America: Starting with the acquisition of MGM...

Chapter 90. Encirclement and Overestimation

In front of the MGM Grand building, a large number of reporters seemed to appear out of nowhere and surrounded the group.

Volvo hurriedly called security, but reporters are not thugs, and interviewing is not considered a disturbance, so they cannot use force; otherwise, MGM would face public condemnation.

The security guard could only struggle to push through the crowd, trying to rescue his boss first.

"Mr. Cooper, are you dating Nicole Kidman?"

"Mr. Cooper, someone photographed you leaving Nicole Kidman's villa yesterday evening. Is that true?"

"Mr. Eric, is the car in this photo yours?"

"Eric Cooper, were you and Nicole Kidman already together? Is that why you played the hero and saved her on Oscar night?"

"Mr. Cooper, at the Vanity Fair party, Nicole Kidman kissed you. Did she invite you to spend the night with her, and you celebrated her winning the Oscar for Best Actress, right?"

Faced with the onslaught of these crazy paparazzi, Eric was momentarily stumped. Looking at the photo of the Lamborghini that had just left the villa, who else could it be but his?

It turns out that after he left yesterday, the paparazzi had already begun investigating the owner of that Lamborghini.

The results came out this morning, and the car is naturally his.

The news somehow got out and spread, leading to the current situation.

It's probably not just him; Nicole Kidman is also being besieged by paparazzi.

By this afternoon at the latest, the news will be all over the internet, and print media will be scrambling to report it first thing tomorrow morning.

Eric pushed the microphone away, wanting to leave but unable to.

"What's going on? These guys, am I being secretly filmed?"

Looking around at his father and the three DreamWorks executives, he realized that none of them were young and strong like him, and they couldn't handle this kind of physical contact.

Seeing that Spielberg's glasses were about to be knocked off, Eric could only shout, "Stop! Stop! Everyone stop!"

"I will answer your questions, but clear the way for me and stop blocking the way, or something unexpected will happen."

Only after receiving Eric's promise did the reporters slowly clear the way.

Spielberg adjusted his glasses and looked at Eric with some surprise, saying, "Young man, you're really popular."

Jeffrey Katzenberg gave Eric an envious look, as if to say, "You're really lucky to have hooked up with Nicole Kidman."

As a gay man, David Geffen secretly gave a thumbs-up and sighed, "Youth is wonderful."

With a wave of his hand, the three old men got into their car and drove away.

Eric glanced at his father, who quickly stepped back a few paces.

Charlotte Cooper thought to herself, "Son, you're on your own this time. You can do whatever you want, as long as your mother doesn't find out. But it seems like I can't hide it anymore. I'm not getting involved in this mess."

Seeing that the reporters were about to surround him again, Eric waved his hand to signal them not to rush.

Taking a deep breath and organizing his thoughts, he calmly said, "I know what you want to ask. My answer is no. Nicole Kidman and I are not dating, and I did not spend the night at her villa."

"Mr. Eric, if you say there isn't any, then how do you explain these photos?" a reporter asked loudly.

Eric smiled, his tone remaining calm: "An interesting question. Actually, even if this hadn't been filmed, MGM would have announced it soon anyway."

"The truth is, MGM has a new movie in the works, but the female lead hasn't been cast yet."

"And at the Oscars, it suddenly dawned on me that Nicole was exactly the person I was looking for."

"So we talked about it at the Vanity Fair party and agreed to meet in person to discuss it in detail."

"Then why choose Nicole Kidman's villa as the meeting place? Shouldn't it be a public place like an office or a coffee shop?" another idiot reporter pressed.

"Ha ha ha ha."

Eric chuckled dryly. "Does it matter where you read the script? As far as I know, many celebrities read scripts at home. Why don't you ask them?"

"Besides, in a coffee shop, with people coming and going, you're bound to run into fans. How can you concentrate on studying the plot then?"

Charlotte Cooper nodded to himself; the answer was reasonable and flawless.

"Mr. Eric, why did you go to Nicole Kidman's villa alone? Why didn't you bring the screenwriter with you?" the reporter pressed again.

