American Entertainment: Starting with playing the role of Little Beaver

Chapter 87 The Rogue Eminem Emerges

On March 23, 2003, J.K. Rowling gave birth to her first child since her remarriage at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.

It was a boy, and Rowling and her husband Murray named him David.

Since filming for "Azkaban" had already begun, Isabella couldn't find the time to visit, though she certainly made a phone call to check on her. Vivian then secretly ran over to deliver the gift during a break between filming locations.

With the arrival of her child, Rowling, having finished her major life event, naturally turned her attention to work. She felt that if she didn't work, her body would rust. Therefore, the publication of "The Order of the Phoenix" was put on the agenda by the publisher.

Initially, the release date for "The Order of the Phoenix" was set for June 21, but after Disney and Warner Bros. indicated that they needed to make time for "The Voice," which was set to premiere this year, the publisher promptly changed the book's release date to July 5.

The publisher's actions are easy to understand. If "The Order of the Phoenix" is released on the 21st, then the auditions for "The Voice" that start on the same day will be dramatic, since Isabella's fans are basically Potter Heads.

With these two things happening at the same time, do you think people will prioritize participating in the auditions or scrambling for the "Order of the Phoenix" role?

Right?

When even the world's most prestigious publishing houses can't compete with the world's largest and second-largest media groups...

Actively shifting the gear is inevitable.

However, this kind of thing doesn't really matter to Rowling, because the previous "Goblet of Fire" was released in July, and she saw the charm of summer. In its first weekend, it sold 300 million copies in the United States alone and more than 200 million in the United Kingdom.

Keep in mind that there weren't any Harry Potter movies in the world back then.

So, with the release of the movie and the renewed surge in HP's popularity, "Order of the Phoenix" was released during the summer.

That means 24-hour sales in the UK and the US could reach 500 million!

Since releasing the book during the summer wouldn't affect sales, and all the adjustments were made by her own people, Rowling readily accepted the new release date. At the same time, she also naturally asked the young girl to accompany her to the book signing event.

In her words, "I've already rescheduled your project, so it's okay for you to come and support my event, right?"
This was a very reasonable request, so Isabella readily agreed after learning of Rowling's needs.

Of course, the little girl also knew Rowling's true intentions.

Rowling is open to the spotlight and can embrace her book fans, but she hates the media.

Therefore, bringing her over to the platform might not be entirely without the intention of using her as a shield.

And this...

Isabella didn't care.

Not to mention that most of her fans come from the character Hermione, Rowling inviting her to the book signing was practically a no-brainer. Rowling has also helped her a lot over the past few years; standing up for her and taking the fall for her is just a small matter of mutual assistance.

"So she got me a day off?" Isabella asked while eating.

In the initial filming schedule, she was scheduled to have a scene on July 5th.

“She told you to ask for leave yourself.” Catherine shook her head.

“Oh—this guy still doesn’t want to talk to Chris—” Isabella laughed.

Although Rowling and Columbus reconciled, how easy is it to change one's stance?
In this situation, zero communication between the two is actually the best form of communication.

Knowing all this, Isabella wasn't bothered by their behavior. But after taking a couple of bites of dinner, she suddenly had another mischievous idea. "Hey, what do you guys think about me just asking Rowling for leave?"

"She's also a film producer. According to Hollywood rules, if crew members have something to do, they should communicate with the producer. So, I asked her for leave... that should be in accordance with industry practice, right?"

"..." Mom and my older sister paused.

They, who were still eating earnestly, struggled to lift their heads and looked at Isabella with some tension.

At that moment, they all felt that the little guy had a serious mental problem.

"You can do it if you're not afraid of getting scolded by Chris," Mom said, her lips twitching as she voiced her thoughts.

“I think… Aunt Rowling will probably beat you up after she gets your leave slip…” Catherine raised her eyebrows.

She wished her younger sister good luck in advance.

The little beaver, whose idea had just come to mind, stuck out its tongue.

