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Chapter 141: Undercurrents
🕑 Added 2024-12-14 17:50:27 +0000 UTCMany Hollywood bigwigs have somewhat twisted private lives. Leo once told Gilbert about the naked parties he'd attended, where he saw many famous actresses.
Things like threesomes or foursomes were considered normal. There were even stories of interactions with animals, which left Gilbert utterly shocked.
Rumor had it that something called "Longus" was especially popular, and many actresses wanted to have some sort of relationship with it.
"Longus" is Latin for "long."
Most importantly, Longus was not a person but a donkey. It had undergone special training and specific artificial grooming, making it highly skilled in certain acts.
Leo vividly described the scenes to Gilbert during their conversation.
At moments like these, Gilbert would typically ask, "So, did you ever do it with that donkey?"
Leo would immediately react, saying, "How could I? I'm only interested in women—beautiful women."
After saying this, both of them would burst into laughter and then criticize the perversions of Hollywood.
Compared to this, things like drinking, drug use, or hosting pool parties with long-legged blonde models seemed relatively normal in Hollywood.
By the standards of the previous life, there weren't any truly "normal" people in Hollywood.
Life under the Hollywood spotlight was intoxicating, but it was also an extremely stressful experience. To escape troubles and pressures, these directors and stars sought thrills, which gradually made them more and more abnormal.
In comparison, Mel Gibson's habits of photography and abuse seemed relatively tame.
However, if Mel Gibson had played by the rules, at most, everyone would have engaged in tit-for-tat tactics without interfering with each other.
But Mel Gibson brazenly crossed Gilbert's bottom line, so he couldn't blame Gilbert for retaliating.
Sophie Marceau played a crucial role. Her final defection essentially saved Gilbert's career.
Whether out of gratitude or viewing Sophie Marceau as a model of defection, Gilbert felt the need to protect her.
If he couldn't even protect Sophie Marceau and allowed her to be bullied, who would dare to help Gilbert in times of crisis?
Everyone knew that if you couldn't protect people or offer reciprocation, no one would dare assist you.
After receiving the task, Craig Evans immediately launched an investigation. He followed, photographed, and eavesdropped without sparing any effort.
Unlike James Bond's high-tech gadgets, Craig Evans relied on his experience and skills to accomplish these tasks.
As a former elite agent of the French Bureau, such tasks were a breeze for him.
On Gilbert's side, once Sophie Marceau had recovered sufficiently, he had her reappear in public.
Sheena Boone helped Sophie Marceau rent a new house. Gilbert then openly stayed there with her for a few days.
This incident was quickly picked up by the tabloids, which began hyping up a new romantic rumor about Gilbert and a French beauty.
Only Gilbert enjoyed this level of attention. If it were any other director, even dating eighteen girlfriends wouldn't spark media interest.
The media was interested because the fans were interested.
Seeing the tabloids pairing Gilbert and Sophie Marceau together upset many female fans who admired Gilbert for his looks.
"That French woman, what's so great about her? Just longer legs and a more delicate face?"
"Exactly..."
"Oh my god, how amazing would it be to sleep with Director Gilbert!"
"Shut up, b*tch. The only one who can sleep with Director Gilbert is me."
"It's me…"
It was hard to understand what these female fans were thinking.
Perhaps because Hollywood actors had too many female fans, Gilbert's relatively smaller fan base gave some women the illusion that Gilbert "belonged" to them.
Gilbert even had a certain "boy band idol" vibe from his previous life.
Unfortunately, the internet wasn't yet developed. Otherwise, Gilbert's fan club would have gathered online with even greater momentum.
But that wasn't the point. The high-profile approach was mainly aimed at sending a warning to Mel Gibson and observing his reaction.
As expected, Mel Gibson didn't dare act rashly because he didn't know how much Sophie Marceau had revealed. He didn't release those photos either.
If he released the photos, there would be no turning back. If Sophie Marceau decided to fight back and sue Mel Gibson, it would be disastrous.
Moreover, publishing photos wasn't as easy as it would be in the age of the internet.
Gilbert had already analyzed the situation for Sophie Marceau beforehand. Seeing things unfold as predicted, Sophie Marceau admired Gilbert greatly.
