America: Child stars start with The Shining

Chapter 94 Activities for the Rights of Youth

Charles and Ovitz were sitting at the dining table, discussing some things about Reagan.

Previously, while he was at the theater, he immediately contacted Ovitz and told him about the Donkey Party coming to his door.

After that, Ovitz quickly contacted Reagan's campaign team and told them about it.

And now, they have responded.

Ovitz picked up a napkin from the table, gently wiped his mouth, and then pushed a document in front of Charles.

"Reagan's response was that they hoped you could attend a public service event about youth rights."

Upon hearing this term, Charles raised an eyebrow and couldn't help but ask, "A charity event?"

Ovitz nodded: "Yes, the theme of the event is to focus on underage actors, child labor protection, and children's rights in the family and society."

"Reagan will be there too. You just need to be there, share a little about your experience, and make an appearance. That's enough."

"Their idea was that you don't need to talk about the election, and you don't need to mention Reagan's name too much; you just need to talk about your own experience."

Charles was silent for a moment, then looked down at the document.

The document's content is very straightforward; to put it simply, it's a public service announcement that appears to be very positive.

The event will invite educators, representatives of child welfare organizations, young actors, sports stars, and several prominent figures who are active in public affairs.

Of course, the real focus is not on these people.

The key point is that this event is part of a public image project being pushed by the Reagan campaign.

The purpose was still to shape Reagan's image and generate momentum for his campaign.

Charles's presence was, of course, an essential part of it.

He flipped through a few pages, then looked up and asked, "If that's the case, does it mean that I'll be directly tied to him in public from now on?"

Charles knew very well that as long as the event was driven by the Elephant Party, his appearance would inevitably be interpreted by the media as some kind of signal.

Even if he doesn't make any explicit statement, it's the same.

Those politicians don't care about these details.

Especially now that he's just been involved in the controversy surrounding the Juvenile Liberation Act, it's impossible for him to be standing in the spotlight now and talking about so-called youth rights.

Ovitz shrugged and said, "Charles, I warned you before that once you get involved in this, you can't be a fence-sitter. You have to choose a side, especially in this situation."

"That's how politics is. The more controversial you are, the more news value you have. Besides, the Democratic Party just contacted you, so Reagan's campaign team can't possibly pretend nothing happened."

"They need to give a response, but that response can't be too simplistic or abrupt."

Ovitz paused for a moment, then continued, "So the safest approach is to organize a charity event to broaden the scope of the issue from your individual case to the rights of young people and family education."

"Ciel, we have to make a decision."

Charles thought for a moment and asked, "To what extent do they want me to go?"

Ovitz pointed to a page in the document and explained, "They gave us a few directions."

"First, don't attack the child welfare department. Yes, that's very clear. It's best not to name names. Just be subtle. After all, they will send people there, and we can't embarrass them too much."

"Secondly, it's best not to portray yourself as a victim; talking about something more inspiring is preferable."

"Third, don't talk about political parties directly, don't attack the Democratic Party, and don't portray this as a conspiracy by one side. You know why."

Fourth, emphasize topics such as family, responsibility, and independence, which are things that the audience likes to hear.

"How is it?"

At this point, Ovitz glanced at Charles.

Charles sighed and nodded.

For him, there was really nothing to hesitate about.

After all, he already knew the outcome; at this point, it was enough to simply stand firmly on one side.

"Then let's do it this way. Tell them I'll be there on time."

Ovitz nodded, then, as if suddenly remembering something, he changed the subject and said, "By the way, do you remember the previous Young Artist Award nomination?"

Charles paused for a moment, then said, "Of course I remember, what's wrong?"

If he remembered correctly, Ovitz had mentioned it to him before, but he had almost forgotten about it.

"You can start preparing now. First, you'd better buy a decent-looking outfit."

Upon hearing this, Charles smirked and asked, "Is it really necessary?"

Ovitz replied, "Yes, you have to pay attention to your suit when attending an awards ceremony like this, and this is different from the last time you attended the Oscars."

"You have a good chance of winning this time."

Charles sighed, but didn't deny it; he was still very confident in his acting skills in "The Shining".

In particular, the Young Artist Award is specifically for underage actors, which means he has fewer competitors.

As Ovitz flipped through the documents in front of him, he said, "However, the main reason is that you are not famous enough to enter the fashion industry and you don't have brand endorsements. Otherwise, those brands would definitely be vying to send you some haute couture suits."

Upon hearing this, Charles smacked his lips.

Indeed, award ceremonies like these are the best opportunity for high-end brands to make a name for themselves and generate exposure, so they often seek out celebrities to collaborate with.

But Charles is clearly not yet on their radar.

Ovitz said earnestly, "That's how Hollywood is. Fame, exposure, image, commercial value—all of these things need to be built up."

"You do have some fame now, but it's mostly due to news events, whether it's 'The Shining,' the case of the liberation of minors, or even the recent Broadway performance. None of these have really translated into stable commercial value yet."

"What those brands value is not short-term popularity, but whether you can remain in the public eye for a long time, whether you can continuously generate buzz, and whether your image is safe enough."

At this point, Ovitz paused for a moment, then added, "And your biggest problem right now is that you're too insecure."

""

Charles sighed; that was indeed the case.

Brands generally want positive exposure, and they need to observe brands like Charles who take unconventional approaches for a while before they feel comfortable entrusting him with the role of their spokesperson.

Otherwise, if something goes wrong, it could easily have a negative impact on the brand's image.

Such events frequently occurred in the later Internet era, not to mention now.

the next day.

