Extracting skills from movies

Not long after, the classic scene unfolded.

A middle-aged woman who used to work in public relations at a childcare company came forward and publicly revealed the following:

“I often receive complaints from Pete, who demands that the nannies we send must wear uniforms and be no older than thirty.”

I've spoken with these parenting professionals, and many of them were subjected to coercive behavior by Brad Pitt.

This revelation immediately went viral on social media.

Meanwhile, news of Margaret's signing with lawyer Angela also spread.
The amount of compensation they demanded was also revealed, starting at several million US dollars.

Money is always the most exciting thing!
Within a single day, two more victims came forward to publicly accuse Pitt of his "evil deeds".

As for whether they were actually bullied, even Pete himself couldn't remember.

But at this critical juncture, the truth is no longer important.

Public opinion has shifted to one side, and Pitt is now standing on the edge of a precipice.

At the eye of the storm, Du Sheng appeared remarkably calm.

He's busy promoting "Taken" and working on the dubbing and trailer for "How to Train Your Dragon," he's so busy he barely has time to breathe.

"Brother Sheng, should we add fuel to the fire?"

Zhang Haolong, who wasn't satisfied with just watching the drama unfold, couldn't help but make a suggestion.

"Have Ophiuchus contact the people at KABC and arrange an interview with Aisha Argento."

Du Sheng thought for a moment and said:
"Let's see if we can bring Harvey Weinstein into this too."

Ma Yaowei understood immediately:
"Are you trying to use Pete's case to drag Harvey into it too?"

Du Sheng nodded:

"Who in the industry doesn't know about the relationship between Pitt and Harvey?"

Even if he wasn't directly involved in 'coercive parenting,' he's still in cahoots with them.

Didn't Elsa accuse Harvey of overkill a while ago?

To capitalize on this trend, they certainly wouldn't hesitate to get involved in another mudslinging match.

Ma Yaowei asked:
"Should we give them another push and get those who were coerced to reveal more shocking information?"

Du Sheng smiled faintly:
“We can let third-rate gossip media exaggerate the amount of compensation the victims are demanding.”

Those who received "secrecy fees" before will definitely be restless seeing others getting so much money.

Ma Yaowei understood immediately:
"At that time, no one will check whether it's true or false, and Pete will have no choice but to accept the blame."

Zhang Haolong chuckled and said:
"Many Hollywood stars used to not take precautions against being spied on or secretly filmed."

"Maybe someone still has dirt on Pitt, but just hasn't found the right opportunity yet."

Ma Yaowei nodded and turned to find the snake man.

.........

Recently, people all over the world have been watching KABC Entertainment's website.

This media outlet is practically on fire!
They always manage to break the latest juicy news about Brad Pitt right away.
Faster than paparazzi, more accurate than hackers

It's like playing a video game with "unlimited ammo" mode, with one explosive news story after another being thrown out.

Its traffic skyrocketed, leaving other entertainment websites completely outmatched and without even a chance to breathe.

KABC's ambitions are considerable.

They're not just aiming to be a North American tabloid; they're aiming to become the world's number one gossip platform.

Brad Pitt is simply a goldmine of online traffic.

Everyone knows that the more famous a celebrity is, the more scandals they have, and the more excited the public becomes.

As the revelations deepened, more and more people involved began to come forward.

Some people even presented concrete evidence such as audio recordings and secretly filmed videos, directly confirming many rumors.

Back then, the hush money Pitt offered to keep quiet was indeed effective; many people took the money and shut up. But the situation is completely different now.

The amount of compensation claims being reported in the news these days is getting more and more outrageous.

Several million dollars is just the beginning; some are even demanding tens of millions in compensation.

Who could tolerate that?
These victims, who had been "lured" into this situation, were all wondering:
She got millions from Pitt's 'rules of the trade', and I was also raped back then, so why did I only get a few hundred thousand?

Do you think I'm just here to make up the numbers?

As a result, one by one, the previously silent people began to speak out, their motivation even greater than if they had been injected with chicken blood.

They not only want to get justice, but also to fight for the "market price," otherwise they would feel they had suffered injustice back then.

Reporter Linda wasn't idle either; she went straight to Elsa Argento, the most outspoken person in the industry.

This woman is a notorious "professional at kicking someone when they're down," and having already been messed with by Harvey, her eyes lit up the moment she heard that they were going to mess with his friend Pete.

Facing the camera, Elsa said righteously and firmly:
"I support all women who have the courage to stand up!"
Women's dignity should not be trampled upon by these so-called 'important people'.

