In 1991, at the Fox Studios in Los Angeles, California, the renowned director Steven Spielberg was in the midst of shooting "Hook."
However, filming didn't seem to be going smoothly. One of the lead actors, Julia "Big Mouth" Roberts, was high and having an intense "discussion" with Spielberg.
Every now and then, you could hear words like "f*** you," "holy s***," and "s***" flying between them.
For the usually mild-mannered Spielberg to resort to such language, it was clear just how out of line Julia Roberts was this time.
Everyone on the crew was silent, holding their breath, and keeping their distance.
One was a top-tier Hollywood director, and the other was the new "America's Sweetheart." No one dared to offend either of them, so they just stayed away.
Only one young man, in his twenties with a blonde buzz cut, standing 6'1" tall with a straight back and long legs, watched the argument with great interest.
"These foreigners are really something," the blonde, buzz-cut guy muttered to himself. "Their vocabulary is so limited. If it were me, I could curse a hundred times without repeating myself."
If someone were standing next to him, they'd notice that this young man was speaking with a distinct Northeastern accent.
Such scenes played out almost every few days, and the blonde, buzz-cut guy had grown accustomed to them.
He used to think Hollywood was incredibly impressive and professional, with everyone acting like experts, following procedures perfectly without a single mistake.
But his experience on the "Hook" set over the past few days made him feel that even a Spielberg production wasn't all that special.
"Hey, Gilbert, why are you still watching the show? Aren't you going to break it up?" A blonde girl appeared beside him and asked.
The blonde, buzz-cut guy frowned and replied, "How many times have I told you, call me Big Gilbert. And my 'gibber' doesn't hurt."
"What do you mean? But everyone calls you that, right?" The blonde girl asked, confused.
"I... forget it," Gilbert wanted to tell the blonde girl that " Gilbert" in a context could easily lead to misunderstandings.
But she didn't understand , so explaining it to her would be pointless!
The blonde girl quickly pulled Gilbert away, saying, "Alright, alright, you better disappear quickly. It won't be good for you if Godfather notices you after they finish arguing."
Gilbert stubbornly retorted, "The director won't be that petty..."
But he obediently followed the blonde girl, leaving the scene of the argument.
The blonde girl was Gwyneth Paltrow, someone with connections. She was placed in the crew to play an important role thanks to her relationship with Steven Spielberg.
To be precise, both Gilbert and Gwyneth Paltrow were "connected."
Gilbert got his role as an executive director on "Hook" because his father, Old Gilbert, pleaded with Spielberg.
Normally, a student fresh out of film school wouldn't get such an opportunity to work as an executive director directly under a superstar director and learn from them.
Who says Hollywood is all about talent? Isn't it also about connections and background?
Away from the argument between Spielberg and Julia Roberts, Gilbert and Gwyneth Paltrow found a place to sit and chat.
" Gilbert, have you finished writing that shark script of yours?" Gwyneth Paltrow asked.
"No, why do you ask?" Gilbert scratched his head.
Gwyneth Paltrow said matter-of-factly, "Once it's done, I want to be the female lead!"
"You?" Gilbert looked Gwyneth Paltrow up and down, then dismissively said, "You don't quite fit my requirements."
"Why not?" Gwyneth Paltrow asked, puzzled.
"You're not sexy enough, not appealing enough," Gilbert said bluntly.
This, however, provoked Gwyneth Paltrow's displeasure. She immediately stood up, lifted her skirt, and exposed her long legs.
"Am I not sexy enough?"
Gilbert spread his hands, trying his best not to look at Gwyneth Paltrow's fair thighs, and hedged, "Even if you want to be the female lead, now isn't the right time."
"Then when is it?" Gwyneth Paltrow sat back next to Gilbert and continued to press him.
Eighteen-year-old girls are truly annoying...
Gilbert was a bit impatient but still answered, "Because this is just the script stage, and I'm just a newcomer in my twenties.
In Hollywood, no film company would be willing to shell out millions of dollars for a film by a director in his twenties."
Gwyneth Paltrow understood, but she quickly suggested, "You don't have to worry about that. I'll handle the investment. You just let me be the female lead."
Gilbert looked at Gwyneth Paltrow suspiciously: "You? You have millions?"
"I don't, but the film companies do. As long as we get a recommendation from Godfather, we can find a film company willing to pay for us," Gwyneth Paltrow explained her plan.
"Us?" Gilbert spread his hands again. It seemed this American girl really considered this project her own.
However, at the moment, he truly had no good plan to convince those film companies to invest in his film project.
His own family couldn't afford that kind of money. Everyone in Hollywood knew that Old Gilbert Landrini was a womanizing drug addict in his early years and hadn't accumulated any family wealth.
Gilbert, as his son, only survived and grew up thanks to his deceased mother's sister, his aunt.
Perhaps the wild years had drained his body, but in his old age, Old Gilbert had a change of heart and realized he couldn't ruin his son's future.
So, Old Gilbert swallowed his pride and pleaded with Steven Spielberg, giving Gilbert the opportunity to be an executive director on the "Hook" set.
Given their family situation, asking Old Gilbert to shell out millions of dollars to shoot a film was an impossible task.
Gilbert even doubted his old man had even ten thousand dollars saved.
It's well known that the concept of spending on credit cards is very strong in North America, and many ordinary Americans basically spend in advance.
Even Gilbert himself still had outstanding university loans, receiving nagging letters from the bank every month—it was really annoying.
The old man's credit cards must have been maxed out long ago.
As a former famous producer and a member of the Hollywood Jewish club, Old Gilbert bringing the Landrini family to this point was truly tragic.
Getting Gilbert into Spielberg's crew was the best Old Gilbert could do; he couldn't ask for more from the old man.
In North American society, finding a father so dedicated to his children is truly rare.
Therefore, Gilbert was very interested in Gwyneth Paltrow's suggestion.
Because Gwyneth Paltrow was Spielberg's goddaughter, her relationship with him was much deeper than his own.
With that thought, Gilbert no longer hesitated. If she didn't fit his aesthetic, so be it; at least this American girl certainly had long legs.
"Alright, as long as you can convince the director, the female lead role is yours."
To sweeten the deal, Gilbert also revealed, "Just a heads-up, in my script, most of it is a solo performance by the female lead."
"Really?" Gwyneth Paltrow was excited. She patted Gilbert on the shoulder and guaranteed, "Don't worry, leave it to me. I'll go convince Godfather."
"Okay, it's a deal then."
The two shook hands happily, reaching an agreement.
Just then, Spielberg and Julia Roberts' intense discussion concluded, and the assistant director shouted, "Back to work, back to work!"
While waiting for his opportunity, Gilbert still had to work diligently on set, after all, he still had university loans to pay off.