King of Hollywood-Chapter 585 - 306: Finally Wrapped Up

Some things aren’t so easy to get over, especially when a lovingly nurtured beautiful bubble shatters right before your eyes, and it’s your own hand that has burst it. That kind of feeling is incomprehensible to those who have never experienced it. Although that night, because Charlize was by his side, Adrian had controlled his almost explosive emotions, clarified his thoughts, and perfectly executed his plan a week later, it didn’t mean he was completely free from that state.

Regardless of how rational he was, no matter how clearly he separated logic and sentiment, he was, after all, a human being, and moreover... Fortunately, this state didn’t affect his daily life too much. The birth of his two children brought joy to him as a father once again and diluted his troubles. At the same time, he had many women, movies to produce, and work to consider. Still, it wasn’t until now that he finally adjusted his mindset completely, but some things could no longer be found, even though he had never realized it, had never truly faced it.

"What is lost is lost; don’t always think about getting it back. People are always changing, and it’s not my style to cling to something till death," Adrian told himself. Perhaps he should also thank Natalie; those things could be let go of. Then, his work would flow more smoothly, with a determined will and by any means necessary – that’s what it means to be a true leader.

Take Lin Xilei, for example. She was a pawn of no small consequence, and now she would be even easier to handle. Of course, if she was willing, Adrian wouldn’t mind putting her on his collectors’ shelf. But for now, like Alexander, she was merely a bedfellow. As for Natalie, oh, no need to worry, he had enough patience to cultivate her and then waited for the blossoming result.

Adrian returned to Queenstown once again and then started the final push for "The Lord of the Rings". This time he firmly planted himself there, not leaving, and concentrated wholeheartedly on the filming, even missing the premiere of "The Ring" that opened on Halloween eve. Of course, "The Ring" didn’t actually have a premiere, although the movie’s investment had also exceeded 50 million, which would have been considered a big production ten years ago, but now it was only mid-sized. So, like "Ju-on", after thorough promotion, it went straight to release.

However, "The Ring" was much more popular than "Ju-on", partly because the Japanese-style horror film had already cultivated an audience thanks to "Ju-on", and partly because "The Ring" transposed all its characters and settings to the United States, rather than simply being set in Japan with a few actors thrown in. After all, American audiences prefer stories that take place in their own country.

More importantly, the female leads of the two movies were different. Though Yukie had gained a certain popularity through guest appearances in popular American TV series, and the movie had deliberately included her backstory as an American adoptee with an American boyfriend, she was still an Eastern face after all. Naomi was different, a typical blonde with blue eyes. Although she only became famous through "Mulholland Drive" the previous year, she had gained considerable attention, and given that her exposure had been well-managed over the past year, naturally she drew people to the theaters more than Yukie did.

Well, that’s beside the point. Adrian called Naomi to congratulate her and then continued to spit fire on the sets in Queenstown.

"Elijah, look at your expression! Stiff! Rigid! Can’t you show something more intense?! Your eyes should show that you want to bite a chunk off him, as if he stole your most beloved girlfriend!"

"This is no excuse, Larry! Since the Battle of Helm’s Deep didn’t have this problem, there shouldn’t be one now either. All the armor, swords, and props must be ready within three days!"

"Peter! Take your team and complete this shot; remember, you’ve got only a day and a half!"

The entire crew hustled about, driven hard by him just like at the start of filming. Everyone complained bitterly but no one slacked off or became complacent. Adrian’s authority in the crew was one thing, although he did have to leave every month, with last month being particularly long. Another reason was that everyone had been in New Zealand too long. Even though there were plenty of holidays—the boss often went home, so naturally, they could take vacations as well—the crew shared some of the costs—Adrian was generous in this regard. However, staying in one place for too long, even if it was scenic and suitable for leisurely living, could become tiring; after all, it wasn’t home.

Now Adrian was buckling down as the filming was nearing its end. Once finished, they could all go home, which naturally ignited everyone’s enthusiasm.

"Maybe one day, mankind will lose its courage," Aragon’s voice rang out as he hoisted the Holy Sword high and galloped back and forth before the soldiers, "We will turn our backs on each other, and face utter defeat—but not today! One day, evil may triumph over good, and the world of man may be laid to ruin—but not today!" He shouted loudly, "Today, we fight to the death! In the name of everything you hold dear, I command you to fight on, warriors of the West!"

This passionate speech instantly dispelled the soldiers’ fear in face of the overwhelming horde of Orcs. With a swish, they drew their long swords, raising them high and bellowing out in a deafening roar that echoed across the heavens.

"Perfect!" Adrian shouted from behind the camera, heartfelt and sincere. Although there were only about twenty temporary actors, the fervor they unleashed was more than tenfold. Ending it this way did justice to Tolkien’s epic masterpiece.

