Capítulo 152: # Chapter 150: Falling Back into Old Habits
"Richard, jump!"
In the filming studio, Richard stood on a wooden platform over five meters high, wearing a leather outfit, with a large green screen behind him.
Upon hearing the action director's command, he jumped straight down, flipping several times in the air, performing a few high-difficulty moves, with the steel wire on his back quickly lowering him.
"Steady!"
As he was about to land, Richard bent his knees slightly and landed firmly on the ground with both feet.
Clap, clap, clap~
"Richard, well done!"
The action director and the special effects artist Craig clapped their hands and walked over.
The crew had been attempting to film a few action shots, and the action director needed someone to try it out.
Richard, having no prior experience in filming such scenes, had jumped twice and felt pretty good about it; the difficulty wasn't too high.
"Richard, you're very suited for action scenes. Why do you always play those gentle roles?"
The action director, John Mayer, asked while watching the footage of the previous take.
Richard chuckled lightly, "I just haven't encountered the right role."
"What a waste! You're a world boxing champion. How could there be no action roles for you? Your action scenes are really cool, and many high-difficulty moves aren't hard for you. Once this movie is released, many people will want to collaborate with you."
John Mayer laughed.
"Really? John, could you design more action scenes for me?"
Richard patted his shoulder with a smile.
"Haha, that's not up to me. Even if I arrange it, the director might cut it in the end, and it would be a waste of time."
"Alright then!"
Richard shrugged.
"Richard, don't worry."
Special effects artist Craig Baron interjected, "Just perform well in the crew, the director will notice, and so will he."
John Mayer pointed at another producer of the crew, saying, "Avi Arad, the chairman of Marvel Productions, owns many comic book rights. I heard they signed a contract with 20th Century Fox, and several movies will be made over the next few years. If you land a lead role in a comic book, you'll have many opportunities to film action scenes."
"Really?"
Richard's eyes lit up as he looked at Avi Arad in the distance, realizing he had overlooked a major player.
"Richard, don't get your hopes up."
Craig Baron interjected again, "You're playing Cyclops, the leader of the X-Men. It's difficult to get another Marvel character; otherwise, it would be too jarring for the audience."
"Ah, you're right. If Cyclops plays Spider-Man, the audience might think Spider-Man's eyes will also shoot beams, haha~"
John Mayer laughed.
Richard's smile faded a bit, feeling a chill after hearing their words.
"Richard, do you have time?"
Hugh Jackman, wearing boxing gloves, walked over.
"Yes, Hugh, what's up?"
Richard smiled.
"It's like this. There's a boxing match scene for Wolverine early on. You're a master at boxing, and I'd like some pointers from you. Is that alright?"
Hugh Jackman asked politely.
"Of course!"
Richard smiled. Hugh had hired a boxing coach and had trained quite well. Out of courtesy, Richard couldn't refuse his request.
In the training area, Richard sparred with Hugh Jackman for a few rounds.
"Hugh, you can raise your fists a bit higher, don't look at your fists, keep your eyes on your opponent. Fists are faster than eyes; they'll find the target on their own. If you want to appear more fierce, you can make your punching movements bigger."
"Got it, like this?"
Hugh Jackman swung his fists, asking.
"Haha, yes, you're doing great."
Richard laughed, pointing out a few more things.
Since movie boxing and real boxing are different, he didn't say too much, only covering the basics, leaving the rest to the action director John Mayer.
"Richard, you also look very suited to play Wolverine, no less than Jackman."
Storm, played by Halle Berry, commented with a smile while watching Hugh Jackman practice boxing.
Richard shook his head, "I used to think so too, but after seeing Jackman's performance, I changed my mind. Hugh's acting is fantastic; he brings the right intensity to the character. In this regard, I still need to learn from him."
Halle Berry looked at him and smiled, "Richard, I didn't realize you were so humble."
"Humility leads to progress!"
Richard chuckled.
"It's hard to imagine. In the ring and in the media, you come across as very flamboyant, fitting your champion persona perfectly. Only after getting to know you did I realize you're a true gentleman, very charming."
"Thank you!"
Richard smiled faintly. After winning his second championship belt, he received countless compliments, with commercial praise calling him the most handsome man in boxing, the next Tyson, the most inspirational young idol, etc.
He used to take pride in it and almost became conceited.
But whenever he thought of that electric shock incident, he calmed down again. Without that experience, he would be, at most, an unremarkable handsome guy, someone not even recorded in memories, far inferior to the celebrities around him.
Whenever he thought of these, he felt more dejected.
"Richard, a call from Norman!"
Mike walked over and said.
"Alright!"
Richard took the phone and moved to a corner to chat for a few moments.
