Huayu, can you be called the best actor if you don’t indulge yourself?

Chapter 564 Return to the West Coast

Holding up a sign.

It was none other than his former assistant, Catherine.

But to be precise.

The other person was probably Wick Godfrey's assistant, who was only temporarily borrowed by him at the time. After several months, they met again and hugged each other across the railing amidst laughter.

"God."

Feeling his firm chest muscles, Catherine exclaimed in admiration, "You're in such great shape, you look even better than before!"

"Thank you."

Li Luo gave a thumbs up and praised her directly, "You're still so beautiful."

"Hahaha."

Catherine burst into laughter.

He quickly beckoned Li Luo to go outside.

Catherine had a very good impression of this tall, handsome young actor who was full of oriental charm, extremely dedicated during filming, and even gave her a generous tip when he left the set.

Amidst enthusiastic inquiries, the two headed straight for the parking lot.

Get in the car.

Headed straight to Peak Entertainment Company.

Li Luo's trip to the United States was to attend the premiere of "Twilight" and promote the film.

In Hollywood.

A large-scale promotional campaign is also needed before a movie is released.

Furthermore, the scale of their promotional activities is far more extravagant than that in China, including roadshows, film festivals, comic conventions, radio interviews, TV interviews, autograph sessions, and countless other events.

These campaigns were not limited to the United States.

They also have to fly to major ticket-buying cities around the world for events; to put it simply, it's a global version of a large-scale domestic promotion.

To highlight the main character.

In addition, Jacob doesn't have many scenes in the movie.

Therefore, the production team did not include him, who was nominally the second male lead, in the global promotion plan. This allowed Li Luo to have more time to audition and film.

But no matter what.

The premiere is absolutely essential to attend.

So even though "Lost in Thailand" was being filmed, they still made time to come and promote it for a few days.

The vehicle stops.

Following in Catherine's footsteps.

Li Luo went straight to Wick Godfrey's office.

The employees looked hurried, and after smiling and nodding at the two, they ran off even faster. This kind of war-like atmosphere is indispensable for every production company when a work is released.

It was also something Li Luo was extremely familiar with.

A multi-million dollar bet is about to begin; will they make a fortune or lose everything?

Final result.

The answer will be revealed in just a few days.

If you can't get off to a strong start, the chances of turning the tide are extremely slim.

If we incur losses of tens of millions of dollars

Even giant studios like Warner Bros. and Disney still have executives who have to take responsibility for this.

Under such immense pressure.

The person in charge can easily become a powder keg; those who lack composure will explode at the slightest provocation. Employees, even if they are not busy, must pretend to be busy at this time.

"Christine and Pattinson are still out promoting."

Leading Li Luo forward, Catherine spoke quickly, "They won't be back until tomorrow for the movie premiere. Mr. Godfrey is preparing for the premiere, so we came over to say hello first."

"I'll take you to the hotel later."

"Dong dong."

She stopped walking and knocked on the half-closed office door.

The actors are in place.

It is only natural that we should meet first.

Li Luo had no objections to this. It was good to talk to the film producer about the publicity situation, and he also wanted to maintain a good working relationship with Godfrey, even though a sequel agreement had already been reached for the role of Jacob.

But if I really had to replace myself, it would just be a matter of paying a penalty for breach of contract.

Only the second part was filmed.

Only by having enough screen time to develop a character and attracting enough fans can one become an indispensable main actor in this film series.

"Please come in."

A dull voice sounded.

Catherine pushed open the office door and smiled, gesturing to those behind her, "Mr. Godfrey, Mr. Lowry has been picked up!"

The white woman stumbled a little while speaking.

I almost said Mr. Luo.

When Li Luo entered the office, he was greeted by Godfrey's unshaven face and dark-rimmed glasses. The man smiled broadly and quickly emerged from behind the large desk.

"Welcome to Summit Entertainment, Li. It's great to see you again!"

"Thank you."

Li Luo grasped the other man's hand and immediately apologized: "I'm very sorry, Mr. Godfrey, I should have joined the film crew's promotional work earlier."

Although the production company did not include them in the main publicity plan.

However, this is the attitude of the table.

We cannot fall behind.

You need to let the other party know that you don't mind promoting the film crew at all.

"that's not important."

Godfrey gripped his hand tightly, then quickly shook his head, saying, "No, publicity is certainly very important, but I want to ask a different question now."

"Please say?"

Li Luo was confused.

"you"

Godfrey, brimming with curiosity, asked in a slightly rapid voice, "Did the movie you starred in really become the highest-grossing film in Chinese film history, beating the Titanic?"

"Bang~"

The cup in Catherine's hand fell onto the table.

