Nicholson, striding confidently, halted about five meters away from Blanchett. In his hands, he clutched a vibrant bouquet of roses and, with the grandiosity of a dramatic performance, he declared, "I love Blanchett! I love Blanchett..."
Irrespective of Blanchett's reaction, it was clear that Nicholson was focused on himself. He did it for the thrill and joy, not only raising his voice but also delivering it with genuine sincerity: "Cate Blanchett, marry me!" The scene burst into an uproar.
But who in Hollywood didn't know that Cate Blanchett was already married? Martin, not too far away, shouted enthusiastically, "Marry him! Marry him!"
Leonardo quickly chimed in, "Marry him!" He not only shouted but also extended his arms, encouraging others around him, saying, "We are witnessing the birth of a great love, let's shout together!"
The audience, initially uncertain, gradually joined in. First, a few followers of Leonardo cheered, and after a few seconds, the entire crowd began to chant, "Marry him! Marry him..."
Some onlookers joined the chant without even comprehending what was happening.
Cate Blanchett's face darkened. In Hollywood, it was common knowledge that she had a loving husband, and the couple had a strong relationship. Whenever she returned to Australia, she embraced her role as a devoted wife and mother. Did this fool intend to tarnish her reputation?
With a scowling face, Cate Blanchett strode up to Jack Nicholson, snatched the bright roses from his hands, and hurled them to the ground. Not content with that, she stomped on them, crushing them into a muddy mess.
Jack Nicholson appeared quite helpless, saying, "I'm just asking for love, I don't want to hurt you, there's no need."
But Cate Blanchett continued to grind the roses underfoot, her cold expression as unyielding as iron. She scorned him, "Go away! You're repulsive, old, and ugly..."
She spat out her words disdainfully, "Bah!"
Nicholson, with a bewildered look, raised his hands, offering no further resistance. He increasingly resembled an unapproachable gentleman.
Not far away, his daughter Lorraine discreetly filmed the entire spectacle.
Nicholson sighed and said, "I love you deeply and hope you can give me a chance." Despite his age and the waning of his influence, he insisted, "The old white man in Hollywood still deserves his share of spring."
"Bah!" Cate Blanchett spat again, loudly cursing, "Disgusting old white man from Hollywood!"
Nicholson shook his head but remained silent, choosing to step aside. As Cate Blanchett was leaving, she heard the commotion around her and hurriedly walked away, her patience at its limits.
Once she had distanced herself from the crowd, Jack Nicholson called to Leonardo, "Let's go, let's go."
Leonardo, Nicholson, and Lorraine, who had been trailing discreetly, hopped into a golf cart and made a hasty exit. Martin assumed the driver's seat, instructed Bruce to get in, and drove straight to the studio's parking lot.
Ten minutes later, they arrived at the WMA headquarters in Century City, their designated meeting place.
Martin entered the lobby, acknowledging Leonardo and the others in the rest area. He approached the front desk and requested a meeting room.
With his current position in the company and his impending contract renewal, Martin's status had the full support of the entire company. It was a matter of stardom and business that now demanded attention.
Securing a star like Martin, with immense commercial appeal and still on a rapid ascent, for another three years is no small feat.
After closing the door to the reception room, Nicholson turned to Lorraine and requested the digital camera.
Martin and Leonardo swiftly joined them.
Lorraine found herself in a rather perplexing situation. Her father was unpredictable, and her two best friends had proven to be equally unreliable.
The trio of mischievous friends seemed to attract trouble wherever they went.
Martin examined the video and gave Lorraine a thumbs-up, complimenting, "Nice shot."
Lorraine smiled in return.
Leonardo, the strong and temporary addition to their group, inquired, "What's our next move?"
Martin turned to Nicholson, acknowledging his roles as director, producer, and lead actor, and said, "The decision is yours."
Nicholson had a plan in mind, "Naturally, we need to sell it and recoup today's investment. We might even turn a profit. We never engage in money-losing ventures."
Martin nodded in approval, saying, "You certainly know how to conduct business..."
Nicholson, however, was modest, attributing his knowledge to Martin, "I learned it all from you."
Martin turned to Bruce and directed, "Old Boo, make the arrangements."
Bruce asked, "A direct transaction?"
Nicholson glanced at Lorraine, thinking it was a good opportunity for his daughter to gain some experience, "You'll be the one to negotiate."
Lorraine's eyes widened in surprise, "Me? Alright, I'll do it."
Nicholson added, "If you can't sell it for $10,000, make up the difference from your own pocket, and you can keep the extra money."
Lorraine made a copy of the video and followed Bruce to strike a deal.
Leonardo asked Nicholson, "Jack, was this all intentional?"
Martin seemed equally intrigued.
Nicholson replied, "Adding a touch of spice is necessary for fun. After all, old white men in Hollywood can be quite petty, haha..." He, being one of them, certainly understood.
