King of Hollywood-Chapter 544 - 265 Ready to Start

"I’ve said it before, you are a remarkable comedian, Adam, and you will have your own comedy style," Adrian told Adam Sandler at the afterparty for "50 First Dates."

"Thanks, Ed, that’s the best encouragement I’ve ever received." Sandler playfully clapped him on the back.

The Miracle Director’s eye for talent was undeniable. After all, he had discovered Jim Carrey and cast him in "The Mask," and soon there would be a movie called "The Truman Show," starring Jim Carrey, set to release—a film rumored to be both intriguing and profound. So even if Adrian’s words were just pleasantries, it was enough to make Sandler proud, particularly since Adrian had already cast him in a comedy movie before "50 First Dates," even if someone else had approached him for the role.

Sandler was certainly a decent comedian. In a sense, being a comedian is more challenging than other acting roles because their style and audience can become fixed, leading to aesthetic fatigue and less acceptance by mainstream audiences. Keeping Jim Carrey for "The Truman Show" was just fulfilling a top-tier comedian’s dream. The Oscars had always been stingy in this area; even with Adrian’s clout, changing their perspective was tough. At most, they would delay the release by a year to increase Carrey’s chances of getting a nomination.

As for Sandler, his performance was indeed commendable. After giving Cameron Diaz "There’s Something About Mary," Drew Barrymore had hinted to Adrian that she wanted a film too, so he gave her "The Wedding Singer" and brought Sandler on to act alongside her. Both films, released last year, garnered impressive box office returns. Drew, Cameron, and Kelly Hu—who had become close after starring in "Charlie’s Angels" and even investing in Drew’s production company—were considering making "Charlie’s Angels 2."

Sandler’s performance in the movies was quite good, and he even sang a song. Having already made a name for himself in comedic films, it was a natural choice to let him lead in "50 First Dates." Naturally, the results met expectations, and many media praised his talent, which was a stark contrast to the vase-like Liv, with some even speculating that had Drew, who had previously worked with Sandler in "The Wedding Singer," played the female lead, it would have been better than Liv. So, things just happened that way.

"You two seem to be getting along well, Ed, Adam," a voice entered Adrian’s ears, and then a pair of arms wrapped around his waist from behind, and a head affectionately rested on his shoulder.

"Hi, Liv," Sandler greeted, turning a blind eye to their closeness.

"How are you feeling tonight?" Adrian asked, turning his head with a smile.

"Great, I like this party," Liv giggled, then brazenly kissed him on the lips in front of Sandler.

Then she turned to Sandler, "Sorry, Adam, I need to borrow this guy for a bit."

"No problem, go ahead," Sandler immediately gestured for them to proceed.

"You’ve never cared about these things before, have you, Liv?" Adrian joked with the lady in his arms.

"Of course, I don’t care. I just... want to know the outcome," Liv retorted with renewed energy.

Adrian couldn’t help but laugh heartily. Sometimes, it’s just that amusing. Since Sandler’s last film was with Drew and had been scripted by Adrian, co-produced by Bossworth and Drew’s production company, she was also at the celebration tonight. With Adrian also being there and Drew being the kind of woman who liked to dabble in fun under thrilling circumstances, finding a place to have some fun was quite normal.

Although Liv usually appeared indifferent, she wasn’t unfamiliar with a threesome with Sarah and Adrian, but rarely confronted competition head-on. Apart from Dennis and Aniston’s wedding, she barely interacted with Adrian’s other women, including Kate and Charlize, although she was aware of certain things, she seldom took them to heart.

Of course, having spent quite some time by Adrian’s side and due to her own character flaws, she didn’t think there was anything wrong with Adrian. Instead, she felt discontent with Drew and a bit worried about herself, which led to the current scene.

"Well, the answer is ’Everyone has their own strengths,’" Adrian teased as he held her waist.

"What kind of answer is that?" Liv immediately showed a look of dissatisfaction, as women, like men, are competitive in such situations.

"Don’t forget, there are some moves Sarah can do that you can’t, and some moves that you can do that Sarah can’t," Adrian said, pinching her chin.

To be frank, in this respect, Liv indeed wasn’t as good as Drew. It wasn’t a matter of skills, but when Drew got going, even Zetajones couldn’t compare, her seemingly limitless licentiousness was exceptionally enticing to men. Adrian typically didn’t lie to his women, but sometimes he couldn’t be so blunt, so he usually was quite tactful.

