America 1987

Chapter 35 Premiere

Catherine stepped out of the limousine, arm in arm with David, and onto the red carpet in front of the movie theater, feeling incredibly excited.

This is the premiere of "Ghost". Due to the pre-release marketing, many media reporters are here today.

"Director Ovitz, what was the inspiration for this film?"

"Director Ovitz, why did you choose Zeta-Jones to play the lead role?"

Before the two could even stand still, a reporter held a microphone up to David's mouth.

Roger Ebert's positive review carries significant weight, especially considering the show's high viewership and the fact that he was reviewing a debut film by a new director—something that hasn't happened in recent years. As a result, "Ghost" generated a lot of buzz before its release.

Industry insiders naturally know his identity, and it's understandable that they are curious about the quality of his films. After all, Ebert is known for being stubborn and unyielding, sometimes even ignoring the opinions of major studios. So what's so special about him praising a new director's debut film so highly on a TV show?

David had obviously done his homework on these common questions, he said with a smile.

"The inspiration for the film came from those who have died young due to infectious diseases in recent years. I felt that their families and friends needed a film like this to help them get through their grief..."

Before David could answer the second question, the reporter who asked the first question hurriedly followed up: "Director Ovitz, are you talking about homosexuality? Are you trying to defend those people?"

In the United States of this era, AIDS is still seen by many as a punishment for "deviation from a lifestyle," or even "God's punishment."

Missionary Jerry Falwell publicly declared: "AIDS is not only God's punishment for homosexuals, but also God's punishment for societies that tolerate homosexuals."

Influenced by this view, many people in the United States still believe that those who die from AIDS are "deserving of their fate" and "deserving to die," even though as early as 1982, the US government had clarified that the cause of infection was not solely due to same-sex sexual intercourse.

"I don't believe AIDS is the same as a gay disease. Our country has clarified this point, and I hope you won't stigmatize it."

"But...but it's highly contagious! They say even the most basic handshake can be contagious..."

Before the reporter could finish speaking, someone next to him poked him.

"Regarding this point, I think Princess Diana's handshake on April 9th ​​this year should refute it. If you have nothing to do, you should pay more attention to news from other countries, otherwise you will easily fall behind."

David patted the man on the shoulder amicably, then turned and asked, "Next?"

"Director Ovitz, why did you choose Catherine Zeta-Jones to play the lead role in this film?"

The reporter standing next to him quickly held out the microphone and repeated the question.

This is a standard trap question, specifically designed to deal with directors who are not particularly experienced. The director himself needs to avoid any expression that could be interpreted as personal emotion.

The safest approach should be...

"Her eyes held the vulnerability and resilience needed for this story."

"The moment she walked in during the first audition, I knew the character had come to life."

After listening for only a few sentences, the reporter knew that the other party was a seasoned veteran at handling such situations, and immediately turned the microphone over to Catherine, who was standing to the side.

"Ms. Zeta-Jones, how was your experience working with director Ovitz?"

"The director is very professional, and his understanding of the character has benefited me greatly." Just like in her previous life, Catherine is also very adept at handling these kinds of scenes.

What preparations did you make for this role?

"Catherine cut her long hair short for this film and learned the basics of ceramic making."

David interrupted and answered the question for her.

This is a difficult question for actors to answer. If they say they've put in a lot of effort, they risk being accused of boasting; if they say they haven't put in that much effort, they risk being criticized for being unprofessional.

Especially for roles that require preparation in terms of appearance and physique.

Reporters are looking forward to seeing weight figures, details of dieting, or extreme body modifications.

A proper answer would be to shift the focus to skills learning—"learn a dialect for three months" or "practice a musical instrument for four hours every day."

Using skills instead of body shape makes one appear professional and avoids becoming the protagonist of a "weight loss inspiration story," which could alienate the audience.

After the interview, the two went into the movie theater.

"How is it?"

David's voice rang in her ears, and Catherine turned to look at him. "The interview just now went pretty well."

"I'm asking how the shoes are; are they effective?"

"Of course," Catherine's smile became much more genuine as she spoke, "it feels much better than my previous pair of shoes."

It's true, when she first wore it, she felt that this style wasn't cool enough, lacking that sharp, commanding presence that clatters on the ground. Ferragamo's chunky heels are noticeably quieter and more stable when they hit the ground.

But after getting used to them, she found that the comfort level had improved significantly. The pain in her forefoot was significantly reduced after changing the shoes, and she could walk further.

That's why she doesn't know Uma Thurman yet; otherwise, when she sees the two completely different foot shapes of the actress in Pulp Fiction and Kill Bill, she'll probably be even more glad that she changed her shoes in time.

Pointed-toe high heels have a sharp triangular front, while the forefoot of a healthy person is trapezoidal. When walking, the forefoot is forced into this narrow intersecting area, causing metatarsal inversion and phalangeal pronation within the first metatarsophalangeal joint.

In layman's terms, wearing them for a long time can cause your thumb to turn sideways.

Just look at that close-up shot of Uma Thurman's feet in Kill Bill, and you'll know what bunions are.

Compare this to the "food-grade" close-up in Pulp Fiction, and you'll understand why Quentin Tarantino never collaborated with her again.

While the official explanation is that the estrangement was caused by a car accident, it's possible that Quentin's lack of appetite is the cause, but nobody knows.

After all, judging from that precious clip in "From Dusk Till Dawn," Quentin Tarantino has quite high standards for the appearance of "food."

"Why is Tom here?"

After sitting down, before the movie started, Catherine asked a question in a low voice.

"I told him my girlfriend is a fan of his, and I forgot to get his autograph last time because I was in such a rush, so I asked him to come over and get one for me this time." David joked as he leaned close to her ear; the two of them hadn't actually exchanged any autographs at all.

It's not surprising that Tom Cruise came, since he helped Tom Cruise with script revisions for "Rain Man" after they met at the last premiere. So, he naturally wouldn't refuse to come this time.

After all, Tom Cruise is an international superstar now, so bringing him along to fill the space and attract fans' attention shouldn't be a problem.