Today's premiere featured Taylor Swift and Avril Lavigne, who contributed the insert songs and promotional tracks for The Last of Us.
Later during the premiere, the two singers would have a performance segment, which was a great opportunity for both artists.
Avril had already reached the level of a rock diva, while Taylor Swift had become a relatively well-known country singer. Both of these singers were signed under Sheena Boone.
Recently, Gilbert heard from Sheena Boone that Taylor Swift had dated three boyfriends while writing her new album, only to break up with all of them once the album was released.
Curious, Gilbert asked, "Ah? Why is that?"
Sheena Boone replied, "Because Taylor wanted to experience the sweetness of love and the pain of heartbreak, so she could find inspiration for her songs."
"???" Gilbert's mind was full of question marks. So that's when "TayTay" started this.
Makes sense—Taylor Swift was already 17. Even in China, where parents were stricter, kids would start dating early. In the U.S., it was normal to have two or three relationships by that age.
Sheena Boone added, "Be careful, Taylor's next target might be you."
"Me?" Gilbert shook his head. "I'm not interested in little kids."
He didn't want to become one of Taylor Swift's many ex-boyfriends, though Taylor might not even dare anyway.
After the two singers made their appearance, the main cast of the film came out one by one. Jude Law, Kim Basinger, Halle Berry, and other stars received plenty of cheers when they appeared.
A slightly awkward moment came when Gilbert's friend Sophia showed up. She had a past relationship with Jude Law.
But in Hollywood, breakups and reconciliations were normal. As long as neither side minded, meeting again wasn't a problem.
Nicole Kidman and Naomi Watts appeared as a close friends' group. They had over ten years of friendship and were considered die-hard best friends in Hollywood.
Part of it was due to the need for solidarity among Australians, and part of it was because after Gilbert's rise, the Cruise couple needed to maintain this friendship.
Regardless of the reason, in an era when "plastic sisters" dominated Hollywood, maintaining a friendship for over ten years was no small feat.
From one perspective, Nicole Kidman even played matchmaker between Gilbert and Naomi Watts.
Next, the film's lead actors, Tom Cruise and Saoirse Ronan, made their appearance.
At the theater entrance, a huge poster showed Tom Cruise and Saoirse Ronan walking along a road littered with abandoned cars, with a desolate and ruined city behind them—a true apocalyptic scene.
Combined with the title The Last of Us, it naturally sparked imagination.
The West has always been fascinated with apocalyptic themes, whether it's the Mayan prophecy of the end or the biblical great flood, which continually draws people to stories of the end of the world.
The Last of Us perfectly satisfies this curiosity and also adds zombies, a highly intriguing element.
There have been good zombie films in the past, like Dawn of the Dead, but most zombie films were B-level productions with medium or small budgets.
The Last of Us is a standard A-list commercial blockbuster. As Peter wrote in his review after watching Iron Man, it left audiences eager to see what Gilbert, who didn't personally direct Iron Man, would bring them.
And today, the answer was finally revealed.
A car stopped at the start of the red carpet. The valet opened the door, and Gilbert stepped out in a sleek black suit.
Just as the media thought Gilbert would walk the red carpet alone, he took a small hand from inside the car. A young boy made a surprising appearance.
The media along both sides of the red carpet began speculating who it was until one reporter shouted, "It's Ilian Landrini, Gilbert's son!"
"Whoa!" The media realized that Gilbert's son was making his first public appearance.
Cameras instantly raised, flashes went off constantly, startling young Ilian.
"Don't be nervous, Ilian. Keep smiling and wave," Gilbert coached his son on basic red carpet etiquette. Thanks to good family upbringing, Ilian remained composed, smiling and waving like a little adult.
Father and son walked the red carpet together, and Gilbert's son's appearance immediately electrified the entire premiere.
Quick-reacting online media had uploaded photos of Ilian on the red carpet just minutes after he appeared, complete with a headline:
"Surprise! Director Gilbert's Son Ilian Makes His Public Debut."
Seeing Ilian, carved from a blend of parental genes, cute and perfect, melted the hearts of fans. Many times, when fans love someone, everyone around that person benefits as well.
Ilian was a prime example. From the moment he was born, he had been a child of great attention. This public debut was an even bigger surprise.
The short red carpet took the father and son seven to eight minutes to walk.
At the end of the red carpet, the host waited and asked Ilian, "Welcome to our little prince at the premiere. How do you feel?"
Most children, when faced with the sea of people at a red carpet, would be so nervous they couldn't speak.
But Ilian handled it exceptionally well: "I'm very happy. Dad often tells me that the uncles, aunts, brothers, and sisters at premieres are very enthusiastic. Today, I finally get to see them."
His words were coherent and fluent, something many adults could not achieve, yet Ilian managed it.
He added, "I often ask Dad a question. I say, what is so special about movies? How can they make so many people obsessed? He told me that the charm of movies lies in communication with people. Using shared values to tell a wonderful story—that is the charm of movies themselves.
I think I will be fascinated by this movie culture. When I grow up, I want to work in a related field too."
The reporters below clicked photos while taking notes, thinking to themselves that this child was remarkable.
Even if someone taught him what to say, being able to deliver such complete and fluent expressions on the spot was already very impressive. In any country, there is a culture of seeking prodigies, and Ilian was already being labeled as one.
Gilbert, of course, was very pleased. His son had brought him honor.
He continued, "Before the premiere, I asked Ilian if he wanted to come and see the red carpet. He said he really wanted to, so I brought him along."
The host asked, "Will you let Ilian take over your work in the future? Continue in the film directing industry?"
Gilbert replied, "My parenting approach is to fully respect the child's opinion, see where his interests lie, but also provide some positive guidance.
I believe that as long as it is not illegal or against social ethics, if a child likes something, they should be allowed to try it."
This answer was nearly perfect. In fact, most North American families publicly claim to educate this way. But true elite education is different—it sets a direction and guides the child to work toward it.
Even in ordinary families, parents usually direct their children toward law or medicine, as these are popular professions in North America.
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