"This is the new plane you bought?" Scarlett excitedly boarded the aircraft, examining its interior decor.
"Hey, hey, hey, slow down, be careful not to fall," Gilbert followed behind her, also boarding the plane.
Scarlett was thrilled like a child, pacing back and forth in the cabin, touching things here and there, even trying out the luxurious seating for herself.
"Not bad at all. Traveling will be much more convenient now. I think it's way better than the Melon," Scarlett said excitedly.
The Melon, docked at the Malibu harbor, was left heartbroken. I took you all around the world just last year, and now you toss me aside like this, ungrateful little brat…
Among the world's ultra-wealthy, besides their yachts, most also own two or three private jets as a mark of their status.
To the average person, the idea of the rich revolves around luxury cars, but Gilbert never really cared much for fancy cars as daily transport.
The idea to buy a private jet came to him after a real estate tycoon named Donald showed off his private jet in New York, which made Gilbert determined to get one of his own.
Once the idea took root, Gilbert consulted professionals, and word of his intent spread quickly to every aircraft manufacturer.
Their salespeople came knocking one after another, trying their best to sell him their products.
From helicopters to small business jets, even large airliners everything imaginable was presented.
Boeing even claimed they could modify an existing model to meet Gilbert's personal needs and deliver it quickly.
Though Boeing planes are still fairly reliable these days, Gilbert had heard too many past stories about Boeing crashes in his previous life, and instantly found them untrustworthy.
So he turned Boeing down and decided to go with a more reliable company to custom-build his private jet.
When Scarlett heard about the private jet, she got super excited and even considered getting a pilot's license. But in the end, she gave up due to being too busy.
That didn't stop her from helping Gilbert choose the aircraft though. The two of them poured over brochures from aircraft companies for days and finally narrowed it down to Airbus and Gulfstream.
Scarlett then carefully compared the models offered by both companies and picked the Airbus A319, only to have her choice shot down by Gilbert.
She was visibly unhappy and asked, "Why? I think this plane is pretty big! Wouldn't it be great to get this one with all that space?"
Gilbert immediately pounced on the opportunity to lecture her: "What do you think this is, buying a hamburger? Bigger isn't always better! This isn't a toy we need what's appropriate."
Scarlett muttered under her breath, "Whatever. A plane is a toy…"
"What did you say?"
"Nothing," Scarlett quickly changed the subject. "So which one are you planning to get?"
"The Gulfstream V from Gulfstream Aerospace," Gilbert said. "Gulfstream is the world's largest manufacturer of luxury business jets. Their quality is guaranteed."
"Looks kinda small," Scarlett pouted, a bit dissatisfied.
Gilbert patted her head comfortingly and said, "Alright, listen. I hear the Airbus A380 is going to have its maiden flight soon. When that comes out, we'll buy a big one.
As for this Gulfstream V, I'll let you design the interior, okay?"
Scarlett loved design. The room she lived in at the Melon Estate had been her own design.
Her eyes lit up the moment she heard that. "Really?"
"Of course. When have I ever lied to you?"
Overjoyed, Scarlett immediately grabbed the phone and called Gulfstream to place the order.
In the two years that followed, she kept a close eye on the jet's modification plans and even gave the jet a name: Skye.
Finally, this April, the business jet designed with Scarlett's interior plan was officially delivered.
Along with the jet came three trained crews totaling twelve members though it would be Gilbert's responsibility to pay their salaries.
The jet was stationed at Van Nuys Airport. Compared to Los Angeles International Airport, Van Nuys wasn't as busy and was the top choice for the wealthy to park their private planes.
Of course, Gilbert could have chosen to build his own private airport. But Van Nuys Airport was closer to the Melon Estate, with all its facilities in place it was simply more convenient.
The airport also had experienced ground staff and maintenance crews, so Gilbert didn't have to start from scratch or burn more money than needed.
The aircraft cost Gilbert forty-two million dollars. The original model alone cost thirty-five million, with the remaining millions going into customization.
A jet truly is a toy for the ultra-rich the modification cost alone is more than an ordinary person could earn in several lifetimes.
Scarlett even acted like a tour guide as she introduced the jet: "Originally, this aircraft could seat fifteen passengers. But after modifications, it's been reduced to ten."
Gilbert played along and asked, "Why was it reduced to ten?"
"Because I added more facilities inside," Scarlett said as she dragged Gilbert along through the cabin. "Look, there's a sofa and a TV, and here's a dining table.
Up front is the office area with a desk. Very practical."
Past the dining area was a private space, inside which was a bed.
Proudly,Scarlett explained, "I had them enlarge the bed, so we can rest comfortably if we get tired during a flight."
"That still doesn't seem like enough to cut five seats though," Gilbert said, puzzled.
"Of course not," Scarlett looked a bit embarrassed. "Besides the bathroom, I also added a changing room. We can keep lots of clothes in there."
Gilbert was speechless. "Alright then, looks like your lifestyle features are fully loaded."
