"He's coming out."
From the second floor of the café by the canal, Rachel Weisz pointed at a man who had just boarded a speedboat and said to Matthew, "Do you see? Darren Aronofsky stormed out just a few minutes after Natalie Portman went in."
Matthew also noticed Aronofsky, his expression far less upbeat than when he had entered earlier.
Rachel received a text, glanced at it, and said excitedly, "They had a fight!" Then, with a hint of regret, she added, "Too bad I couldn't see it in person."
Matthew remained silent, letting Rachel enjoy the moment she had been waiting for. She had been holding back for so long and had meticulously planned this for almost a year, all under his subtle guidance. Now, this was her time to savor the outcome.
"Just thinking about Natalie Portman's face when she caught Darren and Mila Kunis together is thrilling," Rachel mused, half to herself, half to Matthew. "It's about time she tasted betrayal."
Matthew rubbed his temples. The entanglements between Hollywood's stars were a mess. In comparison, someone like him—who never interfered in other people's relationships—could almost be considered a "good guy."
Honestly, what Hollywood big shot or A-list star hadn't broken up or divorced?
Many people liked to imagine stars as being as pure as white lotuses, but finding such people in Hollywood was nearly impossible. Matthew considered himself relatively principled by the industry's standards, but even then, the tabloids could write endless stories about his supposed scandals.
If you weren't involved in scandals, chaos, and drama, were you even a real Hollywood star?
Hollywood actors not only brought exceptional film and television works to the masses but also spread the darker side of fame and fortune to the public.
The industry was full of "collectors" like Matthew—people who amassed romantic encounters as casually as collecting stamps. Often, while cutting down trees in the forest, they were just as much the target of other people's "collections." Hollywood was full of both men and women who were notorious for these games.
Some of them were incredibly famous.
Compared to the legends of the past, Matthew admitted he was no match. People like the famous Warren Beatty or the more eccentric Marlon Brando were on another level entirely. The late Marlon Brando was notorious for his "collecting" habits—whether it was other people's spouses, major celebrities, or up-and-coming stars, he was eager to add them to his conquests.
Brando's antics became legendary, from his infamous "butter incident" during Last Tango in Paris to his close relationship with his best friend, Wally Cox.
Brando and Cox had been inseparable since they met at the age of nine. Even after death, their connection remained. After Cox passed away, Brando, using his Oscar-winning acting skills, convinced Cox's widow to hand over his ashes, claiming he wanted to scatter them over the mountains Cox loved. In truth, Brando kept the ashes.
Brando couldn't bear to part with them. For 30 years, he kept Cox's ashes close—either in his home or in the passenger seat of his car.
This wasn't mere tabloid gossip. Brando himself wrote about it in Time magazine:
"I can't tell you how much I miss and love him. I keep his ashes with me at home, so I can talk to him every day."
While outsiders might interpret this as deep friendship, everyone in Hollywood knew the truth of their relationship.
Even after a court battle with Cox's widow, Brando never returned the ashes. When Brando passed away in 2004, Cox's ashes were finally scattered along with his, just as Brando had wished—on the mountain where they used to hunt together.
It was like a real-life Brokeback Mountain. Truly, life imitates art.
"Natalie Portman's coming out!" Rachel Weisz's voice pulled Matthew out of his thoughts.
He turned back toward the canal and saw Natalie standing by the dock, gazing at the water. She seemed lost in thought.
"Is she going to jump into the canal?" Matthew muttered.
Rachel's voice turned cold. "It'd be better if she did. The world would be a bit cleaner."
Matthew watched as Natalie clutched her stomach with one hand and covered her mouth with the other, looking utterly miserable.
But she was still Natalie Portman. After a few moments of standing by the water, she climbed onto a nearby speedboat and left the hotel.
As Natalie sailed away, Rachel stood up. "Now it's my turn."
Matthew looked at her curiously. "What are you going to do?"
Rachel didn't hide her intentions. "Given Natalie Portman's temperament, she's definitely fallen out with Mila Kunis by now. I'm going to go have a chat with Mila."