She might think about things that would invite a beating or scolding, but she wouldn't even budge.
Hehe ~
Since it was confirmed that she would be away on July 5th, Isabella asked Columbus for leave the next day. Since everyone had discussed this beforehand—Columbus wasn't stupid; he had seen how "Order of the Phoenix" had made way for "The Voice"—Columbus wasn't surprised. He immediately asked his regular producer, Michael Barnason, the executive producer of "Azkaban," to adjust Isabella's filming schedule. In the end, the scenes scheduled for July 5th were moved to June 28th.

Then, Vivian took some people out and bought some gifts for the crew.

Although from the producer's perspective this is a time-out arrangement, what working person would willingly take a time-out?

I won't say thank you for your support, but I'd at least like to thank you for your understanding.

In any case, Isabella will definitely handle the attitude well.
While Isabella was busy with her own affairs and had no time to think about the struggle in North America, Michael Eisner, the king of Disney, was meeting with Edgar Bronfman Jr., the spendthrift playboy, in California.

The two met at Eisner's private club.

The private room was luxuriously decorated, but Eisner, leaning against the leather sofa, didn't look too good. His heavy dark circles under his eyes suggested he was overworked. With the arrival of Little Bronfman, he asked the staff to bring him a drink according to his preferences. After a brief chat, he got straight to the point, "Edgar, the main reason I invited you here today is to discuss something with you."

“Oh, Michael, you’re too kind. Just tell me what’s on your mind,” Bronfman said with a smile.

“Okay, then I’ll get straight to the point.” Eisner nodded, took a deep drag on his cigar, and said, “The plans have changed, so I need to use Eminem now. I wonder how your preparations are going?”

“I’m all set. Just give the word, and Eminem will be able to launch an attack on Isabella.”

Bronfman Jr. adjusted his glasses and said, "Michael, you're free to adjust the plan as you see fit. Of course, if possible... could I ask you about the specific procedures of your new plan?"

Since Eminem had his eye on Isabella for a long time, guiding her in that direction would be quite simple.

Doug Morris only had a brief chat with Eminem, and the drug-addicted guy smoothly jumped into the trap they had set. Or rather, at that moment, Eminem was even more eager than they were to attack Isabella.

This fact pleased Eisner greatly. He picked up the wine glass on the coffee table, smiled at the little Bronfman across from him, then tilted his head back and drank it all in one gulp. The mellow and slightly sweet taste made him feel good and also made him squint his eyes.

“Since it’s a collaboration, I can certainly share the specific plans with you. As for where to begin… let me think… uh, let’s start with that damn Michael Arndt…”

Michael Arndt is the first link in the anti-good alliance's mudslinging plan.

It's the first half of the first move.

Because of his cowardice and fear of trouble, he failed to successfully deliver the first bucket of filth to tarnish the "Voice of China" brand. Or, given the current situation where everyone is on Little Beaver's side, it could be said that their first move was a complete failure.

Then, in this situation, the second half of the first move, which is to criticize variety shows for plagiarism, can no longer be used.

the reason is simple:
That is, the first and second halves of their initial tactic used the same gimmick: the core message they were conveying was that the "The Voice" brand was not genuine, and that Arndt was sent out first because the script-selling allegations were true. When an attack contains a factual basis, even if subsequent attacks are all false and slanderous, the public will believe it because of the initial truth.

However, when real events can no longer affect the general public's perception of "The Voice of China," continuing to bombard "The Voice of China" with false accusations will only alert the public, making them feel that "The Voice of China" is being maliciously targeted. Once this thought arises, their anti-"The Voice of China" alliance will be finished, because the power of the people is invincible.

When people genuinely support a person or a cause, even the strongest capital becomes nothing more than a pile of excrement.

Especially since they are attacking Isabella now.

If the public knew that they wouldn't even spare a 13-year-old girl, they would explode.

They will directly become experience points on Isabella's path to godhood.

Therefore, changing tactics was inevitable, and Aisner's biggest goal was to directly target Isabella and prevent her reputation from continuing to improve. As a result, their use of Eminem was naturally brought forward.

