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Chapter 195: Irreplaceable
🕑 Added 2024-12-24 18:08:43 +0000 UTCSince there was little use of special effects and not many shots, Duke took only three days to edit the two-minute-long commercial. After properly adjusting the colors, lighting, and adding the background music, the commercial was mostly complete. The only thing left was to bring the two leading actors back for voiceovers.
Compared to the post-production of several films, Duke felt quite relaxed, and his mood had been good in recent days.
Sitting at a break table in the studio, sipping coffee and chatting with Tina Fey about some work in Los Angeles, Duke leisurely waited for the two lead actors to come in and finish the last piece of work. However, before Elizabeth Hurley and Leonardo DiCaprio arrived, the door opened, and in walked a visibly upset Irene Lauder, who sat down next to him.
"What happened?"
Lately, Irene had been staying on set as a liaison officer, and the two had grown quite familiar with each other. Duke poured her a cup of coffee. "You don't seem very happy?"
"Hugh Grant's been caught soliciting in the U.S., and the media's all over it!" Irene seemed angry. "How could I be happy?"
"Uh..."
Duke opened his mouth but didn't know what to say. He could see that Irene was a woman becoming more mature and sharp, and it was hard to believe she could tolerate such a thing.
"You're mistaken."
Seeing his surprised expression, Irene guessed what Duke was thinking and explained, "Hugh Grant is not my boyfriend! He has nothing to do with me! His girlfriend is Elizabeth Hurley. Now, this scandal has spread all over the U.S., and soon it will spread worldwide. Elizabeth Hurley has become the focus of media attention, with many people even mocking her. She's the spokesperson for Lauder. This could affect our commercial and even the image of Estée Lauder!"
"Sorry, Irene, I was overthinking."
Duke lightly patted her hand. Irene shook her head. "It's fine. I didn't explain clearly."
Through this period of interaction, Duke had gradually come to see Irene as a friend. She was a woman who was easy to like — rational yet innocent, sharp but not too worldly. Most importantly, she had a relatively mild temperament and was very discreet, which made her easier to get along with than someone like Sofia Coppola, whose personality was prickly.
"What's Elizabeth Hurley's reaction?"
Duke didn't usually follow gossip and had been buried in work in the studio these past few days, so he didn't know much about the situation. "She didn't speak to the media, did she?"
"She did give an interview." Irene tapped her forehead with her finger, looking troubled. "She said she's experiencing the feeling of death."
"She's not that dumb." Duke frowned.
"I remember you've also faced public scrutiny." Irene, seeing Duke deep in thought, didn't hesitate to say, "You have more PR experience than I do. Do you have any good suggestions?"
"Suggestions?" Duke looked at her, puzzled.
Irene didn't hold back, explaining directly, "I was appointed vice president of brand image promotion by the board just two days ago, so this falls under my responsibility."
"Congratulations!"
In a moment like this, Duke only said that to try and get her to relax, knowing that staying tense wouldn't help. Irene understood his intent and playfully nudged him, "There's nothing to congratulate. I might lose my job as soon as I start."
"If you're willing to pay a consultancy fee," Duke joked, "I could give you a few suggestions."
"You're just leaving me to fend for myself," Irene grumbled before adding, "Is this how you help friends in trouble?"
"Sometimes bad things can be turned into good things," Duke could tell Irene lacked experience handling scandals of this sort and reminded her, "Don't forget, Irene, Elizabeth Hurley wasn't the one caught soliciting; she was just dragged into it by Hugh Grant."
Duke didn't intend to keep her guessing, so he continued, "You should contact Elizabeth Hurley's agent and work together on a PR campaign to turn the negatives into positives. From what you've told me, Elizabeth Hurley is now the media's focus, with tons of cameras and flashes on her. So, the topic surrounding her must be very hot and explosive. At this time, you must ensure she doesn't crumble but instead stays strong and resilient."
"Kick that British idiot to the curb?" Irene asked. "And smear him as much as possible?"
"No..." Duke shook his head. "Doing that would only benefit Elizabeth Hurley, not us."
Irene wasn't slow to understand; she just lacked the experience. Slowly, she started to catch on. "You mean..."
