"Hello, Miss Sophie Marceau, I'm Sheena Boone, CEO of Superstar Artist Management."
"Hello, Miss Boone, I'm Sophie Marceau..."
Sheena Boone and Sophie Marceau met at a coffee shop. Sophie Marceau shook hands with Sheena Boone, and they both sat down. After the server brought their coffees, their conversation officially began.
Sheena Boone didn't beat around the bush; she got straight to the point: "Let me be frank, my boss really dislikes Mel Gibson. You starred in a film he directed, and your relationship is quite good, which is why I've come to you. We'd like you to provide us with some intel."
"Your boss is...?" Sophie Marceau asked, puzzled.
"You don't need to know who my boss is. You just need to know that he's a powerful figure in Hollywood. He can give you a hand, so you don't drown when Mel Gibson's ship sinks."
As soon as Sheena Boone said that, Sophie Marceau instantly knew who her boss was: the famous American genius director, Gilbert Landrini.
But...
"I'm the female lead in this film. Mel promised to help me contend for an Oscar for Best Actress. Why would I follow your orders?"
That was a valid point. Sophie Marceau was, after all, the lead in Braveheart and essentially on Mel Gibson's side. There was no logical reason for her to help outsiders target her own.
Sheena Boone smiled faintly: "Do you truly believe Mel Gibson can achieve anything at the Oscars? Don't be foolish; he won't get it. He's offended the Jewish power brokers in Hollywood. Do you really think he still has a chance at success?"
Sophie Marceau's eyes flickered. During the filming, Mel Gibson often drank heavily. When he was drunk, he'd even force her into bed. Because of this, she had to be Mel Gibson's temporary bedmate during the shoot, enduring his rough treatment. He even took photos of her. This was one of Mel Gibson's hobbies; he photographed every woman he'd been with as a "souvenir."
Sophie Marceau preferred gentle caresses and craved romance, which was typical of the French. But Mel Gibson couldn't provide any of that. He was a rude, disrespectful, and disgusting man. However, to ensure her path in Hollywood was smooth, Sophie Marceau felt forced to accept Mel Gibson's demands. If she didn't comply, he'd threaten her with those photos.
Moreover, she had indeed heard Mel Gibson, when drunk, curse Gilbert as a "bastard," a "Jewish pig" who should be "burned in a concentration camp." Thankfully, those words hadn't gotten out, or Mel Gibson would have been out of Hollywood immediately. Regardless of what one thought of the "Jewish people," you really couldn't afford to offend them if you wanted to make it in Hollywood.
With that thought, Sophie Marceau looked at Sheena Boone: "Can he make me any promises?"
"Promises?" Sheena Boone chuckled. "Don't be naive. A big shot like him won't make promises easily. However, my promise is just as valid: if you help us with this, you can leave CAA and come to my agency. I guarantee my agency is far better than CAA."
Sophie Marceau weighed her options, struggling to make a decision. Sheena Boone, however, ended the conversation. She handed Sophie Marceau a contact number.
"When you've made up your mind, call this number. Someone will tell you what to do."
Sophie Marceau put away the contact info and returned to her Los Angeles residence with a heavy heart, where, sure enough, Mel Gibson was already waiting for her.
"Where have you been?" Mel Gibson asked.
"It's my first time in Los Angeles; I went sightseeing," Sophie Marceau replied.
Mel Gibson didn't seem suspicious. Braveheart had been filmed in Ireland, so Sophie Marceau really hadn't been to Los Angeles before. He patted the sofa next to him. Sophie Marceau was very reluctant, even more so after today. But she was powerless to resist and timidly sat beside Mel Gibson.
Looking at Sophie Marceau's exquisite face and tall figure, Mel Gibson couldn't hold back anymore. His hairy mouth moved to kiss Sophie Marceau's neck. Sophie Marceau recoiled, and Mel Gibson grew displeased.
Sophie Marceau quickly said, "Let's shower first, then..."
Mel Gibson finally smiled. "No problem, wait for me, good girl." With that, he forcefully slapped Sophie Marceau's backside twice. Only after Sophie Marceau winced in pain was he satisfied enough to enter the bathroom to shower.
Listening to the perverse man showering in the bathroom, Sophie Marceau's legs trembled. Soon, she would have to endure that unbearable situation again. Mel Gibson's "performance" in that regard wasn't great; perhaps that's why he became so twisted and heavy-handed in bed. Before, she had no choice, but now that she did, Sophie Marceau's resolve began to waver.
When Mel Gibson emerged from the bathroom and beckoned to her, Sophie Marceau mustered her courage and walked over. Soon, Sophie Marceau's screams and Mel Gibson's twisted laughter echoed from the bedroom. It seemed the screams only excited him more.
"Just a little longer, it'll be over soon," Sophie Marceau thought, enduring the impact of his slaps.
---
Meanwhile, after meeting Sophie Marceau, Sheena Boone returned to report to Gilbert.
"I met Sophie Marceau; her eyes showed hesitation," Sheena Boone said.