"Because...because I am the screenwriter, so I am enough on my own. Okay, things have been made clear, let's call it a day."

After Eric finished speaking, he turned and walked into the MGM building. Of course, the reporters were not going to let him go and swarmed around him instantly.

Security guards immediately rushed over to block the way and protect their boss's safety.

"Mr. Cooper, please answer one last question. You mean you're not only a producer and director, but also a screenwriter? Then what genre is the film? What's the name? I think everyone is very interested in the Oscar-winning actress's next film choice."

The Independent reporters pressed on, determined to get to the bottom of things, and wouldn't be satisfied until they uncovered the affair between Eric and Nicole Kidman.

Looking at the swarm of bloodsucking leeches, Eric's expression turned serious: "Alright, then I'll answer one last question, but after I answer, I demand that you report fairly. I don't want any deliberate smear campaigns, otherwise MGM will pursue legal action against your statements and the newspapers behind you."

"This film is called 'La Vie en Rose,' and it's a biographical film that tells the legendary life story of French chanson singer Edith Piaf."

Eric blurted out a movie, leaving not only the reporter in front of him stunned, but also his father behind him bewildered, frantically trying to recall if the company had such a project.

Although he handed over all the production power to Eric, not interfering did not mean he was unaware of it, especially since inviting an Oscar-winning actress to star in the film would inevitably be costly and would certainly have to go through his hands.

Eric turned and left after speaking. Ever since he was surrounded, he had been thinking about what excuse to use to get away. After thinking it over, it seemed that the only option for a director to go to a female star's house was to read the script.

Fortunately, he wasn't caught in the middle of the night. Otherwise, would they really think the public is stupid for reading scripts in the dark?

His brain was working at lightning speed, trying to find a suitable movie. The first one that came to mind was "The Devil Wears Prada," and replacing Meryl Streep with Nicole Kidman would be a good fit.

However, I quickly realized that this movie was adapted from a novel. The movie was made in 2006, so the novel must have been published long ago, and the rights to it had most likely already been bought.

If I were to say that MGM was going to do this project, my lie would be exposed in no time.

Then I thought of "Lucy," but replacing Scarlett Johansson with Nicole Kidman just didn't feel right.

Nicole Kidman has a cool and aloof demeanor, with a very dignified appearance, which is suitable for aristocratic and high-ranking figures, but doesn't quite fit into a science fiction movie like "Lucy".

The third one that came to mind was "La Vie en Rose," an art-house film whose style suits Nicole Kidman quite well.

Moreover, the film won the Berlin Golden Bear, the Golden Globe, and the Academy Award for Best Actress, and also received numerous other awards.

More importantly, it did well at the box office, making it a rare and excellent commercial art film, perfect for using as a shield.

Back in the office, Dad asked, "You didn't go home after the Oscars. Did you really spend the night at Nicole Kidman's villa?"

"Of course not, Dad. Why are you slandering me like those gossip reporters? I'm your son."

Charlotte Cooper slapped his forehead: "Okay, it seems it's true."

"."

"And that 'La Vie en Rose' you mentioned, I've never heard of it. Did you make that up too?"

"It will happen, it will happen, it will happen soon."

bell.

Just then, the phone rang. Eric picked it up and saw that it was Nicole Kidman.

He glanced at his father and gestured for him to leave first.

Dad shrugged: "Eric, remember to prepare a set of lines to use against your mother in advance. I never expected you to be the first one. I thought it would be Joshua."

Eric waved his hand, signaling his father to close the door, and then answered the phone.

"Hey Nico, let me guess, reporters are surrounding you, aren't they?"

"Eric, why do you sound so happy? We were photographed without our consent, and those awful paparazzi came knocking on your door too?" Nicole Kidman's annoyed voice came from the other end of the phone.

"Hehe. I was surrounded at the entrance of MGM, and everyone witnessed it, including the business partner I had just agreed to work with."

"Oh no. That's terrible. I'll just close the door. Let the paparazzi stake out here if they want. I'm not planning to go out for the next few days anyway."

"Great, consider it a break for yourself. But I can't. There's so much to do at the company, I can't escape it even if I want to," Eric said with a hint of envy.