"Don’t worry, baby, you’re different from her. In just a little while, we’ll have all night to discuss," he added immediately.

Liv looked at him for a long while, then giggled and bowed her head to kiss him again: "Alright, I’ll show you what I’m capable of!"

Though she boasted, everyone knew how things would actually turn out, especially since it was a one-on-one situation, so it’s better left unsaid.

"50 First Dates" received higher box office and critical acclaim than "Serendipity," so there was no need to rush Liv’s arrangements like Kate’s. Despite being labeled as a vase again in the movie, that was precisely the role Adrian had carved out for Liv, shifting from commercial to artistic vase. Moreover, in the movie set to start filming that year, she had a significant role.

Kate’s situation was different; she was his first woman after his rebirth and also the mother of his first child, so her achievements shouldn’t fall short of Gwyneth’s. Luckily, "28 Days" and "Miss Congeniality" fell into his hands due to the acquisition of Universal. Adrian remembered both movies well, the former featuring an alcoholic female writer with moderate box office but great critical acclaim, perfect for Kate to hone her acting skills. The latter described a scruffy female agent who had to join a beauty pageant due to a mission and underwent a transformation, brilliantly pulling off both the makeover and the mission.

Kate had writing experience and had won minor awards; as a tomboy in her childhood with both looks and charisma when dolled up, so these two movies were more than suitable for her.

Alright, those were plans for the future. Although Adrian hadn’t spent Valentine’s Day with any of the women, he did what he needed to, like sending 999 roses and a box of exquisite chocolates. He initially thought about sending 9,000 or even 90,000 roses, but that would have been too ostentatious, so he eventually settled on 999.

None of the women were overlooked, from Julia to Zetajones, from Kirsten to Natalie, even Ivanka wasn’t missed. Naturally, all were sent anonymously and in various ways, such as deliveries to Sarah, Kirsten, or Natalie, and Ivanka, whereas for Kate, Charlize, and others, he set it up directly in their rooms. Those who knew, knew, and those who didn’t...would find out eventually.

However, while most women showed appreciation, others dealt with it differently. For instance, Charlize, upon seeing her secretary’s office filled with roses, casually ordered someone: "Throw them all away."

"My secretary assistant should be distinctive," Adrian commented after knowing.

After the Valentine’s Day incident, Adrian specifically went on a trip to London. The filming of Notting Hill was nearing its end, and post-production had already begun vigorously. The movie was required to be released by the end of this year at the latest, and the director, Roger Mitchell, was not someone who could finish a movie in a short period like Adrian.

Julia was at the height of her career at the moment. The Runaway Bride further solidified her status, and then the production of Notting Hill, which had offered her a $20 million salary under Adrian’s influence, spread far and wide. She still wore the title of the first actress to enter the $20 million club, which made countless leading actresses in Hollywood envious.

Of all Adrian’s women, she had the highest salary; although most were above the $5 million standard for leading actors, only Sarah was close to the $10 million mark, so Julia devotedly served him during their intimate moments.

However, although she also liked the movie Notting Hill and looked forward to its release and the Oscar-pushing work Adrian had promised her afterward, she was also annoyed by some things.

"I hate Hugh Grant, he is a slick and oily guy, I definitely don’t want to work with him ever again," Julia commented about the male lead of the movie, then added, "Why can’t Dan be the male lead? We had great chemistry in Four Weddings and a Funeral, and he suits this kind of role well."

"Don’t worry, if there is a next time, I will definitely consider it," Adrian reassured Julia with a smile.

Initially, Dennis was indeed considered, but at the time, his schedule clashed with Notting Hill, so they had to find someone else. Unexpectedly, Roger Mitchell chose Hugh Grant as the lead. In Adrian’s memory, although this guy always looked moody and deeply troubled, his acting was acceptable, but his character was questionable.

However, Adrian didn’t take him seriously. Now, Grant was still just a secondary actor in the United Kingdom, and for Adrian, ruining him was easier than squashing an ant. Although he wasn’t at the London film set, he was well aware of what was happening there. Moreover, some people in the crew knew about his relationship with Julia; if Grant hadn’t done anything excessive, Adrian wouldn’t have merely soothed Julia with a few words.

"By the way, the crew was planning to invite George Clooney to cameo as Anna’s boyfriend Jeff, but he couldn’t make it at the last minute. How about you give it a try?" Possibly dissatisfied with Adrian’s reaction, Julia thought for a moment before making this proposal.

