Chapter 486: A Good Way to Find Inspiration

"The initial idea came from James."

To make such a project materialize, Murphy's support was crucial. Seth Rogen explained in detail, "He thought combining certain comedy and thriller elements could produce an extraordinary effect. I agreed. I had been considering some new story ideas, and if we could integrate these two elements, the result might be even better."

Murphy didn't fully trust James Franco in this regard, as his ideas often went off-track. However, Seth Rogen was generally reliable.

Thriller and comedy? Murphy instantly thought of the bizarre idea of assassinating a certain North Korean leader, but couldn't remember if that leader had come to power yet.

"What about the story?" Murphy asked, considering the political risks associated with the assassination plot.

Seth Rogen scratched his head and said, "No specific story yet, just some wild ideas."

He pointed outside, "I was thinking, what if a disaster like an earthquake or fire happened in Beverly Hills?"

What kind of film is that? Murphy couldn't recall, so he simply said, "Get the script ready as soon as possible."

"No problem," Seth Rogen nodded, "I'll get the script to you as soon as it's finished."

He knew very well that because of Murphy, they had far more opportunities in Hollywood than others.

"What's no problem?" James Franco returned, curious, "What are you talking about?"

"Your and Seth's new project," Jonah Hill chimed in first, "The one where you plan to destroy Murphy and Downey's homes."

"What do you mean we're destroying Murphy and Downey's homes?" James Franco understood what Jonah Hill was referring to and retorted, "We're destroying Beverly Hills!"

Jonah Hill countered, "But Murphy and Downey's homes are in Beverly Hills."

"You…" James Franco seemed at a loss for words. Seth Rogen suddenly raised his hand to interrupt, "You two, hold on!"

Seth Rogen wasn't a talkative person, something Murphy, Jonah Hill, and James Franco all knew. If he said something, it meant he had an important thought. They all fell silent.

"Destroy Murphy and Downey's homes… destroy Murphy and Downey's homes," Seth Rogen muttered, repeating the phrase several times before clapping his hands, "That's a great idea!"

Before Murphy and the others could react, Seth Rogen hurriedly said, "I have to go. Apologize to Downey and Susan for me."

"Go ahead," Murphy understood that Seth Rogen couldn't stay still any longer, "Don't forget about the script."

"I won't."

As he spoke, Seth Rogen turned and left. James Franco shook his head, watching him go, "That guy…"

Inspiration is extremely valuable for film creation. All of them knew this, so they didn't mind Seth Rogen leaving early.

"Seth has some great ideas," James Franco remarked.

Jonah Hill added, "And so do you, combining comedy and thriller."

"I just casually mentioned it to Seth," James Franco looked particularly innocent, "Who knew he would take it seriously and drag me into it."

"Are you not planning to help him?" Murphy asked.

With their relationship, there was no need to beat around the bush.

"Acting in it is no problem, but anything else is tough."

Shaking his head, James Franco continued, "You know I'm not good at writing or planning, and my schedule doesn't allow it."

Hearing this, Murphy grew interested, "What movie did you sign on for?"

"A film based on an extreme mountaineer," James Franco briefly explained, "Directed by Danny Boyle. I'm pretty much set to play the lead, Aron Ralston."

Murphy hadn't heard of the name, "Aron Ralston? Is he famous?"

"You don't know much," Jonah Hill interjected, "He's quite famous now. His autobiography sells well too."

Seeing Murphy still confused, Jonah Hill elaborated, "A few years ago, Aron Ralston got trapped in a canyon in Utah, with his right arm stuck in a rock crevice. He survived for five days without water, then came up with the incredible idea of cutting off his own arm with a small knife to free himself. He was rescued by a helicopter six hours after severing his arm…"

Listening to Jonah Hill, Murphy began to recall that James Franco might have received an Oscar nomination for this role.

After chatting for a while, Murphy decided to visit the bathroom. He told Gal Gadot and then left the banquet hall, heading to the restroom. After washing his hands, he stood by the communal sink.

Suddenly, the sound of high heels clicking on the marble floor echoed behind him. A blonde woman approached another sink nearby and turned on the faucet.

After washing his hands, Murphy pulled out a paper towel to dry them, straightening his jacket. The woman glanced at him, her expression suddenly becoming strange. However, Murphy didn't notice and was about to leave.

The woman's strange expression disappeared quickly. Seeing Murphy about to leave, she timed it perfectly, straightening up and turning around.

Standing closer to the exit, she took a step, half blocking Murphy's way.

Murphy stopped abruptly to avoid bumping into her.

"Sorry," the blonde woman said quickly.

Her voice sounded quite pleasant. Murphy couldn't help but take a step back and look at her.

This should be a girl, not more than twenty years old. She was exceptionally tall, almost as tall as Gal Gadot even in flats, with rare curly platinum blonde hair, arched eyebrows that looked like drawn on, and eyes that either naturally or through makeup had a particularly captivating look.

As Murphy looked at her, the girl looked at him too. Her expressive eyes clearly conveyed surprise.

"You're…" she looked at Murphy, genuinely surprised, "You're Murphy Stanton?"

Murphy nodded slightly, politely saying, "Hello."

As he spoke, he unconsciously took a small step back. This girl's past reputation was quite notorious.

"Oh my God! Oh my God!" The girl seemed extremely excited, clenching her left hand into a fist and lightly covering her mouth with her right hand, "This is incredible! So wonderful! I met Murphy Stanton!"

As if afraid Murphy would leave, the blonde girl subtly stepped forward, standing fully in front of him.

"I… I'm so happy…" she seemed at a loss for words, muttering several phrases before extending a slender right hand, "I… I'm a big fan of yours. My name is Taylor Swift. Can I call you Murphy? You can call me Alison…"

She rambled on for a bit. Murphy lightly shook her hand and smiled politely, "Hello, Miss Swift."

After withdrawing his hand, Murphy noticed his previously dry hand was damp again, his eyebrow twitching slightly. He immediately thought this girl might not be as innocent as she appeared.

"Murphy," she seemed naturally friendly, "Can I have your autograph?"

Realizing she was in an evening gown without a pen or paper, Taylor Swift's face fell, "I didn't bring a pen or notebook! I'm so mad at myself. How could I forget?"

Murphy didn't say anything, just watching her perform.

Taylor Swift looked at him with pleading eyes, "Murphy, can I get your contact information? I want to take a picture with you. You're my favorite director! I can't forgive myself for missing this chance."

"How about this," Murphy finally spoke, "You're here for the party, right? I'll have a signed autograph sent to you by a waiter later."

"I'm here for Mr. Downey's party," Taylor Swift said, seemingly off-topic, "I came with my agent and haven't met Mr. Downey yet. I heard you're good friends. Can you introduce me?"

Murphy glanced at his watch, and Taylor Swift suddenly realized, "Sorry! I'm so sorry for holding you up."

She stepped aside. Murphy nodded to her and walked out. Behind him, the sound of her footsteps followed. Taylor Swift watched Murphy's tall, broad back, feeling inspiration bubbling up within her. The moment she saw this young director, she felt a spark.

Taylor Swift knew what this feeling meant. If she could seize this rare opportunity, her stalled new song might quickly break through, just like when she dumped her last boyfriend and wrote a hit song in half an hour.

This was her most effective way to find inspiration, and a song about her and a famous director would naturally create a sensational topic.

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