King of Hollywood
Chapter 630 - 38: Promotion

Chapter 630: Chapter 38: Promotion

Speculating about human emotions is always an intriguing affair, particularly when it comes to women’s thoughts. Often, humans are the most irrational beings in the world; their minds might short-circuit, leading them to commit unbelievable acts, even those who are generally rational and composed. Even Adrian, who balanced his emotions and logic well, wasn’t he also unsettled by Natalie’s situation?

Thus, sometimes when you think you have captured someone’s thoughts and make specific plans accordingly, you might still end up failing. Under the influence of both emotions and logic, no one can be entirely certain what someone else is thinking, especially women, as they tend to be more emotional and therefore more impulsive.

Take Nicole’s behavior for instance, saying she let go and completely gave in to her desires could be understandable; saying she used this method to remind herself not to get too deeply involved is also plausible; but saying things like asking for an increase in the prostitution fee was most likely a slip of the tongue, something she hadn’t thoroughly considered. Even if Nicole realized it later, she wouldn’t care, as such thoughts wouldn’t have been expressed if they weren’t already on her mind.

Thus, exploring human, especially female, psychology, is quite fascinating. Of course, Adrian also agreed to her price hike, even paying a hundred US dollars to be with Nicole Kidman was worth it, let alone five or one US dollar. The men who harbor thoughts about her would show some interesting expressions if they knew this.

Once again, he went to the set of "Billy Elliot" to check the film’s progress and exchanged opinions with the British director, Stephen Daldry. Finally, Adrian left London. Little Emma really wanted to go with him to the United States, but school was still a few days from the summer break, so she had to give up on coming along. Initially, Little Emma was quite upset, but soon cheered up because Adrian comforted her, "Be optimistic, dear, just think, in a few days you’ll be able to come to America. If your aunt agrees, you can stay at my place all summer break, so why fuss over this little time?"

Although the little one often disagreed with him and always tried various means to show off in front of him, this time she accepted whatever he said. Of course, this was also because Little Emma had to stay for school and couldn’t go to the airport to send him off, otherwise, she definitely would have concocted some pranks to "punish" Adrian. _{free\we\bnov(e)(l).com}

It was already settled that Keeley and her mother would accompany Adrian to Los Angeles. The ostensible reason was to better arrange everything in America, but the real motives were unspoken. The effect was quite evident; initially, Blanchett and both Gwyneths had been stunned by the lavish environment of his private jet, and this was no different for the inexperienced Keeley and Amber, it was clear from their gleaming eyes.

"Mom, this is really fantastic," Amber managed to control herself, but Keeley couldn’t help but whisper this to her mother, her eyes on Adrian taking on a different sheen.

She already knew that even upon arriving in the US, she wouldn’t immediately get any roles and would need training instead, so she was no longer constantly whining about becoming an overnight sensation in America. But this made her more determined than ever to seize any opportunity. Being stimulated by Adrian’s private jet only increased her desire to become famous. Although she wasn’t as clever as some women, she was smart enough to know what she needed to do.

There wasn’t much to be done in Los Angeles; Adrian simply settled Keeley and her mother and let Lin Xilei make other arrangements. Currently, he only needed to focus on post-production work for three movies; this could be done at a leisurely pace. "Gladiator" was about to premiere, but there was still a few days, so for now, he was quite relaxed.

Spending time with women, with his daughter, or visiting various film sets, Small Emma’s "Little Miss Sunshine" was already two-thirds complete, it wasn’t a major production after all. "Spy Kids" was nearing completion, but Leighton had begun noticeably growing taller, which meant if there was to be a sequel, the script would need revising or a different actor might need to be cast.

"So, for now, your focus should remain on the TV shows, build up your popularity, hone your acting skills, and don’t keep aiming for roles that might make you an instant star. The earlier you become famous, the harder it will be to transition later, understand? So having ’Spy Kids’ now is already enough," Adrian said to her.

Maybe somewhat reluctantly, Leighton still accepted this, then posed a question, "Then why... do you want me to go to Burbank High School? That place is..."

"Because I think," Adrian laughed as he interrupted her, "you need to learn to regain confidence, Leighton, to have your pride. You need to show those rich kids that everything you have was earned, not given by your parents like theirs. So, I have another task for you; you should try to become the cheerleading captain."

Leighton’s expression changed slightly at first, but she quickly regained her composure, perhaps due to Adrian’s serious tone. After a moment, she asked an odd question, "Do you want to see me in a cheerleader’s outfit?"

"Of course, that’s definitely tempting," Adrian did not conceal his thoughts, "Additionally, I’ve already spoken with your agent. Some funds can be withdrawn through him without going through your mother."

The girl looked at him with some surprise, and after a twitch of her lips, she soon revealed a smile, which seemed much less forced than before: "Thank you."

