India, April 19 -- In the early 90s, a million-dollar payday was a big deal for any actor. The biggest stars at the time were charging $6-8 million per film. This means that for everyone apart from the Bruce Willises and Arnold Schwarzeneggers of the world, a $2-million fee for a single film was a big deal in 1993. Yet, when Disney offered this sum to a 13-year-old with little acting experience, he rejected it. And yet, ended up making much more over the next few years. This is the story of Hollywood's boldest contract negotiation.

Jason Weaver began his acting career in 1990 with an appearance on Oprah Winfrey's 1990 television series Brewster Place at the age of 11. He then played a young Michael Jackson in the 1992 miniseries The Jack...