On May 24th, Braveheart premiered across the U.S.
The day before, the film held its Hollywood premiere at the Chinese Theatre. As the leading actress, Sophie Marceau naturally attended.
Originally, Sophie Marceau was supposed to attend with Mel Gibson. But for some reason, Gilbert ended up accompanying her instead.
Since such private matters couldn't be openly discussed, Mel Gibson didn't dare explain it publicly.
Fans and journalists believed Sophie Marceau's charm had swayed Gilbert to support Braveheart.
Insiders aware of the feud between Gilbert and Mel Gibson speculated Gilbert might be mending relations with Mel Gibson.
However, Mel Gibson's close aides and friends knew the situation.
One friend suggested, "Mel, we don't know how much Gilbert knows. Should we find a chance to ask him?"
"Exactly," the assistant agreed. "Test him, see how he reacts."
Watching Gilbert fake pleasantries with Martin Bob, Mel Gibson agreed. "I'll see what I can find out. Meanwhile, try to get Sophie Marceau back."
"Got it…"
Mel Gibson, still limping from his previous fall, declared his injury as a filming accident to garner sympathy from fans.
Fans, touched by Mel Gibson's dedication, naturally supported the film. Despite his reputation, Mel Gibson had some sway in Hollywood.
Everyone split up to act. If Sophie Marceau could be recaptured, the crisis would largely be resolved. With no "hostage," Gilbert would lose leverage.
On the other side, after briefly walking the red carpet, Gilbert spoke a few words praising Braveheart during interviews.
In his mind, Mel Gibson was already a dead man. Saying a few kind words didn't cost him anything.
If Gilbert's praise alone could make Braveheart a box-office hit, he might as well become a fortune-teller instead of a director.
Such miracles required divine intervention, and Gilbert was no god.
Inside the venue, Gilbert ran into Martin Bob.
Surprised by Gilbert's presence, Martin Bob joked, "Thank you, Director Gilbert, for showing support."
"Martin," Gilbert replied indifferently, "I'm only here for Sophie."
Martin Bob glanced at Sophie Marceau and said, "It seems Sophie truly has charm. CAA has big plans for her and intends to get her more major projects to hone her skills."
"Really?" Gilbert said nonchalantly. "That's great. It'll make her Hollywood journey smoother."
The two men, one a seasoned fox and the other a cunning one, tried to probe each other's intentions through their conversation.
After their verbal duel, Gilbert concluded that Martin Bob probably didn't know about Mel Gibson's actions. Otherwise, he wouldn't appear so calm, almost clueless.
And why would he? Following Michael Ovitz for so long, Martin Bob understood Hollywood's rules better than Mel Gibson, who arrogantly dismissed them.
Braveheart was a project co-produced by Paramount Pictures and 20th Century Fox, with CAA handling the packaging.
Although Fox's president didn't attend the premiere, their distribution head, Tim Solomon, was present.
Seeing Gilbert support the event, Tim Solomon assumed Gilbert was showing respect for Fox and eagerly approached him.
However, Gilbert's words left Tim Solomon stunned: "Tim, if I were to target someone and it affected this film, what would Fox think?"
Tim Solomon paused, then quickly asked, "Who? Mel?"
Gilbert didn't answer directly, but his expression said it all. Tim Solomon understood yet couldn't comprehend what Mel Gibson could've done to provoke Gilbert to such an extent.
"Is there any room for reconciliation?" Tim Solomon pressed.
"He broke the rules. Have you heard about his father being an anti-Semite?" Gilbert's single sentence made Tim Solomon understand everything.
As a fellow Jewish individual, Tim Solomon knew their community's unity in such matters.
Throughout the premiere, Tim Solomon remained troubled by Gilbert's words. Once the event ended, he hurried back to report to the company.
Sean Connery also attended the premiere. As the film's second male lead, he was vying for the Best Supporting Actor Oscar.
Seeing Gilbert, Sean Connery initially wanted to confront him with a heavy hand.
But this was a public occasion. If he lashed out at Gilbert in front of so many journalists and fans, it would be an ugly scene.
