Ma Qiang's incident turned out to be just a small episode. Fortunately, he was only beaten up—better that than being stabbed or shot.
Later, Guo Fan heard that once Ma Qiang returned home, his father was furious. In the end, he ordered Ma Qiang never to mingle in the film circle again. Instead, he was to marry properly into a family alliance and focus on business.
Li Haoyang commented, "Remember how Ma Qiang used to talk about coercing Bingbing Fan or Yuanyuan Gao? Looks like that plan's done for."
Guo Fan frowned in puzzlement. "If I'm not mistaken, aren't those two considered big stars?"
"Big stars?" Li Haoyang twirled his finger dismissively. "Please. They're still just puppets for bigger players."
"But they could refuse, right?"
"They can refuse," Li Haoyang explained, "but then they'd lose future resources and exposure." He motioned toward Bingbing Li and Shu Chang. "Maybe Gilbert simply isn't interested in Chinese actresses. Otherwise, those two would've been taken advantage of long ago."
"Uh…" After staring for a while, Guo Fan finally muttered, "Or maybe… Gilbert already has too many women and can't keep up."
By now, Guo Fan had heard countless tabloid stories about Gilbert in Hollywood. Honestly, he couldn't help but envy him…
Li Haoyang stared at Guo Fan, surprised that this thick-browed, seemingly straight-laced Northerner could deliver such cold humor—it actually chilled him.
The truth was, Gilbert really was busy.
The filming schedule was intense, plus he had to mediate conflicts between three massive superstars on set.
And recently, Cameron Diaz had gone to the hospital for a checkup—pregnant again.
Gilbert's so-called "trouble" was a happy one—he was about to be blessed with children galore.
Old Gilbert, upon hearing the news, fainted on the spot from sheer joy and had to be revived.
The old man was convinced that it was his prayers to God that had finally blessed his son with offspring. The dwindling Landrini family line was at last flourishing again.
With this, the old man regained his spirit. He gave up his dabbling in rock music and instead, aside from occasional cameos in films, devoted himself to attending church and praying for his grandchildren's health.
Meanwhile, "tyrant of the set" Gilbert, usually stone-faced and harsh, now wore a gentle smile—a sight that unsettled many around him.
"The director isn't shouting anymore. I'm not used to it," one crew member muttered.
"Not shouting is a good thing," another whispered. "Before, whenever he started yelling, I'd get nervous—and then mess up. Thank God for Miss Diaz."
"Thank you, thank you, Miss Diaz," others echoed.
In Hollywood, there are no secrets. Especially not when it came to someone as prominent as Gilbert.
After Cameron confirming her pregnancy, she scaled back most of her film projects, save for a few commercial appearances, and followed Naomi Watts' example to rest and prepare.
"Michelle, don't you think it's too early to start maternity leave?"
Cameron Diaz had come by the set, mainly to spend time with the father of her child. While Gilbert was busy shooting, Charlize Theron, who wasn't in the current scene, kept her company.
Cameron stroked her belly with a smile. "Not really. I was planning to move behind the scenes anyway. It was that rascal who kept pushing me to take roles. Now National Treasure is done, Charlie's Angels 2 did well—I deserve a break. He won't mind."
"I don't get you and Naomi," Charlize said, shaking her head. "If I were pregnant, I'd still work. No way I'd slow down."
"You'll think differently once it happens, Sally," Cameron teased.
"Oh yeah? Then I'll just never get pregnant."
As a workaholic, Charlize openly professed her love for her career.
Her eyes flickered mischievously as she glanced at Cameron's belly. "Unless—you have twins. Then give me one."
"As if! If you want one, make your own," Cameron shot back playfully.
"What are you two talking about?" Gilbert, having just finished a scene, walked over during his break. The women were deep in chatter, faces glowing.
Cameron's eyes sparkled with mischief. "Sally says she wants a baby too."
"Oh? Is that so?" Gilbert raised his brows. "Sally, is that true? Then tonight, let's put in some extra effort."
"No way!" The ever-imposing "queen" Charlize Theron melted into coyness around Gilbert. "Pregnancy is painful—you've seen Naomi. And the recovery after birth? No thank you."
"Hahaha!" Gilbert roared with laughter. "Sally, sometimes these things aren't up to you."
