American Entertainment: Starting with playing the role of Little Beaver

Chapter 64 The Faces of People After the Cigarette Pit Cracked

"Martin, is everything all settled?"

Almost simultaneously, at Miramax's headquarters.

Harvey Weinstein looked at Martin Lewis, who had just arrived, with a smile.

At this moment, he is sitting on his favorite red sofa.

As usual, he had a cigar in his hand.

As wisps of smoke rose, the once bright room became dark again.

"Okay, all done. That guy will shut up now."

Martin Lewis picked up a glass of water from the coffee table, took a sip, and then shook his head, saying, "Our organization has grown too fast over the years, and anyone can join, which has led to a wide range of skill levels among the members."

"The guy who did this job only joined the organization three months ago and hasn't received much training, so he made some mistakes while doing things, but it doesn't matter, his whole family receives relief from us."

"He kept quiet about the matter so his child could be safe. Of course, he didn't actually know we existed. When we were issuing the orders, we went around in circles. The person who issued the orders to him was even in Moscow."

Upon learning that his spy had been captured, Lewis immediately began to use his magic to frantically erase all traces of the crime.

Well, using burglary to obtain information is actually quite normal in their eyes. Or rather, people who play with magic care the least about the law. The law requires clear facts and conclusive evidence to judge a person, but magic?
If I say you're a witch, you'll be burned at the stake.

If I want to hit you, you have to stand there and let me hit you.

Do you feel wronged?

Hahahahaha~
Dear~
I understand your grievances better than you do.
However, no matter how unscrupulous these great mages may be, they will still communicate normally when facing their own people. So, after confirming that he was the one who messed things up, Lewis immediately raised his water glass and toasted Harvey.

"I'm sorry, Harvey, I've disrupted your plans."

“Oh—my dear Martin—you’re too kind—”

Harvey waved his hands repeatedly, indicating that there was no need to apologize, saying, "Compared to the organization's grand cause, my business is actually a small matter."

"I am already very grateful that you can use the organization's resources to help me."

"And to be honest with you, not killing Isabella was actually a good thing for me."

"Because I made quite a few promises this year, I'm finding it hard to balance them myself, so..."

"I should thank you for giving me an excuse for failure."

Harvey also raised his water glass and lightly touched it to Lewis's.

The crisp sound made the two look at each other and burst into laughter.

To be honest, Harvey was a little angry after learning that the organization had failed to steal Isabella's information.

Or perhaps, he was actually very angry.

But he couldn't show it in front of Lewis.

This is not only because Lewis has mastered magic, but also because Lewis is his true trump card that allows him to get whatever he wants in Hollywood.

Did your powerful backer ruin your plans?
Any normal person would just accept their bad luck, right?
So……

Harvey just accepted his bad luck.

But in the process, he discovered that the unexpected events he encountered might offer a different solution to his Olympic bid this year.

For example, he can now freely aim for the Olympics this year—

Whether he succeeds or fails, no one can criticize him;
Because he tried his best, even using the power of magic, but all his plans were ruined by a bumbling thief;
When this bumbling thief comes from the Shadow Legion of Blade Dragon, the guy who failed to reach the Orphanage can only accept it by holding his nose.

Well, right now, Harvey is actually thinking of double-crossing him.

When the guys aiming for the Oscars can't accuse him of inaction, he's prepared to let them keep throwing money at him and then just go for it.

If he succeeds in the end, then he's awesome.

If it fails in the end, then it's all Isabella's fault.

And after doing so—

A lot of money can then go into his pocket~~~
Why not take advantage of it?

The process of vying for the Oscars is all shady. Those big-name celebrities who care about their reputation wouldn't even dare to investigate, let alone make a fuss about it!

Hehehehehehe~
As for whether Warner would take action against him to avenge Isabella?

He didn't think so.

Although he doesn't control magic, he is backed by it.

