In the bright office, Eric appreciated the beautiful of her little baby fat face for a while, his eyes gradually lost focus, and he couldn't help but think of the divorce case of the previous life. It should be next year. Even though Eric at that time doesn't care much about entertainment gossip, but Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman are really too famous. Now that he is in that circle, it is impossible to to avoid hearing people talking about this kind of news.
But until the two officially divorced, the specific reasons behind their divorce was not exposed, and all kinds of speculations were flying everywhere.
The most interesting of the few guesses Eric heard was that the two got divorced because of Kubrick's 《Eyes Wide Shut》, as Kubrick had Nicole play around with a male model, Gary Cuba, in the movie. The relationship between the two was said to have produced irreconcilable cracks. With Kubrick's personality, Eric though tis matter was quite likely, but Kubrick was a jerk and not a madman. Though the truth of the matter is unlikely to be disclosed because of Cruise, and even this news came out after the divorce only.
Two years before the couple divorced, a maid of the Cruise family accidentally revealed to the media that the two people were not getting along when they were at home, and there was no conversation between them. The maid had succ.u.mbed to a lawsuit because of this news. After winning the lawsuit, the Cruises also publicly showed a few intimate moments to maintain their image, but after two years the couple divorced inexplicably.
The media at the time speculates several reasons for the divorce. Firstly, some thought that Nicole had given Cruise a green hat and cheated on him, and as such her child that she bore for three months was not Toms. Eric thought this was the most likely, as Nicole left him with only the clothes on her back on her back, and the disposition of a western women would have meant that she should have taken half of Toms property, as Californian law states that after ten years of marriage the woman is ent.i.tles to half and Nicole signed the divorce days before their tenth anniversary. When George Lucas divorced his wife he lost a huge amount of property and had to sell Pixar. Viacom's chairman Sumner Redstone was also overwhelmed by his wife's divorce. Lacking a prenuptial agreement, Nicole would have been ent.i.tled to half of Tom Cruise's vast 360 million USD fortune, but it is said that she left with just one piece of art after the divorce.
In that moment in the office, Nicole Kidman noticed Eric's sorrowful expression with a little dissatisfaction. Am I not attractive? The man who is three years her younger was distracted.
After a few more minutes of silence, Nicole finally couldn't take it and spoke first: "Eric?"
"Oh, sorry, Nicole, I was remembering something." Eric finally recovered. He apologetically smiled towards Nicole and asked: "Nicole, your file shows that you were developing well in Australia, why did you suddenly make the move to Hollywood?"
"All actors globally yearn to prove themselves in Hollywood, and I am no exception, so I hope I can develop myself in Hollywood for the better."
"It's not easy, you haven't even shot a Hollywood movie before, and if you wanted to prove yourself in Hollywood, you shouldn't be auditioning for a role in a TV drama."
"I just... didn't find the right role," Nicole fumbled for a reason within her guilty conscience: "I think this TV show should be good, so I came to try."
Nicole might have wanted a role in a movie, but she had no luck in her life. She came to Hollywood at the beginning of the year. Like all the budding new actors, she came to the centre of global cinema with all kinds of unrealistic fantasies. Several months later, she had partic.i.p.ated in several auditions, but only got a role in one film. It was a small supporting role in which she couldn't even be counted as a vase. In the end, she had to turn her attention to TV series. From the small screen to the big screen, was the road to fame of many Hollywood stars.
Eric suddenly though of one thing and curiously asked: "Nicole, did you come to Hollywood alone?"
"Yeah" Nicole answered, felling a bit puzzled.
Eric nodded.
After a few seconds of silence in the office, Nicole couldn't help but ask the question on her mind: "So, Mr. Director, I... Did I get the role of Phoebe Buffay?"
"Sorry, no, the role is already set as another person." Eric shook his head and replied honestly.
Nicole was stunned, this is... what's going on, if the other person had said something like 'I'm still considering' or 'this depends on your performance now,' she could still understand what she should do, but she did not expect that the other party would directly tell her that the role was given to someone else.
"Can you tell me why?" Nicole's thoughts were a little chaotic.
Eric shifted to a more comfortable position and explained: "I decided this with the other producers, because you, um, you are too beautiful."
"Ah?" Nicole was struck dumb. She had no words.
"This is the case" Eric sat up straight and explained: "In the setting of the story, Phoebe is a very frustrated girl. She was abandoned by her biological parents since she was a child. Later her stepmother committed suicide, and at only 14 years old, the girl made her way alone to New York, and struggled at the bottom before finally becoming a ma.s.seur."
