King of Hollywood
Chapter 343 - Chapter 343 Chapter 67 Various Thoughts

Chapter 343: Chapter 67 Various Thoughts Chapter 343: Chapter 67 Various Thoughts Because it was an independent film with a budget of just over 10 million, there naturally wasn’t a premiere, and every penny had to be spent wisely. The release was scheduled during the off-season. However, it was precisely because of the off-season that, with Adrian’s mediation, the film reached 1500 theaters. He definitely wouldn’t let Natalie suffer.

Speaking honestly, it was a pretty good film. Richard Ryan was already talented in handling landscape shots and managed to capture the subtle warmth between father and daughter quite well. Even though it was quite different from the original, it was definitely better in terms of viewing appeal. Still, the box office might not be high, after all, the film’s biggest conflict was about fighting with officials from the Environmental Protection Agency over wild geese, and the other conflict, the father-daughter relationship, was dealt with in a trickle-down manner. As such, people who liked it thought it was great, while those who didn’t might find it a bit too subdued, and given that the environmental theme was not particularly popular, one could imagine the result.

But the Helarg family all liked it a lot.

“This is an outstanding film, warm and beautiful, making me suddenly want to travel to Canada and follow the film’s shooting route all the way south,” Evan said, rarely so talkative, after coming out of the cinema. If this kind of emotional disclosure was common, Shelly wouldn’t be constantly shaking her head, while Natalie covered her mouth and laughed.

“Yes, Nata’s performance was very impressive,” Adrian echoed, “Although I knew from the start that she was well-suited for the role, she did even better than I had imagined.”

Indeed, Natalie was arguably the biggest highlight of the entire film. She nailed the daughter role’s little quirks and small distances perfectly; just this point alone was enough to give the film a seven out of ten.

“Well… I think I was just very immersed,” Natalie said, becoming uneasy again as Adrian looked her way, with a flush quickly passing over her cheeks.

“Oh, Nata is shy,” said Shelly, oblivious to the situation, as she hugged her daughter and lovingly ruffled her hair.

“Let’s leave it at that, it was a pleasant evening, so I’ll take my leave now.” Adrian didn’t say much more and then excused himself from leaving, not even offering to see them home, as some things are better not overdone.

After all, his main reason for coming to New York was to invite them to watch “Fly Away Home” – otherwise, he wouldn’t have timed his visit – but he used having business in New York as an excuse.

“He really is a gentleman,” Shelly remarked as she watched Adrian get into the car, while Evan asked his daughter, “What did Ed say to you just now, Nata?”

“Nothing much,” shrugged Natalie, trying to appear calm, “He just asked me if, after trying out a somewhat rebellious daughter role with some distance, I’d be interested in trying a more cunning and mature younger sister role.”

“A more cunning and mature younger sister role?” Evan frowned, “Why does he always introduce you to these kinds of roles? Or does he think controversial roles are the good ones?”

“Dad, Ed’s not like that,” Natalie retorted immediately with exasperation.

“Look,” said Evan, who had been putting on a stern face, as he laughed the next second and teasingly looked at his wife, “Our little Nata has learned to defend outsiders, just thinking about it breaks my heart.”

Natalie paused, feeling a sudden flush of fever on her face, but thankfully she managed to call out angrily in time, “Dad!”

Adjusting her emotions momentarily, Natalie rolled her eyes and put on an exasperated look, as she began to scold her father, “First of all, Ed only introduced me to two roles, and even if the first one caused some controversy, this one surely won’t, right? So where does the notion that ‘controversial roles are good roles’ come from? Besides, you’re jumping to conclusions without even seeing the script. Don’t you think that’s rather arbitrary?”

Saying this, Natalie sighed, patted her father on the back, and then said seriously, “Okay, Dad, stop joking around. It’s not funny at all. Let’s just go home.”

Having said that, she took the lead without looking back towards her own car. Only at that moment did her suppressed heartbeat start to thunderously pound, and her thoughts began to tumult once more. As she got into the car, Natalie couldn’t help but turn her head and look in the direction Adrian had gone, even though she knew he was long gone.

The steamy bathroom was occasionally filled with faint moans. The girl, covered in droplets of water, leaned against the wall of the bathtub with her eyes half-closed. Her delicate body undulated gently under the water, and her pretty face was sometimes seductive, sometimes furrowed in distress, unfathomably alluring. Moments later, she let out a low cry. Her body tensed for a few seconds before she sighed and relaxed. After a while, her half-closed eyes finally opened, looking satisfied yet slightly dazed and, at the same time, tinged with a hint of disgust.

Natalie sat up in the bathtub, leaning on the edge and blankly staring at the floor for a while before bringing her hands together and murmuring softly, “God, have mercy on me according to Your steadfast love; according to Your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions…”

Just like before, she stopped before finishing and let out a low sigh. She had thought she was adjusted, that those images no longer troubled her, but today, just a few interactions with Adrian, what should have been long left behind, surged forth again, leaving her at a loss for a moment.