And he didn't actually lay a hand on Isabella, did he?
If gathering information is wrong, then everyone in this circle deserves to die!
hee hee~
After chatting with Lewis for a while, and seeing that it was already noon, he took the initiative to invite him to lunch.

After a hearty meal, Lewis made an excuse to leave, while Harvey returned to his company and took a nap.

After sobering up and feeling fine, he invited a few friends to go fishing at sea.

Of course, a fragrant aroma is indispensable.

How could he possibly travel without a beautiful woman by his side?

Let the lovely girl cosplay as a tobacco smoker; smoking the enchanted premium tobacco leaves is incredibly satisfying.

However, the next day, on his way home, the sight of two rows of uniformed figures on the dock made him frown.

"You are……"

After docking, the staff on the yacht were the first to ask questions.

The two men leading the group didn't say anything, but simply showed their identification documents.

It's not something that flashes by; it's something that lets you see clearly.

The sight of the golden eagle badge caused the staff member's pupils to shrink, and without any resistance, they decisively made way.

After the group boarded the ship, Harvey learned the identities of one of them.

“Mr. Harvey Weinstein, we are the FBI. We have received a complaint from Disney, which alleges that you transferred company assets to personal accounts, causing significant losses to the Disney Group.”

"The Disney Group has submitted the supporting documentation to us, so..."

"Please come with us."

The man to Harvey's left showed Harvey the investigation warrant.

The fact that the written agreement was undeniable made Harvey squint.

"Sir, I don't think I understand what you mean."

He swallowed hard, feigning ignorance.

“I think there might be some misunderstanding between us. I might need to communicate with Disney, or I could ask my lawyer to help me. So, could you allow me to make a phone call…”

He pointed to the cell phone on the tea table in front of him.

F. B. shrugged and smiled, saying, "Harvey, your brother has already been investigated before you."

"So I advise you not to make the call, because all you'll get after making the call is despair."

“…” Harvey pursed his lips.

Although he appeared completely calm, his heart was pounding at 180 miles per hour.

Before he could come up with a solution, another group of people next to Foberle also produced a summons.

“Mr. Harvey Weinstein, if you don’t want to go to the FBI, then come with us at the IRS. Disney has already handed over to us evidence of your massive tax evasion…”

"I didn't evade taxes!"

Before the IRS representative could finish speaking, Harvey jumped up like a startled rabbit.

He loudly denied it, saying, "I always file my taxes on time!"

"Oh, really?"

The IRS officer chuckled and said, "Although it's against the rules, I can help you recall that The Lord of the Rings, released in 2001, grossed $8.71 million worldwide, right? You and your brother Bob Weinstein shared 2.5% of the box office revenue."

"2.5% of $8.71 million is $2177.5 million. Even considering the payment terms, and even if you split it 50/50, your total tax return for last year shouldn't have been less than $10 million. But unfortunately, it wasn't."

"Of course, you could say that the money went into other companies' accounts and that the tax issues are reflected in those companies' tax returns. But if that's the case, then you'll have to explain to this FBI officer why copyright revenue belonging to Disney subsidiary Miramax is appearing in other companies outside the Disney Group."

"So, are you going to come with us, or just jump into the water and run away?"

"With this charge, you'll be serving at least ten years in prison."

"Of course, I advise you to leave."

"That way, things will be easier for us."

"Click——"

The IRS personnel had already removed their holsters.

"Shh-"

Harvey decisively raised his hands in surrender—

"I won't run away! I won't run away! I won't run away!"

The cool, clear voice taught Harvey what it meant to be a wise man who knows when to yield.

"I will cooperate with the investigation!"

"I will cooperate with all investigations!"

"I have no weapons! I'll go with you! I'll tell you everything!"

His cowardly demeanor brought smiles to the faces of the two leaders.

They exchanged a glance, and then the officer in charge of the company tilted his head.

The next second, his men stepped forward and viciously slapped a shiny silver bracelet onto Harvey's wrist.