She paused, then her tone became even more forceful:
"Just as I completely severed ties with Harvey, from this day forward, I will also never have anything to do with Brad Pitt again."

He and Harvey are birds of a feather, both with unusual fetishes. I have reason to suspect that they conspired to harm many unknown female celebrities.

People like that shouldn't continue in the entertainment industry!

These words were like pouring water into a pot of oil, causing an immediate uproar.

The entire North American entertainment industry seemed to be ignited.

As if by prior arrangement, the female celebrities joined the chorus of condemnation one after another.

Even Harvey, who was on a business trip in Europe, was unjustly implicated and is now unable to defend himself.

Since he can't clear his name anyway, we might as well let him take the blame.

The newspapers were filled with terms like "brain-dead man," "pervert," and "habitual brawler."

Everyone was beating a drowning dog, afraid that if they were too late, someone else would steal their thunder.

In just a few days, this media storm has turned Hollywood into a Category 12 typhoon.

The crew of "The Thieves" was the first to suffer.

This movie was originally aiming for the Oscars; Brad Pitt was nominated for Best Actor, and Ellen Bass, the female lead, was nominated for Best Supporting Actress.

As a result, once the parenting coercion scandal broke, the entire movie suffered as a result.

Other female celebrities jumped out to express their opposition to coercion, but Allen remained silent, becoming the target of public criticism.

"Ellen, you used to be a KOL in the feminist circle!"

Her PR manager was so anxious that she slammed her fist on the table:

"If you don't speak up now, you're essentially handing over the right to speak to someone else!"

Do you think Brad Pitt can still win awards now?

He didn't even dare to leave the house!
If you don't distance yourself from him, not only will the movie be over, but your public image will also be ruined!

Allen frowned:

"I'm just worried about it affecting the movie..."

"The current situation is beyond our control!"

The PR manager interrupted her directly:
"If you don't make a statement soon, you'll be left behind and crushed by those who come after you!"

Allen finally nodded:

"Okay, inform the production team that I will not participate in any promotional activities unless Pitt publicly apologizes."

Her eyes turned cold:
"Even the Oscar nominations must be withdrawn!"

The PR manager immediately called the producer. Soon after, Allen gave an interview, officially joining the "anti-coercion" camp, speaking passionately and firmly to the camera.

Marbury neighborhood in Los Angeles.

Inside a Scottish-style villa.

Brad Pitt, under police surveillance, stood on his balcony looking down at the swarms of reporters and paparazzi below, with a hidden camera helicopter hovering overhead.

He sighed and said to his agent, Cahill:
"The last time it was this lively was when Jennifer and I got married."

Cahill had no interest in listening to his lamentations and handed him the laptop with a sullen expression.

"Your Oscar nomination has been withdrawn for 'Ocean' and Allen has publicly switched sides."

On the screen, Allen is being interviewed, his tone firm:
"I will never work with Brad Pitt again, not on the same stage, not as a colleague, and not use any products endorsed by him..."

Pete stared at the screen, his lips twitching slightly, a hint of surprise in his expression.

He turned to look at Cahill:

"Is there anything worse? Tell me all at once."

Cahill slammed a stack of documents onto the coffee table, his tone filled with exasperation:
"Pete, look at the state you've become!"
Sony has made it clear that "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" will not be shown at Cannes or in theaters; it will be shelved indefinitely.

Justin is even more ruthless; he'll simply remove your name from the new film project and replace you!

She paused, lowering her voice slightly, but her emotions were even more suppressed:
"Heineken couldn't sit still either, saying you were involved in a criminal case and wanted to terminate the contract early."

Honda went even further, pulling all the advertisements, not only refusing to renew the contract but also demanding a hefty penalty for breach of contract!

Upon hearing this, Pete's face instantly darkened.

He slammed his hand on the solid wood coffee table, making the water glasses on the table jump up and almost spill all over the floor.

"These ungrateful wretches!"

He gritted his teeth:
"Even if I really get into trouble, they can't just turn their backs on me like this, can they?"
The contract hasn't expired yet, and they're already breaching it!

Cahill pushed up his glasses, his tone as cold as an icebox:

"You think nobody wants to protect you?"
The problem is that the wind has now changed.

Angelina Jolie was the first to step forward and take sides, and now the entire Hollywood feminist movement is watching this.

Who dares to speak up for you?

Pete, barely suppressing his anger, gritted his teeth and asked:

"What did CAA say?"

Cahill sighed:
"They advised you to quickly admit defeat and pay compensation to avoid further trouble."

Every day we delay means more losses; once our reputation is ruined, there's no chance of recovery.

