America 1987

Chapter 45 Two Methods

Nicole felt like her mood had been on a rollercoaster these past few days.

First, she was inexplicably robbed of the commercial film role she had worked so hard to get. Although the other party suggested that she would be compensated with an art film, she did not think that a Hollywood director she had never heard of could make a good art film.

With the mindset of traveling on public funds and seeing what Los Angeles has to offer, she came here alone.

But as soon as she entered the city, she accidentally saw a poster for "Ghost" outside the movie theater, and all her previous ideas were overturned.

A young Hollywood director who had just made a top-tier commercial blockbuster invited me to direct his second film.

Nicole thought the world must have gone mad.

Actually, I'm not crazy at all; reality is often more absurd than fiction.

In the original timeline, Nicole gave her first daring performance in "Over the Horizon," intending only to gain artistic recognition from Australian film critics.

In fact, it is indeed recognized, but not by the Australian film and television industry, but by Hollywood. To be more precise, it is Tom Cruise's personal endorsement.

Tom Cruise has a keen eye; he spotted Nicole Kidman's hidden physical potential at a glance.

Not only did he defy the opinions of everyone else in the crew and secure the female lead for "Thunderbolt" as the male lead with the status of a top star, but he also launched a pursuit of her during filming while still married.

As an aside, the reason the rest of the crew objected was because Nicole Kidman is almost 10cm taller than Tom Cruise, and the female lead might be taller than the male lead in the movie. However, Tom Cruise said he didn't mind.

However, after the two got married, Nicole not only couldn't wear high heels when attending public events such as premieres and film festivals, but she also had to consciously adjust her posture and lower her stance when reporters took photos of the two of them together, trying to make herself look a little shorter than the other person.

After her divorce in 01, Nicole joked on a variety show, "Now I can finally wear high heels."

It seems that a man's words can sometimes be deceiving.

Just because she took off her clothes and showed off her figure in a movie, she was spotted by a top star from across the ocean. He not only took the initiative to invite her out, but also divorced his wife at lightning speed to pursue her relentlessly, saving her a lot of detours and putting her on a starting line that others wouldn't even dare to dream of.

If it weren't for the unpleasant things that followed, this would indeed be a realistic portrayal of "the domineering CEO falls in love with me" to some extent.

However, Nicole at this time obviously did not know her future situation in the original timeline. She only felt that she was too lucky to have encountered such a great thing.

Moreover, she met the director named David Ovitz, who was very gentlemanly and refined, and whose eyes did not have the aggressiveness that she had heard others had in Hollywood directors.

Well, Hollywood directors have never had a good reputation in the film and television industries of other countries. Although every country's entertainment industry has similar rules, Hollywood is often used as a typical example for publicity because of its great reputation.

It is well known that this is the standard practice for Hollywood filmmakers to sexually harass actresses.

During a private audition in the office, the man would sit on the desk with one leg raised and placed on the table, while the other leg would hang naturally in the air and be slightly open. It goes without saying what the actress sitting on the stool would see from directly in front of her.

This is a very standard sexually suggestive position; whether or not the woman accepts it is ultimately her own choice.

However, this method is too simple and crude, leaving little room for maneuver. It is generally more applicable to the era of large studios. Nowadays, Hollywood filmmakers usually do not use such a direct approach unless they are absolutely certain.

Instead, they chose a more tactful approach with more room for maneuver.

Actresses typically shake hands with the decision-maker before an audition. If the decision-maker intentionally rubs the back of the actress's hand or the base of her thumb and forefinger with their thumb during the handshake, it indicates that they are asking whether the actress accepts the role.

Compared to the previous one, this method is much more subtle and tactful, leaving enough room for both parties to explain—the man can say that he didn't mean it that way, and that he was just rubbing it habitually; the woman can pretend that she doesn't understand or didn't notice, thus politely refusing.

Of course, if the actress takes the initiative, she usually makes a few light strokes on the other person's palm with her little finger when shaking hands to show that she is willing to "dedicate herself to art". Under normal circumstances, the man will not refuse.

Well, there's a high probability that Tom Cruise used the second method mentioned above when he first met Nicole Kidman.

Nicole Kidman later recalled that when she auditioned for "Days of Thunder," Tom Cruise stood up from his seat and took her hand, "and I felt a jolt of electricity run through my body."

Tom Cruise himself admitted that he fell in love with Nicole Kidman at first sight, saying, "My first reaction was pure desire."

Tom Cruise probably only wanted to have a fling at first, but he ended up marrying Nicole Kidman because he had too much fun and wasn't satisfied with just one-night stands or a few nights. He probably wanted something like locking up public buses.

David did not do that at all.

It wasn't that he didn't have "pure desire" for Nicole, but rather that doing so would have side effects.

Unless he does what Tom Cruise did, breaking up with Katharine immediately after the encounter and announcing Nicole as his official girlfriend.

Otherwise, at most you can only develop a casual sex relationship with her; locking her up is almost impossible.

Before entering this circle, his goal for himself was to build a harem, not to fire cannons!

Since he intends to develop a long-term relationship, he certainly can't use the usual methods.

Let's just let things take their course for now. After racking his brains for a long time without coming up with a solution that would satisfy both sides, David had no choice but to stop thinking for the time being and focus on the present.

Nicole is a little worried because she sees the director looking frowning and at a loss in the mirror. Could it be because of my hair? But I'm already sitting here getting it adjusted, aren't I?

"Your temperament is a good match for the character, but your hair is a bit too naturally curly and it's a bit too eye-catching. If you don't adjust it, it might distract the audience from the character's inner state."

"If you'd like, I'll take you to the dressing room now. There's a professional hairstylist there, and Cathy will come with us."

Nicole recalled what the director had said when they first met, and she naturally agreed.

She wasn't entirely satisfied with her "thick, red afro," but professional hair styling required ongoing investment, and although her family was well-off, she wasn't willing to spend her parents' money on such things.

She naturally agreed with what David said. The untamed, explosive look of the afro would indeed be memorable and distract the audience from her acting skills. Otherwise, she wouldn't have decided to prove herself with her daring performance in "Beyond the Horizon".

Yes, in this era, there's a saying about performances being "sacrificed for art." If the sacrifice is significant, film critics usually give positive reviews as compensation.