"Does this have anything to do with appearance?"
"There is a big relationship," Eric continued. "Do you think that if a beautiful 14-year-old girl was on the streets of New York, she would grow up to the age of twenty living an ordinary life. Would she still have a large group of good friends?"
Of course it was impossible. As Nicole Kidman was born into a good middle cla.s.s family, she did not see the dark side of society. If Phoebe was very beautiful, with a little luck, she could find a good man to marry and become a housewife. After all, beauty is not a scarce resource anywhere. But if luck is bad, then one's end will be rather miserable.
"Eric, if this is the case, then why are you still waiting for me here?"
"Because... curious, I am very curious about you, so I wanted to talk to you."
"Just this?" The girl was looking at Eric distrustingly, as the reason is too far-fetched.
Eric shrugged and stood up and said: "Just this, I just want to talk to you, but it's late, Nicole, as a sorry for having you wait so long, I'll invite you to dinner."
"Okay, Nicole Kidman stood up in disappointment, put on her high heels, walked out of the office with Eric, and went down together under the watch of the security guard.
When they were dining in a nearby restaurant, the tall girl looked quite serious. It seemed she was struggling with something in her heart. Eric was eating with relish, and chatted with her as if nothing had happened.
After going out of the restaurant after dinner, Eric got into his car. Nicole looked at Eric with the intention to say goodbye, but finally couldn't help but open Eric's door and sit in the co-pilot's seat. She understood very well that if she misses this opportunity, she would likely return to Australia in vain.
In her months in Hollywood, Nicole had seen a lot of Hollywood's brutal compet.i.tion. The person with the highest status she had worked with was just a director with no fame in Hollywood. Her performances had won her several small awards in Australia, but these had nothing to do with Hollywood.
"Nicole..." Eric looked curiously at the girl who got into his car, with her own car stopped adjacent to his.
"Well, Mr. Williams, what do I have to do to get the character, please tell me directly?" As she said this sentence, her breathing became a little short, and her pair of blue eyes stared at Eric earnestly. Her eyes held in them grandeur, but also the willingness to sacrifice.
"But the role has already been chosen." Eric replied with similar gusto.
"Then why did you have to do these extra things, giving me hope, only to burn it out so quickly, don't you think this... is this too much?"
"Okay, I apologise, I really just because... because I was curious."
"You let a woman wait in the office for a few hours, only to talk about six or seven irrelevant matters. It's ridiculous. Do you think anyone would believe it?"
"What?" Eric was getting a little impatient.
She hesitated for a moment, before pulling over Eric's arm and placing on her lap: "Mr Williams, I know very well who you are. You are the most promising young director in Hollywood. I have heard about it... Julia Robert's thing, so, give me a chance?"
Eric glanced at the hand pressed by the girl onto her lap. Eric felt an inexplicable temperature though her trousers. A warm aura.
"After 《Running Out of Time》, there is indeed a movie you can try. Like 《Pretty Woman》it is also a romantic comedy." Eric finally said.
The girl held Eric's hand tightly and her face showed an excited look.
"You know, I have been busy recently. The movie will start at least seven or eight months, maybe even later."
"No problem, I can wait," Nicole did not hesitate.
Eric shook his head: "That's not what i mean, I mean, as I have been busy recently, I need a servant at home."
"Ah," Nicole opened her mouth slightly.
Eric's mouth evolved into a smug smile: "I'm too busy, I need someone to help me prepare three meals, oh, but I'm not normally home at noon, so two meals a day is good. Moreover, my family needs someone for a part time job to help them clean their rooms. If you want, you can come and be my maid from May to September."
"Ah!" Nicole was still for a moment before she turned her head and asked, "Eric I... am I the heroine?"
Eric showed a sly smile: "Of course, if you do well, it will be like Julia, a movie. Even among the ranks of the level actresses, such a good opportunity, many will not be able to meet throughout their careers.
"I need to think about it." Nicole looked up.
"Of course, you go think about it, but contact me as soon as possible. If you agree, you will stay in my mansion for the next few months."
"Why?" Nicole was a little scared. There was something embarra.s.sing about the words in her mind.
"I have a formal girlfriend, so I don't want a young and beautiful woman to come in and out of my villa. And, if you want to become famous in the future, you wouldn't want to let others know how you got this role would you?"
