Chapter 315: Chatting with Tom Cruise
[Chapter 315: Chatting with Tom Cruise]
Link and Winona had dinner before heading down to a cafe to relax and chat with Tom Cruise. Tom congratulated Link on his rising position on the Forbes list and on Guess Pictures securing the top spot in the industry last year, marking an impressive achievement.
Link expressed his gratitude and asked about the progress on Mission: Impossible. Tom shared that they were still filming but had taken a few days off due to weather issues. He then inquired about the status of Jerry Maguire.
Link mentioned it was still in preparation and planned to start shooting in the second half of the year. He suggested that if Tom was interested, he could audition for the lead role. Tom asked if Link would direct the film. Link replied he wasn't sure but would direct if he had the time.
Tom expressed his hope for future collaboration. He glanced at Nicole, who was chatting with Winona, and sincerely shared that he had been busy with the production and didn't have much time to take care of Nicole. He hoped Link could help keep her happy, insisting he wasn't bothered by any rumors the tabloids might publish.
Link sipped his coffee and agreed.
"Link, you truly are an incredible person," Tom said. "No one I know can compare to you. I had a close relationship with Robert Downey Jr. and Richard Gere, and I heard so much negative talk about you from them. I mistook you for a bad guy. Now I know that isn't true; it was a misunderstanding. I apologize and hope you can forgive me."
Tom delivered his apology graciously. Link looked at Tom's expression and the sincerity in his eyes, and he smiled, saying, "No problem!"
...
After sitting in the cafe for over ten minutes, Link and Winona got up to leave. The next day, numerous media outlets published photos of Tom visiting Nicole on the set in New York, bringing her flowers, highlighting their affectionate bond. There were also reports that Link and Tom had chatted at the cafe, which suggested their relationship had thawed, and that future collaborations might be possible.
Given Link and Tom's immense fame and their previous rumored conflicts, the news of them sharing coffee and planning to work together thrilled their fans. A reporter later interviewed Tom, asking if the rumors were true. Tom excitedly confirmed they were, praising Link as an outstanding individual and expressing his eagerness to collaborate.
When asked about the rumors regarding Link and Nicole, Tom smiled calmly, saying, "Link is a good man who wouldn't do something like that. Nicole is a wonderful wife. I have faith in her."
...
While on a filming break, Link spotted media coverage about the reports and felt a tinge of embarrassment, regretting the unprofessional service he had accepted the other day. However, he recalled Tom's words over the phone and his hints at looking out for Nicole, suggesting he could be more casual with her.
Suddenly, any regret or embarrassment vanished. He had been the passive party in this situation and had no reason to carry the weight of moral burdens.
"Link, I'm healed. When can I get back to filming?" During a break, Nicole Kidman approached him, her smile radiant as she wore a lovely dress. She stood tall and graceful, her fair skin shimmering under the New York spring sun, her red lips curling into a warm, bright smile.
Hearing her voice, Link noticed her swelling lips had completely faded, and he nodded, saying, "Let's prepare first; we'll shoot your scenes tomorrow."
"Great!" Nicole winked playfully and breezed away, trailing a lovely scent behind her.
...
"Another day of envy for Link! If I had a beauty like Nicole smiling at me, I'd probably be the happiest man alive," Ryan Phillippe whispered from the next table.
Jim Carrey chuckled. "Almost every beauty smiles at Link. Look at him; he still has that stoic face, not a hint of happiness."
"He's gotten used to it. I wish I could develop that same knack someday," Ryan said with envy.
"Jim, do you have a moment?" Link called out.
Jim flinched slightly. "Uh-oh, Link must have heard us! Ha-ha, Link, what's up?" Jim strolled over with a grin.
...
"Jim, Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls premieres next week. We need to shoot your scenes in the next couple of days. After that, you can focus on the promotion. Make sure you're prepared," Link informed him.
"Got it! I'll deliver my best performance," Jim said, standing at attention and saluting.
...
After a brief break, the crew resumed shooting. By Friday, Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls was set to release in North America. This was the third film released by Guess Pictures that year.
The box office performance of the previous two films had fallen short of expectations, and ahead of Ace Ventura's release, media anticipation remained bleak. Many reviewers predicted it would underperform, believing that Guess Pictures was on a downward trend. Major studios were lining up stronger films to compete at the box office, creating intense pressure on Guess Pictures.
To counter the pressure from the competing studios, Guess Pictures invested heavily in marketing, exploring various promotional strategies to enhance exposure for the film. They aimed to increase their visibility, which also pushed competing studios to double down and raise the stakes in the battle for audiences.
Amidst the fierce competition and media coverage, The Hollywood Reporter noted that after the annual box office rankings were released, the major studios felt evident pressure from Guess Pictures. They sought to reclaim their market position before the summer blockbuster season, illustrating just how cutthroat the Hollywood film industry had become.
Outside of The Hollywood Reporter, major publications like The New York Post and The Wall Street Journal reported on the brewing rivalry. With many large media outlets amplifying the battle between the 'New Protagonist' Guess Pictures and the 'Big Seven,' more people began to take notice.
...
"Link's life is exciting. One moment he's on Forbes, then he's caught in gossip, and now he's taking on the Big Seven. Living life like that must be exhilarating!" director Steven Soderbergh marveled while reading a newspaper in a bar.
"Absolutely thrilling! He's like a general on a battlefield, constantly fighting, while we regular folks only get to read about his impressive 'achievements' in the papers," Robert Rodriguez remarked with envy.
"Hey! Don't speak for me. I'm not an ordinary person; I'm fighting too," Quentin Tarantino chimed in, a smirk on his face.
"Compared to Link's battle against the Big Seven and Wall Street power, our struggles seem trivial, lacking any drama or stakes. It's best not to even mention it," Robert chuckled.
Quentin opened his mouth to retort but found he couldn't counter that point. Link was too adept at stirring things up. Since his debut in '92, he had never stopped making waves; maybe he wasn't cut out for Hollywood and should enlist instead.
"Honestly, I see his actions against entertainment capital as akin to Don Quixote battling windmills. Just wait, he might end up toppled like Quixote did," Quentin stated.
"I don't think so. Even with the strong backing of the Big Seven's capital, Link holds his ground with billions to spare, and the films released by Guess Pictures are quite competitive. He might just hold his own in this battle."
"Let's place a bet! Loser buys drinks for everyone," Steven proposed with a laugh.
"Deal!" Quentin and Robert fist-bumped in agreement.
After drinks at the bar, the group agreed to head to the theater to watch Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls. After screening the film, Quentin criticized it for being dull, suggesting the humor was its only strength and predicting that it wouldn't achieve impressive box office numbers.
Robert disagreed, arguing that a comedy only needed to be funny. The laughter from the audience during the screening proved they enjoyed the film, and with Jim Carrey's star power promising strong box office draws, Ace Ventura would likely perform well.
At Steven's suggestion, they placed bets once more, where the loser would treat everyone to drinks.
*****
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