Not only that, as he was helping the fat pig to his feet, the worker whispered in his ear, "Mr. Harvey Weinstein, Mr. Robert Iger, and Mr. Barry Mayer all send their greetings to you."

"They assure you, they won't let you bully the princess for nothing."

"..."

Harvey Weinstein's eyes widened instantly!

He was truly shocked at that moment!
He admitted that his surrender was merely a temporary act of submission in order to await rescue from Amnesty International!
In his eyes, neither job-related crimes nor tax evasion were big deals!

Even if Disney has a problem with him, wouldn't it be enough to just pay compensation and settle the matter?
But when Warner Bros. actually took action...

That would be a fight to the death!

This……

This……

This……

Ah ah ah ah ah--

He underestimated Isabella's value in Warner's eyes!
His body went limp, and he knew he was in deep trouble!

"What did you say? Harvey's been arrested?"

Two hours later.

Pacific Time, noon on January 8, 2003.

Renée Zellweger, who was getting ready at home for an afternoon party, was stunned.

Even though her lipstick smudged across her cheek because of her shaky hand, she didn't care.

Staring intently at his assistant in the vanity mirror, the young man, nearing thirty, was nodding frantically.

"Yeah! Renee! It's about this morning!"

"The IRS and FBI have conducted a joint operation! They have stated that Harvey Weinstein and Bob Weinstein are suspected of misappropriating Disney company assets and evading taxes on a massive scale! They have been arrested in accordance with the law!"

The concise and to-the-point words made Zellweger shudder.

She simply couldn't believe her assistant's words and desperately wanted to see supporting evidence.

While waiting for her assistant to bring over a laptop, she opened Yahoo in front of her. The headline on the entertainment section made Zellweger gasp for breath, sway, and collapse into her dressing chair.

Although the content on Yahoo! Headlines was very simple, not even as detailed as what Renee's assistant said, and there weren't many replies or comments below, what appeared calm to the world was seen as a huge Ivan the Great in the eyes of Hollywood people.

In Zellweger's eyes, it was like the sky had fallen—

Because this is the crucial moment for qualifying for the Olympics!
The Weinstein brothers are the biggest Oscar promoters in Hollywood right now!

At this critical juncture, they were arrested?
Who the hell would believe that?!
more importantly--

"Oh! Sxxt!!!"

After slumping in the makeup chair for a while, Zellweger suddenly sprang up, picked up the computer in front of her, and slammed it hard onto the ground.

"That son of a bitch Harvey!"

"Why did he have this problem now, instead of earlier or later?"

Zellweger has gone mad.

She grabbed the mat on the dressing table and ripped it off hard.

With a "whoosh," the money began to dance.

"Dxxn!"

"He ate all my money!"

"I gave him all my earnings from all these years!"

"How did he get investigated by the IRS?!"

"Ah ah ah ah ah--"

Zellweger roared wildly—

He slammed his fist on the dressing table—

Large tears welled up in her eyes, splashing onto the ground in droplets of water called regret.

Zellweger and Harvey have known each other for many years.

Because her early acting career was not smooth, she wanted to be an actress when she was 18, but she didn't get her first opportunity until she was 24. So whenever she discovers a new opportunity, she will hold on to it tightly.

She met Harvey in 99 when she was filming "The First Aid Lover". Harvey happened to be looking for people on set and saw her wearing a nurse's uniform and a checkered apron. He then took the initiative to chat with her and said that she was very charming.

Zellweger was very excited at the time.

Uh……

She already knew what kind of person Harvey was back then.

But that doesn't matter, does it?

There are far too many beasts in Hollywood, or rather, calling some people beasts is an understatement. So, when Harvey Wesley was able to control the Oscars, Zellweger wanted to go even further, and thus…

All she could say was that the nurse's uniform with the checkered apron was actually quite comfortable to wear.

This outfit can be worn as everyday clothes.

After getting to know Harvey, she immediately received "Bridget Jones's Diary".

Not only was it a box office smash, but she even received an Oscar nomination for Best Actress that year for "Bridget Jones's Story." That's an absolutely incredible thing!

