Chapter 67
The lights flickered on, signaling the end of the movie. The crowd began to gather around, congratulating the crew. Martin received the lion's share of the attention, his performance praised by everyone in the room.
"Martin, your performance was fantastic, congratulations," Tom Cruise said with genuine admiration.
Nicole Kidman, equally impressed, added, "Congratulations, Martin, for another amazing role. Seriously, when you looked behind Willis, I thought something was going to jump out at me."
James Cameron, with a look of awe, shook Martin's hand and said, "I didn't expect that, little guy. Your acting skills blew me away. I had to come over and tell you—I think you're incredible."
The most direct compliment came from Harvey Weinstein, who grinned widely. "Martin, we did it. I have a feeling this film's going to be a hit. We're all going to get rich."
He felt a pang of regret, though—after all, his 40% stake meant he'd be sharing a massive amount of that wealth.
The premiere wasn't over yet, though. The main creative team from The Sixth Sense took the stage to meet the audience and field questions from the press. After the usual rounds of questions directed at the producers, director, and Bruce Willis, all eyes turned to Martin.
One reporter asked, "Martin, your performance was extraordinary. From Made in Heaven to The Sixth Sense, how do you manage to make each character so realistic and convincing?"
Martin thought for a moment before shrugging, "I don't want to brag, but I guess I have to attribute it to talent."
He smiled before continuing, "Maybe it's because I wrote the story myself. The personalities, backgrounds, and habits of the characters just live in my mind. All I do is imitate them."
The reporter followed up, "Wait, you actually wrote the script for this movie? As a 12-year-old child, how did you manage to capture such complex emotions about family love, communication, and life?"
Martin glanced at the reporter's badge, his succubus-like sharp vision allowing him to make out the words even from a distance: News of the World. He was already familiar with the name from his past knowledge. The paper, infamous for its involvement in a phone-hacking scandal years later, was known for its aggressive methods—using anything from following people to installing bugs.
Keeping this in mind, Martin smiled and replied, "It's simple—observation. Balzac wrote Eugénie Grandet, but he wasn't a miser. Shakespeare wrote Hamlet, but he wasn't a prince. The Disney brothers created Mickey Mouse, but they weren't mice. There are countless examples."
The audience laughed at his dry wit.
He paused and added, "I just want to say that the reason humans are different from animals isn't just that we walk upright and use tools, but also because we have imagination."
"As a writer, you need to have eyes that can see beyond the surface, to find the truth. In fact, I think reporters should do the same."
The reporter, still unconvinced, retorted, "Isn't the job of a reporter to question everything?"
Martin smiled, a touch of humor in his response, "No. Questioning is never the goal. Curiosity is necessary for a reporter, but it's just the means. The purpose is to uncover the truth. When you write an article, you have to make sure it's true. Words like 'allegedly' and 'possibly' shouldn't cover up lies."
The audience erupted in applause. Tom Cruise, clearly fed up with the tabloids lately, stood up, clapping with enthusiasm. His approval made Martin feel even more validated.
The applause spread, everyone moved by Martin's unflinching clarity. For a 12-year-old to speak so articulately, with such logical and well-structured reasoning, was nothing short of remarkable.
The reporter from News of the World sat down, slightly embarrassed. He hadn't expected a child to outsmart him so thoroughly.
The next question came from a reporter from the Los Angeles Times, who directed it to Tom Cruise.
"Tom, why are you here today? Do you know Martin? Or was it Martin who invited you?"
Tom, who had been reluctant to attend at first, smiled. "I didn't know Martin before today. I've heard of him through newspapers and TV."
"And Martin didn't invite me either."
The response caused a stir in the room. Why did it sound like Tom Cruise had come on his own?
Tom, ever the master of media savvy, clarified, "Actually, Martin sent my wife Nicole a script she absolutely loved. She insisted we come to see Martin, so here I am."
The audience laughed, clearly enjoying Tom's good-natured response.
He continued, "At first, I came just to accompany Nicole. But after watching this movie, I can say this trip was totally worth it. I saw the unparalleled acting of a young genius."
"I don't think anyone in their right mind would question Martin's role as the creator after seeing this film."
"Bruce Willis gave it his all, and he's brilliant, but no offense—Martin completely stole the show."
Tom flashed an apologetic look at Bruce, who smiled and waved it off, clearly understanding the sentiment.
The applause continued, echoing throughout the theater.
[•———•——•———•]
𝙥𝗮𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙤𝙣(.)𝙘𝙤𝙢/𝙂𝙤𝙙𝙊𝙛𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧
✨ • 𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀: 𝙂𝙚𝙩 𝟲𝟬+ 𝙖𝙙𝙫𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙙 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙖𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙤𝙛 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙚𝙡𝙨𝙚.