Besides, Martin Bob kept persuading Sean Connery to hold back, reminding him, "You're an old man. What if you can't beat Gilbert? He's young and strong."
Sean Connery had to admit Martin Bob had a point. As an actor whose action scenes were done by doubles, he likely couldn't overpower Gilbert.
And what would it look like for a man hailed as the most elegant and gentlemanly to resort to violence?
So, knowing he couldn't win, Sean Connery decided to avoid Gilbert altogether.
Fortunately, Gilbert was not there for Sean Connery, which brought the latter a sigh of relief.
Despite his anger and irritable nature, Sean Connery had become much more subdued after suffering a series of setbacks.
Meanwhile, Mel Gibson found an opportunity to speak privately with Gilbert in the lounge. "Sophie, can I have a word with Gilbert?" he asked.
Sophie Marceau looked at Gilbert with a pleading expression, unwilling to leave his side at this moment.
Gilbert gave Sophie a reassuring look before addressing Mel Gibson. "You and I both know what you tried to do, even if you didn't succeed."
Seeing no chance to get Sophie Marceau alone, Mel Gibson's demeanor turned cold. "What exactly are you planning? You know if I go down, a lot of others will go down with me."
"Are you talking about Paramount and 20th Century Fox?" Gilbert suddenly chuckled. "Do you really think that even without this incident, you'd achieve anything significant this summer? Or win anything at the Oscars?
Stop dreaming, Mel. Even without this, it's only a matter of time before you're out of Hollywood."
As he spoke, Gilbert instructed Sophie Marceau to keep watch at the door to ensure no one entered. His assistant, Anna Singer, also came over to help keep guard.
Six bodyguards appeared silently and stood watch over the lounge.
"These are retired soldiers from the Marine Corps," Gilbert introduced with a calm smile. "Recommended by the Pentagon—capable and experienced. They've killed people before."
Looking at the imposing bodyguards, Mel Gibson realized force was not an option.
Gilbert leaned closer to Mel Gibson, speaking in a voice only the two of them could hear. "From what Sophie told me, you don't have what it takes, huh?
It's embarrassing. Can't satisfy someone properly and have to resort to other means to vent."
Mel Gibson's temper flared instantly, but with the six towering bodyguards present, he didn't dare act rashly.
"Don't forget, I still have those photos," Mel Gibson threatened.
"Photos?" Gilbert didn't seem the least bit concerned. "You mean hers? Go ahead and release them. They don't involve me.
But let me warn you—if she's ruined, I'll make sure you go down with her."
"What do you plan to do?" Mel Gibson's tone was cold, his anger visible in his trembling form.
"I make no guarantees about what I might do. Or maybe we can negotiate?"
"Negotiate? How?"
"You hand over the photos, and I'll overlook what happened. We both take a step back and return to how things were."
"Hah," Mel Gibson sneered, clearly distrustful. "It's already come to this. It's obvious you know everything and have dirt on me. Do you really think there's room for negotiation?"
"Then I guess not. What a pity." Gilbert's expression showed no trace of regret. "Good luck, Mr. Gibson."
With that, Gilbert left with his team, leaving Mel Gibson alone in the lounge.
Not long after, Mel Gibson's assistant and a few sycophants rushed in. Missing the chance to regain control of Sophie Marceau left them visibly frustrated.
"What now, Mel?" one of his hangers-on asked.
"Is there any dirt on Gilbert?" Mel Gibson demanded.
"None," another replied. "At most, there are rumors of three girlfriends, but that's hardly an issue."
The group's chatter only made Mel Gibson's head throb. Furious, he stormed out, skipping the post-premiere press conference under the pretense of feeling unwell.
At this point, the movie was no longer Mel Gibson's concern. His future and fate in Hollywood were all that occupied his mind.
Beneath the surface of the premiere, tensions brewed. Sharp and perceptive individuals sensed that a storm was coming.
After the premiere, Braveheart officially hit theaters, but its box office performance fell far short of expectations, bordering on disastrous.
In its opening weekend, Braveheart grossed only $12.908 million, trailing behind Die Hard with a Vengeance at $33.254 million and The Rock at $24.403 million, ranking third in weekend box office earnings.
