King of Hollywood-Chapter 543 - 264 Valentine’s Day Movie

Lin Xilei walked away in a daze, overwhelmed by a wealth of information. Although she was aware of the deep connection between Adrian and her talent agency, she had never imagined it would be so intimate that he could bypass several levels of hierarchy to appoint a greenhorn like her, still accumulating experience in the mailroom, as the agent for the actor he wanted to groom! Indeed, she wasn’t a fool; she could see the relationship between Lin Zhiling and Adrian.

Moreover, she had even obtained her own office, which was almost unimaginable within the company! And today, Adrian had indicated that if her work was satisfactory, she might be put in charge of even more significant people. There was a hint between the lines that if there were any Asian actors to sign in the future, she would be responsible for them.

This was enough to excite Lin Xilei. After graduating from the University of California, she had been lost for quite some time. Despite having lived in the United States for so many years, she had struggled to seize any of the numerous opportunities, with the invisible discrimination making things even more difficult for her, to the point that she had considered returning to Hong Kong for career prospects. A friend of her parents from Hong Kong had once praised her for having a good figure and being pretty enough to be a model. If it hadn’t been for a call from the MCM talent agency, she might have taken up that suggestion.

Regardless, the American environment was much better than that of Hong Kong. More so, considering that within a few months, she had rapidly ascended through several ranks, and possibly even more beautiful prospects lay ahead. Every woman would want to achieve something in her career, and how could Lin Xilei be an exception? Therefore, when she left Adrian’s office, she resolved that mistakes like her previous direct conflict with Lin Zhiling must not happen again.

However, Lin Xilei was still too young, absorbed in her joy, concerns, and excitement, completely oblivious to the fact that, during the meeting in the conference room, Adrian had held all the cards. This meteoric promotion might impact her in ways she couldn’t yet foresee. Which agent with an office hadn’t earned it through their efforts? Who hadn’t done at least a year of mailroom grunt work? And she was not just a woman but also Asian.

This was precisely the scenario Adrian wanted to see. When she felt ostracized, alone and unwilling to abandon her advantageous position, she would naturally gravitate towards him, who had always supported her. As long as there were entanglements of interest, he didn’t have to worry she would bite the hand that fed her. Her ultimate positioning would depend on Lin Xilei’s performance.

Actually, Adrian wasn’t so undiscerning with his tastes. Although Lin Xilei had an appealing figure, he had Lin Zhiling and Nakama Yukie already — that was enough for him. Yet, this feeling was great. Why did he yearn to build his own media empire, covet more power and control? Because it allowed him to alter and dominate the fates of others at will!

Enough of that for now. "Fight Club" and "Final Destination" were slated for release in March, along with "Ju-on: The Grudge," starring Yukie as the lead actress. March was typically a slow season for movies, so most horror and cult films chose to premiere then. With a low budget, losses, if any, were minimal. Moreover, if the quality of the film was good, a March release could still yield good box office returns.

Without a doubt, "Final Destination" was one such film. Adrian had seen some preview clips. Also, the director was James Wong, and with Adrian’s current clout, procuring an Asian director wasn’t difficult, especially someone who had worked on the writing of "The X-Files." However, the forecast for "Ju-on: The Grudge" was uncertain. Even though Adrian had seen some preview clips and the original director directed it, without the Japanese version of "Ju-on" as a forerunner and released two or three years earlier, with a Japanese actress as the lead, it was hard to predict the audience’s reaction.

"The Ring," still in post-production, seemed better off than "Ju-on." The former, after all, from actors to directors to locations, had a hundred percent American flavor, minimizing the inconvenience of cultural barriers for viewers. Of course, the final outcome would not be known until the film’s release. Since Americans "originally" took a liking to "Ju-on" out of a sense of novelty, who could say they wouldn’t now?

In short, save for anomalies like "The Blair Witch Project," most horror and cult films elected to compete in the off-season, so films like "The Expendables" or "Swordfish," which had already completed post-production but missed the New Year’s holiday window, had to wait till late April or early May.

Yet, this delay wasn’t without its advantages; at least it afforded more ample time for promotion. For instance, "The Expendables" had released a series of individual posters of the three leading stars and several main characters in full combat gear, winning the approval of action movie fans. Coupled with the explosive trailers, many fans eagerly expressed online their anticipation to see the three action stars together in a film, vowing to attend the premiere immediately upon release.

Some might say it was too soon to discuss this in February, a month which wasn’t a bad slot for releases. Why not premiere films then? Yes, while February wasn’t as bustling as the New Year’s holiday in January, it was still a decent moviegoing period. But the reason for this was largely thanks to February 14. During this period, romantic love stories were the most popular.

Action movies like "The Expendables" could definitely release in February, and the box office might not suffer. But why forgo the possibility of maximizing profits by releasing in this awkward period? However, AC Media’s film studio had other films set for release during this slot, such as "Serendipity"!