"I understand" Nicole nodded.
The two talked for a little longer before parking ways. As Eric was returning home, he felt excited after thinking some wicked thoughts. He was sure that Nicole wouldn't reject his proposal. He even thought that he could use the same proposal in the future, such that he wouldn't have to have random hourly wageworkers cleaning his house, and he wouldn't have to worry about his three meals a day either. What's more, what could be better than having the stars of his past life? Shining stars were the most satisfying thing as maids.
As the beginning of the next week, 《Running Out of Time》, started its final shooting, and with the larger scenes completed, the rest was occasional outdoor scenes. Five days later, on a street in downtown LA, the crew of 《Running Out of Time》began filming the final scene. Although the crew had been working hard for a month and a half, they all had relaxed expressions.
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On the bus, Sean, hiding under a newspaper and holding a bucket of popcorn, glimpsed a sapphire necklace on the chest behind him after sitting down. After hesitating, Sean couldn't help but look back again, and look at the sapphire necklace under the girl's watch for for a few seconds. When the girl showed a vigilant expression he said, "Sorry, I had the wrong person."
"It doesn't matter." Yoyo replied lightly, as she turned her gaze towards the window.
"That necklace is very beautiful, where did you buy it?" Sean couldn't help but ask.
"A friend sent it, but it's fake, very cheap." Yoyo turned her head to the other side and lifted the necklace, with little gusto.
Sean smiled and said, "Boyfriend?"
Yoyo shook her head. "I haven't seen him for a long time."
"Keep it well," Sean said, turning around, his eyes moved: "Maybe he might suddenly appear some day and scare you."
Yoyo's following expression was a smile, as if she was looking forward to it. Maybe she felt that her little bit of hope was embarra.s.sing, but she still stubbornly took the bus every day, hoping she could see Andy one again.
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The bus gradually came to a halt, and as he clapped the clapperboard* he shouted with satisfaction: "This scene is over, only the last scene is left, everyone should get ready. Yoyo, oh no, it's Brooke, come with me to the audition room. The scene has you performing, and although there are still several hours, I hope you can finish as soon as possible, as there is a celebration party at the end of the night."
"I will try my best, Eric." Brooke Shields answered with a smile.
The last scene began: As the days pa.s.sed, Yoyo still couldn't meet Andy and disappointedly got off the bus. Several cameras shot images of Brooke coming down from the bus from across the street.
Although it was practiced many times in the audition room, Brooke only managed to complete the shot after four or five NGs.
After Eric shouted "Good!" And everyone broke into a round of applause.
Eric screamed into the megaphone: "I announce that 《Running Out of Time》has officially finished filming. Quickly clean up the set, and this evening at the Hilton, everyone must come, no one can be missing!"
"Yahoo!!"
Cheers rang as many members of the crew couldn't help but take off their hats and throw them into the air.
Eric smiled after this, and then went to the armoured escort car near by.
Four bodyguards with padded waists and suits stood near the armoured vehicles. A middle-aged man in his forties was loading the sapphire necklace used by Brooke Shields into the safe.
"Mr. Derek, thank you for your sponsorship." When Derek finished putting the sapphire into a safe within the car, Eric warmly greeted him and they shook hands.
"You're welcome, Eric, this is a win-win thing." The middle-aged man named Derek politely shook hands with Eric: "So, Eric, I have to leave as soon as possible, the gems are still outside." A minute late, and I will feel unreliable."
"It's okay, understand," Eric replied with a smile. In addition to a series of sponsored brands, there is also a very important prop in the《Running Out of Time》. The sapphire that he grabbed.
No one had ever tried to use such a prop within a shoot, as they would just look for a piece of blue crystal worth hundreds of dollars. However, after Eric thought, he decided to shoot with the real kind, but he did not have the right connections. After contacting Colombia, Amy Pascal had pa.s.sed on the message to several others, one of whom found a blue diamond worth 10 million US dollars. The gem was said to be from a collector in the United Kingdom, and he was intending to auction the diamond through Christie's Auction House in the fall, but the top bra.s.s of Colombia and the collector had a good personal relationship , and so after some communication, the other party reluctantly agreed to lend them the gem.
But the process was not easy. Every time the gem was involved in the shooting, there were four bodyguards with live ammunition with their eyes on the gem. They were always within five meters of the sapphire, even when the crew was working. Because of these people everyone was nervous. Fortunately, there were no problems during the entire shooting process.