"In my new plan, I hope Eminem will attack Isabella on July 4th."

There are two reasons for choosing this time.

"First, because July 4th is our country's Independence Day, launching an attack on that day will attract the most attention. And, Isabella is British..."

"Americans attacking the British on Independence Day, I think that's the most politically correct thing to do, right?"

"Secondly, it's because Isabella will be meeting the public on July 5th. Warner Bros. has confirmed that she will attend the book signing event for 'Order of the Phoenix,' which is the best opportunity for us to record her embarrassing moments..."

"On July 4th, Eminem attacked Isabella!"

"On July 5th, we had a reporter directly ask Isabella at the book signing event for 'The Order of the Phoenix' what she thought about this!"

"I don't care about her answer, I just want her surprised expression!"

"Because as long as she shows surprise, we can write that she feels guilty!"

"And I believe she will definitely be surprised, because she is only 13 years old!"

"She couldn't possibly handle such a sudden question with ease!"

That's right—

In Eisner's view, the failure of the first move was related to Arndt, but also to themselves.

Arndt's refusal to confront the problem allowed Mayer and Iger to find opportunities to resolve it, which was indeed infuriating yet frustrating. However, if they had interviewed Isabella while guiding public opinion and broadcast her genuine reactions to the news globally—such as confusion and surprise—they could have avoided the problem of public disbelief.

But they couldn't do these things before.

Because Isabella was filming Azkaban.

what?
Some people say that Western paparazzi are unbearable, but they were able to storm into the set of "Azkaban" to interview Isabella?

Come on.

It's true that paparazzi from Europe and America have stormed film sets before, but those were usually ordinary film sets.

You want them to make a splash in the UK with Harry Potter?
relative--

HP was the first and likely the last cultural work exported globally after the decline of the British Empire.

What's the difference between you aiming for this kind of project and aiming directly for Buckingham Palace?

One is looked after by an old lady! The other is where the old lady lives!
They're all asking for death!
So, as long as Isabella stayed with the HP crew, no reporter dared to bother her, but after she came out on her own...

That would be a different story, wouldn't it?

As Eisner narrated, a smile also appeared in Bronfman's eyes.

He admitted that Eisner really wanted to win, and the revised plan was more perfect, and even more insane.

If they succeed, while it might not be a devastating blow to Isabella, at least they'll have a knife in her body, allowing their subsequent plans to proceed more smoothly. But...

"Michael."

"Ok?"

"I think your plan is pretty good, but I have a question."

"You said."

“From Iger and Meyer’s reactions to the script incident, we can see that they were actually on guard all along.”

Bronfman Jr. said, "So, how can you guarantee that Isabella won't change her plans at the last minute?"

"After hearing about it."

It's true that Bronfman Jr. is a spendthrift, but that doesn't mean he's mentally challenged.

Warner and Disney's swift response in dealing with Arndt made him realize that Iger and Mayer might have already been targeting them.

Assuming this scenario is true, then Eminem attacked Isabella on July 4th? If, upon hearing the news, Iger and Mayer felt the situation was problematic, they might not have allowed Isabella to attend the Order of the Phoenix book signing on July 5th.

Even if Isabella attends as scheduled, given the shrewdness of those two old foxes, they will definitely come up with a contingency plan overnight.

So……

"It's very simple."

Eisner smiled, revealing his bright white teeth.

"Isn't the Lollapalooza festival going to be held on July 5th? The 4th is for rehearsals? Let Eminem go and have some fun, and then let him criticize it directly from there."

“Eminem is a lunatic.”

"He attacks people all the time."

"When he chose to attack Isabella at the music festival, most people took his words as nonsense."

"Including Egger and Meyer."

"Because he's done this kind of thing far too often."

"unless--"

“Iger and Meyer were monitoring us around the clock.”

"Only in this way can they detect the anomaly immediately."

"Even if they were monitoring us, this time, they still couldn't defend against our attack."

"because--"

"This year's Lora Paloza Music Festival is being held in Indianapolis."

“There is a five-hour time difference between Polis and London.”

