Chapter 856: Chapter 262: Casting Results
“Thank you, thank you, very grateful. It’s wonderful that you all like it.” Surrounded by a crowd, Peter Jackson responded cheerfully to the congratulatory voices. The theater had just finished screening a movie that he directed and produced, a major remake of the classic from the 1930s with an investment of nearly 200 million: “King Kong!”
“Look at him, surrounded by applause, so proud that he’s like a different person from usual,” Adrian joked to Naomi standing next to him.
“Are you jealous?” Naomi asked with a smile, her eyes twinkling mischievously, “Or are you starting to regret that you didn’t direct this movie yourself?”
“Come on, darling, do I really need to?” Adrian raised an eyebrow and then leaned close to her ear, “Looks like I should teach you a good lesson when we get back tonight.”
Naomi gave him a flirtatious sidelong glance and stopped talking, although a barely noticeable hint of melancholy flickered across her brow.
“How does it feel, Peter? Pretty good, right?” After the crowd dispersed, Adrian came up to Jackson, smiling as he slapped hands with him.
“Thank you, Ed. You’ve already helped me fulfill a dream, and now you’ve helped me fulfill another. I don’t even know what to say.” Peter Jackson, who had slightly trimmed his hair and beard and lost quite a bit of weight, said sincerely, with a glitter in his eyes behind the glasses.
As mentioned before, although this version of “King Kong” still has many flaws, it’s much better than the original, especially in rhythm. With Adrian’s advice, the storyline was kept to around 2 hours and 30 minutes, and the moment King Kong reveals himself occurs much earlier. The battle scenes with dinosaurs are also particularly exciting. Although the scene depicting planes attacking the Empire State Building is a bit unrealistic—this is unavoidable—the atmosphere is rendered well enough, which is why there were so many accolades at the end.
However, Adrian slightly underestimated the impact of “King Kong.”
“A remarkable and exceptional work, full of dazzling imaginative visuals that breathe new life into this classic. Having served as an assistant and associate director on ‘The Lord of the Rings,’ Peter Jackson has proven his capabilities.” This is an article on the Hollywood Report website, and other media praises are abundant.
Of course, criticisms are not absent. A certain film critic bluntly stated that apart from the special effects, the movie has little else to offer, doubting whether Jackson could make films without relying on special effects. But overall, the applause outweighs the criticism. Amusingly, some say that Jackson learned only the use of special effects from “The Lord of the Rings,” without learning storytelling techniques, which is quite…
“That was unexpected,” Adrian said while flipping through the newspaper and having breakfast.
He knew that the original “King Kong” was well-received except for its slow and lengthy pace, which made audiences impatient, affecting the reception. However, due to Adrian’s intervention, this problem was greatly mitigated, leading to much better reactions than the original. Plus, an important point was that Jackson no longer had the prestige brought by “The Lord of the Rings,” and viewers’ expectations weren’t very high. Therefore, “King Kong” easily surpassed those expectations and was naturally much more popular than the original.
Undoubtedly, starting with “King Kong,” Hollywood is again poised to spark a wave of remakes of old movies. Actually, in this regard, it’s no different from Hong Kong; when a popular theme emerges, everyone rushes to film it. The difference is that Hollywood has a complete commercial operation. Even if they want to extract every last bit of profit, it is done systematically, unlike Hong Kong’s sometimes unsavory and hasty approach.
Moreover, Hollywood has a mature film industry system, capable of precisely capturing what audiences want to see. Even after extracting profits, enough is left to create a new trend in the future. This is the difference.
“What was unexpected?” Naomi yawned as she entered the dining room and heard his words, casually asking.
“How enthusiastic the response is,” Adrian took a deep breath and then changed the subject, “Speaking of which, the young man with the same name as me who played the scriptwriter seems quite good. I think I could collaborate with him on a movie.”
“Really?” Naomi pondered with a smile while pouring herself a glass of milk, “He’s indeed a good actor, as you would say, he must be even more outstanding.”
Then she frowned, “What about Nicole?”
“Well…she’s…not here at the moment…” Adrian replied hesitantly, then took a deep breath, as Naomi rolled her eyes realizing what he meant, “Come on, can’t you guys quit this?”
“Of course not.” Nicole’s voice came from under the table, followed by her emerging, without a stitch on, climbing onto Adrian’s lap swiftly.
“After a night’s rest, this is supposed to be the most active time, and the odds are higher,” Nicole leaned back against the long table, her hands gripping the edge behind her, licking her lips and moving her hips seductively.
“I’ve never heard of such a saying. I’m starting to worry that this might lead to a stomach ulcer,” Adrian said, placing the newspaper aside, enduring her movements, yet his facial expression showed obvious enjoyment.