"Excellent work, gentlemen, our filming is finally complete," Adrian announced, and cheers instantly erupted, especially from the main actors who whooped and hollered. Even the typically refined and elegant models joined in, seemingly eager to let loose, leaving the temporary actors gawking in amazement.

"Alright, guys, save your energy for tonight. I’ve already arranged a grand party," Adrian said loudly, joy in his voice after having the green screen—that stood before them all, though the scene they had just filmed faced Mordor and Mount Doom—pulled down.

"Come off it, Ed, let them vent if they want to. I assure you, they will still have plenty of energy for your party tonight," quipped McLaren, clad in his Gandalf costume.

"Hey, I’ve been under a lot more pressure and worked just as hard, yet I didn’t do that," Adrian replied in a similar teasing tone.

"Oh, come on!" A loud commotion started among the crowd as they shot derisive looks at Adrian. Just as hard? You must be joking. What have you got to be so stressed about? Even Silver, who greatly admired Adrian, shared the sentiment.

After all, as November of ’99 rolled in, "The Lord of the Rings," filmed in New Zealand, had finally wrapped up successfully. Even though the schedule was almost the same as initially planned, considering Adrian had to take several days off each month, it was still quite efficient. This was largely thanks to Peter Jackson’s joining, and Adrian was aware of it. So, at the wrap party, he made sure to praise Jackson’s contributions, then spearheaded a bit of fun at Jackson’s expense. In the end, Jackson was carried to his room completely plastered, having been overwhelmed by the crowd.

He wasn’t meant to end up so pitifully; most there actually intended to target Adrian, but what kind of person was Adrian? Seeing trouble brewing, he immediately slipped away, giving them no chance, so the gang had to vent their residual enthusiasm and ire on poor Jackson instead.

Of course, this wasn’t how they intended to reward Jackson. Adrian had stated a few days prior that he would definitely let Jackson be in charge of remaking "King Kong," but that would be after the post-production of "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy was basically complete—three movies’ worth of post-production, and with other things on his plate, why not employ an excellent labor force? Besides, Jackson would probably be more than willing.

As the wrap party came to an end, so did "The Lord of the Rings" filming mission. After handing off the remaining tasks to other responsible parties, Adrian bid farewell to the main actors and left the place that had left such a deep impression after half a year. The only regret was not having a woman by his side during the wrap party—it certainly would have made it even more interesting and memorable. No matter, on the flight back, he pulled Ali Larter into the airplane’s bedroom and gave her a thorough thrashing, such that by the time they were preparing to land in Los Angeles, it was Adrian who dressed her and helped her to her seat and buckled her in.

Finally, there was no more running around every so often, a delightful prospect. However, Adrian’s original plan to immediately visit his women had to be postponed due to certain circumstances. Nevertheless, he still found a little time to see his daughters, Lily, Deva, and Juliet.

There was no need to mention Lily—she was as lively and mischievous as ever, seemingly persuaded by his presence to beg Kate for a DV, now spending her time filming everything in sight.

"I’m going to be a director in the future!" the little one declared confidently, swinging her fists, even though everything she filmed was a complete mess.

As for Deva and Juliet, after a little over a month of growth, they had become chubby, and when they were fully awake, their eyes opened wide, sparkling and very adorable. Even though Adrian had not been around much during this past month, the two little ones did not resist him, nor did they show any signs of fuss. They obediently allowed their father to hold them in his arms.

"My good daughters," Adrian said proudly as he held the children, addressing Monica and Sophie, "I knew I’d do it right." He credited their well-being to the few days of care he provided when they were born.

Monica and Sophie rolled their eyes at him. Although they were aware that Adrian probably wasn’t wrong, considering they were first-time mothers dealing with these situations, even with nannies to help, they would be in a frenzy. Nevertheless, they were annoyed by his smugness and didn’t care too much to hide it; after all, Adrian must be used to being rolled eyes at by now.

Although Adrian would have liked to have more interactions with Monica, Sophie, and his daughters, the premiere of "Resident Evil" was just around the corner, wasn’t it? But no matter, he was already back in Los Angeles now, right?

Although the investment in "Resident Evil" was similar to that of "The Ring," the popularity of the two movies was worlds apart. "Resident Evil," having been released in dozens of countries, had already cultivated a large fanbase of gamers. Last year’s release, which brought innovation through interconnected levels of the game, "Resident Evil 2," was extremely well-received. By the time the movie began production, many people were already looking forward to it.

Despite seemingly complex scenes and a number of special effects, the shoot was not difficult, so not much time was spent from the start of filming to completion. When the first trailer was released, the already eager gamers became even crazier, as they saw Leon, Claire, Ada Wong, and even a shot that might have been Jill. What could be more exciting than seeing your favorite game characters appear in a movie?