Up until now, Natalie had always been rational, but after Adrian left, that feeling not only didn’t weaken but grew even stronger. In the midst of her irritation and turmoil, she subconsciously started again while bathing. The somewhat lucid Natalie, upon realizing this, wanted to calm down, but aside from that time in Canada, the very first time in the restaurant bathroom also surfaced in her mind, repeatedly alternating, and she suddenly found herself caught in it, unable to extract herself.

Damn it! Damn it! Why have I become like this? Natalie angrily slapped the water’s surface. Recalling her own actions and the various fantasies in her mind, a sense of shameful guilt immediately surfaced. Especially that second time in Canada when she actually took the initiative to peep! Oh, God, if the first time was accidental, she should have walked away the second time no matter what. How could she willingly do such a thing!

It’s okay, Nata, it’s okay. It’s only because I ran into Ed suddenly, so these things were stirred up. I can get used to it again afterward just like before. Natalie took deep breaths, constantly comforting herself in her heart. It’s already done, just remember never to do it again in the future.

She kept resisting the guilt in her heart, but she didn’t realize that she was unconsciously getting drawn to this slight feeling of guilt.

“Nata, you’ve been in there quite a while,” her mother’s voice came from outside the bathroom. Natalie, immersed in her chaotic emotions, was startled and quickly came back to her senses, replying loudly, “I’ll be right out.”

After hastily washing up, she dried her body, wrapped in a towel, and hurried out, not waiting for her mom to say anything, and playfully rebuked, “Alright, Mom, I just took a bit longer to shower. You don’t need to worry so much. I’m not a child anymore.”

Then she pushed and shoved her mom out the door, “I’m going to rest now, Mom, goodnight, okay?”

“Alright, good night,” Shelly helplessly ended up outside the door.

Natalie breathed a sigh of relief, leaned against the door, and zoned out for a while before she turned off the light and jumped into bed. In order to avoid getting carried away with her thoughts again, she couldn’t help but ponder the new script Adrian had given her, recollecting the few plots he divulged before he left, which she could use to conjecture the whole story.

Although Adrian merely made an inquiry, Natalie no longer had the option to refuse in her heart. She believed Adrian wouldn’t arrange any bad roles for her, because she knew Adrian admired her. And the title of Miracle Director was so resounding, why would she refuse?

Natalie had always known what she wanted and how to fight for it, otherwise she wouldn’t have, after being rejected at the audition for “The Professional,” sought to attract Adrian’s attention by all means, and maintained correspondence with him after witnessing those incidents twice–of course, normally, he indeed was a gentleman.

And yet, with her intelligence and precociousness, she couldn’t help but feel a twinge of jealousy toward Kirsten, the girl around her age who had talked with her on the set of “No Reservations” and who had also auditioned for “The Professional”. That girl had already received one of the highest honors for an actor. How could she not want the same as a competitive and equally ambitious person?

Emma drifted in and out of thoughts about her next film and future plans, her hand sliding down again involuntarily, perhaps to have another vivid dream this evening.

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Although it was released during the off-season and its promotion paled in comparison to even moderate productions, “Fly Away Home” still captured the attention of many.

“A heartwarming family film, albeit a bit exaggerated toward the end, but considering it’s based on a true story, it’s still acceptable and suitable for the whole family to watch.”

“Even though it’s Ryan Richard’s directorial debut, the Canadian landscapes are perfectly presented, and the father-daughter interaction is meticulously portrayed. Despite its low entertainment factor, it’s still worth watching.”

“Natalie Portman becomes the brightest spot in the film. She has shed the precociousness of ‘The Professional’, appearing more adorable and innocent, crafting a heartwarming tale with the little gosling.”

Even though these reviews weren’t lengthy, most film critics gave the movie positive feedback. For a production inherently limited, this was a considerable success, especially as it fared much better than the original reputation. Needless to say, Adrian must have put a lot of effort into this–such is the difference between having support or not.

Nevertheless, despite good reviews and the support of 1500 theaters, the box office during the first three days was still just under 7 million dollars. Being close to seven million wasn’t the same as reaching it. It was truly regrettable; as mentioned before, this genre inherently had its limitations, its target audience wasn’t as broad as those of commercial films, naturally leading to a lower box office.

Adrian didn’t take it to heart. Upon learning of the first weekend box office, he merely acknowledged it with an “oh”, indicating he understood the situation. The movie was made especially for Natalie, and as long as it could recoup its costs, that was enough. Besides, not every movie can make money, and with the company’s current momentum, producing a film that merely breaks even with good reviews is just right.

