America achieves both fame and fortune

Chapter 454 He's messed with the wrong person

In the consultation room of the psychological clinic, Dr. Laura, with her blonde hair styled in a ponytail, looked at Martin with considerable surprise: "Not sleeping on the sofa today?"

Martin chuckled. "Sleeping on the sofa is no fun."

Laura took off her gold-rimmed glasses.

Martin then asked, "I have a question for you: If someone urgently needs money, doesn't have enough cash on hand, and his wife disagrees with selling fixed assets, wouldn't he try to earn money through other industries or professions?"

Laura thought for a moment and analyzed, "Everyone has their own mental habits and professional circles. Even if they want to make money through other industries or professions, normally their first choice would be a job related to their main job."

Martin nodded: "For example, if I can't make money as an actor in a short period of time, I will also do work related to acting."

"You're not included," Laura said seriously. "You could become a dangerous element, like stealing the Federal Reserve's gold reserves."

Martin laughed, chatted with Laura for a while, and then left the clinic.

As they got into the car, Martin asked Bruce, "How much is the victim seeking compensation from Casey Affleck?"

Bruce stated, "The $300 million figure isn't just a random offer; it's a reasonable compensation calculated by the lawyers based on the severe psychological problems that the victim will inevitably experience after being disfigured."

"It's a pity Cassie doesn't have any money." Martin had already considered this: "His financial situation is very bad. According to what Lily said to him, it seems that he had to raise money specifically to buy those statues."

Bruce chimed in, "The Affleck brothers have a very good relationship, and Ben has always been mentoring his younger brother."

Martin said, "Brotherly love should be touching, but bad people are using it to their advantage..."

"So, you're a lousy person," Bruce revealed Martin's true nature: "You always like to use other people's strengths to attack them."

As Martin thought of Elizabeth, a line from a truly brainless villain suddenly popped into his head: "He messed with the wrong person."

Upon hearing this, Bruce felt an urge to pull out a gun and blow Martin's head to smithereens.

That's so pretentious.

Martin pulled out his phone and called Nicholson: "Dude, out there picking someone up!"

Nicholson has money and time, the only thing he lacks is fun: "Haha, looks like everything is going well."

He stopped laughing: "Just wait, I'll take care of Adler Performing Arts School."

Martin cautioned, "Just try it out, don't take any risks, especially you, you're getting old, don't be foolish and rush in."

"What do you mean I'm old?" Nicholson patted the girl next to him and said, "Jennifer, tell that bastard Martin, am I young and strong?"

Jennifer Lawrence crawled forward, shouting, "God, Jack, slow down! What are you using? An iron bar?"

Nicholson touched her face.

Jennifer Lawrence, displaying acting skills beyond her years, took a long time to catch her breath before gradually calming down and saying, "Sorry, I was just too excited and couldn't help myself."

Nicholson noticed that Martin had hung up the phone, and feeling triumphant, he said, "Very good, Jennifer, your acting has improved rapidly. As your teacher, I am proud of you."

He suddenly remembered that Martin also had a female student: "When I have time sometime, I'll take you to a party. You have to outshine that bastard Martin's student!"

Jennifer Lawrence said, "Teacher, I certainly won't let you down."

Nicholson thought for a moment and then said, "I have a job for you to do another day. If you do it well, I'll help you find a significant role."

The cunning and shrewd actor knew perfectly well what an eighteen-year-old girl wanted.

Resources and roles, of course!

Could it be that he's old and wrinkled, with a belly as big as a ball and soft like a marshmallow?

Jennifer Lawrence had been working tirelessly for this since she met Nicholson two years ago, and readily agreed: "Jack, I'll do whatever you ask me to do."

Nicholson, being old after all, said, "Alright, let me get some sleep. I don't need to answer any calls from anyone except Martin and Leonardo."

Jennifer Lawrence had been seeing him on and off for two years and knew that, apart from his family, Nicholson's closest relationships were with those two people.

Before closing his eyes to sleep, Nicholson instructed, "Our relationship must be kept secret."

Jennifer Lawrence quickly said, "I haven't mentioned it to anyone."

…………

Ben drove his Volvo and parked it outside his house.

Instead of getting out of the car immediately, he opened the glove compartment, took out a bottle of whiskey, unscrewed it, and took a few sips.

After the alcohol went down my throat, my anxiety subsided considerably.

Ben got out of the car and went inside. He told Jennifer Garner to hand the children over to the nanny and said, "I need to talk to you about something."

Ghana followed him into the yard: "About Cassie?"

Ben asked, "You knew all along?"

Ghana dusted off his hands: "It's all over the tabloids."

"Cassie has been set up..." Ben recounted the events in detail: "The situation is very troublesome now."