"So, as long as Eminem is there attacking Isabella, even if Egger and Mayer are watching us, they won't have time to communicate with Isabella. By the time they in California learn about what's happening in Indiana and then go to London to communicate... the book signing for 'The Order of the Phoenix' will have already begun..."

"I admit defeat last time."

"But this time, I won't give them any time to think."

"I don't believe they can outrun time either."

Eisner's words made Bronfman's eyes light up instantly!
Raise a glass.

Send gently.

With a crisp 'clang,' hearty laughter erupted from the luxurious private room.

Unrestrained voices seem to possess a magical power, making the world speed up its pace.

When the time came to June 29, an unexpected event occurred.

Hollywood legend Katharine Hepburn has passed away.

The news sent shockwaves through the entire United States.

Memorial events were subsequently held, and even George W. Bush delivered a memorial speech immediately.

This fact almost made Eisner smash the water glass in his hand!

Because in his view, this might be divine intervention for Isabella.
If the North American public's mourning for Katharine Hepburn drags on for a long time, then... honestly, Eminem should stop attacking Isabella and just go home and sleep, because in terms of fame and popularity, Eminem can never compare to Hepburn.

but--

Eisner's worst fears did not come true.

Although people in North America are saddened by Hepburn's passing, she had been out of the public eye for far too long. As the 20th and 21st centuries have passed, people from the old era can't stay in the headlines for long.

and so……

2003 7 Month 1 Day.

When Broadway commemorated Hepburn by turning off its lights, the world's attention returned to the younger generation. July 2nd.

Shady Records has announced that Eminem will be performing at this year's Lora Paloza music festival.

This news caused the remaining tickets to be snapped up by fans.

7 month 3 day.

Nothing major happened.

7 month 4 day.

Rehearsals for the Lora Paloza Music Festival officially began in Indiana.

We're waiting for July 5th to arrive...

London.

111-119 Charing Cross Road.

Foyles Bookstore.

As the world's largest bookstore, this five-story building is the size of fifteen basketball courts. If all the bookshelves were laid out in order, their length would exceed 4.04 miles. Over the past century, it has hosted nearly five figures, including, but not limited to, the Duke of Edinburgh, General de Gaulle, and King Selassie I. And today…

All glory will shine upon Harry Potter.

Although Isabella has already attended three movie premieres, two of which were for Harry Potter, even with all her experience, she has to admit that today's event is the largest she has ever witnessed in her two lifetimes.

The entire Charing Cross Road was completely blocked because of the release of "Order of the Phoenix"!

Heading south, the line could stretch all the way to Leicester Square;
Heading north, the procession could reach Oxford Street;
The crowd, resembling a long dragon, seemed to connect heaven and earth!

After Isabella accompanied J.K. Rowling out of the car, the sudden noise was loud enough to rupture one's eardrums!

"Wow~~ I feel like you asked me to come with you just to show off that you're more famous than me?"

As they stopped in front of the bookstore, Isabella leaned close to Rowling's ear and whispered something.

Rowling laughed heartily at the slightly envious compliment, waving to the cheering fans while teasing Isabella, "Alright, alright, didn't anyone in there call your name? When you got out of the car, Wow~ there was only Hermione there~"

"Hey hey hey~~"

Isabella laughed.

Her visit today was not officially announced.

So, apart from the staff and their own people, no one else knew she was coming.

Therefore, the sudden burst of cheers as she stepped off the bus was a mixture of surprise, excitement, and welcome.

At this moment, the bouncing figure represents verification, excitement, and disbelief.

As the two waved, a staff member brought over a microphone. Rowling skillfully took it and greeted the fans who had come spontaneously. After saying hello to everyone, she pointed to Isabella and said, "You all know her, right?"

“Yeah~~~”

"she is?"

"Hermione—"

The synchronized answers made Rowling laugh and hug Isa. Today, Rowling was wearing a long blue dress, her trembling figure resembling that of a seductive enchantress. Isa? She was in a white dress, the adorable little girl like a delicate white flower.
"Okay, do you know why I invited her here today?"

