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Chapter 111: Nicolas Cage's Long-Legged Model Party
🕑 Added 2024-11-11 09:37:15 +0000 UTCIn a villa in the Santa Monica beachfront area, near Ocean Avenue, music is blaring loudly, intense and wild.
Walking to the pool in the back of the villa, one would see a dozen or so beautiful women with long legs, golden hair, and blue eyes, dressed in seductive swimsuits.
They are either swimming, lounging on beach chairs, playing in the water, taking playful slaps, sipping drinks, or casting flirtatious glances.
Words can hardly describe the scene in more detail; one would need to experience it personally.
When Gilbert entered, Nicolas Cage was holding two blonde women in his arms, with another blonde kneeling in front of him. Then…
Gilbert was speechless. Was Uncle Cage testing him with this scene?
"Ahem…" Gilbert pretended to cough.
Nicolas Cage finally noticed him, nodded to signal him to sit down, then patted one of the blonde women on his lap, motioning her to pour a drink.
The other two blondes pretended not to see Gilbert and continued doing what they were doing.
After the drinks were served, Nicolas Cage shook hands with Gilbert, saying, "So, you're Gilbert."
"That's right, it's me." Gilbert looked around the villa, where the blonde women were frolicking and having fun.
Gilbert smiled slightly and said, "I learned about you from Sofia. I hear you're a great actor, so I'd like to collaborate with you."
"Haha," Nicolas Cage let go of the blondes, sat down next to Gilbert, and looked at him as if trying to see through him.
Gilbert rubbed his nose and said, "Mr. Cage, a guest is here; at the very least, you should put on some clothes instead of walking around naked like this."
Nicolas Cage shrugged, unfazed, and said casually, "I heard the people from your family are strong. I don't buy it, so I wanted to challenge you."
"Challenge how? Compare sizes?" Gilbert asked.
"No, we'll compare who can conquer more women," Nicolas Cage said, pointing to the dozen blonde women.
Gilbert was speechless. It turned out that Nicolas Cage had invited him over for a wild party.
To be honest, Gilbert wouldn't mind a wild party, but he was a bit possessive and didn't like having other men around when he was partying.
So, Gilbert declined decisively, "Sorry, Mr. Cage, I came here to discuss a movie, not this.
If you're not interested in acting, there's no need to go to such lengths."
After saying that, Gilbert turned to leave.
Seeing this, Nicolas Cage hurriedly stopped him. "You really do live like a Puritan, just as they say. No wonder you've achieved so much at such a young age."
Gilbert was bewildered. He had three girlfriends already—how did that count as living a Puritan life? He just didn't want a wild party with other men around!
After that, Nicolas Cage sent the blonde women away, finally put on some clothes, and sat down for a proper conversation with Gilbert.
"Tell me, what kind of movie do you have in mind? Just so you know, I'm not interested in playing a boxer," Nicolas Cage stated upfront.
Several actors had expressed interest in working with Gilbert in interviews, saying they would even play a boxer's father or mother. But Nicolas Cage was different.
Gilbert shook his head and said, "Of course not. I actually want you to play a bioweapons scientist. It's an interesting role, right?"
"Somewhat," Nicolas Cage replied. "Can you give me a general idea of the story?"
With the help of two screenwriters, Gilbert had already finalized the script's storyline.
Gilbert briefly explained, "The story begins with Frank Hammer, who is dissatisfied with the government's compensation and benefits for veterans and families of fallen soldiers.
He leads his men to steal the U.S. military's latest biological weapon, a VX gas bomb, and smuggles it to Rock Island, where he takes 81 tourists hostage.
They control the island and demand a $100 million ransom from the government within 48 hours, or they will kill the hostages and use the gas bombs to attack San Francisco.
Previously, Rock Island was a maximum-security prison and is highly defensible.
The government discovers from the archives that former British agent Mason once successfully escaped from this prison. They enlist Mason to lead a special forces team to retake the island within 30 hours.
Your character is Gousby, a bioweapons expert who helps Mason in the operation. What do you think? Is the story interesting enough?"
"It's got my attention; sounds better than your 'Real Steel' pitch." Nicolas Cage seemed intrigued. "Talk to my agent. I'll make time for it."
"Alright, it's settled." Gilbert nodded.
The two of them chatted about other topics, and Gilbert declined Nicolas Cage's invitation for dinner before taking his leave.
A few days later, Gilbert attended the Saturn Awards ceremony with Cameron Diaz. This award, established in 1975, mainly honors sci-fi, horror, fantasy, adventure, and action-thriller films. Unlike the Oscars, commercial blockbusters dominate here.
Because of that, the Saturn Awards are highly regarded.
Gilbert was nominated for Best Director at the Saturn Awards but didn't win.
However, Speed won Best Action/Thriller Film, giving Gilbert the chance to make an acceptance speech.
"I'm thrilled to receive this award. In the past, I used to watch the Saturn Awards on TV, and I never thought I'd one day stand on this stage. This award represents the support of movie fans, and I'll keep working hard to bring better films. I hope I have the chance to stand here again."
The speech was short, unlike the lengthy ones at the Oscars, but it was precise and impactful.
As a popular director, everything Gilbert did or said was under media scrutiny, constantly in the spotlight.