Standing at the mall entrance, Charles looked helplessly at Aniston and asked, "Uh, I can understand why Ovitz called you over to help me pick out clothes, but what's up with this person next to you?"

'

Although Aniston wasn't much older than Charles, she had already developed a fuller figure and had long, shapely legs.

Standing next to her was Jennifer Connelly.

She wore a light-colored top with a dark coat over it today, her long hair draped over her shoulders, and she looked very quiet.

Charles was completely baffled as to why there were two Jennifers here at the same time.

What is Ovitz doing?

Connery pouted, looking a little angry, and said, "What's wrong, Charles? Can't I come today?"

"Uh, Connery, that's not what I meant..."

"With her arms crossed, Aniston said matter-of-factly, 'Boss, can't the two of us come together? We're picking out clothes for you today, so it's better to consider everyone's opinions, right?'"

Charles sighed, unsure of what to say.

He always felt that the two girls in front of him must have some kind of communication in private, but of course he had no way of knowing.

Moreover, for some reason, he felt that he had absolutely no say in front of these two people.

Today's task is simple: to pick out two outfits.

One set of clothes was for attending a youth rights event hosted by Reagan. It was necessary to dress relatively formally, given the occasion.

The other set is for attending the Young Artist Award. This set doesn't need to be too formal; it can be a bit more casual and show some personal characteristics, which is what the judges like to see.

Standing next to Charles, Aniston continued, "Besides, today is a rare day when the employees can help the boss choose clothes, so of course we had to come and join in the fun."

Charles smirked. "You may be my employee, but what's with that little one next to you?"

"So you two just came to watch the show?"

Aniston immediately corrected her, "What do you mean by 'watching the show'? We're here to help."

Connery, who was standing next to him, nodded in agreement.

Charles sighed, too lazy to pay attention to the two of them, and walked towards the mall.

He knew that after discussing this matter with Ovitz that day, it wouldn't end well.

Ovitz probably thought it was too perfunctory for him to go alone to pick out a suit, so he simply brought two girls over to keep an eye on him.

After all, when it comes to dressing and grooming, girls' opinions are often more valuable than men's.

The three of them standing on the street were incredibly eye-catching; the handsome man and beautiful woman attracted frequent glances from passersby, who looked on with envy.

Charles didn't seem to care.

This mall is located in a relatively bustling commercial area of ​​Los Angeles, and its interior decoration is on a completely different level from ordinary stores.

The marble floor looked very bright, the shop window decorations were very sophisticated, and there was a faint fragrance in the air.

As Charles walked, he asked, "What benefits did Ovitz promise you that made you come here today to keep an eye on me?"

""

Aniston thought for a moment and said, "Lunch, but you're paying, boss."

Charles sighed and rubbed his forehead. That Ovitz guy really knew how to cause him trouble.

A future leading lady of American TV series and a future screen sweetheart are now being asked by their agent to go shopping with them just because of a simple lunch.

Is there anything more absurd than this?

As soon as Aniston and Connery entered the mall, their attention was immediately drawn to the women's clothing and accessories in the shop windows, completely forgetting what their primary task for the day was.

Charles could only follow behind the two women and stroll around for a while.

Anyway, he didn't have anything else important to do today, so he just treated it as a shopping trip.

Just then, Connery suddenly leaned close to Charles and whispered, "These clothes look so expensive."

Charles said, "You're an actor now, so you need to get used to these things. There will be many more places to spend money in the future."

For celebrities, whether attending various business occasions or participating in daily activities, it is essential to maintain a perfect image.

This means that a lot of time and money needs to be invested in one's appearance and makeup.

This is a very arduous task, after all, for a celebrity, this is the most important aspect of their public image.

Aniston stood to the side and whispered, "Boss, being an actress doesn't mean you can afford all the clothes here."

Charles gave her a disapproving look.

For Aniston, her acting career was just beginning; she had only performed in one play on Broadway and, of course, didn't have much money from acting.

However, it's hard to say what will happen in the future.

If that were in a later era, that top American TV show actress would probably buy all the clothes, bags, and jewelry in the entire mall without batting an eye.

Moreover, she might not even need to spend any money; those brands would be scrambling to come to her.

This is the brand effect and influence of a top-tier celebrity.

Connery looked around, glanced at the suits in the shop window, then looked at Ciel and asked, "Ciel, you don't usually wear formal clothes."

Charles glanced down at his coat and said, "I think this is quite convenient."

He still unconsciously carried some of his previous life's habits; being thrifty and hardworking is always a good thing, right?

Aniston couldn't help but scold, "Boss, convenience and good looks are two different things. You're a famous child star in Los Angeles now, you have to pay attention to your image in public."

Charles sighed. "Well, it's not quite that bad, is it?"

However, quite a few fans had already approached him for autographs, so Ciel couldn't very well refuse.

The group soon arrived at the entrance of a luxury brand store.

The interior decor was noticeably more sophisticated than the exterior, with soft lighting and several well-tailored suits hanging on the walls, alongside rows of shirts, ties, and leather shoes.

A middle-aged woman in a dark gray suit was already waiting there.

She saw Charles and his party enter and immediately went to greet them.

"Mr. Charles?"

Charles nodded: "It's me."

The other person smiled and said, "I am Marlene. Mr. Ovitz has already spoken with me beforehand."

Then, Marlene continued, "Today we've prepared two outfits for you, one for the Young Artist Award and the other for the charity event."

"Of course, if time permits, we can also help you put together a suit that is more suitable for everyday outings."

Charles nodded, and then Marlene gestured to the shop assistant next to her. Soon, they led Charles to the fitting room in the store.