"I’ve watched the preview, and it’s good. Inviting Nora Ephron as the director was a great choice," Adrian said from his seat on the balcony in the bedroom, watching Kate as she spoke.

"Really?" Kate looked up from the script and then set it down quickly. "And how long are you going to keep staring at me like that?"

"I like watching you like this, head tilted, deeply engrossed in the script. There’s a quiet charm about it," shrugged Adrian.

"So you have me swamped with scripts I have to take on?" Kate huffed lightly.

"Are there many?" Adrian spread his hands, "Just two."

"Three," Kate picked up the thing in her hand and shook it, "An alcoholic woman, a tomboyish off-the-grid female secret agent, and a young archaeology professor."

"Tomb Raider can be postponed for a while, ’28 Days’ and ’Miss Congeniality’ are more suitable for you now," Adrian said with a smile.

"Even so... isn’t that a bit much?" Kate sighed, "According to your schedule, ’28 Days’ and ’Miss Congeniality’ both have to be completed within this year."

"The costs aren’t high, so the shooting periods won’t be long. More importantly," Adrian sat next to her and took her into his arms, "don’t underestimate ’28 Days.’ The plot may seem simple, but the role is actually quite demanding for acting skills. It’s not too complex, so you came to mind immediately after I read the script. You need a movie like this to hone your skills. I don’t think you’d want to be known just as a pretty face, right, my dear?"

After kissing her cheek, he revealed a mischievously teasing smile, "As for ’Miss Congeniality’, do you know what I first thought of? Our first meeting, when you had that plain look that could even be considered scruffy."

"Are you saying I still look like a tomboy?" Kate’s eyebrows shot up instantly.

"At least you did back then, and you admitted yourself that you often cut your hair short as a kid, which made people mistake you for a boy," Adrian laughed heartily.

"I’m talking about now, now!" Kate pressed, not letting him muddle through.

"Alright, now you’re already beautiful and sexy, making hearts flutter," Adrian began to make his move. A startled Kate tried to struggle, but it was in vain. In the tangle of Adrian’s kisses and caresses, she quickly melted into his embrace, softly whimpering as she was kissed.

"How did I do?" Looking at Kate’s blushing face, the instigator started to laugh heartily again.

"Okay, dear, you should know that in Hollywood, if you’re out of the news for a few months, you’ll soon be forgotten." After the laughter, Adrian began to explain, "In the past few years, although you’ve had British artistic films like Howards End and commercial blockbusters like Twisters, your status isn’t yet solidified, just like your popularity and reputation. That’s why I’ve arranged several movies for you now, so you can catch up and not fall behind everyone else."

Kate blinked, first surprised and excited, but then she became somewhat dejected.

"I don’t like this, Ed," she said softly, "It makes me feel as if..."

"Didn’t you use this kind of excuse to justify your actions before?" Adrian joked, and then kissed her lips, "Don’t worry, Kate, you’re my woman, and among all women... It’s regrettable that I can’t give you some things, but there are other things I can give you."

After a moment of silence, Kate, nestled in his arms, sighed, "I knew it, you’d sweet-talk me with these sweet nothings."

Adrian shrugged and then kissed her lips again, indulging in deep kisses while his hands once again started to roam.

"Wait... wait, Ed... Lily... she’s just next door..."

"It’s okay... she won’t come over now."

However, sometimes luck is just terrible. As the door opened, a crisp voice came from the bedroom, "Daddy! Mommy!"

Kate gasped, quickly nudging Adrian, who had no choice but to withdraw the hand that was about to zip, from between Kate’s legs, and then he sat back in his original position, straightening his clothes.

"I’m done with my drawing, Daddy..." The little girl had already rushed to the balcony at this point, looking adorable in her little dress with white fluffy socks and red leather shoes, even if she was just staring blankly.

"What’s going on?" Lily looked back and forth between the two adults with curious eyes. Her mother’s cheeks were slightly flushed as she adjusted her hair at her temples, her head tilted to one side, while her father, though sitting upright, seemed excessively proper.

"Nothing, your mom and I were discussing a script—did you finish your drawing? Can I see?" Adrian asked after a light cough.

Children are still children, after all. Lily immediately began waving her drawing with excitement, "Yes, yes, I drew a lot of things, and Auntie Yukie said it looked great."

"Is that so? Let me have a look." Adrian beckoned, and the little one immediately jumped onto his lap, spreading out the crayon drawing she held.

What beautiful drawing could a three-year-old make? So Adrian just pretended to look and praise, but there were still some interesting things in Lily’s drawing. Because Yukie was always around Adrian, doubling as a personal maid, Lily would see her whenever she came to Daddy’s side. And with the nuanced but good relationships between Charlize, Sarah, and Kate, and because of Sarah, Liv had also become known to Lily, they all appeared in this crayon masterpiece.

