Since NBC was Laila's home turf, there was no need to worry about the host springing any tricky, live-on-air questions out of nowhere.
Just like before, Laila brought Roy and Leslie Cheung with her to the NBC live studio.
Other media outlets had extended invitations, too, but Laila was someone who firmly believed in the principle of "Don't let fertile water flow into others' fields." So, when it came to the most buzz-worthy moments, of course, she had to prioritize her own network.
"Laila, it's been far too long since you last came here! Do you remember what you said when you left last time?" Jimmy started teasing the moment she stepped onto the stage.
The live audience—mostly diehard fans of both Laila and Jimmy—was well aware of the banter-filled friendship between them. As expected, they welcomed her appearance with loud laughter and applause.
Laila sat down on the couch, struck a thoughtful pose, then replied a little sheepishly, "Did I say something? Sorry, it's been so long, I really don't remember."
Jimmy threw up his hands in exaggerated exasperation, drawing more laughter. "See that? Even you admit it's been ages. I thought we were friends! Is this how you treat a friend?"
"My apologies, my apologies," Laila said with a soft laugh, amused by his dramatics. "This past year has truly been hectic. And if I showed up on your show too often, wouldn't the audience get tired of me?"
"No way!"
"We'd love to see you every time!" shouted voices from the audience, followed by another burst of applause.
"See? These folks sitting here—they're your true fans. Even if you don't do it for me, you should come back often for them!" Jimmy half-joked, half-pleaded.
That part wasn't a joke. He genuinely hoped she'd come on the show more often. Every time Laila appeared, the ratings shot up like crazy. If she could show up every day, no one would be happier than Jimmy Fallon.
But he also knew—she really was busy.
"Our Director Moran has had quite a packed year," Jimmy said, counting off on his fingers: "Let's see what she's done. First, The Avengers hit theaters and instantly broke the all-time box office record. Then, she quietly snuck off for a honeymoon in the East, only to return and get married in October. And now she's back with a brand-new film—Silence..."
He lowered his hand and mimed wiping sweat from his brow. "If everyone in Hollywood were as crazy as you, all of us movie fans would be broke from spending our allowance on movie tickets and popcorn!"
The audience roared with laughter.
Of course, they all took Jimmy's words as a joke. No one believed such a thing was actually sustainable.
Ever since the dawn of cinema, how many directors could match Laila's pace—delivering one high-quality, theatrically released film a year? (And no, cheap B-movies churned out in a few weeks didn't count.)
After the laughs subsided, Jimmy finally steered the conversation toward the main topic of the night.
"So, Laila, tell us about Silence. I heard the screenwriter behind it was someone you met during a dangerous incident in South Africa?"
That backstory had already become a buzz-worthy part of the film's early marketing. Fans had heard bits and pieces from various media outlets, but this was the first time Laila would be talking about it in a live broadcast—naturally, it drew the attention of countless viewers glued to their TVs.
"That's right," Laila said, launching into the story. She didn't focus too much on the danger she'd encountered, instead emphasizing how she managed to talk the writer into giving her the script, and how she later brought him to Hollywood after she was rescued.
Jimmy, already familiar with the story, played along with a wide-eyed expression of surprise. "I heard that the writer came from a pretty humble background?"
Laila nodded. "He did struggle, yes. But I don't think he's where he is now because of luck. He's an incredibly talented writer, with a mind capable of imagining worlds most people couldn't even conceive of. The world he created was vibrant, compelling, and so immersive you wouldn't want to leave it. That's not something luck creates—that's talent, combined with relentless perseverance."
"It's a shame that in the environment he came from, his talent alone wasn't enough to improve his circumstances. But he never gave up. He held on to his dream. You probably wouldn't believe this—but when I first saw his script, it was handwritten in a tiny 32K notebook. The cover was so worn out, you could barely read it."
"That's incredible," Jimmy said, genuinely impressed. Then he added, "Some of your past screenwriters have been guests on this show before. They've all given you very high praise. Can you guess what they said? Come on, let's test how well you've been keeping up with my show. If you don't know, I'm not letting you off easy!"
The crowd laughed. Everyone thought it was an unfair question—after all, Laila was always off filming for months at a time. She barely had time to stay in the U.S., let alone watch late-night talk shows.
What they didn't know was—Laila did know.
It wasn't because she sat in front of a TV watching reruns. But that didn't mean she wasn't informed about programs related to her. She had secretaries—many secretaries—whose job was to track media coverage about her, filter the relevant content, and compile it into briefings so she could stay on top of Hollywood's latest buzz.
"They probably hate me," Laila replied with a smile. "Every time we revise a script, I make their lives really difficult."
Of course, she wouldn't say outright that her edits had elevated entire scripts by several tiers. That would sound arrogant—even if it was true.
Jimmy burst out laughing. "So you do know! Yep, they definitely had a few complaints—said you gave them all sorts of headaches. But once the revisions were done, they couldn't even stay mad. Your edits were so good, they didn't have a leg to stand on."
"I really need to thank them for being so patient with me. Honestly, if I were a screenwriter and had a director constantly changing my script, I'd probably want to punch them, too. So truly—thank you, all of you."
Laila ended with a sincere message to the camera.
Her honesty earned a round of heartfelt applause. Viewers at home also found themselves warming to her even more.
Humility is always endearing. Maybe the West didn't emphasize it as much as some cultures, but still, no one disliked a genuinely humble person, as long as they weren't too self-effacing.