A celebration party for The Shallows was being held at an estate in Santa Monica.
The attendees were mostly influential figures from Hollywood, important people whom Gilbert used to have to flatter. Today, they were surprisingly willing to show up for the celebration.
Of course, they were just showing face. Gilbert only had one successful film under his belt, and who knew if it was just a flash in the pan?
So, having a connection was enough. In the future, once Gilbert proved his capabilities again, there would be plenty of opportunities for collaboration.
Gilbert held his glass, his face stiff from smiling, but he had to keep his spirits up and continue to socialize.
"If you're feeling unwell, you can always go to the restroom and throw up for a bit. You'll feel much better," Sheena Boone appeared beside Gilbert at some point.
"Hey, Ms. Boone, it's you! Long time no see." Gilbert patted his chest, feeling a bit uncomfortable.
"Go throw up for a bit," Sheena Boone advised.
Gilbert readily complied, went to the restroom to vomit, then washed his face, feeling much better.
As he was leaving the restroom, he accidentally bumped into a girl.
"Excuse me..." Gilbert apologized.
"No, I'm sorry, I didn't see you. Are you okay?" The girl looked up, gazing at Gilbert with concern.
"Uh, I'm fine..." Gilbert froze when he saw the girl's face.
"I'm truly sorry, I really am. How about you give me your contact information, and I'll treat you to a meal another day to apologize," the girl said sincerely.
Coupled with her sparkling, luminous eyes, she was simply irresistible.
"Sure..." Gilbert agreed, and they exchanged contact information.
Gilbert saw the girl's name: Cameron Diaz.
After the girl left, Sheena Boone approached Gilbert again and whispered, "Quite a naive trick, wouldn't you say?"
"But also very effective. At least when you see her face, no one would want to refuse her," Gilbert commented.
"Aren't you afraid Gwyneth Paltrow will get jealous? Your rumors are still being hyped up outside," Sheena Boone asked.
"Not at all," Gilbert glanced at Gwyneth Paltrow, who was talking to a handsome white man, and said indifferently, "Our relationship was always fake; we were just satisfying each other."
Just then, another person walked over: "Congratulations, Gilbert. Wishing your film continued success."
Sheena Boone whispered, "This is Robert Iger, who is in charge of Touchstone Pictures. He likes to be called Bob."
Heeding Sheena Boone's reminder, Gilbert put on an enthusiastic smile and shook hands with Robert Iger: "Hi, Bob, thanks for the congratulations."
Robert Iger's smile was warm and inviting: "Gilbert, are you interested in working with Touchstone Pictures? I've just taken over Touchstone Pictures, and I urgently need talented directors like you."
Touchstone Pictures was a production company under Walt Disney. Compared to Disney's strength in animation, its live-action film business lagged far behind other Hollywood giants.
Because of this, Disney chairman Michael Eisner specifically transferred his right-hand man, Robert Iger, to Touchstone Pictures, a Walt Disney subsidiary, to oversee its live-action film operations.
Every beginning is hard. Universal had Spielberg, 20th Century Fox had George Lucas and James Cameron, and Paramount and Warner Bros. had close collaborations with many A-list Hollywood directors.
MGM had the James Bond series and the rights to many classic films. Sony Columbia Pictures... they had money.
Only Walt Disney was essentially useless in the live-action film business, even falling short of some second-tier production companies.
It was at this time that Robert Iger noticed Gilbert, sensing that Gilbert was about to take off.
So, unlike others who just wanted to meet Gilbert, he genuinely wanted to work with him.
This was Universal Pictures' celebration, so it wasn't the right time to discuss collaborations.
So Gilbert politely declined, "I'm sorry, Bob, my collaboration with Universal Pictures hasn't ended yet. If there's a next project, I will definitely consider Touchstone Pictures."
"No problem," Robert Iger left his contact information. "If you have any ideas, feel free to contact me anytime. Touchstone Pictures' doors are always open for you."
After Robert Iger left, Gilbert turned to Sheena Boone and asked, "Ms. Boone, are you interested in representing me as my agent?"
Sheena Boone, who had already built a good relationship with Gilbert, had been waiting for this opportunity: "Absolutely. Let's find a time to discuss it in detail."
"Sounds good," Gilbert agreed, and at the same time, asked curiously, "Did you sign Matt Damon, whom I introduced to you last time?"
"Yes, he's signed. I got him a few opportunities to play supporting roles, and his development is quite good," Sheena Boone said, pulling out her business card and handing it to Gilbert.
"Super Artist Management Company. That's a pretty grand name for your company. How many people are in the company right now?" Gilbert took the business card and asked curiously.
"The company is in Burbank, not far from downtown Los Angeles. Currently, it's just one person answering calls and cleaning, and an assistant," Sheena Boone was quite honest.
Although Super Artist Management Company had just been established and couldn't compare to major agencies like CAA or ICM, Gilbert particularly admired Sheena Boone herself.
Going to a big company would come with many conditions, and Gilbert didn't like being controlled, so signing with Sheena Boone was an excellent choice.
After the celebration party, Gwyneth Paltrow found Gilbert: "Gilbert, I've fallen in love with someone else."
"Wow, do you have to be so direct?" Gilbert seemed a bit surprised.
"That's just how direct I am. Thank you for the happiness you brought me during this time. I think I've found my true love, and it's time for us to part ways." Gwyneth Paltrow always spoke her mind and never beat around the bush.
"Alright," Gilbert had anticipated this moment. "Congratulations, Gwen. We should probably have one more hug."
"This, I can do..." Gwyneth Paltrow embraced Gilbert and whispered, "I'll always remember you."
"You should just forget about me. If your true love knows you're still thinking about me, he'll get jealous."
"Hehe, don't worry, I won't tell him." Gwyneth Paltrow pulled away from Gilbert's embrace, gave him a deep look, and said, "Well, goodbye, Gilbert."
With that, she walked away decisively, without looking back.
Watching Gwyneth Paltrow leave, Gilbert felt a sense of loss. To be honest, his time with this girl had been quite pleasant.
But they were always just temporary partners; their romance was merely a publicity stunt for Universal Pictures.
Even lovers break up, let alone temporary partners.
A few days after the celebration party, Gilbert went to Sheena Boone's office in Burbank. After his lawyer reviewed the contract, he readily signed his name on the agency agreement.
Sheena Boone officially became Gilbert's full-time agent, responsible for pitching his film projects to movie studios and negotiating his compensation.