Luckily, the drawing was simple, the figures were simple, and it was impossible to identify anyone. Otherwise, who knows what reaction it would elicit if seen by others. In the drawing, besides Adrian and Kate holding Lily’s hands on each side, Sarah, Liv, Charlize, and Yukie were either holding onto Adrian or Kate.

"Who is this?"

"This is Auntie Sarah."

"And this one?"

"This is Auntie Liv."

Watching the father and daughter’s Q&A, Kate, who was organizing scripts, couldn’t help but smile slightly, the harmonious scene exceptionally heartwarming.

"Indeed, it’s a very nice drawing, and I’ve decided to keep it," Adrian said, before suddenly changing the subject, "By the way, dear, how about we go out for some fun in a few days, just you and me?"

"Why isn’t Mommy going?" Lily asked, not understanding.

"Because I think, if we miss Mommy by then, we can go to the cinema and watch a movie starring Mommy," Adrian soothed his daughter.

"That sounds...like it could be really fun," Lily said in her baby voice after a little thought, tilting her head.

"Wait a second, Ed, you’re not seriously thinking of doing that, are you?" Kate chimed in at that moment.

"Is there a problem?" Adrian spread his hands.

"What kind of idiot celebrates Valentine’s Day with his own daughter?!" Kate glared at him.

"Isn’t there one right in front of you?" Adrian said with a laugh, waving his hand. "It’s no big deal. Isn’t there a saying... that every daughter is her father’s lover from a past life?"

"What?" Kate looked incredulous. "You’re such a pervert!"

"Kate!" Adrian chuckled, raising his hands. "It’s just a metaphor, get it? Just a metaphor. In reality, it’s no different from the usual outings a father has with his daughter."

He paused before adding, "You know, I have to do this."

Kate glared at him, unable to say the words that were on her lips. Of course, she knew why; adhering to the principle of equality, Adrian never spent Valentine’s Day with his women, and it was the same every year. She didn’t know whether to be angry or amused. At that moment, the little guy widened her eyes curiously at her parents, wanting to know what they were talking about.

"Let’s just leave it at that, Kate." Adrian gestured to end the argument and then picked up his daughter, looking at her: "We have a deal, don’t we, dear?"

"Sure, sure." Lily nodded eagerly, "I love Daddy!"

Kate sighed again to the side. Why was her daughter always a little closer to him?

"Serendipity" was released soon after, just before Valentine’s Day, and as Adrian had said, directed by the lady Nora Ephron. Although the plot was mostly similar to the original, it was at least a notch more entertaining. Ephron fully utilized her delicate touch as a female director, with a lot of eye-catching setups in the suspense and details, and it did not result in the aesthetic fatigue of coincidences found in the original.

The "New York Times" commented, "Life is always full of coincidences, so those actions that speak to our hearts often make us develop feelings for someone. If this connection lasts for years, then there’s no doubt, that’s your true love. Ms. Laverne tells such a story—a heartwarming one filled with passion. Although somewhat clichéd, it is indeed worth watching for couples on the day when rose petals are floating down, with the handsome John Cusack and the beautiful Kate Beckinsale both emanating an indescribable charm — a match made in heaven!"

Since the premiere was on a Wednesday, the box office for the first weekend counted five days of receipts, with about 3,000 theaters showing the film. It eventually made $32 million in North America, surpassing the original "Serendipity" in every way, with both lead actors gaining much affection. However, this wasn’t the most popular romantic movie during Valentine’s period. Another film released shortly after it, in a similar number of theaters, earned in just three days the same revenue "Serendipity" made in five days, and it also received higher critical acclaim.

This movie was also produced by AC Media’s film company and was related to Adrian as well—starring Liv and Adam Sandler, it was "50 First Dates"!

To further promote Liv’s vase image and retain unique characteristics, Adrian had racked his brains. The concept he mentioned to Sofia was one, and "50 First Dates" was another. The unique aspect of this romantic comedy was that it didn’t end in the conventional manner.

The story told of a man working in Hawaii who by chance meets a cute girl and, attracted to her, decides to pursue her. But because of a car accident, the girl’s memory center in her brain is damaged and no matter how much time passes, she only remembers things up until the accident, so to the man, every day is the first time they meet.

In the usual film trope, after numerous conflicts and setbacks, the female protagonist inevitably cures her amnesia and lives happily ever after with the male protagonist. But "50 First Dates" is different; the female lead’s amnesia isn’t cured in the end, and every morning the first thing she does after waking up is watch a video tape with various hints to understand what has happened since the accident.

Even so, they live happily ever after together and even have a cute daughter. The plot soars at this point, standing out and leaving a profound impression, moving the audience in its slightly regretful way. This is also how the media saw it, so... no need to say more. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for it at qidian.com with your recommendation tickets and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)

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