Gilbert wasn't surprised. "It seems life with Mel Gibson isn't easy, huh? Hesitation is good; it means there's room to win her over."
"What if Mel Gibson doesn't take the bait?" Sheena Boone asked.
"He definitely will. He's an aggressive person, just like me," Gilbert said confidently. "He doesn't want anything to be out of his control, including women."
Honestly, if Mel Gibson hadn't been eyeing Naomi Watts, there wouldn't have been so much trouble, and Gilbert wouldn't have gone after him. But as Gilbert said, he and Mel Gibson were quite similar. A strong-willed person like him certainly wouldn't want anyone trying to hook up with his women. Even though it didn't succeed, if he didn't teach Mel Gibson a lesson, every punk would start eyeing his women in the future, and that just wouldn't do.
Some might say starting a war with a superstar for a woman isn't a wise choice, but Gilbert didn't agree. He was just that kind of petty person. As a normal man, Gilbert definitely didn't want to wake up one day with "green" on his head. While Hollywood was notoriously open about "green hats" and even swapping partners for parties, Gilbert was not one of those people.
For this, Gilbert had prepared two plans: Plan A and Plan B.
Plan A involved Sophie Marceau. She would provide information to take down Mel Gibson before the Oscars.
Plan B: If Sophie Marceau refused, it wouldn't matter. If Mel Gibson succeeded at the Oscars, Gilbert would provoke him, making the arrogant Mel Gibson utter something that would bring about his downfall.
Now, it was just a matter of waiting for Sophie Marceau to understand and jump ship in time.
---
Back to Sophie Marceau. After he was done, Mel Gibson lit a post-coital cigarette, seeing Sophie Marceau secretly shedding tears. He felt a profound sense of accomplishment. This French actress, adored by millions, was privately under his thumb, played with at his whim. Mel Gibson wasn't afraid of Sophie Marceau betraying him; with those photos in hand, as long as Sophie Marceau cared about her reputation, she wouldn't dare to.
After finishing his cigarette, Mel Gibson patted Sophie Marceau's shoulder. "Sophie, there's something I need you to do."
"What?" Sophie Marceau flinched, thinking Mel Gibson was getting frisky again.
But Mel Gibson wasn't suddenly in the mood. He asked, "Do you know Naomi Watts?"
"Director Gilbert's girlfriend?" Sophie Marceau was uncertain.
"Girlfriend? Please," Mel Gibson scoffed. "She's just a woman who exists because of Gilbert; without him, she's nothing. But that's not the point. I need you to use Naomi Watts' connection to get into Gilbert's bed."
Sophie Marceau gasped, thinking Mel Gibson had found out about Sheena Boone approaching her. But Mel Gibson clearly hadn't noticed. He continued, "According to the plan, you'll seduce Gilbert into bed. I'll tell you the details later."
"You want to go after Gilbert?" Sophie Marceau was even more astonished. "He's backed by Disney, Warner, and 20th Century Fox! He's America's most famous genius director, and he's Jewish! That's impossible, isn't it?"
"Hmph," Mel Gibson sneered. "Just a lucky young man. Once his halo fades, Hollywood will see his true colors. Anyway, just follow my plan. First, connect with Naomi Watts. I'll arrange the rest..."
Sophie Marceau looked at Mel Gibson, who was puffing smoke, and then recalled that Sheena Boone had also approached her earlier. She couldn't help but shiver. Was Hollywood's glamorous exterior truly filled with schemes and dirt underneath? Had she made a mistake coming to Hollywood?
It had to be said, today's two events taught Sophie Marceau a harsh lesson. Although she wasn't a naive young girl fresh out of the woods, the more intense competition in Hollywood still opened her eyes. As for Mel Gibson and Gilbert scheming against each other, Sophie Marceau actually found it normal. Mel Gibson had always eyed Naomi Watts, and Gilbert surely knew. A man wouldn't tolerate someone eyeing his woman.
And for Mel Gibson, ever since he became an A-list Hollywood star, there was nothing he couldn't get. Women, money, he had whatever he wanted. But precisely those few things always remained out of his reach. For Nicole Kidman, Mel Gibson could beat up Tom Cruise, who was all show. But for Naomi Watts, Mel Gibson couldn't afford to be impulsive. Gilbert was different from Tom Cruise; he'd made a name for himself at a young age, and even with some luck involved, Gilbert's capabilities and cunning were not to be underestimated.
So, Mel Gibson thought about Michael Jackson's experiences from last year to this year and had a sudden idea: he would create some scandalous news for Gilbert. Of course, if it was just a one-night stand, Gilbert sleeping with the French beauty Sophie Marceau wouldn't be surprising. American citizens might even give Gilbert a thumbs-up, saying he brought honor to the country. But if it was recorded on video, and Gilbert was accused of lewd acts or sexual assault, the nature of it would change completely. Even if there wasn't a lawsuit, Mel Gibson could hold Gilbert's leverage and order him around from then on. In the future, Gilbert's films would be his films, Gilbert's women would be his women, and Gilbert's wealth would be his wealth.
Just thinking about that scene felt so good.