Moreover, the male lead’s face and full body were never shown throughout, which completely hooked the gamers’ curiosity. Was it a game character? An original character? And it seemed he had amnesia? With that, what was the main plot of the movie? With scenes set in the game’s sewers and the streets of Raccoon City among others, it was only fitting to have a medium-sized premiere.

"Without a doubt, Dennis is a terrific guy; he is at ease with both action and art films," Adrian said, putting his arm around Dennis’s shoulder from behind, as he spoke to a reporter who was inquiring about his feelings.

"Hey, Ed, you finally made it," Dennis said with a touch of surprise, raising his fist.

"Of course, it’s not every day you get back into action movies, so naturally, I had to show up," Adrian replied, raising his fist to bump with his, then turned to greet Dennis’s flamboyantly dressed wife: "Hey, Jenny, long time no see — you’ve gotten even more sexy and beautiful."

"Thank you, Ed. Have you finished shooting ’The Lord of the Rings’?" Aniston asked, displaying her signature sweet smile.

Instantly, the surrounding reporters pricked up their ears, and the few who were clinging to Dennis also turned their attention his way. It had to be said, she really knew how to protect her husband.

"Of course, otherwise I wouldn’t be here," Adrian said with a laugh that he didn’t take to heart.

The reporters’ eyes immediately lit up, and they trained their various devices on him. Compared to the Dennis couple, the Miracle Director was a much juicier target for news. Even though reporters had intermittently visited New Zealand over the past few months, they hadn’t managed to uncover any major news. Inside information about The Lord of the Rings was always released by AC Media’s own outlets. Now that he had finished shooting, he had to give them some information, right? Even if he didn’t want to talk about that, there was always something else they could explore, like the recent revelation that he was the author of The Matrix novel. That made it highly likely that he was also the author of the Resident Evil and Tomb Raider novels, and that was definitely something worth investigating further.

Unfortunately for them, Adrian wasn’t even in the mood to tangle with the reporters this time. With an apologetic smile, he whisked the Dennises into the theater.

"To be honest, Dan, I’m suddenly a bit envious that you’ve found yourself a good wife," he teased with a laugh once inside, obviously referring to Aniston’s earlier maneuver to divert the reporters’ attention by pushing him into the spotlight.

Aniston gave a light cough and turned her head away as if nothing had happened, then Dennis protectively said, "Of course, there’s no better wife than Jenny."

As he spoke, he gripped his wife’s hand more tightly, and Aniston turned back to give her husband a sweet smile.

Adrian raised an eyebrow. He had planned to find an opportunity to pull Dennis aside for a little banter. He had chatted with Dennis earlier in the year when he was back in Los Angeles, taking a whirlwind tour of different film sets. When he went to look for him again, he’d unwittingly witnessed a young woman half steamy and half teary-eyed hitting him in the arms.

Adrian had seen that girl before, Jordanna Bluster, who had claimed herself as Dennis’s girlfriend during his engagement 3p scandal with Aniston and their subsequent separation. Later, after Dennis got back with Aniston, she slapped him for dumping her. It seemed, however, that there were still lingering feelings between the two, and judging by Jordanna’s demeanor and Dennis’s passive endurance of her outburst, this was probably not the first time something like this had happened between them.

Tsk, tsk, Adrian couldn’t help but reflect in his mind. While it was common in Hollywood for married men to seek other women, it was rare to see one who went on dates with a former lover so soon after getting married. He didn’t know what to make of Dennis; he certainly had never taught him to do any of this. But it didn’t matter anymore. Since they seemed so lovey-dovey now, there was no need for him to intrude.

After parting with the Dennises, Adrian immediately headed toward his own target. The premiere wasn’t very large and there weren’t many significant guests, so there was no need for him to greet each one. He went straight to Lin Zhiling’s side.

"You look beautiful, dear," Adrian said as he wrapped his arm around the waist of the lady leaning against the bar and then slid his hand down to caress and knead her shapely behind, "You’re not mad at me, are you?"

"How could I be?" Lin Zhiling smiled seductively, shifting her body slightly so she could tuck her hips inward, enabling Adrian to caress her more freely.

Dressed in an elegantly simple cheongsam, her figure was outlined with all its curves on display, which, coupled with that unique Eastern charm that Western women lack, was incredibly captivating to those who knew how to appreciate it. It had to be said that the modern, modified cheongsam really suited Eastern women.

This was her first walk on the red carpet, and Adrian hadn’t accompanied her, so despite being introduced by several fellow actors and directors in front of the reporters, she hadn’t drawn much attention. But Lin Zhiling clearly didn’t mind; she knew this was just the beginning. As long as she held onto the man before her, it would only be a matter of time before those reporters chased after her on the red carpet. (To be continued. If you like this work, feel free to vote for it with recommendation tickets and monthly tickets on qidian.com. Your support is my greatest motivation.)

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