Ghana crossed his arms: "So what? We have to pay him this potential $300 million settlement?"

Ben said, "Casey has no money."

"Do we even have the money?" Garner stated the facts: "How much have we earned since Daredevil and Elektra? Our salaries over the past few years have barely covered our family expenses. Where would we get so much money?"

Ben tentatively suggested, "I want to sell my house in Miami."

Ghana refused: "I disagree! That's where we went on our honeymoon after we got married. It has special meaning for us, and we also have other fixed assets there. With the economy downturn, we'd lose a lot of money if we sold it! Besides, how many times have we helped Cassi? He's over thirty, not a teenager!"

"Casey's my brother!" Ben couldn't help but raise his voice. "He's my family!"

Ghana's voice rose just as high: "I'm your wife, and your child is inside!"

The couple inevitably started arguing, and ended up parting on bad terms.

Ben went out for lunch and had to go to Adler School of Performing Arts in the afternoon. He had originally intended to quit the job after Elizabeth Olsen missed several classes, but the contract he signed stipulated a minimum number of teaching hours.

Celebrities who work as part-time teachers are paid handsomely, but they also have to pay hefty penalties for breaching their contracts.

The economic crisis in the United States has led to a cash crunch throughout Hollywood. If we consider actors alone, they can't even be considered second-tier actors now. They are used to big spending, so they are also very tight on money.

Ben suppressed his impatience and went to Adler School of Performing Arts to continue his lessons.

Upon entering the temporary office, he overheard several veteran acting teachers from the school chatting idly.

Although these people are veteran actors, they are not celebrities; acting is more like a side job for them.

"The school just enrolled a large number of young students again. I taught one of the classes this morning, and it was too difficult." The middle-aged bald teacher shook his head: "They don't understand any basics at all, yet they dream of becoming stars in Hollywood and making big money."

The big-nosed guy next to him said, "The school isn't what it used to be. Now it only cares about money and accepts all sorts of random students."

The woman with the ponytail standing up chimed in, "A few training courses cost $6000, but what's the actual investment? The money's coming in too fast. Why isn't the school enrolling students? The shareholders are all making a fortune."

The fees at even slightly well-known acting schools or star training programs in Los Angeles are outrageously high.

Many students borrow money or even take out loans to get into school because they feel that this brings them one step closer to success.

The bald man then added, "This batch recruited four classes, over a hundred people. Unless they are children of celebrities or have resources supporting them, the rest of them will never escape the status of extras throughout their entire careers, until they leave Los Angeles or change careers."

The girl with the ponytail said, "These are not things we should worry about. Once this batch leaves, the next batch will come soon. North America will never lack young people who dream of becoming stars. They are like pasture grass, harvested by schools one after another, but new ones keep emerging."

The man with the big nose said, "I secretly checked the school's financial statements, and they're making way too much money."

Ben interjected, "Aren't you guys planning to start your own acting school?"

"Us?" The bald man laughed. "Ben, you overestimate us. We have no money, no fame, and no resources. If we were to open an acting class, we would have trouble even recruiting students, let alone a school like Adler School that can send a large number of actors to Hollywood film crews to be background figures and actually experience acting."

Ben said, "Adler's resources are unmatched by most schools."

The girl with the ponytail asked, "Don't many Hollywood stars run acting classes? Marlon Brando did one in 2000 and even kicked Leonardo out of the classroom on the spot."

She steered the conversation back to the main point: "Ben, haven't you thought about opening one?"

Ben Affleck, unusually clear-headed, said, "My fame and resources are still lacking; this is too much work."

"But the money comes really fast. Just a few classes, and dollars are rolling in." The bald man pointed to some young people in the distance: "People like these will still be flooding into Los Angeles in ten or twenty years."

Big Ben looked over there. He was one of the many dream chasers back then, and he knew about those people.

Even with the slightest hope, they dare to rush forward, giving everything they can to gamble on that minuscule chance of success.

Let alone money, they would be willing to take any other risks.

In the Los Angeles area, there are many similar acting schools that recruit new talent.

Studio 4 in Burbank is one of them.

Jennifer Lawrence, carrying a bag, arrived at Studio 4, just like many girls chasing their dreams.

The most eye-catching thing here is the large poster of James Frank, as well as posters of his movies and famous roles.

Studio Four is a performance training school founded by James Franco.

Of course, it is much smaller in scale and less famous than Adler.

Jennifer Lawrence entered the door, and the receptionist immediately greeted her.

"Excuse me, does this place teach acting?" Jennifer Lawrence pointed to the portrait of Franco on the backdrop at the front desk. "Is it James Franco himself who teaches?"

(End of this chapter)