America: Child stars start with The Shining

New York, Calvin Klein headquarters building.

The afternoon in Manhattan in June had already turned sweltering, and the black van slowly pulled up in front of the building.

The car door opened, and Charles got out of the back seat, with Ovitz and Jackal following beside him.

During this period, although there was no movement from Sinclair Oil Company, the conflict between the Blood Gang and the Crippled Gang intensified, with incidents occurring almost every few days.

He's been too scared to go near Hollywood Boulevard lately.

Charles had been getting quite close to the Crippled Gang recently, and to ensure his safety, he had been taking Jackals with him whenever he went out, never leaving their side.

He wore a simple white T-shirt and slim-fit jeans. CK likes minimalist outfits to match the style of today's shoot.

As Ovitz accompanied him inside, he whispered a reminder:

"Today's schedule includes a print ad and short promotional video footage. Brooke Shields will also be there to shoot with you later. CK has specially arranged for you two to be together, which is a great opportunity for exposure."

As a child star in Hollywood, the most important thing is to learn how to ride the wave of popularity.

For most child stars, their prime is very short. They might become famous nationwide with one movie, but if they make a bad movie, they will immediately disappear from the headlines of entertainment news.

Brooke Shields is the most typical example.

Even though she is now famous for "Pretty Woman" and "Youth Coral Island", and has even been exaggeratedly called "the eighth wonder of the world" by the media.

But Charles knew very well that Brooke Shields would choose to retire from acting and go to college after making a series of bad films that failed at the box office.

Hollywood is such a cruel place.

Therefore, the reason CK approached Shire was because "The Shining" was showing in theaters at that time.

CK's desired effect was to strike while the iron was hot, while the audience still remembered Ciel's face, and use him to promote their GG.

Otherwise, once the movie leaves theaters, Charles will receive less attention, and then it will lose its meaning for CK.

Of course, Charles wasn't worried about this issue, because he had absolutely no chance of encountering a bad movie.

Just as the three of them reached the steps of the building, a dark-colored minivan parked next to them suddenly honked its horn twice.

Charles paused slightly and turned his head to look.

The rear door of the car slowly opened, and a white man in a dark gray suit sat inside and waved to him.

Charles frowned, and the jackal immediately took a half step forward, blocking his way.

The man wasn't in a hurry; he simply smiled and said:

"Mr. Charles, I am Sean, the assistant to the president of Sinclair Oil Company."

"I mean no harm. How about we go inside and have a quick chat? It's just a small matter, and I think you're not in a rush to go up, are you?"

Charles didn't speak immediately, but glanced at Ovitz.

The other party whispered:

"He probably wants to have a serious talk with you about John's situation. I heard they've been busy getting him out of jail lately, and it seems they're trying to get him to come to you again..."

Charles thought about it and realized that things would be much easier if he could sign a letter of understanding.

But this isn't something you can just easily agree to...

He didn't want to be targeted by that lunatic John again.

After thinking for a moment, Charles decided to get in the car first to see what was going on.

Afterwards, the jackal got into the van with him, leaving Ovitz outside.

He was also afraid that he would be kidnapped as soon as he got in the car, something the other party was absolutely capable of doing...

The car door closed slowly; the sound insulation was excellent. Sean picked up a brown leather document bag from the side, placed it in the center of the seat, and pushed it over.

He began, "We've come today to ask you for a favor."

"Our legal team is pushing forward with John's bail proceedings. The procedures themselves are not a problem, but we are missing one thing, which is your opinion."

"If you are willing to sign this, it means that you believe John does not currently have any intention of continuing to harm society and agree to bail him before trial, which will make things much smoother."

Charles paused for a moment, then slowly began to speak:

"What good would it do me to do something like this? I almost died at John's hands back then, everyone saw that, right?"

Sean wasn't angry, and his expression didn't even change. He continued, "..."

"Charles, you are a smart man, and a smart man should understand one thing: continuing down this path will not do you any good."

"Sinclair Oil Company's influence in Hollywood is far greater than you imagine. We are partners in WMA and board members of several major film studios."

"Ciel, you're somewhat famous now. The Shining did well at the box office, the media likes you, and brands are willing to have you in GG movies. But you should also understand that this kind of thing won't last long. They can make you famous today, but they can replace you with a new face tomorrow."

Charles frowned; the meaning of those words was quite clear.

If he doesn't agree, his days in Hollywood will definitely not be easy, and Sinclair Oil Company will not let him continue to work there.

"Of course, you don't need to worry. As long as you agree to our conditions, WMA will provide you with a top-tier star contract, and at the same time, several big-budget commercial blockbusters will open their doors to you."

"How about it? This offer is much better than what you got at CAA, right?"

He looked at Sean and suddenly felt that this man was even more annoying than those gang members, because at least the latter didn't pretend.

After a few seconds, Charles spoke:

"Can I interpret what you just said as a threat?"

Sean smiled:

I prefer to call it a reminder.

Charles lowered his head and finally picked up the document.

then.

next second.

In front of him, Charles flipped the stack of papers to the last page, glanced at the signature, closed it again, and threw it back.

"First, I will not sign."

"Secondly, whether John lives or dies, or whether he can get out, has absolutely nothing to do with me."

"Third, guess what if I let those reporters know that the people from Sinclair Oil Company forced me to give a bail opinion for John... That's it, I don't think I have anything to talk to you about anymore."

The smile on Sean's face finally disappeared completely.

Charles pushed open the car door and got out.

The bright sunlight suddenly shone on him, leaving only his back view.