Several years ago, I was entrusted with reserving a specific private villa—undoubtedly the finest in Bora Bora. A mere thirty minutes of exploring the island on Google Earth would make the choice obvious to anyone; its splendor was unparalleled. Following some correspondence with their reservation contact, I began receiving phone calls.
These calls were from the villa's owner at the time. Though he often called at odd hours, it was no bother. Our conversations seemed casual and friendly, despite the interruptions to my sleep. He shared with me the sorrow he felt over the recent passing of his friend Johnny Hallyday and recounted the wonderful times their families had spent together in Bora Bora. We discussed football, reminiscing about the coach Ivan Vutsov from the 80s. He also claimed to have produced Hollywood movies, and we chatted about various topics for over twenty minutes at a time, day after day. Initially, I perceived him as an elderly man with too much free time, and I even questioned if he was truly the owner.
After several conversations, the purpose became clear. He was vetting me to understand the kind of people he would be welcoming into his property. A quick online search of his name revealed his identity: he had indeed produced major blockbusters such as Pretty Woman and Fight Club, among many others.
His name was Arnon Milchan.