of Presley's band later stated that Parker had no idea just how bad the situation was getting. However, other friends and members of Presley's entourage have stood by the suggestion that Parker didn't want to admit there was such a problem because he didn't know how to deal with it, and he was also worried about any negative publicity it would create. According to Parker himself, he did privately attempt to talk to his client a number of times about the matter, but allegedly every time Parker casually told Presley to quit or at least tone it down with the pill popping and binge eating, Presley would respond by telling Parker to stay out of his personal business. From 1974 onward, Presley's weight gain and prescription drug abuse became too much to be controlled. In Las Vegas, he was starting to appear drugged on stage, slurring his words and forgetting song lyrics. 1975–1977 In February 1975, during his engagement in Las Vegas, Presley, along with Parker, met with Barbra Streisand and Jon Peters. They discussed the possibility of Presley's co-starring with Streisand in a remake of the film A Star Is Born. Seeing it as a chance to finally be taken seriously as an actor, Presley agreed to take the role if the contracts could be worked out. According to Presley's friend, Jerry Schilling, Presley was excited about the opportunity to take on a new challenge. Streisand's production company, First Artists, offered Presley a salary of $500,000 ($ in dollars) and 10% of the profits. Parker, who had always dealt with Presley's film contracts and viewed the offer as a starting bid to earning more money, instead asked for a salary $1 million ($ in dollars), 50% of the profits, plus another $100,000 ($ in dollars) for expenses, and spoke of needing to arrange details of a soundtrack deal. First Artists, not used to such huge demands, didn't put forward a counter-offer and decided instead to offer the role, along with the original salary offer, to Kris Kristofferson, who accepted. Parker later claimed that Presley had asked him to make the contract so demanding so that they would not offer him the part, although many of Presley's friends have contradicted Parker's statement because they had said Presley was furious at losing the role. Later in 1975, the government of Saudi Arabia offered Parker $5 million for Presley to perform there.