"Well, well…" Charlize stammered, her face betraying both fear and longing. "If it happens, I won't refuse…"
When Gilbert left for the next scene, Charlize quietly asked Cameron, "What did you feel when you first found out you were pregnant?"
"Of course, it was… wonderful," Cameron replied dreamily. "Finally pregnant—heehee, I'll have a child of my own." Then her voice lowered conspiratorially. "But… I was scared too."
"Scared of what?"
"Scared he might abandon me."
Charlize glanced at Gilbert's back, then squeezed Cameron's hand. "If he were a scumbag like Leo, maybe. But Gilbert? No chance."
"You're that sure?"
"Duh." Charlize rolled her eyes. "We've been with him for over a decade. If he were the type to abandon us, it would've happened long ago. Hollywood is full of beautiful women—what could he possibly lack? Just look at Ivanka, his assistant—she's stunning."
"You're right." Cameron nodded, then drifted into memory. "When I first met him, I was the one who made the move, asking him to drive me home. Thinking about it, I was technically the first woman by his side—yet Naomi became the head of the household."
Everyone acknowledged Naomi Watts as the number-one lady of Melon Manor. Even the other women respected that unspoken rule.
Though they sometimes competed, overall they coexisted harmoniously without causing public scandals. Much of that stability was thanks to Naomi. She was more mature than the rest, had climbed from the bottom, and once Gilbert recognized her talent, she soared to stardom.
Naomi had a natural gift for mediating conflicts and treated everyone fairly, which earned the women's respect.
Even Scarlett, Gilbert's clear favorite, behaved obediently around Naomi. And Scarlett, empowered by her connection with Gilbert, was already infamous in Hollywood for her princess-like attitude. Of course, her "princess syndrome" wasn't nearly as severe as Gwyneth Paltrow's.
Charlize's own first time with Gilbert came to mind—it had been at a lighthouse, under the stars, with nothing but the earth as their bed. That memory still struck her as both wildly romantic and exhilarating.
Meanwhile, in the middle of the set, Gilbert was deep in discussion with two men named Tom.
Ever since entering the project, Tom Hanks and Tom Cruise—two actors perched at Hollywood's absolute peak—had been locked in constant competition.
Such rivalry had its pros and cons. If Gilbert lacked the authority to rein them in, their clashing egos might well have destroyed The False.
But Gilbert's towering influence ensured both men respected him fully. Thus, their competition stayed confined to acting—each striving to outshine the other.
In fairness, when it came to pure acting skill, Tom Hanks held the edge. With two Oscars under his belt and multiple nominations, he was a master of his craft. For an actor who wasn't classically handsome, talent had always been his path forward.
Tom Cruise, however, wasn't far behind. He too had won an Oscar, though largely thanks to his connection with Gilbert. Still, compared to Hanks, he fell short. Yet Cruise's irresistible charm and matinee-idol looks gave him an undeniable advantage.
In The False, his role as painter Charlie Dyke was brash and domineering, brimming with swagger—far more commanding than the timid Ido Dash.
That was precisely why Gilbert cast Cruise as Charlie Dyke and Hanks as Ido Dash.
The true brilliance would come in the final act: Ido Dash's transformation into the painter would stun audiences, while Charlie Dyke's descent into an ordinary policeman would spark intense discussion.
Gilbert's greatest challenge lay in maintaining a delicate, almost eerie balance between the two leads' screen presence.
And honestly, the casting was genius. Had either role gone to someone with less stature, the fiery dramatic tension wouldn't have existed.
For instance, if Will Smith of that era had been placed opposite one of the Toms, he would've been utterly crushed.
Without living through the 90s and early 2000s, one couldn't truly grasp what Tom Hanks and Tom Cruise represented in Hollywood.
Simply put, if you were to pick a handful of faces to represent Hollywood itself, the two Toms would be inevitable.
That's why the media was so shocked—Gilbert had somehow assembled both legends for a single film. Nobody could even imagine what this oddly titled movie would turn out to be.
Still, between the two male leads, Gilbert himself favored Charlize Theron's character Mary.
Shrouded in mystery, she seemed like the true hidden painter, the mastermind of the counterfeit syndicate.
But that was left for audiences to decide.
....
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