"There’s no need. I like those girls who understand propriety and know when to advance or retreat. Since you’ve chosen me, I won’t let you get hurt," Adrian said, touching her cheek with a condescending tone.

Whether it was Sarah or Kirsten, at least they had a mother who cared about them. However, like Leighton, girls who severely lack a sense of security still need to be protected—other than that one time in the study, Adrian had not touched her since, especially since she was still developing. To avoid giving her the wrong idea, he specifically told her his thoughts, which was also a form of respect.

But, it was not always possible to accommodate her. Sometimes, it was necessary to assert his authority; otherwise, she would only feel less secure.

Skipping over these aspects, "She’s All That" had also begun shooting. Keira’s image truly suited the female lead, especially her medium-short hair, which gave her a unique charm.

"This role is quite interesting, it would be nice if she was British," Keira said with a hint of regret while praising the role.

Well, she was British, after all. Fortunately, she had practiced American English when she came to the United States for "The Phantom Menace," so accent was not an issue. Otherwise, it would have been problematic. As for the handsome, sunny male lead from Australia, she didn’t have a high opinion of him: "He’s clueless. He’s fine during shooting but acts like a fool otherwise, only knowing how to giggle stupidly."

Clueless? If Heath Ledger heard this comment, he would definitely be depressed. Sure enough, "She’s All That," this campus romantic comedy, featured Heath Ledger, an Australian youth, as the male lead. Because of Adrian, this actor, formerly known for his life-burning performances and premature death in a former life, had a different track in life.

The most direct change was that since the script for "10 Things I Hate About You" came out almost a decade ago, he had only started making his way to Hollywood in the latter half of last year. He wasn’t too averse to teen movies, so when invited by the crew of "She’s All That," after some hesitation, he accepted.

Upon learning of his movement into Hollywood, Adrian did not hesitate to notify Ovitz to take down his agent’s contract. This was certainly a way to expand his Australian contingent further and was also based on seeing the potential in Heath Ledger. Although Ledger had been somewhat overhyped in his previous life, simply put, just as with River, who died in ’93, there was a claim that the entire ’90s belonged to him—a regret for the premature death of a talented actor.

However, without ability and recognition, even a dramatic death wouldn’t inspire any sorrow. Besides, he was still just a sunny, big boy, cordial to everyone but occasionally not comprehensive in his thinking. Worthy of nurture and guidance, as long as he didn’t succumb to drugs, the tragedy might not repeat itself, especially considering many things in the future had already changed.

Yet for this very reason, when Keira wore clothes meant to show off her figure, he curiously glanced at her chest, though he quickly looked away. However, how could the sensitive Keira not notice? So, if she had any fond feelings for him, that really would be surprising.

Of course, this was in the United States, so Keira, despite her dissatisfaction, had to restrain herself. Additionally, her mother was with her; she couldn’t be as unrestrained as in the United Kingdom, otherwise she would have been pestering Adrian for massages constantly. This had to be consistently maintained for the effects to be clear.

In comparison, Scarlett had fewer confusions. "X-Men" finally started shooting, and with Sony joining and detailed pre-production, the investment was much higher than the original. Summing it up, excluding promotional expenses, the final cost might exceed $100 million. That was nothing, even if the box office was similar to the original, it was enough to break even, not to mention the extensive merchandise—X-Men’s merchandise and Spider-Man’s were easier to profit from with so many likable characters. As long as there was affection, money would be spent; this was one of the reasons Sony was willing to participate.

Finally, the part of Jean Grey landed on Zetajones. Though she was still involved in Soderbergh’s "Traffic" at the time, because the story progressed on three fronts without a fixed lead, Zetajones was not overly busy and could fully commit time to another movie. It must be said, makeup artists are miraculous. After their careful preparation, Zetajones, dressed in a ladies’ suit and wearing glasses, still carried a hint of allure, but the scholarly aura was emphasized, adding a layer of diversity to the character.

"Having the opportunity to play a superhero on screen is rare," Adrian said, after sizing her up on set.

"But I’ve heard that playing a superhero, though beneficial for expanding popularity, can easily typecast an actor, especially females. Julia Roberts, for example, has never considered such roles," Zetajones replied somewhat resentfully, having agreed to the role only at Adrian’s insistence.

"That’s because I didn’t plan it for her," Adrian laughed heartily. "As for Julia, aren’t there just no suitable superheroes that fit her persona? Okay, I know there’s a movie later this half of the year that invited you and her to co-star. I also know some media are comparing you two; if you feel uneasy about it, how about we find a time to sit down, and I’ll chat with both you and her?"