Bai Niu hurriedly caught it to prevent the porcelain cup from falling to the ground and shattering into pieces.

"Ok?"

Li Luo blinked, then chuckled and asked, "What I'm more curious about is, Mr. Godfrey, how did you find out about this?"

Such a response.

This completely proves that Godfrey's words were true.

Catherine swallowed hard, staring blankly at the smiling Asian man.

she knows.

Li is an excellent director.

It also won the Camera d'Or at Cannes.

However, it became the highest-grossing film in history, which was completely unexpected for her.

Regardless of the specific number.

Those who can reach the top in a country or an industry are undoubtedly the best of the best, especially in a country with a population of over a billion.

Godfrey shared the same idea.

Although converted to US dollars, the total box office is less than 50 million.

But on what basis should the conversion be made?

They use their own currency to make it.

The film starring Lee did indeed become the highest-grossing film in history.

"damn it."

Looking him up and down with envy, Godfrey clicked his tongue in admiration and said, "Of course I got this information from the internet, but that's not important. What's important is that we desperately need your good luck right now."

"In this case."

Li Luo raised his eyebrows and chuckled, "How about Twilight's global box office surpasses 300 million US dollars?"

Upon hearing this, Godfrey immediately burst into laughter.

Let alone 300 million.

He'd be ecstatic even if it sold for 100 million.

Hollywood film revenue isn't just from box office sales; DVD sales and rentals sometimes make up the bulk of the profits. Fan-oriented films that gross over $100 million can earn tens of millions of dollars in the physical video market.

The benefits in this regard.

That's what Twilight had high hopes for.

While laughing.

He helped Li Luo sit down.

Other Hollywood producers might not even pay attention to film news in China, since the annual box office champion only costs tens of millions of dollars, a market too small to warrant much attention.

Unfortunately, the second male lead in his own movie was a Chinese actor.

out of curiosity.

A few days ago, Godfrey searched online for the latest news about Li Luo and was dumbfounded to find that the movie he starred in had actually become the highest-grossing movie in history.

The amount wasn't large, but it was enough to surprise him.

First, this can be confirmed.

This guy is extremely popular with audiences.

Secondly, it can be confirmed that the other party is someone who is currently experiencing good luck.

No matter which point.

These are all things Godfrey desperately needs.

Don't think that Americans don't believe in luck. They're the only ones who play with fortune cookies. Presidents have to take an oath according to a scripture during their inauguration. In their eyes, Li Luo is practically a mascot.

Catherine composed herself.

He brought over the coffee with a big smile on his face.

Sipping his coffee, Godfrey curiously inquired about the movie's progress.

Li Luo chatted casually.

They also inquired about the film's marketing and distribution.

Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson have been traveling quite a bit lately, visiting places like Tokyo, Paris, and Berlin. Although the overseas box office revenue share is lower.

But it couldn't stop the water from flowing into a river.

If the profits are high enough, those who need to run will have to run no matter what.

During our casual conversation, we discussed the upcoming publicity and promotion process, which was the main reason we came to Peak Entertainment.

Preliminary publicity.

The main characters are the male and female leads.

However, the collective appearance of the entire cast and crew is also indispensable.

Premiere arrangements.

Interview.

Autograph session.

The schedule on the notice was very full. For the next two or three days, he would basically be running around with the crew. After Godfrey and Catherine finished explaining everything, Li Luo shook hands and said goodbye.

Next.

This is my personal time for rest and relaxation.

The sea breeze howled.

It blows continuously through this metropolis on the west coast.

The palm leaves swayed.

A blonde woman wearing a tank top and super short hot pants laughed happily, her tanned skin looking vibrant and glowing with a captivating luster under the sunlight.

Long legs are certainly a sight to behold.

The upturned tips of the lotus leaves peeking out from the ultra-thin T-shirt were equally pleasing to the eye.

Not wearing a bra.

This isn't something that will shock you here.

Li Luo vividly recalls that in the classic American sitcom "Friends," Jennifer Aniston, who played Rachel, appeared on screen bralessly, her expression utterly unperturbed.

During vehicle operation.

Luxury brand stores are everywhere.

Everywhere you look, you see the glitz and glamour of the old capitalist hegemon.

only.

The vehicle drove out several streets.

Garbage was everywhere.

A homeless man huddled in a street corner.

Groups of three or five black men, their pants drooping down to their buttocks, were not intimidated even by the approaching black and white police cars. Instead, they blatantly gave each other the middle finger, displaying their arrogance.

Those bulges that the old black men wore on their waistbands.

Li Luo stepped on the gas, accelerating the car as it sped through the dilapidated streets.

Follow the road signs.

The Cadillac approached the seaside. Reaching the intersection, the vehicle slowly came to a stop at a red light.