"Cameo as Anna’s boyfriend?" Adrian raised his eyebrows.

In the movie, the female lead Anna has a boyfriend who she later breaks up with, appearing only once. Originally, Alex Baldwin was supposed to cameo, but now replaced by George Clooney, who had starred as the male lead in The Runaway Bride. Since it involved only a few scenes, it was scheduled for shooting last. Unfortunately, Clooney couldn’t make it, and the crew was struggling to find a substitute when Julia thought of Adrian. freewebnoveℓ.com

As soon as this proposal spread, it quickly gained the approval of most of the crew, including director Roger Mitchell and screenwriter Richard Curtis, who came over time and again to persuade Adrian to agree.

"Don’t you think it would be fun?" This was Mitchell’s words.

"Don’t you often cameo in your own works too?" This was Curtis’s words.

"You are just really the boyfriend of a niece," said Small Emma confidently and assertively.

She often visited her aunt’s film set, and moreover, London was home to her good friend, Little Emma. The two mischievous little fellows often concocted things that were both laughable and exasperating. If Keira were added to the mix, it would really be overwhelming.

But let us not talk about that right now. Unable to withstand the persistent persuasion of others, and faced with Julia’s rather shameless tactics, like threatening with a mouthful of something that she would leave a deep impression unless he agreed, Adrian had to give in. Fortunately, it didn’t take up much of his time. It was just a few shots, and having had cameo experience, he completed it in half a day without delaying other matters.

This trip to the United Kingdom was important not only for set visits but also to start preparations for speaking with JK Rowling about adapting the Harry Potter series into films. After the publication of "Chamber of Secrets," the sales of the Harry Potter series had soared, further boosted by the relentless marketing of AC Media’s publishing company. Particularly once the news that "Azkaban’s Prisoner" would be released during the summer holidays was shared online, it attracted a large following.

It was time, he thought, to stir up interest for the auditions—Little Emma was already nine years old, and shooting scheduled to begin early next year with release the following year seemed perfect.

Rowling had no objections to this, as Adrian had previously shared his intent to adapt the series into movies, and the terms offered were quite appealing. Royalties aside, what she valued most were the rights to suggest changes to the screenplay and possess veto power; even Adrian’s opinions wouldn’t count if she disagreed.

This series had brought her hope and revitalized her; it was her most important child, and no mother would want her child to be mishandled by others.

Of course, she was unaware that Adrian hardly cared about that bit of authority as long as he controlled the entire economic chain generated by the Harry Potter series.

"What do you think about director Spielberg, Mr. Spielberg? Of course, you would be great too, Ed." Rowling asked Adrian excitedly after discussing the basic terms.

"Don’t worry, Joe. We can take our time with this; we have a whole year to make selections and adjustments," Adrian said. "Let’s first put together a team and build some momentum."

He wouldn’t invite Spielberg to produce and direct, as he knew Spielberg might recommend his own preferred young actors, such as the children prepared for his tribute to Kubrick, "Artificial Intelligence."

Besides, didn’t Adrian already have someone in mind, albeit from the original version?

Thinking of this, Adrian couldn’t help but worry—Little Emma’s growth trajectory had completely changed, so was she still suitable to play Hermione? And did she even want to play Hermione?

"Ah, well, if you think I can do it, then I will go for it," Little Emma responded nonchalantly to Adrian’s roundabout probing, even turning to ask Small Emma, "Right?"

Typical Emma-style answer—well, we’ll wait and see. For now, he needed to sign the specific contract with Rowling before organizing staff to prepare for the auditions. He could ask for Little Emma’s opinion halfway through the selection process, and by then, promoting her wouldn’t be seen as biased.

However, because Adrian’s focus was so fixed on Little Emma, he had neglected to think about Keira’s issue. It wasn’t his fault—Keira seemed troubled by something and exhibited a worried and fearful expression while playing with the two Emmas, yet she never spoke up about it until Adrian asked, and then she hesitantly expressed a desire to speak with him.

Under normal circumstances, Adrian wouldn’t mind having a chat with her, but he had to deal with other matters now, so her concerns had to be postponed. When he finally remembered, he had to return to Los Angeles because the 71st Oscar nominations had just been officially announced. (To be continued. If you like this work, we welcome you to vote for it or give it a monthly ticket on qidian.com. Your support is my greatest motivation.)

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