Australia
The filming of Iron Man was going smoothly.
Although Robert Downey Jr. had been idle for several years, his acting seemed to have only improved—perhaps experience had sharpened his craft.
"I. Am. Iron. Man."
"This line is so powerful!"Robert Downey Jr. kept repeating the phrase, feeling like it resonated straight to his core.
"How did it feel saying it?" Martin asked casually.
"Flamboyant, unrestrained—it was exhilarating! Unlike other superheroes who hide behind masks despite doing good, this just felt... right!"
"Exactly the feeling I want. All right, let's go for the real take—lighting and camera, everyone in position."
"Wait—what? That wasn't the real take?"
"Oh, I forgot to hit record!"
"Forgot? Yeah, right. Like I'm buying that!"
"Perfect! That's the energy I want—frustrated, defiant. Channel all that into the line. You're Iron Man, damn it. You're unstoppable. No one tells you what to do. You're the arrogant, untouchable playboy. Let's go, let's go!"
"I. Am. Iron. Man."
"Cut! Brilliant! Amazing!"
Martin was genuinely impressed.
In that single line, Robert had captured a powerful, world-defying swagger.
Well, it seems only by letting Downey be himself could Martin draw out his true potential.
Martin, feeling proud, leaned in smugly.
"I feel like you're just praising yourself at this point," Robert teased.
"Don't I deserve it? I'm awesome!"
"Fuck you, I'm the one who nailed it!"
Not far away, Rachel McAdams was holding her best friend Amanda Seyfried's arm as they visited the set. Watching the two men bicker, Rachel muttered, "Those two really are like little boys."
"Men never grow up," Martin added.Amanda laughed. "By the way, did you hear about Harvey?"
"I did. Even down here in Australia." Rachel shook her head in disgust. "That Fat Bastard."
She had no idea that, if not for Martin, she might have ended up as another one of Harvey's victims.
…
Meanwhile, Goodrich was angrily scolding two of his men.
Paris and Barnhill stood in silence, looking downcast.
At least, Parris did. Barnhill's expression was misleading—he actually felt no remorse.
Then a phone call came.
Goodrich answered. "Mm-hmm. Mm. Got it."
When he hung up, he stepped out of the office and looked at the two men with a much softer expression.
"Forget it this time. Go back to work. Oh—and the assignment to track that female reporter, Judy? Cancelled."
As they walked away, Goodrich muttered, "Harvey's finished."
…
It was now March.
With the combined efforts of Judy and Ronan, they had finally gathered all the evidence. The final piece in their explosive series was published in The Appointment:
"Harvey Weinstein Used Money to Quietly Settle Sexual Harassment Cases for Decades"
The article was like a war horn. One by one, actresses across Hollywood began to speak up.
They issued public statements in newspapers, on TV, and across the internet. There was even a special feature covering the flood of statements.
Leading the charge was Gwyneth Paltrow, who had first spoken out during Judy's interview.
She wrote on a fledgling website called Facebook:
"If you've ever been sexually harassed or assaulted in the workplace, reply to this post with: #MeToo."
Thousands responded. Some people, hearing the news, even registered Face accounts just to join the movement. The site's user base exploded overnight.
Gwyneth, scrolling through her Facebook account, was astonished. Martin's suggestion had truly worked. Could I really become a feminist thought leader through this?
Then her fingers paused.
"Is this... a message from Najwa Zebian? The modern poet?"
The young and popular writer had posted:
"I am the one being blamed. People told me not to talk about it. People told me it wasn't that bad. People told me to just get over it."
It was a short poem, expressing solidarity with the "#MeToo" movement. Crude as it was, the post had already garnered over 20,000 likes.
Gwyneth lingered on the words, then continued scrolling—until something else made her stop.
It was a message from famed actress Jennifer Aniston. A long one.
"I wasn't a victim of Harvey, but I know how terrible it is for the women who were. I've experienced similar trauma myself (referring to Pete assaulting a maid)."
"I admire every woman who's stood up to expose this horror. I've been silent before, but no more. I stand with the victims."
"To all women who've been harmed: Speak up. Say #MeToo. You didn't do anything wrong. The shame belongs to the abuser—not you."
…
New York Fashion Week.Outside a fashion show.
A throng of reporters surrounded Georgina Chapman.
Harvey Weinstein's ex-wife was giving a tearful, impassioned speech.
"I didn't know about Harvey's monstrous behavior before. I want to apologize to all the victims—for my ignorance, and for any praise I once gave him. I'm sorry."
Her voice was hoarse. Her eyes were red.
"I couldn't believe it. When the porn tape came out, I was stunned. Until just months before our divorce, I thought Harvey loved me. I thought I was the one being betrayed..."
Tears rolled down her face. Georgina's acting skills could rival any Hollywood star.
"With everything that's happened, I was devastated. But I made the brave decision to sever all ties with Harvey Weinstein. From now on, I'm Georgina Chapman—not Georgina Chapman Weinstein."
"And to all the women assaulted—not just by Harvey, but in any workplace—I say this: Speak out. Say no. Tell your story. Say it loud: #MeToo!"