A Ruined Image

The following noon, West Hollywood.

Aaron sat on the sofa in the living room, flipping through the newspaper in his hands. Because of the Revolutions of 1989, Romanian President Nicolae Ceaușescu had been executed outright yesterday, on Christmas!

His fingers tapped against the sofa. The Revolutions of 1989, German reunification and the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the Gulf War—these were all major international events yet to come.

At that moment, Nicole Kidman sat down beside Aaron with a strange look on her face and casually tossed the newspaper in her hand onto the coffee table. "God, these stories have something to do with what you did last night, don't they?"

The entertainment front pages of newspapers and magazines like the National Enquirer, the New York Post, Vanity Fair, and The Hollywood Reporter were explosively sensational.

"Warren Beatty's Secret Tryst with Isabelle Adjani Sparks a Heated Battle!"

Aaron glanced over it a few times. The embarrassing photos of Warren Beatty and Isabelle Adjani from last night were prominently displayed.

A reporter had even specifically interviewed Isabelle Adjani's boyfriend, Daniel Day-Lewis, asking what he thought about it.

"Hollywood stars really know how to have fun."

Isabelle Adjani had flown straight back to France today, and the affair she had had with Warren Beatty on the set of Ishtar two years earlier had also been dredged up.

Seeing Aaron's expression, Nicole Kidman guessed it too. "Will there be trouble?"

"What trouble?" Aaron smiled. "We went home after attending the Christmas ball last night. We just went to bed a little late, that's all."

Nicole Kidman gave Aaron a smack. "No wonder you were so excited after coming home last night, trying all kinds of ways to torment me!"

"Well, you were just too irresistible. My first movie, Phone Booth, successfully wrapped filming too. Shouldn't I have been excited?"

As Aaron spoke, he pulled Nicole Kidman into his arms and smiled. "But you were pretty wild last night too—very cooperative!"

Nicole Kidman sat on Aaron's lap with her arms around his neck, leaned close to his ear, and gave it a bite. "So when you go to Italy, you won't have any energy left to spend on other women."

"Hey, I'm doing it for the movie—and to get support from European capital," Aaron explained.

CAA headquarters.

Jack Wells left the company building and called Aaron Anderson from outside.

"This was a huge success. Warren Beatty's agent is scrambling to salvage his image, but it doesn't seem to be doing much good. The newspapers captured Warren Beatty's disgrace far too clearly, and too many papers have reprinted the story."

"Mr. Ovitz is furious. Sean Penn gave an interview to Vanity Fair today, where he mercilessly mocked Warren Beatty and cursed him as a Shar-Pei in heat."

"Warren Beatty's reputation has hit rock bottom. It'll definitely have a major impact on Dick Tracy, which is due to open this summer!"

In West Hollywood, Aaron reclined on the sofa, stroking Nicole Kidman's delicate body as she nestled in his arms. Listening to the voice on the phone, he could not help smiling.

"Good. When the time comes, have someone bring up the bet between Pretty Woman and Dick Tracy again in the newspapers."

"I'm sure Richard Lovett will kick him while he's down and have Julia Roberts confront the bet head-on."

"Not only can he vent his anger, but he can also generate another wave of publicity for Pretty Woman. Julia Roberts is the female lead, after all!"

After all, Richard Lovett had been forced out of CAA because of the other side's suppression.

As for Dick Tracy, regardless of whether its release date would be changed, with director and leading man Warren Beatty carrying this kind of image now, Disney's priority should be figuring out how to recover its losses from Dick Tracy.

"By the way, switch over to become Kevin Costner's Assistant Agent as soon as possible. Don't forget!"

"Got it. Don't worry. Being anyone's assistant makes no difference to me. Since you think highly of Kevin Costner, I trust your judgment."

After hanging up, Aaron seemed to recall that Orion Pictures had another film in preparation as well.

The famous The Silence of the Lambs—the cannibal Hannibal, a truly ruthless figure among horror IPs.

"You should be coming back to attend the Sundance Film Festival then, right?" Nicole Kidman asked from his arms after seeing Aaron put down the phone.

Sex, Lies, and Videotape earlier this year had greatly boosted the Sundance Film Festival's reputation.

"We'll see. Phone Booth is a thriller, and the Sundance Film Festival doesn't seem particularly friendly toward that kind of work."

Aaron would head to Italy first and wait until Phone Booth's editing was complete. Besides, he had already promised Jennifer Connelly.

Moreover, Aaron had never been to Italy. He could treat it as an overseas vacation!

Milan, a world-famous city of history and culture, one of Europe's four major economic centers, and the capital of Italy's Lombardy region.

Two days before the New Year, Aaron arrived in Milan with Jennifer Connelly!

Director Giuseppe Tornatore specifically hosted a dinner for the two of them. "Filming will begin right after the New Year. Your role isn't extensive—it'll be finished in two weeks at most."

"No problem. I've already prepared while I was at school," Jennifer Connelly said. She was playing the protagonist's younger daughter, a fashion model whose career had not gone well.

Aaron clinked glasses with Giuseppe Tornatore. "Cinema Paradiso has a very high chance of winning Best Foreign Language Film at the Golden Globe Awards. By then, filming in Milan will be over, so you can make the trip!"

"Mm, I'll go," Giuseppe Tornatore said. He knew Cinema Paradiso had been nominated for the Golden Globe Awards, but he had been busy lately with Everybody's Fine.

Aaron smiled. "If the Golden Globe Awards aren't much, then you'll have to go promote it at the Oscars in March too. Cinema Paradiso getting an Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Language Film is practically guaranteed."

"And Cinema Paradiso will officially be released in February as well!"

Giuseppe Tornatore took a sip of wine. "I heard you left CAA, started a film production company, and are developing films yourself now?"

"Yeah. Once I have money, if there's ever a film you want to develop, come directly to me. I really do like your movies!"

"Thank you, Aaron. If I need anything in the future, I'll definitely trouble you," Giuseppe Tornatore said with a smile.

"By the way, Miss Connelly has filmed in Italy before. Aaron, this is your first time in Italy, isn't it?"

"Yeah, my first time here. It's also my first time leaving the country. I've always been in the United States before."

"While you're here, experience Italy's New Year celebrations. And next summer, Italy will host the World Cup. Milan is also a famous football city—perhaps its football culture will give you a different kind of experience!"

The United States was a football wasteland. The North American Soccer League, which had attracted Brazilian star Pelé, Dutch star Johan Cruyff, and German star Franz Beckenbauer a few years ago, had already folded.

Giuseppe Tornatore wanted Aaron Anderson, a native-born American, to experience the atmosphere of football?

"I will, haha!" Unfortunately, Aaron was different now.