“Shut up, Ed, or I’ll kiss you.” Nicole sneered, opening her mouth and sticking her tongue out teasingly, making Adrian fall silent, joining in with his movements until he let out a deep sigh at the peak.
Nicole let out a jubilant shriek, holding tight as if wishing to absorb everything, while Naomi rolled her eyes and headed straight to the kitchen.
After Megan surprisingly got pregnant, Zetajones and Nicole seemed like different people, taking every opportunity to indulge with Adrian, seemingly wishing their bellies would swell the next day, as seen this morning—during last night’s threesome, Adrian left Nicole with the last encore every time, using all sorts of tricks.
Yet that’s nothing significant, as from another perspective, it’s a good thing. Their behavior indicates a lot, although Adrian feels a bit manipulated by them, almost like what Gwyneth described, which isn’t very pleasant.
“Hey, Nami, why did you leave just now?” After everything was sorted, Nicole picked up her nightgown from under the table, wore it, and went back to the room, Adrian came into the kitchen.
“Why stay when you guys are having sex in the dining room early in the morning?” Naomi huffed without turning her head.
“Oh? Haven’t you watched this before?” Adrian laughed and hugged her from behind, planting a long kiss on her neck, causing Naomi to inhale deeply.
“Do you know what I heard?” He chuckled secretly, “A little jealousy hidden within the complaint.”
Saying this, his hands moved from her waist to her stomach, stroking in a meaningful circle.
Naomi remained silent for a while before turning around, “If I also want…”
“No problem.” Adrian agreed without waiting for her to finish, “Whenever you want, it’s possible.”
Naomi let out a relieved smile, then cast her eyes downward, showing a similar melancholic look as she did on the night of the premiere. Adrian leaned closer and whispered in her ear, “Do you feel a bit disappointed, thinking this means I have no plans for you to win the Oscar-winning actress title in the coming years, Nami?”
Upon hearing this, Naomi was shocked, raised her head to look at him and opened her mouth as if to argue, but ultimately said nothing, simply turning her head aside, silently acknowledging it.
“Silly,” Adrian laughed, leaning in to her, inhaling the fragrance of her hair, “Nami, do you think now is the appropriate time to go for that honor?”
“A suitable opportunity?” Naomi was somewhat puzzled. Adrian didn’t say anything more, just looked at her, waiting for her to think it through herself. Some things only become clear when you figure them out on your own.
Naomi was probably confused for a few minutes, then she suddenly realized. She’s not an idiot, she was just momentarily blinded. Once he cleared things up for her, she naturally understood. Adrian has been helping his women reach the top at the Oscars for several years now. If this continues, it’s clear what the public’s reaction would be. By that time, even if she won on merit, people would still blow certain issues out of proportion.
So, if she doesn’t want to be the center of public scrutiny, wouldn’t it be better to wait a few years until Adrian takes a break before trying again?
“Two or three years, trust me, Nami, you will receive the honor you deserve,” Adrian said with justification.
“Yes… sorry, Ed.” Naomi said with some shame, “I just… I just…”
“It’s okay,” Adrian comforted her, “I understand, because… it’s too much, right?”
Hearing this, Naomi couldn’t help but sigh softly, biting her lip as she glanced at him, and nodded slightly: “You have… a terrifying possessiveness.”
“Yeah, I’ve always been the favorite subject for psychologists to analyze,” Adrian said self-deprecatingly with a helpless tone, successfully making Naomi chuckle.
Then the two just looked at each other like this. Finally, Naomi exhaled and smiled slightly: “It’s okay, this is my own choice. Even though I think a lot when you’re not around, whenever you come in front of me, those thoughts just disappear, so…”
“Then don’t think about it.” Adrian smiled and hugged her, kissing her lightly on the forehead, “However, you might have to wait a little while. You know, Nicole and… in addition to… I’m going to be quite busy.”
“I know!” Naomi said, half amused and half exasperated, immediately giving him a punch, but all the previous concerns vanished along with it.
“Sorry” can be said too many times until it loses its meaning, so after Naomi’s words, Adrian didn’t speak again. As long as she still wants to stay by his side, she will naturally figure it all out in her heart. Of course, things were as he had anticipated. However, there were indeed quite a few women around him; even though Adrian used various methods to balance relations among them well, some favoritism inevitably happened from time to time. For example, when Little Emma acted spoiled and asked him to come over, he basically never refused.
But then again, as long as he maintains his current power, there’s no need to worry too much; all he needs to do is focus on managing things. Of course, he should indeed rein things in a bit, organize more friendly matches, and when it comes to chasing romance, he shouldn’t hold back. Just as he shamelessly put it: Women are the source of my inspiration. So –
“How about it? I told you, she’s perfect for this role.” After a young girl walked out from the room, Adrian said this to Michael Neveill, the UK director continuing to helm “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.”