Because "Bridget Jones" is a pure commercial film!
Bridget Jones is the epitome of Mary Sue!
It didn't even get a 7 on IMDb! And on Rotten Tomatoes, it didn't even reach 80 from critics! Not only that, when the film was released, the most praised actor was Hugh Grant, the supporting actor! Everyone else received negative reviews!
Even so! Harvey still managed to get her a Best Actress nomination!
When this fact came to light, even if Harvey told her that all 6,000 Oscar judges would kneel down and lick the soles of his shoes, Zellweger would have believed it without a doubt. But Harvey didn't tell her any of that. He only told her that "Chicago" could win her the Best Actress award.

So, she took on the role in "Chicago" the year before last.

And very obediently handed over all the money he had earned over the years to Harvey.

She just wants to win an Oscar.

however……

All of the above...

That's all in the past...

Once Harvey is targeted by the IRS, he'll be in serious trouble, if not dead!

In the United States, you can rob and you can traffic drugs, but you can't evade taxes!

"Fake Squid!"

"How could this guy evade taxes?!"

Zellweger couldn't understand it!
The next second, she forcefully raised her head.

She stared intently at her assistant, then darted forward and grabbed his shoulder.

"Harvey couldn't possibly have evaded taxes, right?"

"He couldn't possibly be evading taxes, right?"

"You're lying to me?"

"You created the website too?"

The frantic questioning made the assistant swallow hard. Under the boss's piercing gaze, the young man sighed, "Rennie, I heard this matter involves Disney and Warner Bros., because..."

"Because of what?!" Zellweger roared.

She was eager to know more!
"Because... Harvey offended someone he shouldn't have..."

The young man shared the gossip he learned while verifying the information.

After Zellweger learned that Harvey had previously tried to kill Harry Potter and Hermione Granger.

Her body trembled instantly, then her legs gave way and she collapsed to the ground.

Although Harvey has not yet been tried, at this moment, she has already seen Harvey's fate.

To the world, they may seem glamorous and dazzling, but to capital, they are nothing.

And a fart, and you want to attack capital?
This person is really asking for trouble.

“Nicole... I know you're hurting, but that's just how it is…”

At the same time, in another villa in Hollywood.

Nicole Kidman also found it difficult to accept the message from her agent.

Because Harvey had told her that she had the best chance of winning the award this year.

"The Hours" is a film with three female leads, but Julianne Moore and Meryl Streep will not be nominated for Best Actress. When this happens, Miramax will pour all its resources into her Oscar campaign.

Uh... this logic is actually quite easy to understand...

Julianne Moore and Meryl Streep are both well-known acting talents in the industry. Whenever they release a film, the judges will instinctively look it up. In this situation, when Miramax did not submit them for the Oscars, the judges would subconsciously scrutinize Nicole Kidman, wanting to know why the other two were not competing for the Oscars? Why were they making way for Nicole Kidman?

Once this doubt arises, the judges will notice any breakthrough Nicole Kidman makes.

It doesn't matter if the judges don't notice.

Because there's lobbying involved in getting people nominated for the Oscars.

The lobbying team claimed that Julianne Moore and Meryl Streep were so impressed with Nicole Kidman that they decided not to run for the Oscars. As soon as this rhetoric was used, Nicole Kidman's votes were practically guaranteed.

As for the reason?

More than half of the 6,000 judges at the Oscars are mediocre; they can't tell the difference in performance, technique, or anything else.

Cutting it in half might actually make the result fairer.

These words were said by George Lucas.

When Harvey was able to go this far for Nicole Kidman's Oscar run;
Nicole Kidman was extremely grateful for his care.

Harvey said that Renée Zellweger would be a casualty on her Oscar journey, and he hoped that she could star in "Cold Mountain" and, like Julianne Moore and Meryl Streep this year, help Renée Zellweger win the Oscar next year.
She accepted it all with delight.

