The Warner Bros. executive office felt charged with a nervous energy that had little to do with the usual Hollywood hustle. Paul Brickman, the writer and designated director for the long-gestating project "Risky Business," paced restlessly near the window, his irritation palpable. Across the sleek conference table, producers Jon Avnet and Steve Tisch exchanged uneasy glances.
"Six months," Brickman muttered, running a hand through his hair. "Six months we've been searching, auditioning hundreds of kids, and nobody felt right. Now the studio just... summons this Alex Hayes kid because he had a good run last year? Without even asking me?"
Jon Avnet leaned forward, attempting to soothe him. "Paul, we know it's unorthodox. But face it, we were stalled. The studio sees momentum with Hayes, they think he has the heat. It got him in the door, got us this meeting."
"And if he's wrong?" Brickman countered, stopping his pacing to face them. "If he's just flavor-of-the-month?"
Steve Tisch chimed in, his tone calm. "Then he's wrong. Paul, you still have final say. This is just a meeting. Warner Bros. put him on our radar because of the buzz, because Nancy Jones pushed hard at CAA, but if he walks in here and he isn't Joel Goodsen, we thank him for his time and keep looking. You know that. We back your vision."
Brickman sighed, still unconvinced but slightly mollified by the reminder of his creative control. He slumped into a chair just as the intercom buzzed and a secretary announced their guest had arrived.
The door opened, and Alex Hayes walked in.
The effect was immediate. The three men stared, momentarily silenced. Alex had made a calculated choice. Drawing on the vivid, almost mnemonic dreams he'd had – seeing this world through the eyes of the actor who played Joel Goodsen in another timeline – Alex had deliberately dressed the part. The crisp button-down, the slacks, the jacket, the Wayfarers – it was Joel Goodsen, precisely as Brickman had envisioned. Alex knew, on some level, it felt like cheating, using this foreknowledge, but the script had resonated deeply, and he felt an absolute conviction that he could bring Joel, with all his complexities, authentically to life. He slid the glasses off, adopting a subtle nervousness, a cautious intelligence he remembered as intrinsic to Joel's initial persona. He offered a polite, slightly reserved smile.
"Mr. Brickman, Mr. Avnet, Mr. Tisch. Thanks for seeing me."
Introductions were made, hands shaken. Avnet and Tisch initiated some preliminary conversation, mentioning the recent articles celebrating his 1981 successes. Alex answered easily, politely, but there was an underlying thoughtfulness, a hint of Joel's cautious intelligence in his demeanor.
Brickman remained mostly silent initially, observing Alex intently, his writer-director's mind dissecting every nuance. He had been prepared to dislike this studio-pushed candidate on principle. Yet, watching Alex, hearing him speak – not just the words, but the way he carried himself, the subtle blend of privileged background, nascent anxiety, and sharp intellect – Brickman felt an unsettling sense of déjà vu.
Avnet steered the conversation towards the script. "So, Alex, you had a chance to read Paul's script overnight?"
"I did," Alex confirmed, meeting Brickman's gaze directly now. "It's sharp. Uncomfortable in places, funny in others. Joel's... walking a tightrope."
Brickman leaned forward, his earlier irritation forgotten, replaced by intense curiosity. "What's your take on him? On Joel?"
Alex considered for a moment. "He's a kid playing grown-up games he doesn't understand until it's almost too late," he said thoughtfully. "He thinks he wants freedom, excitement... maybe he really just wants to meet expectations, his parents', society's. The whole thing is a pressure cooker, and Lana is the catalyst."
Just minutes into the conversation, listening to Alex articulate insights that mirrored his own intentions for the character, watching the way Alex subtly inhabited Joel's nervous energy even while sitting perfectly still, Paul Brickman knew. This kid understood Joel Goodsen on an instinctive level. The search, the frustrating six months of development hell, felt suddenly, irrevocably over.
"Tell me, Alex," he began, truly engaging for the first time, "let's talk about that scene with Lana in the hotel..." The rest of the meeting flowed smoothly, with Alex discussing his thoughts on key scenes and Brickman clearly impressed.
The meeting concluded on a clearly positive note, with handshakes exchanged and mutual enthusiasm expressed. As the door clicked shut behind Alex Hayes, the remaining three men looked at each other, the charged atmosphere from before replaced with a different kind of energy.
"Wow," Steve Tisch breathed, looking between Avnet and Brickman. "Okay. I see what the studio was excited about."
Brickman nodded slowly, still processing. "He gets it. He gets Joel."
Avnet leaned back in his chair, a thoughtful expression on his face. "Did you notice, though?" he asked the room. "When he first walked in, that nervous energy, the way he held himself... it felt like he was acting the part of Joel Goodsen for us. Very subtly done. But then, when he started talking about the script, analyzing the character, that initial layer dropped."
Tisch nodded in agreement. "You're right. There was a definite difference between the way he entered this room and the way he just left. He walked in looking exactly like Joel Goodsen, almost tentative. He left as Alex Hayes – confident, thoughtful, clearly intelligent."
Brickman considered this. He hadn't consciously clocked it as acting during the meeting, only that Alex seemed to embody the character perfectly right away, and then impressed him further with his insights. But hearing the producers articulate it, he realized they were right. The kid hadn't just shown up looking the part; he'd performed the essence of the character from the moment he entered, then transitioned seamlessly into discussing the role as himself.
"My God," Brickman murmured, a look of genuine admiration replacing his earlier skepticism. "He played us. He played the room."
"Or," Tisch countered with a smile, "he just proved he's one hell of an actor. To have that instinct, that control, even in a meeting? That's rare."
Avnet nodded. "Exactly. He didn't just convince us he could play Joel Goodsen. He showed us the level of craft he possesses." They all sat back, the initial frustration of the morning replaced by the shared excitement of having found not just a suitable actor, but potentially, a truly great one for their risky project.
******
Okay, adding a section detailing the rapid developments after the meeting, Alex's deal for "Risky Business," and his promotional duties for "Fast Times at Ridgemont High."
Their assessment proved prophetic. Things happened quickly after that. Warner Bros., fueled by the unanimous enthusiasm from Brickman and the producers, moved decisively. Within days, contracts were drawn up and negotiations, spearheaded by Nancy Jones and Michael Ovitz at CAA, were swiftly concluded. Alex Hayes officially signed on to star as Joel Goodsen in "Risky Business."
The deal itself was significant, marking a new echelon in Alex's career. He commanded a salary of $1 million, a figure that firmly placed him among Hollywood's A-list actors, reflecting the bankability proven by his 1981 successes. The film itself was greenlit with a budget of $7 million, a substantial investment for a potentially edgy teen drama, with Alex's salary representing a significant chunk upfront. With the deal locked, the production schedule was set: filming for "Risky Business" would commence in July.
But before diving into Joel Goodsen's world, Alex had commitments related to his other upcoming release. June was dedicated largely to promotional activities for "Fast Times at Ridgemont High," the ensemble high school comedy slated for an August release. This involved a whirlwind of press junkets, photo shoots, and television appearances. Adding to the media interest, Alex navigated these promotional duties alongside his co-star, Phoebe Cates, with whom he was now publicly known to be a couple. Their joint interviews and appearances generated significant buzz, blending genuine affection with the required publicity push for the film.
June came and went in a flurry of flashing bulbs, carefully crafted soundbites, and cross-country travel for screenings and events. As the calendar page turned, July arrived, bringing with it the familiar mix of anticipation and pressure. The promotional tour for "Fast Times" wound down, and Alex shifted his focus entirely. It was time to step back into Joel Goodsen's carefully chosen attire, this time not for a meeting, but for the day of shooting on "Risky Business."