She was wearing a bluish-gray silk costume with a watery sheen, which was the uniform the Harry Potter crew designed for France’s Beauxbatons Academy. The costume designer put a lot of effort into drawing several proposals before finalizing it. The uniform was, of course, very nice, highlighting the young girl’s graceful figure perfectly, showcasing her elegant temperament, and adding a touch of magical flair.
“Yes, you’re really good at spotting people, especially women,” Neveill joked, then got up and came to the girl and extended his hand, “Welcome to the ‘Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire’ crew, Miss Bourgoin.”
Louise Bourgoin, that’s who Adrian personally appointed, the 22-year-old French girl set to play Fleur Delacour in “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.” Because Adrian required the age limit to be more lenient and the crew created buzz early for the casting, Louise Bourgoin, who was about to graduate, joined and luckily passed the first three rounds, catching Adrian’s attention.
Adrian didn’t initially think much of it; he intervened in the casting merely to find someone who could do justice to the original description of Fleur Delacour. He had considered Eva Green, but she had already made a name for herself last year with Bertolucci’s film, and parents wouldn’t appreciate such an actress for this role. Plus, looking at her photo, without makeup she looked fine, but with thick eyeshadow, she’d appear very creepy, so Adrian lost interest.
At this point, seeing Louise Bourgoin’s information again sparked some vague memories, and upon searching his memory more carefully, he decided. So Louise easily passed the election rounds and snagged the role.
“Congratulations, Louise. I look forward to seeing your performance on the big screen,” Adrian was the last to congratulate the young girl.
“Thank you, Ed, thank you for your support. I’m very, very grateful,” Louise smiled charmingly.
“Next, take a good rest for a while and then start preparing. At the most, we will start shooting after the summer holiday,” Adrian advised, then asked, thinking of something, “Are you going back now?”
“No, tomorrow afternoon’s flight,” Louise was a bit puzzled.
“Oh? I wonder if I have the honor of inviting you to dinner, Miss Louise Bourgoin?” Adrian said immediately.
Louise was clearly taken aback, and her face soon showed a bit of uncertainty. After more than ten seconds, the smile returned to her face.
“I’d be happy to accept your invitation, Ed.” She said.
You see, it’s simple, isn’t it? Adrian thought happily. Since Louise came to London for the audition, he’s met her several times, continuously encouraging her.
“You must know, Louise, I have high hopes for you, so don’t disappoint me.” He would always say, and Louise was always very grateful.
But what Adrian was doing wasn’t just about gaining her gratitude; he was also observing her to see what kind of girl she was. As for the result, without the need to elaborate, as he approached his goal step by step, Louise gradually understood how much help Adrian was providing, and she became more affectionate toward him. Therefore, when he extended the invitation today, she hesitated for only a moment before agreeing.
“Hi Valerie, it’s me. Yes, it’s confirmed, I’m going to play Fleur Delacour in ‘Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire’!” Back at the hotel, Louise excitedly called her friend, “Yes, yes, I’m going to be famous! I’m going to be famous!!”
Saying this, she lay on her bed, joyfully waving her hands and feet, no matter that her friend was pouring cold water on her hopes on the other end.
“Yes, I know, it’s just one film, but you couldn’t possibly guess what happened next,” Louise said smugly, “Remember what I told you? That miracle director has been supporting me all along, and then today he asked if I’d like to have dinner with him! Oh God, it’s an invitation from the miracle director! You were right, Valerie, you were right, he’s interested in me, I will seize this opportunity, I will! Thank you for the reminder back then! Thank you!”
After she finished speaking, she let out a huge kiss towards her phone and hung up amidst her friend’s envious tone. Then she went to her wardrobe mirror to think about what kind of clothes would be appropriate for the evening. If necessary, she might as well rent a pretty dress; she definitely wanted to dress beautifully. After all, who wouldn’t want an invitation from the miracle director?
Subsequent details won’t be elaborated. Adrian had plenty of time to savor this French girl, though his free time in London was simultaneously abundant and scarce, which entirely depended on… someone’s mood.
“I really wish I could move out.” Little Emma, after getting up, greeted her aunt downstairs and had breakfast. After returning to her room, she picked up a photo from the table and muttered.
This was a photo from this year’s birthday trip, where she was wriggling on Adrian’s lap while Adrian wore a frustrated look. It was taken before that night, when he must have been very torn. Every time she thought of this, Little Emma couldn’t help but feel immensely proud, only…
She sighed, then simply took out her phone: “Before, you said you’d come to London for casting matters, but it’s been two days, and you haven’t come by once. It’s truly too much!” (To be continued. If you like this work, please visit Qidian () to vote for recommendation votes and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)