His tone had become meaningfully deep by the end of his statement, an implication Zetajones could easily discern. But before she could respond, Adrian swiftly changed the subject. "By the way, you’re only one of the main characters in this movie, so it won’t count among those four you were promised."

Silenced, Zetajones couldn’t help but recall that night at the reception hosted by Universal shortly after Adrian’s return from London. It was during that event, while Michael Douglas had been pestering her, that Adrian had walked over and casually wrapped his arm around her waist, then asked with a slightly surprised tone, "Am I interrupting something?"

Douglas seemed momentarily choked up, unable to speak, though he tried to control his emotion; the change in his expression was quite evident. A few minutes later, he finally regained his composure, muttered a few words, then turned and walked away, never bothering her again.

Truthfully, this older man was quite decent—despite being pesky, he was gentlemanly. Not only did he share the same birthday as her, but he also had extensive connections in Hollywood. To her strategies, marrying him might not have been a bad choice. Of course, such thoughts merely flickered through Zetajones’s mind briefly before vanishing; she had met Adrian before him.

Zetajones had thought about breaking away from Adrian altogether; after all, he had so many women—adding one more or one less made no difference to him. And seeing his greed, even that seemed not enough—Scarlett, who played Rogue in ’X-Men,’ had always been flirty with him. Although they were careful, others might not notice, but she did.

But whenever she faced Adrian’s probing eyes, certain words would just choke in her throat and remain unspoken. Moreover, the lure of an award for Best Supporting Actress or even Best Actress attracted her; the former was a promise he had made, and for the latter, she believed she was no less deserving than Blanchett and Monica. If they could win it, why couldn’t she?

Since things had already reached this stage, why not just continue? Zetajones finally thought. She didn’t realize that every time her mind wavered, it always ended with this thought.

As for what she was thinking, Adrian really didn’t have much time to ponder. He knew this woman had no chance to break free. Sometimes, benefits bound people more effectively, especially restless women; this was the dazzling and constantly tempting entertainment industry, not a church or charity.

Regarding Scarlett, even though he couldn’t appear overly intimate with her on set, and thinking long-term, he couldn’t be too entangled with her frequently, like with Leighton—but he still needed to invest effort in her, to solidify the foundation more—hadn’t this foundation already become quite solid through their past interactions? Was he going to wait until later to put in more effort? Scarlett was still going to grow up after all; she was neither Sarah nor Kirsten, and Adrian did not want another incident like Natalie.

"You really put a lot of thought into this," Ivanka, who by now was incessantly sarcastic as these matters passed through her hands, remarked. Powerless to resist, she had to settle for a verbal advantage.

To this, Adrian just laughed heartily. Charlize had often done the same, and over time, she gradually changed. Revisiting those feelings now wasn’t so bad, but he wondered what Charlize, now at ABC, would think of all this.

Yes, after returning from London, Ivanka, who had practically aced her tests, had taken over completely as secretary assistant. Charlize had left everything to her and started a new Chapter in her life at ABC, but then again...

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"Have you heard? The head of the planning department was finally replaced after being vacant for over a month."

"Yes, I heard it’s someone from the corporate headquarters and that it’s a woman in her twenties."

"You’re joking, right? A woman in her twenties as head of the planning department?"

"Well, just know that this woman has served almost six or seven years as a secretary to the chairman of the board at the headquarters, and you’ll understand."

"Wow, are you talking about the secretary to that famous playboy?"

"That’s right, I’ve heard from people at the headquarters that this woman is quite impressive in bed, keeping Adrian very satisfied."

"Wouldn’t it be better to cast her in a movie then? How can a mere decoration understand how to manage such an important department?"

As word spread that Charlize was about to become head of the planning department at ABC, employees throughout the company, regardless of gender, began discussing the topic. Naturally, most of the gossip centered on the relationship between the female secretary and the boss, with office rumors spreading not much less than the tabloids outside.

Interestingly, the response from the planning department staff was relatively muted as if they were uninterested in this news, but others were sure not to let them off the hook.

"Hey Edward, have you met the new department head? What do you think? I heard she’s pretty, right?" During a spare moment, an employee caught another passing by the planning department and asked, while others perked up their ears.

"Indeed, she is quite beautiful," Edward nodded, "but she seems rather aloof, as if not really considering us much."

"That’s strange; according to the usual storylines, shouldn’t she be very proud, not deeming anyone worthy of her attention?" someone chuckled.

"She started off by distributing a planning document for everyone to evaluate; maybe she does have some capabilities," Edward added.

"Is that so? How is it? Can you guys stand having such a young, beautiful woman as your boss?" another person asked.

"What’s the big deal? As long as it’s not Mr. Bruto as the department head, I’m fine," Edward shrugged nonchalantly. (To be continued. If you like this work, feel free to cast votes and monthly tickets at qidian.com, your support is my greatest motivation.)