Suddenly, excited shouts caught his attention. He pushed up his sunglasses and looked over, only to see several fair-skinned girls with freckles excitedly running to a huge movie poster.

The girls posed for each other.

Using the poster as a backdrop, we took all sorts of fun group photos.

Eyes narrowed.

Li Luo's gaze lingered on the promotional poster swaying in the sea breeze. Christine and Pattinson were nestled together, the former with long, bright orange hair and a rather delicate-looking face.

The latter had pale skin.

His pupils shimmered with golden light.

The entire promotional poster gives off a subtle sense of oppression. The beautiful girl is embraced by a sexy vampire, evoking a feeling of danger, taboo, and crossing boundaries.

Recalling the scene of the girl giving him a kiss, Li Luo couldn't help but laugh.

Several months passed.

I wonder if we'll meet again.

What will Christine look like?

"dudu~"

The horn that blared from behind brought him back to his senses. He turned the steering wheel and drove to the right, where the famous Santa Monica Beach lay before him, with its boundless azure waters and dense crowds.

The covered bridge that stretches into the sea, and the huge Ferris wheel.

all of these.

It gave him a certain feeling.

It felt like stepping into the world of GTA5.

Without giving the scene in front of him much thought, Li Luo drove the Cadillac along the coastline, gradually moving away from the city area until villas came into view.

Palm trees, sunshine, beach, swimming pool.

Although it is already November, everything in front of me still looks like it was in the height of summer.

The black guy I just met.

They have almost disappeared.

Normally, wealthy people in the US live in the suburbs, using high housing prices, inconvenient public transportation, and inconvenient supporting services to isolate themselves from unstable factors.

The speed has slowed down.

The Cadillac sped past the residential number plate and went down a private road.

Then we arrived at a Mediterranean-style villa.

"plum!"

Before the car had even come to a complete stop, a chubby boy wearing a baseball cap excitedly came out to greet it.

"Connor."

Li Luo laughed heartily, recalling the movements the other party had taught him before. His fists flew up and down, colliding with each other, and finally, amidst the other party's cry of pain, he slammed his fist into the shoulder.

"Shet."

He rubbed his shoulders, then shook his head and took a step back: "You're still as strong as ever, as strong as a wild beast."

We've all been to yacht parties together.

Hunting party.

Although they hadn't known each other for very long, Connor was extremely impressed with him.

Especially after the night of the hunting party.

The chubby boy was utterly impressed by the man's intense shouting that lasted for more than two hours. If Mark hadn't been his childhood friend and boss, Lee would have been the strongest man in the world.

"mark?"

Li Luo quickly unloaded a case of fine whiskey from the back seat and looked around at the villa, which couldn't be bought for less than several million dollars.

I don't have many friends in America.

Since you've come all this way, it's only natural to pay a visit.

"inside."

The chubby boy waved and walked inside excitedly: "Mark is very happy to know you're coming, but he's having some troubles right now. Don't worry about it; we can't interfere with his work."

"A beach party is prepared for you tonight."

"Of course!"

"It's also to make Mark happy."

"No need to take it too seriously. We throw parties all the time anyway, and I can't imagine what life would be like without them!"

"His movie 'Max Payne' was released last month, but the box office results did not meet expectations. Those damn film critics, it's not Mark's fault."

"Your movie is about to be released, right? I saw the poster, why isn't your picture on it?"

Never mind, I still wish you good luck with your results!

This two-story house faces the Pacific Ocean.

Mediterranean style.

Four huge Roman columns stand in front of the door, surrounded by palm trees. A sea breeze blows and the leaves rustle. The yellow roof shines with a golden light in the sunlight.

Amid Connor's rambling chatter, Li Luo walked through the door carrying a whiskey.

Just walked in.

It was a spacious living room.

Beyond that is an outdoor infinity pool, with the rippling water stretching forward, and the boundless Pacific Ocean rushing into view, creating an absolutely stunning ocean view.

"The kitchen and entertainment room are upstairs, and the rooms are upstairs."

The chubby Connor gestured casually, then pointed to the curved staircases that wound upwards on both sides, turned around and chuckled, "As a friend, of course there's a bedroom for you here."

"But you have to control yourself and not make us look too bad."

"damn it."

"That girl last time was amazing."

"You stimulated me so much that it was like I hadn't been with a man for a year. I was completely overwhelmed."

"to be honest."

"I even want her to knock on your door!"

This rambling.

This made Li Luo's expression extremely strange.

However, Connor's voice quickly stopped as the heated argument by the backyard pool drifted into the living room, quickly diverting his attention.

"Damn Ali!"

"Am I some nobody now?"