Moreover, he got the answer he wanted. Although Natalie had said over the phone that she could give it a try, it was essentially equivalent to agreeing. However, when she called, Adrian had already returned to Los Angeles, so he could not visit her again in-person. But perhaps that was for the best. He had seen her anxiety that day, and it was probably better not to aggravate her further for now. Besides, the script was already in development by the writers and would take some time to complete. So, it was best to handle the matters in Los Angeles first, as they were important too.

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“Monica, how much longer? Mr. Hogan is waiting for you,” the director’s assistant opened the door unceremoniously and asked.

“Just a moment, Sam, please, no rushing, okay? Give me at most five more minutes?” the makeup artist replied helplessly, carefully applying makeup to the lead actress’s face.

“Alright, five minutes, but you’d better be quick,” the assistant said irritably. But when he turned to the lead actress, he put on a smile, “Oh, and by the way, Miss Julia, I have some good news, Mr. Adrian has arrived on set.”

To which the Julia sitting in front of the mirror coldly replied, “What does it have to do with me if he’s here?”

The director’s assistant, having hit a snag, stood there speechless for a moment before leaving with a sheepish grin. The makeup artist who saw it all chuckled softly, but Julia’s voice immediately followed, chilly as ever, “Please, a little faster, Monica!”

“Yes… yes, Ms. Julia,” the female makeup artist answered somewhat flusteredly, quickening her movements.

Julia took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil inside her. She didn’t want to be like this; she was known in the crew for her good temperament, but whenever she heard that same name, she couldn’t help feeling a surge of anger.

It was all Ed’s fault! Julia glared at her reflection in the mirror, thinking resentfully. She knew he had other women, but she hadn’t expected there to be so many! Looking at the women at the party celebrating his Best Director award, examining the tabloid stories, given his nature, the chances of that not being true were probably less than 1%.

If it were just Monica or Kate, the two or three of them, Julia could have tolerated it, but why put up with this situation? Did he really think she didn’t know Kate was pregnant? He didn’t take her seriously at all!

Oh, how low she had stooped, even having a threesome with Monica and him. But what had he sacrificed for her?! Julia bit her lip in anger, only snapping back to reality when the makeup artist she called Monica gently spoke up.

“Are you done?” Julia knew the answer; the mirror was in front of her. Looking at the uneasy makeup artist, she managed a strained smile, “Sorry, I was just thinking about something unpleasant.”

Saying this, she stood up and walked out. A cool breeze blew through the corridor, and Julia took a deep breath. The rage that had consumed her seemed to suddenly calm down.

Well, to be fair, Ed… was quite remarkable. At least when he was around her, it felt like he was wholeheartedly devoted to her. Although it seemed silly to say, her instincts told her it was true. He was flirtatious and comforting, Emma quite liked him too, and when she was with him, she’d unconsciously forget everything else, immersed in that blissful atmosphere, not to mention how he always satisfied her in bed…

Realizing she was internally defending Adrian’s Julia, she was momentarily startled and then stopped in her tracks. But after her expression changed a few times, she let out a long sigh and continued to walk out.

Although the movie she starred in with Daniel Washington, “The Pelican Brief,” had been quite successful, it was “Four Weddings and a Funeral” that truly extricated her from the predicament caused by “Dying Young.”

“You’re just right for this kind of role, an independent American woman who dares to pursue her own love,” Adrian had once said to her. He had even specially modified the script of “Four Weddings and a Funeral” for her.

“Independent… daring to pursue one’s own love…” Julia mocked herself with a curl of her lip.

Still, she had to admit, Adrian had hit the nail on the head. Julia had seen the original draft of the script. If the character had stayed that way, even if the movie was well-received, the image she had built up before would have been pointless, and now “My Best Friend’s Wedding” probably wouldn’t suit her either.

He was indeed talented, excelling at scripting, directing, and producing in his career, always achieving success. In his personal life, he could sing, play musical instruments, and he wasn’t a half-bad painter… Plus, although he would never openly confess, he didn’t lie to her, and there was the love pentology he had personally promised… With this thought, Julia sighed again. Well done, Ed, I haven’t even seen you yet, and I’ve already extinguished the anger I had ignited in myself…

Then, her expression suddenly became serious. She straightened her clothes at the door before pushing it open, simultaneously puffing her chest and raising her head, putting on an air of aloof invulnerability. But don’t think it’ll be that easy; if I don’t properly snub you today, I won’t utter a single word to you!

However, as this thought spun in her head and had yet to dissipate, Julia’s face soured considerably. Although she quickly regained control of her emotions and tried hard to maintain composure, her body couldn’t help trembling slightly, and her hands clenched into fists.

Nearby, at the prop box, Adrian was intimately chatting and laughing with a woman. Golden short hair, curvaceous figure, piercing blue eyes, and a distinctive mouth, it was Cameron Diaz, who had quite a few scenes with Julia in “My Best Friend’s Wedding”!

(To be continued. If you enjoy this work, welcome to Qidian (NovelFire.net) to vote for recommendations and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)