Pete didn't say anything more, took out his phone and dialed a number:

"Brother Di, given my current situation... please help me think of a solution."

Dee Gardner is a shareholder in Plan B Entertainment, which is backed by Amazon.

Plan B Entertainment was co-founded by Brad Pitt and his ex-wife Jennifer Aniston.

Dee Gardner's hurried voice came from the other end of the phone:
“Pete, I’m heading to the Century Daily. I’ve already pulled some strings there to see if we can suppress the news.”

"We'll talk about it later, I'm in a hurry!"

After saying that, the phone hung up with a "beep".

Pete stared at his black-screen phone and dialed his good friend Matt Damon again.

"The user you dialed is temporarily unavailable..."

He then tried people he usually got along with...

I called them one by one, but all I got were busy signals or no one answered.

The once close-knit group of brothers has now collectively disappeared, as if they had vanished into thin air.

Finally, almost as a last resort, he dialed Harvey Weinstein's number.

Harvey did answer, and his tone sounded quite concerned.

"I'm in Europe right now. I heard you had an accident, and I was planning to come back immediately."

But there's been a problem with my visa, and I'm currently stuck at customs and can't leave for the time being..."

With such a huge public outcry in North America, Harvey couldn't possibly ignore it, especially since he'd already been unfairly blamed.

But he was worried that the fire would burn more and more fiercely, and he would be too busy avoiding it to get involved in the mess.
Pete slammed his phone down, the screen shattering into a spiderweb pattern on the tiles.

Cahill stood to the side, looking at the wreckage of cell phones scattered on the ground, opened his mouth, but ultimately said nothing.

She knew perfectly well that CAA had already held an internal meeting.
Eighty percent of the shareholders believe that Pitt's career is over and no one is willing to take the blame for him anymore.

Pete slumped onto the sofa, picked up his phone and scrolled through it casually for a few seconds. Suddenly, a notification from KABC Entertainment popped up:
In one photo, Du Sheng and Charlize Theron are seen chatting and laughing at a restaurant, with the caption "Friends gathering".

"Friends?"

Pete sneered and tossed his phone aside.

I just turned on the TV, and the financial channel was broadcasting:
"Exclusive news! Hennessy wines are in talks with Asian film star Du Sheng regarding a global endorsement deal after the expiration of their previous spokesperson's contract..."

"Snapped!"

The remote control slipped from his fingers and hit the floor, leaving it cracked.

Pete clutched his chest, panting heavily, his mind filled with Du Sheng's face.

Not only did they steal his woman and resources, but now they're kicking him while he's down!
Cahill glanced at the television, then at the shattered remote control on the floor, and silently swallowed back the advice he was about to utter.

Inside a business suite at the Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles.

Du Sheng, dressed in a custom-made suit, sat calmly at the negotiating table.

Agent Haders whispered an introduction, saying that sitting opposite them were Watts and Golders, representatives of the Hennessy brand.

Watts smiled and asked:

"How much does Mr. Du know about Hennessy?"

Du Sheng gently picked up the crystal glass, swirled the deep red wine inside, and smiled slightly.

"Hennessy is the Ferrari of the wine world."

Godes didn't rush to speak; he listened while carefully observing Du Sheng.

The Chinese celebrity in front of us is tall and has striking features. He exudes a calm yet carefree demeanor, and his every move is full of indescribable charm.

He was initially worried whether an Asian actor could carry the image of a top brand like Hennessy.

After all, Du Sheng came from a lower social class and was of Chinese descent.

In this day and age, the impression of people of Asian descent in the West is that they are backward, ignorant, and crude.

Those who can afford such fine wines are basically wealthy people and gentlemen, and the spokesperson must have an excellent image.

But after seeing the real person, Godes was completely relieved.

The Du Sheng in front of me is not only good-looking, but more importantly, he has a strong presence, with both gentlemanly manners and wild charm.

This image, paired with Hennessy red wine, is simply perfect!
"In the beverage sector, Du Sheng currently only has one endorsement deal with Huaxia."

Haders spread a stack of documents on the table and got straight to the point:
"Although many brands have approached us recently, we are very strict in our screening process."

If the brand's image and historical heritage aren't up to par, this place is impossible..."

Goldes picked up his coffee cup, took a sip, and glanced at Du Sheng's face twice, his tone tinged with emotion:
"To be honest, we originally came here for Brad Pitt. I flew all the way from France to discuss cooperation."

But in just a few days, good heavens, the situation changed drastically, the world changed completely..."

…(End of this chapter)