But now...

Harvey was already out of the running before the Oscar nominations were even announced?
"I do not believe!"

"You're lying to me, right??"

"Harvey is clearly Michael Eisner's man!!! Why would Disney suddenly target him???"

Nicole Kidman gripped her Nokia phone tightly, veins bulging on the back of her hand!
She screamed wildly at her agent on the other end of the phone!

She can't accept anything she's going through right now!
Um--

Miramax's entry into Disney was actually Michael Eisner's doing.

Or perhaps, the Weinstein brothers were actually brought to Disney by Eisner back then.

Eisner hopes they can replace Jeffrey Katzenberg and make a different kind of contribution to Disney.

As for the origin of the idea?
That is, even before Katzenberg was ousted, Eisner knew that Katzenberg's departure would cause Disney's revenue to decline.

However, he cannot find an animation expert to replace Katzenberg.

Because at the time, no one in Hollywood understood animation better than Katzenberg.

Once Eisner hires an external animation expert, Disney's shareholders will immediately know that his struggle with Katzenberg is full of unfounded malice, and that Eisner himself lacks confidence, feeling that he cannot make up for the revenue lost after Katzenberg's departure.

At that point, he could very well be kicked away by Katzenberg.

Therefore, Eisner had no choice but to bring in other people to generate revenue for Disney.

Then, he chose Miramax.

Harvey did not disappoint him, and in the year he joined Disney, he played a hand that yielded a 20x return for Eisner.

That's the movie "The Piano".

An investment of 700 million yuan yielded a box office of 1.4 million yuan.

When Harvey has done Eisner a favor, Eisner will never turn against Harvey, no matter who else he's going to harm.

So……

Harvey was taken down by Disney?
Nicole Kidman doesn't believe it!

"Calm down, Nicole! Calm down!"

Nicole Kidman's CAA agent shouted over the phone, "We at CAA have already found out what happened!"

"Eisner is also very surprised about Harvey's situation!"

"Because the ones who did it weren't Eisner! It was Roy Disney and Robert Iger!"

"You know about the internal strife at Disney, right?"

"Eisner is barely able to save himself! How could he possibly save Harvey!"

"This time it's clear that Roy and Iger have joined forces to try and eliminate Eisner's influence at Disney!"

So! Stop dwelling on Harvey!

"Even if he could come out, he wouldn't be able to before this year's Oscars!"

"Now! Your path to the Olympics is in chaos! We need to think of a new approach!"

Nicole's ears ached from the violent roar.

Even so, she didn't want to put her phone away.

She leaned back on the sofa, covered her mouth, and began to sob.

It seemed she had realized something was wrong with her employer? But it was also possible her slip of the tongue had upset her agent on the other end of the phone. After the agent offered words of comfort, Nicole finally said, "We...maybe we have no other way to go..."

"Why?" the agent asked, puzzled.

"Because...because I've already...given him all my money..."

Nicole cried, "Waaah... I gave Harvey five million... Waaah... I have no money left... Waaah... If Harvey goes in, there really won't be anyone to help me get an Oscar... I don't have any more money..."

"Ang ang ang ang ang..."

The agent remained silent.

Being a celebrity is very expensive.

Especially female stars.

I won't go into the expenses of jewelry, accessories, and fancy clothes; everyone knows that.

Compared to these, the expenses for accountants, lawyers, and public relations teams are actually much greater.

Yes, the reason why celebrities are called walking listed companies is because they really have to support a large group of people, and these people are indispensable. Accountants deal with the IRS, lawyers solve legal problems that may arise at any time, and PR is even more important, as they are needed to liaise with the media, handle public opinion, and analyze public relations data.

Then, female celebrities need all of the above more than male celebrities.

There's no way around it; female celebrities are more susceptible to public opinion than male celebrities in terms of commercial value.

If they want to climb the ladder, they need to build a professional team.

So, Nicole Kidman said she had no money?

Then she probably really can't fight anymore.