Matthew nodded lightly, not objecting. In a place like Hollywood, the line between collaboration and betrayal was often very thin.
Rachel Weisz wasn't the same person she had been a year ago. Back then, she had needed Matthew's advice. Now, after almost a year of careful planning based on his suggestions, she was starting to take full control of the situation.
"Good luck, Rachel," Matthew said.
Rachel nodded. "Natalie Portman isn't getting that Oscar for Best Actress. Not a chance!"
Rachel was well aware of Natalie's situation and her biggest goal. At this point, Black Swan was Natalie's last hope. If she couldn't secure a major nomination, her acting career would inevitably fall into a downward spiral.
In Hollywood, where people flock to the successful and abandon the fallen, few stars ever climb back up once they've plunged over the cliff.
After Rachel left, Matthew didn't linger. He returned to his hotel, packed his things, and prepared to fly back to Los Angeles the next day.
It seemed that everything with Natalie Portman and Darren Aronofsky was unfolding according to Rachel's plan.
Since Rachel had taken the initiative to approach Mila Kunis, she must have had a comprehensive strategy in place.
The next day, Matthew boarded a flight back to Los Angeles. Not long after landing, he received a call from Sofia Coppola. Nicolas Cage was highly interested in working with him and wasn't resistant to the conditions Matthew had proposed. Cage was willing to discuss the details with Studio 13.
Matthew also spoke with James Wan, letting him know that having someone like Nicolas Cage in their future horror project wouldn't eat too much into the budget. Wan was happy with the idea.
Both parties quickly reached a preliminary agreement, but the actual negotiations would take place after Insidious was released.
Like every Hollywood investor, Matthew was pragmatic. If Insidious didn't perform well, any future collaboration with James Wan would need to be reconsidered.
As for Nicolas Cage, he wasn't in a rush. He was still filming a medieval fantasy film called Season of the Witch.
Meanwhile, good news arrived from Venice. At the just-concluded Venice Film Festival, Sofia Coppola's Somewhere won the Golden Lion for Best Film.
The win caused quite a stir, with widespread criticism of jury president Quentin Tarantino. Several jury members even publicly stated that it was Tarantino's near-dictatorial influence that led to Somewhere winning the Golden Lion.
But, much like the Oscars, criticism and controversy didn't change the outcome.
Besides, this wasn't the first time Venice had made such controversial award choices.
Matthew paid particular attention to Black Swan. During the Venice Film Festival, the film's production had been plagued by internal conflicts, and ultimately, it walked away empty-handed. The crew had since returned to New York, reportedly gearing up for the North American awards season.
In Manhattan, at a restaurant, Natalie Portman exited through a revolving door, her arm linked with that of a man.
"Where are you headed?" Benjamin Millepied asked as they approached the car. "Do you need a ride?"
Natalie had already made up her mind. "Why don't we go to my place? I have some plans for the film's promotion I'd like to discuss with you."
Benjamin, the dance choreographer for Black Swan, had admired Natalie from the start of filming. He didn't hesitate to accept her invitation, opening the car door for her before driving toward Long Island.
Sitting in the passenger seat, Natalie knew she was halfway to achieving her goal.
Back in Venice, she had thought it through. Darren Aronofsky wasn't a suitable long-term partner, and she had no intention of going back to him. But the child growing inside her was crucial to her Oscar campaign. She needed to find the baby a proper father—preferably someone she could control.
Benjamin Millepied was perfect for the role. As a ballet fanatic, he was easy to manipulate and would be useful for Oscar publicity. And getting him to fall for her would be a piece of cake.
After all, it had only been a little over a month since she became pregnant. If she played her cards right, Benjamin wouldn't even realize the baby wasn't his.
As for the fact that Benjamin already had a girlfriend? That wasn't an issue at all. Natalie had stolen a man before, and this time, she had even more experience. Besides, her pregnancy would be the ultimate trump card to seal the deal.
She had it all planned out—tonight, she would seduce him, and after that, it would be smooth sailing.
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