Chapter 255 - Premiere of "Rush Hour" 2

"Uh, alright. Do you have any questions?" Laila wasn't one to avoid giving interviews. It was already quite extravagant for her to skip most of the film's promotions. If she pretended to be unavailable even during the premiere's interview, it would be unfair to the compensation she received.

The host was a lively African-American woman in her forties or fifties, who seemed cheerful and talkative.

"I have so many questions I want to ask. You're truly a headache for interviewers. Where do I even start so that I don't disappoint more people?" She pretended to look distressed, provoking waves of enthusiastic cheers from the fans who heard her words.

Laila cooperated with a gesture of surrender, saying, "I'll stand here and let you ask all the questions you want. Is that alright?"

The fans erupted into even louder cheers. They were eager to learn more about her, her personal life, and the new movie. Her low-key nature had left them with few avenues for understanding her better.

The host comically slapped her forehead and lamented, "Are you planning to continue this premiere until next year?" The implication was that the questions they had were too numerous and would take until next year to address.

The fans laughed heartily, clapping and cheering in response.

In reality, everyone knew that it was impossible to ask all the questions. The real-time questions were during the interval when the next celebrity was walking the red carpet, or else they would risk offending the next star by monopolizing too much time.

So, the host didn't waste any more time, asking directly, "This is your first action film. Can you share your predictions for its box office performance?"

Laila pondered for a moment and replied, "Just like you said, this is my first action film, and I've put in all the effort I could. As for box office predictions, I've never imagined how much it will earn."

The host curiously inquired, "So, you mean to say that with your previous films, you never estimated their potential earnings before they were released?"

Laila shrugged, "Do you think I'd have the confidence to predict box office results after my first film was released?"

The host immediately understood her point and burst into laughter, her energetic movements causing concern that her low-cut dress might reveal more than intended.

"Yeah, who could have imagined that you could turn a few thousand dollars into $300 million at the box office? You're truly a miracle worker."

Laila modestly lowered her head and smiled, prompting her fans to erupt into excited screams.

Indeed, she was destined to create miracles. Box office numbers weren't something she needed to predict because no one could predict them accurately. Just look at her previous films; had there been any accurate predictions? Every time, the seemingly infallible film critics had ended up being proven wrong. They hadn't attempted to predict her films again, had they?

"So, Laila, do you think your fans will enjoy this film?"

Laila never hesitated to display her confidence and convictions in such matters. She smiled slightly at her fans lining the red carpet and responded, "I won't let them down."

The host laughed heartily, exclaiming, "See how confident this young lady is! I really adore her. Alright, thank you for the interview, Laila." Seeing the next star approaching, she had to bring the rare interview to an end.

Laila waved to the crowd around her with a smile and walked into the theater's entrance.

At this point, the film's main cast hadn't arrived yet, only some members of the original crew sitting in the front seats.

Seeing Laila's arrival, these crew members felt awkward. The situation during the filming had been quite terrible, leaving them with immense regret after the production ended. Regardless of their regrets, they couldn't change the mistakes they had made. Offering an apology to such a young director wasn't something everyone could do.

Just then, someone approached her. "Director Moran, hello."

Laila didn't expect someone to initiate a conversation with her. She looked up and saw the photographer responsible for the shoot. Their cooperation during filming had been fairly decent, and even though there hadn't been much communication, everything she had requested had been executed remarkably well. She wouldn't intentionally give him the cold shoulder: "Hello, Mr. Yarlin."

The photographer appeared taken aback. "You know my name?"

"Of course, we collaborated on a remarkable film, didn't we?" Laila smiled.

"Yes, you're right." They were both attending the premiere of this film, so how could he not know? It was just that the atmosphere at the time had been so tense that he hadn't anticipated his name being called out so long after the event.

This made him feel even more embarrassed and foolish about his behavior at the time.

"Director Moran, I need to apologize to you." He took a deep breath. "I don't even know what I was thinking back then. I groundlessly doubted your directorial abilities and acted rudely. I've been wanting to apologize for a while now, but it's only now that I've had the chance."

Laila looked at him and felt that he was sincere in his apology. Moreover, she didn't really care about what the crew members thought of her, so she allowed them to treat her indifferently. The cold atmosphere on set was partly her fault. If she had been more proactive, she could have easily diffused the tension with her skills and abilities.

But she had chosen to ignore it, resulting in a strange and distant atmosphere throughout the film's production. The reasons for her indifference were simple: firstly, she believed that they wouldn't have the opportunity to collaborate in the future, so their relationship didn't matter much. As long as they followed her instructions and completed the film, it was sufficient. Secondly... she was lazy. She couldn't be bothered to explain things to them or to strive for a friendly relationship.

"Mr. Yarlin, I accept your apology." Laila wasn't one to shift blame onto herself. Regardless of the reasons for someone's apology, as long as it was sincere, forgiving them wouldn't make much of a difference to her. After a bit of reassurance, she managed to win his genuine gratitude and allegiance using nonchalant words like "forgive" and "future collaborations."

Many crew members were watching, and seeing the apparent resolution of the "misunderstanding," they couldn't help but be tempted. Befriending the director was a golden opportunity. They had ostracized her during filming, assuming that Moran was difficult to deal with. Now, it seemed that she was quite amiable. Did this mean there was a chance for reconciliation?

Someone finally couldn't resist approaching Laila, hoping to engage in a scene of penance. However, they were quickly denied the opportunity, as the film's main cast was arriving.

Laila was surprised to see that Jackie Chan was walking alongside Shu Qi. How did they end up together?

"Laila, it's so great to see you again." Jackie Chan enthusiastically approached her as soon as he spotted her.