"A bachelor party, everyone's dead drunk, and what's this? A tiger, and a six-month-old baby!"

"What a load of crap plot."

"I admit that Max Payne didn't do well at the box office, but what if it sells well on DVD? A total investment of thirty-five million dollars, my God, what kind of independent film is this?"

Who is the director?

"OMG, does anyone know what films he's directed?"

Beside the infinity pool.

Wahlberg threw down one of the scripts, then excitedly picked up another and continued to the hook-nosed middle-aged man sitting next to him: "There are also stories of knights from the Victorian era."

"this."

"A detective who likes to drink has a homosexual relationship with a lumberjack in the forest."

"damn it!"

One notebook after another.

He was repeatedly thrown off by Wahlberg.

His other sidekick, Irving, sat awkwardly to the side.

this time.

I do not know what to say.

The hook-nosed man remained remarkably calm, simply watching Mark Wahlberg vent his emotions.

For actors.

Every step taken felt like entering an abyss.

If a film is a complete flop, the studio will back down completely.

Given Mark's status.

Of course, he can still get a chance to start over, provided that he actively cheers himself up and produces some films that may not do well at the box office but have good reviews to regain the trust of the studios.

But this guy has been depressed ever since the box office failure.

He shook his head in disbelief.

That's why he deliberately had his assistant bring over some projects he didn't think much of, and some terrible scripts.

Just to remind the other party.

He was reminded that he was already in a precarious situation, and if he didn't find a way to pull himself together, he would be faced with even worse scripts and projects.

Mark Wahlberg is not stupid.

After the anger subsided.

He felt a pang of guilt.

"We Own the Night" had a production budget of over 20 million dollars, but its North American box office was less than 30 million dollars.

The production budget for "Catastrophe" was 60 million.

North American box office
Almost the same number.

"Max Payne" has only grossed a little over ten million dollars at the North American box office and has also been met with ridiculed criticism from film critics.

From the end of last year until now.

The box office performance of the three films released in succession was so poor.

Even if he can preserve his investment through other channels, ultimately the studio needs to make money. This performance is enough to shake his current position, and a crisis is already looming.

"cough~"

Embarrassed, the chubby Connor turned back to look at Li Luo and coughed heavily.

This commotion.

To break the awkward atmosphere.

Upon noticing the arrival of the guests, the three outside quickly composed themselves. Mark Wahlberg was the first to enter the living room with a smile, indicating that they were simply having a normal work discussion and that there was no need for him to feel nervous.

He then introduced the man with the hooked nose.

broker.

Ali Emmanuel.

Despite being surprised by Li Luo's demeanor and appearance, Emmanuel exchanged a few polite words before saying he had other matters to attend to and hurriedly left.

"Feel sorry."

Irving spread his hands and shook his head helplessly, saying, "That's just how Ali is; he always has endless things to do."

"The premiere tomorrow?"

Mark Wahlberg, too lazy to explain, simply gave him a hug: "First, enjoy the party tonight. I invited a lot of friends over. Second, do you need any help with the premiere?"

"Please."

"I can't let my brothers be outdone by others!"

Help out and support the event.

Hollywood does this kind of thing too.

Wahlberg knew this was Lee Lo's first film in Hollywood and felt it was necessary to help his friend make a splash. Although his own film had failed at the box office, he was perfectly capable of supporting a small-scale production.

"Thank you."

Li Luo patted him on the back and declined his offer with a smile: "If you don't want the male and female leads to hold a grudge against me, it's best if you don't show up."

"Ok?"

Wahlberg's eyes widened, and he immediately raised his fist.

Irving and Connor burst into laughter.

Both of them fulfilled their duties as followers, trying to help their boss relax as much as possible.

Under Wahlberg's leadership.

Li Luo toured the mansion with great interest. The luxury inside was beyond words, but the most amazing thing was the Z-shaped staircase next to the backyard that led down the low cliff to the private beach below.

Unlike the bustling crowds in Santa Monica.

Here you can enjoy peace and quiet, watching the azure waters of the Pacific Ocean constantly churning up sparkling waves.

Go back to the top.

In a bad mood, Wahlberg leaped into the pool.

Li Luo then raised his wine glass.

After obtaining Irving's consent, he picked up the script that he had just dropped on the ground.

I flipped through it casually.

His gaze then settled on the cover of one of the books.

The Hangover

Although I don't have a large English vocabulary, I can still easily recognize these two words.

"the Hangover."

Muttering to himself while looking at the script, Li Luo smiled and glanced at Wahlberg, who was splashing around in the water, before slowly turning the pages of the script and taking a sip of his drink.

If it really is that movie.

On my side, I can't let my friends be outdone by others.

(End of this chapter)