"have no idea--"

"Give us a surprise?"

"Because she's Hermione?"

Rowling listened to the answers from those around her, then decisively shook her head, "No, no, no, you're all wrong."

"Hermione has become the most popular character since Harry Potter was made into a movie."

"Often, she is more popular than I am as the author."

"I admit, I can't compare to her in film, but in other areas..."

"She just said that I'm more famous than her."

At this point, Rowling raised her head.

The way he hugged Isabella and openly declared that he had won back the game made the fans in the audience burst into laughter.

The little girl rolled her eyes, both amused and exasperated.

He took the microphone and addressed the Potter Heads present: "Okay, okay, okay, since Aunt Rowling insists on having a competition, then please tell me loudly, who are you here for today?"

“Harry—”

As soon as the words were spoken, screams erupted from the crowd.

The unanimous answer made the little girl frown, and she continued unhappily, "I'll give you another chance."

"Rowling—"

The girl's face turned ashen upon hearing the second answer.

His crestfallen face made the fans at the scene burst into laughter.

It wasn't until the little girl asked for the third time that they welcomed Isabella with even louder shouts.

“You——”

"very good."

The sudden uproar made the little girl look at Rowling again. "I'm more famous than you."

"Hahahaha-"

Their competitive spirit turned the autograph session into a sea of ​​joy.

Rowling glared at her irritably and slapped her twice.

Then, he quickly changed his expression, dropped the joke, and welcomed everyone.

The process of an author's book signing event is actually very simple.

After arriving at the autograph session, I interacted with the fans for a bit, and then I could sit down and get my autographs signed.

Because what writers sell is books, and books need to be sat down and appreciated carefully.

It's different from a singer; only a singer needs to open their voice and sing.

So, after chatting warmly with her fans, Rowling sat down at the autograph table and started signing autographs for the fans present, while Isabella stood to the side, handing out autographed copies of "The Order of the Phoenix" to the fans.

Of course, during this process, some people naturally wanted Isabella's autograph and wanted to take a photo with her, and well...

"Definitely next time."

"Not today."

"Because she'll hit me when she gets angry."

Isabella pointed at Rowling.

Rowling, who was signing autographs, tilted her head and glared at her, her deliberately unhappy expression making the fans cover their mouths and laugh.

The book signing for "The Order of the Phoenix" started at 9:00 AM and didn't end until 2:00 PM.

This doesn't mean that all the fans present received a personal autograph. Rather, five hours of autographing is already Rowling's limit; she simply can't sign any more than that. Therefore, fans who didn't receive a personal autograph only received a stamped copy.

To be fair, this arrangement will indeed disappoint fans who fall behind in the queue, but since this is common at book signings, fans are able to accept this disappointment and say they will definitely come earlier next time.

With the book signing over, interviews related to the book's release naturally began.

Uh……

Putting the media last is a privilege reserved for great writers.

Only established writers can satisfy their fans first before giving interviews; as for lesser-known writers...

If they dare to ignore the media, the media will teach them a lesson.

Perhaps it was Isabella's appearance that was unexpected?

But it's also possible that Isabella is indeed quite popular.

After the two were seated, the media only asked Rowling a few questions related to *The Order of the Phoenix* before shifting their focus to both of them—the media asked Isabella why she was there, whether she had seen *The Order of the Phoenix* beforehand, what she thought of Rowling's new book, the progress of *Azkaban*'s filming, and the release date of *Azkaban*.
The barrage of questions left the young girl feeling overwhelmed.

This also made Rowling, who was sitting next to her, chuckle.

That's why she hates the media.

The endless questioning and relentless questioning annoyed her.

Previously, she could only endure such things.

But today...

"Isn't 'Azkaban' going to be released next summer? Is it scheduled for the summer season?"

"As for the filming situation?"

"I can only say that we can finish filming this year."

"I can't say any more, because the producer is sitting right here."

"I can't exactly reveal details about the project in front of the producer, can I? That would be too crazy."

