions to the tangible reality of production.
As cameras began rolling for Can't Buy Me Love in Tucson under the bright Arizona sky that September, "My Bodyguard" cumulative domestic gross surged past the $27 million mark. Its theater count was gradually decreasing from its peak, but it continued to draw audiences, solidifying its status as the summer's most unexpected cinematic success story. Industry insiders and Universal executives now considered it a foregone conclusion that the film would easily top $30 million domestically before ending its run. For Alex Hayes, stepping onto the set of his own movie, this news served as a potent reminder of the incredible momentum generated by My Bodyguard – a wave of success he was now riding into his next venture.