"Of course," Scarlett grinned, guiding him back to the sofa near the plane's entrance. "We've also got a fridge and a warming box here for storing wine and snacks.
Perfect for long-haul flights when you want to eat something."
"But unfortunately…"
"Unfortunately what?"
"Unfortunately, there wasn't enough space left. Otherwise, I'd have added a kitchen it would've been perfect."
Gilbert was exasperated.Scarlett clearly knew how to enjoy life better than he did.
"Alright then, how about when we go to China, we take this jet?" Gilbert asked with a smile.
Scarlett hugged his arm and pouted. "I'm going too…"
"You have time?"
"Of course. I've already finished shooting Lost in Translation."
"Alright then, come with me when the time comes," Gilbert agreed.
In fact, for the trip to the Shanghai International Film Festival in China, Gilbert didn't plan on bringing too many people at most, Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, and Keira Knightley would come along.
Adding Scarlett to the group just for fun didn't seem like a big deal.
After touring this plane, named The Skye, though it was actually his personal business aircraft, Gilbert chatted a bit with the airport maintenance staff, met with the flight crew, and encouraged them to work hard.
Although the plane had been delivered, The Skye had yet to undertake its first mission. It might need to rest here for a while.
However, the delivery of the aircraft wasn't Gilbert's biggest concern. Back in April, Naomi Watts had reached the tenth month of her pregnancy and was nearing labor.
Gilbert had put aside all Pirates of the Caribbean promotional work and stayed home to be with Naomi Watts, waiting for the moment she gave birth.
As the release date of Pirates of the Caribbean approached, even though Gilbert's films no longer needed test screenings to gauge quality or reception, Warner Bros. and Disney still held one.
According to feedback data, the test screening of Pirates of the Caribbean received rave reviews it was rated A+ as a commercial film by theater chains, earned an 88 from media outlets, and received an average audience grade of A.
Johnny Depp was thrilled to hear about the outstanding test screening reception.
He hadn't had any notable work in the past two years, and without a box office hit soon, he would rapidly slip from his top-tier position.
Even though the outside world said he was eccentric and hard to work with, that didn't mean he was without desire.
After all, falling from the top tier meant massive financial loss not just in film fees but also in endorsements and commercial appearances.
Johnny Depp wasn't exactly a monk; he still needed money. How else would he maintain his free-spirited lifestyle?
Keira Knightley was also thrilled this was basically her first A-level blockbuster, and she got to work with a top-tier director like Gilbert.
Hollywood had many stars who rose to fame with just one hit, and Keira Knightley felt she was the next in line.
In contrast, veteran actor Geoffrey Rush and Orlando Bloom were more composed. Orlando Bloom had already taken on another film.
After wrapping up Black Hawk Down, Ridley Scott, who was now busy with Matchstick Men, had extended an invitation to Orlando Bloom to star in a film set during the Crusades.
Perhaps heavily influenced by The Lord of the Rings series, most of the roles being offered to Orlando Bloom lately were of a similar nature let's just call them historical epics.
Actually, Will Turner in Pirates of the Caribbean also fell into that historical genre. It was a far cry from contemporary dramas, and Orlando Bloom was indeed well-suited to such roles.
That might be one of the reasons Ridley Scott had his eye on Orlando Bloom. As for acting skills, the old master probably thought Orlando Bloom was still moldable.
In truth, after working on The Lord of the Rings and Pirates of the Caribbean, Gilbert had already done most of the acting coaching for him.
Orlando Bloom's acting skills had improved significantly compared to his past self at least to a competent level.
But to say he had reached the caliber of a best actor? Sorry Orlando Bloom didn't have that kind of talent, and he wasn't eager to try anymore either.
At present, he was one of Hollywood's most beloved idols, with countless fans.
If not for Gilbert's influence, Orlando Bloom would never have been so cooperative. If it were some rookie or unknown director, he wouldn't give them the time of day.
In a sense, Orlando Bloom shared some similarities with those so-called "big brothers" from the previous life.
In reality, most Hollywood stars, once they're famous, don't have great tempers behind the scenes. A classic example was the big-mouthed Julia Roberts she once argued with Spielberg while high.
While filming Mission: Impossible 2, Tom Cruise had a heated argument with John Woo, and in the end, John Woo compromised.
Even someone who seemed as friendly as Tom Hanks had moments when he would throw a fit at directors or crew members if he was in a bad mood.
All superstars have tempers and egos—Naomi Watts wasn't shy about acting out either. She'd had her diva moments, too.
From this perspective, Hollywood superstars were really no different from those "big brothers and sisters" in the previous life.
The difference might be that Hollywood stars were simply much more skilled.
And honestly, sometimes you couldn't even blame the "brothers and sisters." The Chinese-language film industry just lacked high-caliber professionals especially top-tier directors.
The shortage of talent was the most pressing issue facing Chinese cinema. The "brothers and sisters" were merely a secondary problem.
...
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