"Can you still come and keep me company?"

"Well, not now, at least not. Let's wait until things cool down. I hope you understand, Nico," Eric replied after a pause.

A loud laugh came from the other end of the phone: "I'm not a teenage girl anymore, you don't need to try to coax me, but I want to know how you plan to handle this?"

"Actually, I've already dealt with that. I'm the director and screenwriter, and you're the actor. We're working on the script, it's that simple."

Eric recounted what had just happened, and Nicole Kidman sighed from the other end of the line.

"Eric, that's a bad excuse. You might as well go back to your office. Have you even considered what we'd do if we couldn't produce this film?"

Eric laughed heartily: "Don't worry, this project does exist. You'll see it once the script is finished, and I guarantee you'll be satisfied."

"Really? I'm an Oscar-winning actress, after all. Scripts that are too bad are not even on my radar."

"Nico, I'm too embarrassed to sign my name on a mediocre doujinshi."

As it turns out, Eric overestimated the integrity of these media outlets.

Even though he had given a reasonable explanation, the media, in order to grab attention, automatically ignored his answer.

Apart from a few major newspapers that were relatively objective, the rest were all made up, even though that's the truth.

That afternoon, rumors were indeed flying all over the internet.

Chicago Sun-Times: "Newly crowned Oscar winner secretly meets her boyfriend, who turns out to be the MGM heir."

Los Angeles Post: "Newly crowned Oscar winner Nicole Kidman's relationship revealed; she's dating a 22-year-old wealthy boyfriend."

Salt Lake City Entertainment News: "A chance encounter at the Oscars led to a romance between Eric Cooper and Nicole Kidman; even a mature actress couldn't resist the charm of a young, handsome man."

American Entertainment Online: "Hero saves the damsel in distress or a surge of hormones? Nicole Kidman's two-year hiatus is finally over!"

ABC Entertainment: "Transformers director Eric Cooper spent more than three hours at Nicole Kidman's villa working on the new script, 'La Vie en Rose'."

NBC Entertainment Online: "La Vie en Rose—An Excuse or Reality? Nicole Kidman Stays Home and Avoids the Topic."

"A pile of dog poop!"

Seeing these unscrupulous media reports, Eric slammed his fist on the table in anger, and his hand went out.

At the same time, he also sensed something was wrong; these paparazzi would definitely not let him go, and he wouldn't be able to live peacefully anywhere in the near future.

"Or should I go home and hide away for a few days like her?"

However, I quickly dismissed that thought. Just kidding, my mom definitely wouldn't let me off the hook when I got home.

Although she and Nicole Kidman are both Catholics, this kind of thing is so complicated that even the Pope might not be able to help, let alone believers.

Keep in mind that Nicole Kidman is 13 years older than Eric. What mother would want her son to date a divorced woman who is more than ten years older than him?

Don't really think that American parents don't interfere with their children's marriages; they just won't pressure you to get married or arrange blind dates for you.

However, not taking over and not interfering are two different things. Parents all over the world are the same; this is due to human emotional nature.

After thinking for a moment, he called Chen Xing in.

"Contact Susan and tell her that I will be flying to China for a few days tomorrow. Try to arrange a meeting with the people from Huaying to finalize the branch office arrangements."

If I can't afford to mess with them, can't I at least avoid them? I'm not playing along!

I didn't go home that night; the company has a dedicated rest room where I could sleep comfortably, just like at home.

"Mom, how could you think that? Those gossip media outlets love to make things up and spread rumors. I was really discussing the script with her, and I think Nicole Kidman is perfect for the lead role," Eric explained into the phone.

"Of course, I always keep your instructions in mind and will never mess around outside. Don't worry, I'm not Joshua, and I would never mess around with a woman in her thirties. You don't need to worry about that at all."

"Don't worry, the scenario you're afraid of will never happen. No woman will suddenly show up at your door with a child. If there is one, it will only be Joshua's."

"Okay, I'll go to bed early. You should also get some rest, take care of yourself, and don't pay attention to those gossip newspapers."

"I love you mom!"

(End of this chapter)