Norman said there was a party tonight, hosted by Miramax to celebrate "Shakespeare in Love" surpassing $100 million at the box office, and asked if he wanted to meet the Weinstein brothers.
Richard thought for a moment and agreed.
After finishing up at the studio in the afternoon, he drove to West Hollywood Boulevard to meet up with Norman and Anthony.
"Richard, why didn't you bring the Cadillac?"
Norman called from his sports car.
"It's not convenient. Every time I go out, a bunch of sketchy women crowd around, asking where you are. Oh, and one woman said she's pregnant with your child."
"Stop, Richard, don't joke!"
Norman waved his hand, pointing to the woman in the passenger seat, "This is Summer, Summer Phoenix, my girlfriend. She's also an actress."
"Phoenix?"
The name sounded familiar to Richard.
"Yes, her brother is Joaquin Phoenix."
"Oh, alright. Hi, Summer, I was just joking with Norman earlier, please don't mind."
Richard greeted through the car window.
"It's okay, Richard, nice to meet you. I'm a fan of yours."
Summer extended her hand with a smile.
"Haha, thanks!"
Richard shook her hand through the car window.
"Richard, Norman, let's go!"
Anthony got into the car, wiping sweat from his forehead.
"Busy day?"
Richard asked as he started the car.
"Yes, now that the company has more people, there's a lot more work. Every day there's an endless stream of tasks."
Anthony shrugged, taking a pizza slice from his bag as he spoke.
Richard chuckled lightly, "Do you enjoy your current lifestyle?"
Anthony thought for a moment and smiled, "Not bad. I sometimes miss the days when it was just you, Susan, and me in the company, with endless holidays. It was really relaxing."
"Haha, yes, but life in the Bronx was too monotonous, not as rich and colorful as Hollywood."
"True, it's hot here, and there are hotties everywhere... Hey, look at that girl in the hot pants over there."
Anthony, with pizza in his mouth, pointed at a girl ahead.
"Want to hit on her?"
Richard laughed.
"No, that girl has a nice figure. Maybe we could sign her to the company. Never mind, her face doesn't cut it."
As the car drove past, Anthony shrugged.
"Haha, you're falling back into old habits."
Richard laughed.
"A bit, I want to groom a few big stars and make BAA a top-tier agency like CAA, WMA, or ICM, becoming a big shot in the entertainment industry so no one can ignore us."
Anthony clenched his fist.
"Did something provoke you?"
Richard glanced at him.
"Does it need to? In Hollywood, those with resources are gods. To get resources and build relationships, I spend my days buttering up studio executives, wining and dining them, and they don't always reciprocate. Fuck, I want to be the one holding the resources in the future, making others come to me."
Anthony took a fierce bite of his pizza.
"Thanks for your hard work!"
"Same to you. You train hard every day, don't you? I used to mooch off you a lot. Now it's time to do my part."
Anthony winked and laughed.
"Let's work hard together."
Richard smiled lightly, speeding up to catch up with Norman.
——At the foot of the Santa Monica Mountains, a vast estate over two hectares in size appeared before them. The expansive, tall greenery resembled fortress walls, and both sides of the driveway were lined with lush green lawns.
In front of the villa, there was a large fountain plaza adorned with luxurious white marble statues.
"Is this the Weinstein brothers' estate?" Richard asked as he got out of the car.
"No, this is the Elbeken Estate, a property under Hilton Hotels used for big parties. But the Weinstein brothers have an estate in Florida that's even bigger," Norman said with a smile, shaking his car keys.
"Alright, now I have new motivation. My next goal is to buy an estate over two hectares in size," Richard said, gazing at the estate ahead.
"I support you!" Anthony said with a smile.
"Don't support him. He won't enjoy it even if he buys a villa. Just look at his hillside villa. The yard isn't big, and it's especially deserted. Can you imagine him living alone on a two-hectare estate?" Norman said as he walked with his girlfriend.
"So what? Can't I buy a hundred sheep to raise on the estate?" Richard replied.
"Haha, creative idea!" Norman laughed.
After parking, the four of them walked into the estate.
Today's party was on the lawn of the estate. As the sun set, a group of important people gathered on the green grass. There were many high-level executives from film companies, famous agents from the three major agencies, and many directors and stars. The scene was as grand as an award ceremony.
Among the crowd, a particularly noticeable fat man with a double chin and a huge belly was grinning while chatting with Brad Grey, the chief producer of Dimension Films.
This man was Harvey Weinstein, the founder of Miramax Films and Dimension Films. Since the 1970s, he and his brother Bob had founded Miramax, buying small independent films, repackaging them, and selling them for profit. Gradually, they grew stronger, becoming Hollywood's top producers and star makers. He also funded the Democratic Party and numerous politicians, gaining immense influence in both the entertainment industry and politics, becoming a mogul.
