The Rosie O'Donnell Show

On Saturday morning, Irene finally had the rare chance to sleep in. Between attending classes and sitting in on meetings, it felt like ages since she had enjoyed a relaxed breakfast.

"Dear Ophelia, thank you for the hand-pulled noodles." Ever since Irene expressed her love for Chinese cuisine as a child, her family had specifically sent Ophelia to Chinatown to learn how to cook it. While she couldn't handle overly complex dishes, she had become quite skilled at preparing simple breakfasts.

"Young Miss, I've placed today's newspaper on the dining table for you."

"Thank you, Ophelia." Irene began to eat while picking up a copy of People magazine to read.

The cover featured a stunning, large photo of Britney, accompanied by a very eye-catching headline.

[Britney Champions Sisterhood Film, Empowering a New Generation of Women.]

Clearly, this was part of their film promotion strategy. In the accompanying interview, Britney mentioned Irene Coppola and her movie more than once, touting it as the best teen film of the year and urging all her fans to go see it.

Irene had suggested the magazine run a giveaway when she learned about the interview. Fans who could prove they were Britney supporters by purchasing this issue of People could register via the phone number printed on the back. Twenty lucky fans would be drawn to attend the movie premiere for free, with the added opportunity for a close-up encounter with the stars.

Once this promotion launched, People magazine sold out instantly. Some fans with money to burn bought hundreds of copies just to increase their odds of winning.

Beyond magazine features, Britney constantly brought up the movie during talk show appearances and paparazzi interviews. Some obscure gossip tabloids even jumped on the bandwagon, claiming that Britney had a cameo in the film.

With this flurry of activity, everyone—whether they liked Britney or not—knew that a movie directed by her best friend was hitting theaters that summer, and the buzz skyrocketed.

Irene mused that people back then didn't yet understand the concept of "fan economy" or the power of fandom; when fans truly mobilized, it was enough to leave everyone stunned.

While the film was being heavily promoted externally, she settled into a routine of commuting between school and her apartment, absorbing knowledge like a sponge while simultaneously starting work on a new script.

To solidify her reputation, she knew that beyond pursuing quality and producing excellent works, she had to consider quantity to keep her momentum going.

Her second film would remain in her comfort zone: a campus comedy. This time, it followed a transfer student who, in an attempt to infiltrate the school's most popular clique, ends up picking up their bad habits, engaging in constant one-upmanship and petty schemes, only to realize in the end that being herself was the most comfortable way to live.

It was another story digging into the inner thoughts of women and personal growth, a film with broad appeal just like Legally Blonde, which made it more likely to succeed.

By the end of June, Irene's freshman year had concluded. Aside from the months spent filming, she hadn't missed a single class. She always sat in the front row and completed every assignment on time, embodying the image of a model student.

Her straight-A report card for the final exams was a fitting reward for her hard work, putting a perfect period on her freshman year.

With her studies paused, she immediately threw herself back into her career. A week before the film's release, she was invited to join Britney on The Rosie O'Donnell Show to promote Legally Blonde.

At noon that day, Irene arrived at the studio on time to find Britney getting her makeup done backstage.

She quietly stepped forward and placed a bottle of mineral water on the vanity.

"I told you, I don't like this brand, you—" Britney was about to complain, but when she turned and saw it was Irene, she quickly signaled the makeup artist to stop, stood up, and gave her a big hug.

"Since when did you become so picky about the brand of your mineral water?" Irene raised an eyebrow and took the bottle back.

Britney quickly snatched it back from her hands. "Anything tastes good if you give it to me. I'll drink it, okay?"

"Ladies, here is the rundown for the show and some of the questions that might be asked. Please take a look in advance. If there's anything you don't want to answer, just let us know," a staff member said, knocking before entering.

Irene took the rundown from him and turned to Britney, saying, "You'll be singing later, so make sure you're prepared."

Britney nodded and returned to her seat to let the makeup artist fuss over her face, while Irene sat down to have some light makeup applied as well.

The two didn't have much time to chat; they rushed through their makeup and headed into the studio.

The spotlights were scorching, and the audience erupted into thunderous applause. Irene sat on the sofa next to Rosie, her gaze constantly following the radiant figure in the center of the stage.

Britney was singing the theme song for Legally Blonde with deep emotion, her voice clear and powerful.

"This song is for my best friend, Irene, and for every girl who bravely chases her dreams!" After finishing the song, Britney walked over and hugged Irene tightly, drawing enthusiastic cheers from the crowd.

"Wow! That was amazing!" Rosie exclaimed sincerely, leading the applause. "The song fits the movie perfectly! Britney, the inspiration for this song came from Irene and her film, right?"

Britney took the microphone, her eyes sparkling as she looked at Irene. "Yes. When Irene showed me the rough cut, I was hooked. Elle Woods is pink and sweet, yet underestimated by everyone, but she used her intelligence and hard work to prove herself! The story immediately reminded me of Irene. Like the protagonist, she used her own abilities to make everyone who doubted her shut up."

Rosie keenly picked up on the thread and turned to Irene. "Speaking of which, Irene, how old are you now?"

Irene sensed where the host was going and replied calmly, "Seventeen."

Sure enough, Rosie immediately made an exaggerated expression. "My goodness, only seventeen, still a minor. At an age we consider a child, you've already directed a multi-million dollar film. It's incredible. I can imagine you must have faced unprecedented skepticism."

Irene thought to herself, Not really, my father was very supportive of my decision. But she couldn't say that out loud.

So, she took the opportunity to promote the film. "There were indeed many voices of doubt, but that is the core message of the film: don't judge a book by its cover. Girls can love fashion and still possess astonishing wisdom and grit. Just like Britney sang, 'Don't let the sparkle define the shine within.' We want to tell all girls that your dreams deserve to be taken seriously, even if you're wearing a pink suit while chasing them!" Her words were firm and infectious.

"Well said!" Rosie applauded, then looked playfully at Britney. "So, Brit, if Irene invited you to make a cameo in a Legally Blonde sequel, would you say yes? Perhaps as a similarly dazzling law student?"

Britney burst out laughing. "Rosie, if Director Irene gives the word, I'm on standby! But I have to say, my lines better have as much rhythm as my songs!" This impromptu "official announcement" triggered a wave of excited screams and laughter from the audience.

"Alright, ladies, I can't wait to go to the theater!" Rosie successfully steered the topic back to the movie and then transitioned naturally into a lighter segment. "But before that, Irene, satisfy our curiosity: does our Princess of Pop have any cute, embarrassing stories from her childhood? I bet you've accumulated quite a few in your ten years of friendship!"

Irene thought for a moment, then glanced with a smile at Britney, who was pretending to be nervous.

"Oh, of course. For example, when she was thirteen, she insisted on mastering the 'skill' of writing her name with her eyebrows. She ended up practicing in front of the mirror until her eyebrows cramped, and she told me indignantly, 'Irene, my forehead has betrayed me!' For a whole week, she looked at everyone like she was trying to raise her brows."

The studio erupted into loud, good-natured laughter. Britney buried her face in Irene's shoulder, her shoulders shaking with laughter, and protested with red ears, "Hey! We agreed to keep that secret! This will ruin my 'cool girl' image!" But her tone was full of affection, without a hint of genuine blame.

The air was filled with warmth and joy. The interview perfectly blended memories of friendship, film promotion, and musical performance, with results that far exceeded expectations.

The interview concluded with the host saying, "Everyone, be sure to head to the theaters on July 16th to watch Legally Blonde."

When the ratings came out the next day, they found that they had broken this year's viewership record, and everyone deeply identified with and loved the friendship between the two young sisters.