Perhaps he wanted to comfort her? But it seemed more like he didn't want his employer to do anything foolish. After a moment of silence, the agent on the other end of the phone said, "Nicole, I personally think you don't need to be too upset about this."

"Because the path to the Olympics won't be too smooth for other people either."

"Yes, you heard right. Even if Xavi is gone, the path to the Olympics won't be too smooth for the others."

"As for the reason..."

CAA's agent gritted his teeth and said, "I heard that Harvey was suddenly arrested because he messed with the wrong person."

"You know The Voice? He wanted to attack Hermione Granger from Harry Potter."

"He wanted to deal with Isabella Heywood the same way he dealt with Roman Polanski."

"Then, Warner was furious."

Nicole Kidman was stunned by the sudden influx of rumors!

After she had processed all of this, her body began to tremble involuntarily again!

This shiver was a manifestation of resentment towards Harvey Weinstein—

Why are you provoking people from the financial world? Are you out of your mind?
At the same time, it's also a form of envy towards Isabella Heywood—

Having the financial backing to protect you is great! If you're even slightly unhappy, others will be beaten to death!
While Nicole Kidman and Renée Zellweger made their slips of the tongue, there were many others in the industry who remained silent.

Because such triumphs cannot be kept secret from others.

Only when people witness your brutality will they fear you.

So, Harvey died because he messed with the wrong person?
Even though many people have a stake in his interests right now, they dare not speak out recklessly.

Actresses like Queen Latifah and Catherine Zeta-Jones chose to remain silent.

Or perhaps it's just a matter of accepting bad luck.

Of course, while some are angry, others are happy.

After all, the Oscars aren't just owned by Miramax.

Every year, many people strive to win the Olympics.

With the downfall of the Weinstein brothers, all the other Oscar contenders were thrilled.

"Good, good, good, I really didn't expect Harvey to end up like this!"

"Serves you right for being so arrogant and domineering, for thinking you can do whatever you want. Now you've finally met your match!"

"Hahahaha-"

Roman Polanski, who had been brutally beaten by Xavi, was excited.

Located in France, he directly called his partner, EMI, to express his determination to continue striving for the Olympics!

He feels that no one can stop him this year!

“Hello Adrian, yes, it’s me…”

Having been in the industry for many years and known for her acting skills, Diane Lane, who has never won an Oscar, has also become more ambitious.

She called Fox.

"That's right, Harvey messed with the wrong person, didn't he? So let's give it a try?"

She felt that this year might be the best opportunity.

"Oh, James, I'd like to talk to you about 'Far From Heaven'."

After confirming that Harvey had indeed been arrested.

Julian Moore also called James Schamus, the founder of Focus Features.

Well, although she and Harvey have a long-standing working relationship, you can't put all your eggs in one basket, right?
and so……

Harvey made her make way for Nicole Kidman?

That little bitch doesn't even deserve it.
Who does Nicole Kidman think she is? Why should I give up my Best Actress award?
"Yes—it's me—I'm here to talk about '8 Mile's' Oscar chances—"

"You know, we in the hip-hop community have always longed for mainstream recognition, so..."

At the same time, Eminem also talked to Globe about the Oscar.

A whale fall—

All things are born!
With the disappearance of the Weinstein brothers, the entire Shanxi-Northwest region was thrown into chaos!
Everyone wants to take advantage of the chaos!

It applies to everyone!

While all the contestants were warming up frantically, eager to be in top form and take down more of those little bitches in the upcoming melee, Isabella Haywood's name was also circulating among the numerous files.

Although the little girl in the photo is adorable and harmless, but...

Anyone who wanted to continue in the industry sensed the danger surrounding her.

Weinstein, who had been in the industry for decades, was killed because he wanted to get back at her.

"So, should we call her the Warner Bros. Princess or the Disney Princess now?"

Paramount headquarters.

Chairwoman Shirley Lansing flipped through the documents in her hand with a smile on her face.

(End of this chapter)