This level of attention made even some Hollywood stars envious.
Notably, Sandra Bullock won the Saturn Award for Best Actress for her role as Annie in Speed.
Along with the MTV Movie Awards and the Oscars in March, Speed made its mark on the awards circuit as a commercial film.
After the Saturn Awards, Gilbert did an interview with Vanity Fair about his thoughts on fame and the pressures he faced.
"I never expected this much attention when I entered Hollywood. People often say directors are the ones behind the scenes; they make the movies, but it's always the actors who receive the applause. But with me, it's different, and I'm still not entirely sure how to handle it."
"Do you feel a lot of pressure under this spotlight?" the interviewer asked.
"Definitely," Gilbert nodded. "Every film I release has to pass the test of the market and the audience's judgment.
This pressure even affects my personal life. Just the other day, when I was out shopping with Sally, we were followed by paparazzi. Even my apartment's trash was searched through.
Initially, I was overwhelmed by all this, but now I've gradually adapted to it."
This was indeed a change in Gilbert's mindset; he wasn't making things up.
From the moment he entered the industry, the initial pressures had made him feel out of place.
But after getting over the initial nervousness and sleeplessness, Gilbert could now face everything happening to him with composure.
His different status brought about a shift in his mentality. From a director of online films in his previous life, he had now made a name for himself in Hollywood.
He also shared some hints about his next project: "It's going to be an explosive action movie. I hope the audience will like it."
The Vanity Fair article was soon published, giving fans a glimpse into Gilbert's journey and personal reflections.
However, fans were more intrigued by the new project he hinted at, though they knew it wouldn't be released until next year.
It left them eagerly awaiting his next work, wishing he could churn out movies like a machine.
But people aren't machines. Even machines need maintenance, and people need rest.
In his spare time, Gilbert attended the premiere of James Cameron's True Lies.
As expected, the two-hour film was a typical Hollywood blockbuster—a blend of action, comedy, and family elements that was highly enjoyable.
One memorable scene involved Jamie Lee Curtis accidentally falling while performing a dance, which was a real accident, not a scripted moment. James Cameron decided to keep it in the film.
You could even see Schwarzenegger trying to catch her in the scene.
Another iconic scene was Schwarzenegger piloting a Harrier jet to take out terrorists and rescue his daughter.
The film also featured some of Gilbert's techniques from Speed, like close-up tire shots and freeze-frame bomb shots.
In terms of intensity, it surpassed the impression he had of it before.
Although it was an excellent film, its R-rating limited its box office potential.
So far, the highest-grossing R-rated film is Cameron's Terminator 2, which made $210 million in North America and $520 million worldwide but still couldn't crack the global top ten.
After the movie, Gilbert chatted briefly with James Cameron.
Cameron mentioned, "Gilbert, I'm thinking of doing some underwater filming. Are you interested?"
"Underwater filming? Are you planning to film Titanic?" Gilbert asked.
Cameron's eyes lit up, clapping his hands. "Yes, I could do underwater filming at the Titanic wreck site. That's a great idea!"
"Uh," Gilbert was taken aback. Did he just inspire the iconic Titanic movie?
But Gilbert wasn't keen on this project. He wasn't interested in spending a year on underwater photography, followed by a few more years on a massive project like that.
For one, he didn't feel he had the ability yet. Moreover, Titanic wasn't a simple movie—it wouldn't be easy to make.
It's said that James Cameron brought a knife to set, intending to take his own life if the film failed.
For someone as intense as Cameron to be pushed to that point, Gilbert couldn't imagine he'd be stronger than him.
So, he decided to stick to his original plan: first The Rock then Normandy.
At the end of July, Gilbert went to support Cameron Diaz at the premiere of her new movie The Mask.
As he expected, the film was impressive despite its modest budget. After seeing it again in theaters, Gilbert felt confident it would achieve the same success it had in the past.
And now, Cameron Diaz was an upgraded version of her previous self—a familiar face, not an unknown newcomer—adding even more to the movie's potential at the box office.
After the premiere, Cameron Diaz took Gilbert's arm and asked, "What did you think of the movie?"
"Hmm," Gilbert thought carefully before answering. "I think it's great. It'll make waves in the summer box office, and Jim Carrey's performance was fantastic."
"What about me? Wasn't I good?" Cameron Diaz hoped for a compliment from him.
"Sorry, but as soon as I saw you, I got distracted by your stunning looks. I wasn't really watching your performance." Gilbert chuckled.
Cameron Diaz playfully rolled her eyes at him, "I'm a professional actress, you know."
"True," Gilbert wrapped his arms around her, lightly nibbling her ear, "but to me, your on-screen performance is nothing compared to how captivating you are off-screen."
His words, paired with his soft tone in her ear, made her knees weaken.
At that moment, she didn't care that the premiere had just ended, or that the media was still nearby. Without a second thought, she spun around and planted a passionate kiss on him, unlike Naomi Watts, who'd have to stand on her toes to reach him.
After that, things got simpler—they went home, sparks flew, and they had an intense night together.
The next day, Cameron Diaz took the day off, skipping her promotional duties.
Despite her absence on the first day of promotion, New Line Cinema was willing to forgive her, considering her relationship with Gilbert was no secret and made her actions understandable.
