The list included someone Laila had once considered signing but who hadn't shown any interest in her – Dwayne Johnson.
She had been quite fond of this actor in her previous life. At the time when she had considered signing him, she had been with Zeni and had seen his wrestling match. She had impulsively wanted to manage him herself. Unfortunately, her management team at that time was still small, with only a few dozen members. Her invitation had been quickly declined, leaving her disappointed.
However, she understood that he was already famous, and her small team couldn't catch his attention. Dwayne Johnson knew what he wanted and wouldn't join her simply because someone offered a bunch of benefits and incentives.
Now things were different. She had acquired AMG, expanding her management team by ten to even dozens of times its original size. Besides, she had significant personal resources and power. So, she assumed that there should be less resistance to poaching talent now.
After handling some work, Anthony called her, "Boss, is it time for the interview you agreed to?"
"Ah," Laila had forgotten about it: "I understand, please arrange it. Today or tomorrow will work; I'll be waiting in my office at the company."
Anthony could tell that she had forgotten about it, but since she was willing to fulfill the agreement, he didn't need to dwell on it. He didn't want her to reject the interview due to "embarrassment."
"If possible, can we interview the set of 'Chicago'?"
Laila quickly understood his intention: "You want to ask some questions about the film, right?"
"If possible, that would be great. You know the Oscars just ended, and you won three major awards. There's a lot of interest in 'Chicago' right now. It would be a shame not to utilize this popularity and build on it before the excitement fades."
Even though it might seem like a free promotion for "Chicago," everything had two sides. Newspapers depended on sales, and they gave readers what they wanted to read to increase circulation. As Anthony had just mentioned, "Pirates of the Caribbean" had just won three major awards at the Oscars, generating a lot of interest in Laila's new work. However, "Chicago" was being filmed in a closed environment, with many scenes shot in a studio. The more concealed it was, the more people wanted to uncover it.
Anthony had gained approval from both the old man and Laila, and his abilities were impressive. He wasn't about to waste the rare opportunity to interview the boss. Getting the most benefits with the least effort and achieving mutual benefit was what he liked to do.
"You can go to the set; I don't mind." Laila didn't think there was anything to hide. Almost all of the shooting was done in the studio, and she hadn't allowed many reporters to enter to avoid any damage to the props.
On the production side, they had thought she wanted to keep the filming closed, so they closed the entire studio and declined all requests for outside interviews. This led to even more curiosity from the public about what she was currently working on. When Laila realized the misunderstanding, she thought it wasn't a bad thing and allowed the misconception to persist.
Due to her stature, "Entertainer News" wanted to secure an interview with her, and the production side didn't oppose it. At the moment, her authority on the set was unmatched. Even the producers and investors wouldn't dare to make demands in front of her. There was no other way – she was one of the most famous and lucrative directors in Hollywood. Just being able to make money was enough to make producers and investors treat her like a goddess.
During her days off, the "Chicago" crew had been working hard. The assistant director, Rob Marshall, was guiding the actors in rehearsing the upcoming song and dance routines. In his free time, he also helped manage the production. In any case, he finally had the chance to fulfill his dream of being a director.
"I've got the final scenes rehearsed. The actors are in great shape, and we can start shooting anytime." After seeing Laila, Rob meticulously reported everything that had happened in the last two days.
"Okay," Laila went straight to her dressing room on the set, "I'll have an interview in a moment. Inform everyone that the official shoot will start at 3:00 in the afternoon."
"Understood," Rob nodded and left. His understanding earned him extra points in Laila's eyes. She had already decided to sign him to her company. He was highly capable, and he had a strong ability to adapt. Despite being considerably older than her, he never looked down on her due to her age. Moreover, his directing skills were outstanding. The fact that he had received an Oscar nomination for Best Director for "Chicago" in her previous life proved his abilities.
Laila's promise to make the sequels to "Pirates of the Caribbean" was not a casual statement. In her previous life, Rob had indeed directed a sequel, but it wasn't the second installment; it was the fourth. Apart from a weak script, his directing skills were top-notch, something she was certain of.
At 2:00 in the afternoon, the reporter assigned to interview Laila arrived promptly, much to Laila's surprise. It was Anthony himself.
"What's this? Are you now interested in the field of journalism?"
Anthony didn't mind the boss's teasing and elegantly adjusted his glasses. "I may not be a journalist, but I know what readers want to know. Am I not qualified to handle this interview task?"
Laila raised an eyebrow and smiled. "You make a good point. I can't argue with that. Alright, Mr. Anthony, let's see which aspects of me readers are most interested in."
Anthony wasn't shy and had a photographer take a few pictures of Laila. Then he started the audio recorder to capture everything she said for later processing.
"First question, Laila, your film received three major awards at once. Do you have any thoughts on this?"
Laila chuckled, "Are you sure readers want to know something so simple? I thought the wording should be more intense, like, 'All your team members received awards, but you, as a director, didn't even receive a nomination. Do you feel embarrassed?'"
Anthony shrugged, "Who says you're not my future boss? To secure my future promotions and salary increases, I have to ask carefully."
Laila found his humor amusing. "You speak as if it's really the case. But I guess you're worried I might kick you out in a fit of anger, right?"