In Konoha, even the greatest shinobi need a good plan, and it looks like some aspiring talent is trying to get a head start. Gilbert, about to return to North America for some business with Robert Iger, found himself caught up in a different kind of plan.
He had given his card to Catherine Zeta-Jones after seeing her perform in a musical, but he had forgotten about it completely. In his new status, he was used to working with big stars and no longer had that star-struck feeling. But he didn't expect the one who would show up to be a different beautiful woman.
Rachel Weisz, who also wanted to make it in Hollywood, had secretly taken Gilbert's card and never told Catherine Zeta-Jones that a Hollywood director had come looking for her. It's a common move, a bit like a genin trying to get a master's attention.
One morning, while enjoying his coffee and reading the newspaper, Gilbert received a call from the front desk. "Sir, a Ms. Catherine Zeta-Jones would like to visit you. She's waiting at the front desk."
He was a little surprised that she had tracked him down so fast, and he told the front desk to let her come up.
But the "Ms. Jones" on the other end of the phone was actually Rachel Weisz, who was using her "good friend's" name to get a meeting with Gilbert. She knew he might not see her if she used her own name, and she couldn't risk him not seeing her.
After a deep breath, Rachel Weisz rang the doorbell. When the door opened, she saw a handsome man with a lean, strong face that looked like it was carved from a stone—a kind of look you'd see on a Northern Italian. "Hello, Director Landrini," she said, bowing.
Gilbert was surprised to see that it wasn't Catherine Zeta-Jones, but Rachel Weisz quickly introduced herself. "I'm Rachel Weisz, a musical actress."
He instantly recognized her. "You're the leading actress from The Mummy!" He smiled and invited her in, not even bothering to ask why she had used someone else's name.
Rachel was nervous. "I've always loved your movies, especially The Rock. I've seen it several times."
Gilbert laughed. "It's rare for a girl to like my films. The media often says they're too 'macho' and that there aren't enough well-written female characters."
Rachel saw her chance and agreed with him. "They don't understand movies at all. They're just jealous of your success."
After they settled in, Gilbert offered her some advice. "You have a unique kind of beauty that's more memorable than all those stereotypical blonde beauties. But you're too thin. You should gain a little weight, especially on your face. A hollow face isn't a good look."
"Every actor wants to make it in Hollywood," he continued. "If you want to make a name for yourself, you have to stand out and highlight your strengths."
"What kind of strengths?" she asked.
Gilbert then asked her about her background, and Rachel told him she was a graduate of Cambridge University, where she studied English literature and even won an award for a play she wrote.
"See?" he said. "That's your advantage. You should build a strong image as an intellectual. Most Hollywood stars never even went to college. You're different. Your high education, along with your looks and style, will become your brand and will help you stand out."
Rachel Weisz was deeply moved. She had come here hoping to get a role, even if it meant sleeping with him, but instead, she received a strategic plan for her career. If she knew about the "Three Kingdoms" story, she would have compared this moment to Zhuge Liang's plan for Liu Bei. She felt like Liu Bei, and Gilbert was her Zhuge Liang.
To thank him, she offered to treat him to dinner and invited him to a rehearsal for her stage play that afternoon. Gilbert, who had nothing better to do, agreed.
When he arrived at the theater, the rehearsal had already started. Gilbert was allowed in without any problems and found a seat in the empty theater. It was like he had the whole place to himself.
The actors on stage, including Rachel, were all practicing their lines and dances. They noticed him right away. When they took a break, one of them asked Rachel who he was. "He's a friend of mine from America," she said. "He's a director in Hollywood."
"A Hollywood director?" another actor said with a look of doubt. "He's so young! Are you sure you're not being scammed? Unless he's Gilbert Landrini, nobody becomes a director that young."
Because of the low light in the theater, they couldn't see his face clearly. Plus, back then, the media wasn't as widespread, so it was hard for them to recognize a director just by seeing his face.
Rachel just smiled and said, "Who says it isn't Gilbert?" She then called out to him, "Hey, Gilbert, you made it! How was the performance?"
"It was great, Rachel," he replied. "Your dancing is beautiful."
"Will you come up on stage?" she asked. "My friends all want to meet a big-time Hollywood director."
The moment Catherine Zeta-Jones, who had been talking with the director, heard the name "Gilbert Landrini," she looked up and saw the famous American director step onto the stage. She had tried to make it in Hollywood before and failed, so she knew what his name meant. He was a big-time Hollywood director, and if he took an interest in you, it could change your life.