Martin patted Leonardo on the shoulder, "You can attest to that."
Leonardo, on the verge of tears, had no rebuttal.
Martin looked at Nicholson and remarked, "You're quite the talent. While Cate Blanchett is taking the artistic route to win awards, if the older generation has prejudices against her, she'll face challenges."
Nicholson chuckled, "No need to rush. Let's sow the seeds of discord first."
Martin urged, "Let's work harder. She's very recognizable. We need to leave a lasting impression on the older generation."
Leonardo gestured to his two mischievous friends, "You two are always reliable when it comes to mischief."
Martin grabbed his phone and called Bruce, instructing him to highlight the video's selling points.
On the other side, in a Century City shopping mall, Lorraine met with Judy, the editor-in-chief of TMZ.
Judy, who was attractive but somewhat lacking in certain features, spotted Lorraine and asked, "Are you looking for me?"
Lorraine gripped the card reader and responded, "Let's start with the password."
Judy, reluctantly, asked, "Who's Leonardo's favorite?"
Lorraine confirmed she was the right person and answered, "Gisele Bündchen."
She glanced back at Bruce, even though she couldn't see him, trusting that he would watch over her. She produced the card reader, and boldly stated, "I'm asking for $20,000 for this video."
Judy accepted the card reader, plugged it into his laptop, and played the video. It showed Jack Nicholson's attempt to woo Blanchett, which ended with her rejecting him rather bluntly.
Although Cate Blanchett's words had been harsh, Nicholson's reaction was understandable to some extent. The video's content didn't seem all that exciting.
Judy shook his head, saying, "It looks like nonsense. It's not worth $20,000. Both Nicholson and Blanchett are popular, and the middleman who introduced you is reliable. I'll give you $5,000 for it."
Lorraine was ready to contribute $5,000 of her own to support her father, but she decided to make one more attempt. She played the video again, pausing at key moments to emphasize Blanchett's words.
Judy's news instincts kicked in, and after listening closely, he grasped the true value of the video, promptly offering, "I'll give you $10,000."
Lorraine, inexperienced in such transactions, nervously stated, "15,000 dollars, take it or leave it."
Judy, fearing regret, promptly agreed, retrieved his checkbook, and wrote the check.
Lorraine realized she might have sold the video too cheaply, but with the check in her hand, there was no turning back. She got up and left.
Judy, back at his office, immediately called the technical staff from the editorial department.
"Here, enhance the audio a bit." Judy played Blanchett's second spate of harsh words. "Boost the audio here to make her voice sharper." As he awaited the processed video, Joe Dee sat at his desk, contemplating how to grab attention.
As a highly professional entertainment reporter, it didn't take long for Judy to come up with the headline: "Cate Blanchett Accused of Displeasure Towards Certain Hollywood Figures, Takes Aim at Old White Men!"
Judy knew that, at least in this case, race wouldn't be an issue.
He finished writing the article and asked his assistant to watch the video, craft some content, and create the headlines.
The assistant watched the video again and asked, "Boss, will this really make a big splash?"
"Absolutely!" Judy emphasized. "Don't forget to credit the source for any reprints. The Hollywood Reporter and Entertainment Weekly will definitely pick it up."
The assistant remained puzzled, "Why?"
Joexplained, "Because the old white men in Hollywood are sensitive and somewhat old-fashioned. Their influence is most apparent within the Academy. If anyone crosses them, even unintentionally, they could engage in a decade-long feud with you."
The assistant finally grasped the point, "You mean the core group of the academy, a bunch of old white men who are quite petty."
Judy elaborated further, "Blanchett has had a history with the Academy. In 1999, she was the frontrunner for the Best Actress Oscar, but it went to Gwyneth Paltrow. Losing the Best Actress award gave her an opportunity to vent."
The assistant praised, "You're brilliant, boss!"
...
Meanwhile, Martin picked up Elizabeth from the south hillside and headed straight to the Brentwood neighborhood. They drove directly to Leonardo's mansion.
Leonardo and Nicholson were already seated in the living room, engaged in conversation.
Leonardo's temporary companion, Bar Refaeli, took the initiative to greet Martin and started a conversation with Elizabeth about women's topics.
Bar Refaeli had an unconventional relationship with Leonardo. She lived in his mansion and was nominally his girlfriend. She leveraged Leonardo's fame to quickly rise in the modeling industry. Strangely, she didn't seem concerned about Leonardo's romantic affairs outside their relationship. Leonardo could have as many relationships as he pleased, and she even helped prepare for his parties.
Perhaps it was a classic case of each party getting what they needed.
Martin conversed with Nicholson and Leonardo for a while, and then Lorraine and Bruce entered the living room one after another.
Lorraine handed the check to Nicholson, saying, "$15,000, all there."
Nicholson, in this moment, became a generous fatherly figure, saying, "You've earned this. Take it."
Lorraine suddenly found herself appreciating the trio led by her father.