The little girl shrugged and spread her hands.

"hahahaha——"

Her adorable appearance made the reporters in the audience burst into laughter.

Seeing that the little girl was easy to communicate with, Rowling was happy to let her speak, so everyone went off-topic again and asked other questions.

For example——

A reporter inquired about her feud with Michael Arndt;
For example—

Some media outlets wanted to know about the preparations for "The Voice of China (Variety Show)";

For example—

Some people are wondering why "The Voice" premiered in the US. The UK also has a fertile ground for entertainment...

Since all the questions were on Warner's pre-arranged travel interview plan, Isabella answered them with ease, and her natural responses allowed Rowling to enjoy the 60-minute interview.

However, just when the two thought it was time to leave...

Suddenly, a reporter in the interview area raised his hand again and took the initiative to speak: "Excuse me, Ms. Rowling, Ms. Heywood, I am a reporter from The Times of London, and I have another question."

"I'd like to know, Ms. Rowling, what is your opinion on Miss Haywood's personal mini-disc?"

"Miss Haywood's personal mini-discs sold very well, and they contained a lot of beaver elements."

According to the interview process, media personnel need to raise their hands before asking questions and can only speak after being called on by the organizers, because asking questions directly would make the scene chaotic and disorderly.

Therefore, if a media professional violates the interview rules, the interviewee is not required to answer, according to industry practice.

but……

The London Times asked some tricky questions.

Although Rowling never officially referred to Hermione as Miss Beaver in Harry Potter, only saying that her front teeth were larger than normal, and then after the young master cast a spell on them, her teeth became somewhat like a beaver's, this indirect description was actually Hermione's trademark. Therefore, when Isabella added the beaver element to her own works...

Anyone with a normal mind can see that Isabella is trying to ride on her coattails, or rather, capitalize on the popularity of Harry Potter.

Legally speaking, this does not constitute an infringement.

Because Rowling never registered the trademark "Miss Beaver".

But if you look at the issue from the perspective of the general public, if Isabella did not get Rowling's approval before doing things, then from the most basic human emotions, it would be a bit unreasonable, right?

Therefore, when this issue arose, The Times of London was essentially pressuring the two to speak.

If Rowling and Isabella skipped the question and didn't answer, then the reporter from The Times could write that the two of them had a conflict, and everyone present believed that the reporter from The Times would do so, because The Times is what the British call The Times, and The Times has a terrible reputation.

But if the two of them open their mouths—

If the answer is not good, The Times of London will seize the opportunity to make a big news story.

This fact made Rowling roll her eyes inwardly. She really hated this kind of thing, but she couldn't not answer the question. So, before the staff could emphasize the rules of the venue, she had already put her arm around the little girl.

He smiled and said, "I fell in love with Isa the first time I saw her."

"Because she is smart, beautiful and cute, I believe that every mother in the world would want to have a daughter like her."

“We have a very good relationship. For example, when I got married the year before last, she was there and gave me a ring. This year during the Spring Festival, I was pregnant and she didn’t have anything to do, so she came to visit me for a while.”

"So, when I learned that her music CDs were selling very well, I was genuinely happy for her success."

Rowling's words made the little girl smile and softly say thank you.

Rowling raised her eyebrows, leaned forward slightly, and touched foreheads with Isabella.

The intimate gesture prompted reporters to snap photos, eager to capture the beautiful moment forever. However, at the same time, a reporter from The Times of London asked, "So, Ms. Rowling, you've always known that Miss Heywood was maliciously swindling money?"

"what?"

These words surprised everyone present.

Nobody understood what the London Times reporter was talking about.

According to a reporter from The Times of London, Eminem launched a scathing attack on Isabella at yesterday's Lora Paloza music festival, calling her a money-grubbing queen and accusing her of manipulating her fans...

"Shh-"

All the reporters present perked up!

Everyone knows this is big news!

Everyone looked at Isabella with eager anticipation, wanting to know how she would respond!

And Isabella...

The little girl looked blank and asked, "Eminem? Who's that?"

(End of this chapter)