At that moment, a large group of stars surrounded the mogul, including newly crowned actress Cameron Diaz, Meryl Streep, Tom Cruise and his wife, Renée Zellweger, Russell Crowe, Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Winona Ryder, and Josh Hartnett.
"Hey, Richard, let's go over there. I'll introduce you to Harvey," Norman said, pointing.
"Too many people over there. I'll meet him another time. I'm going to check out that side," Richard replied, pointing to where Gwyneth Paltrow was chatting with two actors from "Shakespeare in Love."
"Haha, got it. See you later!" Norman said, pulling Summer along.
Anthony went to mingle with the film company crowd, hoping to meet some new people.
Richard walked over to Gwyneth Paltrow, who was wearing a blue long dress, her blonde hair tied up, and crystal high heels. She stood alone on the edge of the lawn, looking a bit bored.
"Hi, Ms. Paltrow, can we chat?" Richard asked.
"Richard? What are you doing here?" Gwyneth turned around, surprised.
"Came with some friends to check it out."
"It's quite boring here. If I weren't the lead actress, I definitely wouldn't have come," Gwyneth shrugged.
Richard smirked and glanced at the crowd of stars not far away. "You should be in the center of attention, yet you're here. Any regrets?"
Gwyneth looked at him, then took his arm and smiled. "No regrets. As long as you're with me, I'm content."
"Alright, let's stay here and watch the sunset," Richard said with a smile.
"Okay!"
However, it wasn't long before Norman found him, saying that he had mentioned him to Harvey and wanted to introduce them.
Richard went to meet Harvey and also encountered Matt Damon, Winona Ryder, and Angelina Jolie. He greeted Tom Cruise, who he would soon be working with, and everyone was very friendly.
After chatting for a while, Richard stood before Harvey.
"Hello, Mr. Weinstein!" Richard greeted.
Harvey looked at him, his heavy eye bags squinting with a smile. "Richard, I know you. You did well in 'The Murder Case.'"
"Thank you!"
"Miramax is casting for a lead role in a teen comedy. Interested?" Harvey asked.
"Really? Thank you, Mr. Weinstein!" Richard replied.
"Haha, Richard, I heard you're good at boxing. Hey, Ben, aren't you also practicing boxing? How about a match with Richard to entertain everyone?" Harvey suggested with a smile.
"Haha, great idea," the surrounding stars cheered.
"Mr. Weinstein, Mr. Affleck is a champion. I wouldn't stand a chance," Ben Affleck said, spreading his hands.
"Are you scared?" Harvey frowned.
"No, hey, Mr. Pitt, please go easy on me," Ben Affleck said, stepping forward.
Richard shook his head. "Mr. Affleck, the boxing association has rules. Without proper protection, we can't spar with amateurs. How about we find another time to spar?"
"You refuse?" Harvey squinted at him.
"Sorry, Mr. Weinstein. As a professional boxer, there are certain professional principles I must adhere to."
"Hey, Richard, a casual match won't hurt. Just a friendly spar," Norman whispered, pulling his clothes. "Don't embarrass Harvey here, or it could get ugly."
"Yes, Richard, spar with Ben and teach us a few moves," Angelina Jolie said with a wink and a smile.
"Richard, go for it!" Winona Ryder cheered with clenched fists.
"Sorry, if you enjoy boxing, feel free to find me anytime. But I can't spar with Ben here."
"Haha, interesting!" Harvey said with a cold smile, giving Richard a hard look before leaving with his entourage.
The surrounding stars also dispersed, some gloating, some watching the spectacle, and some indifferent.
"Richard, you shouldn't have done that," Angelina Jolie said, shaking her head.
Richard smiled lightly. "Why? Because I refused to perform boxing here?"
"Yes, Harvey likes to test people. You were too stubborn. Not only did you fail his test, but you also offended him," Angelina explained.
"Alright, maybe I shouldn't have come here," Richard said, shaking his head.
After Jolie left, Gwyneth Paltrow came over. "Why didn't you spar just now?"
"It doesn't matter if I spar or not. I could sense his hostility towards me. His request was also very rude. If I had sparred, it would have been an insult to boxing. That, I couldn't do," Richard explained, spreading his hands.
"Is it because of me? Did he see us together?" Gwyneth frowned.
"Forget it. Let's drink!" Richard said, raising his glass.
"Richard, you offended Harvey and still want to drink here. If I had known, I wouldn't have brought you," Norman said with a frown.
"It's okay!" Richard raised his glass. The rest of the party was rather cold towards him, with few people approaching to greet him. Even Matt Damon only smiled when he saw him.
After making a round, Richard suddenly felt the warmth and coldness of the world, realizing he had learned a lot.
(End of this chapter)
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