"Exactly!" Duke dropped his playful tone and adopted a more serious work attitude. "Not only should you encourage Elizabeth Hurley not to break up with Hugh Grant, but you should also have her forgive him, showing how magnanimous and loyal she is."
As Duke spoke, Irene pondered for a moment before nodding. "We can partner with the media to hype Elizabeth Hurley as a forgiving woman, gaining the public's admiration for her loyalty and creating a wholesome, positive image. Then, using Hugh Grant's scandal, we can make her even more famous and successful. Afterward, we can find a perfect moment to release the commercial."
"And what about when she breaks up with Hugh Grant later?"
Before Duke could answer, Irene's eyes lit up. "We'll have her sign an agreement stating she won't break up with Hugh Grant while fulfilling her contract with Lauder."
"Darling, you should be in Hollywood," Duke laughed, "not working here."
"If you're willing to pay me a million dollars a year," Irene joked back, clearly more at ease, "I could begrudgingly be your PR manager."
After finishing her coffee, Irene stood up, more serious now. "Thanks, Duke. I'm heading out to notify Elizabeth Hurley to come to the Lauder building. She probably won't be coming here today."
The next afternoon, Elizabeth Hurley finally arrived at the studio. She smiled as she greeted Duke and Leonardo, looking in good spirits. As the two lead actors headed to the recording booth, Irene leaned close to Duke's ear.
"It's settled!" she whispered. "She'll dump Hugh Grant after finishing her contract with Lauder."
That outcome didn't surprise Duke. Though Estée Lauder wasn't a top luxury brand, it was one of the most famous cosmetic brands in the world and offered its spokespersons a generous paycheck. For a star like Elizabeth Hurley, who had been navigating the world of fame for over a decade, making the right choice wasn't difficult.
Just like Elizabeth Hurley and Hugh Grant would eventually part ways, Hollywood star couples were often full of unimaginable stories.
Nodding to Irene, Duke entered the recording booth to start the voiceover work.
Since the music used in the commercial was an existing track, all that was left was the final voiceover work. The lines weren't difficult, and for Elizabeth Hurley and Leonardo DiCaprio, it was no challenge at all.
"...I don't care about tomorrow!"
Seemingly unaffected by her boyfriend's scandal, Elizabeth Hurley delivered her lines with passion, perfectly matching the tone of the commercial. "No one can ruin our dream, no one, goodbye."
Leonardo did just as well, speaking with deep emotion. "She's gone, but unless she forgets, I think... I won't. I won't forget her kiss, her smile, and her perfume!"
As Elizabeth Hurley, in a black velvet gown, walked down the red carpet, a solemn monologue played.
"This isn't a journey. Journeys have destinations, but we will continue... Wherever I go, there you are! My luck, my destiny, Estée Lauder Youth Dew, irreplaceable!"
Although the first recording was nearly flawless, Duke had both actors repeat it three times, allowing the sound engineer to pick the best takes to incorporate into the commercial.
With the commercial finished, Duke temporarily set aside work and returned to his mother's house to take a few days off while waiting for the results of Nancy Josephson's negotiations with Lily Fred. Duke knew himself well — he didn't have the professional skills to choreograph a musical. To make *Chicago*, a skilled choreographer was essential.
After the commercial was completed, Lauder Group paid Duke $2.2 million out of the $3 million agreed-upon director's fee. The rest would be paid once the commercial aired.
"Duke, after your birthday next year, the Victoria's Secret trust will take effect."
During dinner, Mrs. Leah reminded Duke of something he had almost forgotten, while also cautioning him, "Just because I don't mention some things doesn't mean I don't know about them."
"Mom," Duke spread his hands helplessly, "am I really the kind of person who likes to fool around?"
He was well aware of when to do what, and besides, with so many Victoria's Secret Angels, if he spent all his time with them, he wouldn't have any time left to work.
Of course, if he happened to meet a few of the ones he was interested in at the right time and place, he wouldn't mind giving it a try.
After spending three days with his mother in New York, Nancy Josephson and Lily Fred's team reached an agreement, finally settling on a price of one million dollars. Duke, representing Duke Studio, signed a preliminary contract with her. If all went well, this experienced Broadway musical expert would serve as the choreographer for *Chicago*.
Meanwhile, rumors had begun circulating within the industry that Duke's next film would be a musical, causing quite a stir.
