Director in Hollywood

The next day, fresh reports about the Golden Globe Awards were published.

Gilbert won his first Golden Globe for Best Director, Tom Cruise received Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy, and The English Patient won Best Drama.

However, following these headlines came the news of Madonna publicly expressing her love for Gilbert.

For those who didn't watch the Golden Globes and were unaware, they were shocked. "Wow, such a bold move? So Madonna also likes our Director Gilbert?"

It's not surprising, though. Director Gilbert is talented, capable, and not bad-looking. Plenty of women admire him.

But Madonna and Gilbert? That pairing doesn't look harmonious at all.

Especially Gilbert's female fans, who were particularly vocal in their opposition. "Our Gilbert is still young. Madonna, you're pushing forty, your personal life is messy, and you even got involved with Rodman. You're totally unworthy!"

Of course, there were also fans who thought, "If it's just for fun, it's fine. After all, she's a diva. Gilbert can always brag later about having been with a diva."

Despite the overall conservative social climate in North America, it was still far more open than the Chinese entertainment industry.

With Madonna's unapologetic lifestyle, if she were in the Chinese entertainment world, she would've been ostracized long ago.

Yet here, even when the media reported on her hosting wild parties, complete with photographic evidence, she remained untouched and continued being a superstar.

As for what happened during the Golden Globes afterparty, the media didn't report on it, and it remained an inside joke within Hollywood circles.

Such matters were merely gossip among industry insiders, and no one had any intention of leaking them to the public.

The parties involved stayed silent, and unrelated individuals refrained from discussing it with the media to avoid bad luck.

Perhaps it was Gilbert and Naomi Watts' joint efforts during the afterparty that made Madonna regain her senses. The next day, in a media interview, she strongly denied any romantic intentions.

"How could that be? I was just too excited at the time. You know, I tend to speak without thinking. Gilbert is an excellent director—women love him—but I'm with Rodman now. I can't cheat."

Clearly, this was Madonna saving face because she couldn't win Gilbert over. When had she ever been so demure? She was still her carefree self, doing as she pleased.

The media also approached Gilbert for comments. He skillfully deflected, saying, "I've seen Ms. Ciccone's movies and listened to her songs. They're great."

With both parties refusing to cooperate, the gossip faded after the media exhausted their efforts.

What remained unknown was the significant grudge Naomi Watts and Madonna held against each other, with Nicole Kidman adding fuel to the fire.

"Leave it to me, Gilbert," Naomi Watts assured him.

Gilbert hesitated. "She's a pop icon. Clashing with her might not be wise."

Naomi insisted, "The problem is, everyone knows we've had a conflict. If I back down now, people will think I'm weak and easy to bully.

"So, let's show them that the Australian group isn't to be trifled with. Nicole's in on this too."

"Alright. Just let me know if you need me," Gilbert nodded.

"Don't worry, I'll tell you," Naomi replied, looking thrilled, as though she had found a fun new game.

Though Naomi Watts was British, she had spent much of her career in Australia. She lacked connections in British theater and cinema but had close ties within the Australian circle.

Now that Mel Gibson was out of the picture, Naomi Watts and Nicole Kidman had naturally become the leaders of the Australian group.

Returning to the British group wasn't an option for Naomi. In Britain, she'd only be a subordinate, but in the Australian circle, she could be a leader.

Better to be a big fish in a small pond.

Though she didn't understand Chinese idioms, the sentiment was the same.

With the Golden Globe buzz fading, work on The Sixth Sense progressed smoothly. By early February, Gilbert completed the first cut of the film.

Though the movie involved ghosts, it wasn't overly scary and ultimately received a PG-13 rating in North America, which was excellent news.

As Super Bowl season arrived, fans noticed something unusual—Gilbert's movie trailer, a Super Bowl staple, was absent this year.

Fans were puzzled. "What's Gilbert up to? No trailer this time?"

It wasn't that Gilbert didn't want to release a trailer; it was just difficult to craft a compelling 30-second preview for a story-driven movie like The Sixth Sense.

This wasn't a movie with explosions or intense action scenes.

However, loyal fans remained optimistic. "Gilbert and Bruce Willis? That's got to mean another action-packed blockbuster!"

The title The Sixth Sense sounded mysterious, possibly hinting at a sci-fi element.

Meanwhile, dedicated fans scrutinized stills posted on Gilbert's Facebook, analyzing them for clues.

Soon, the movie's IMDb page listed it as a suspense/drama, confirming the fans' speculation.

As more details emerged, the first 90-second trailer was finally released.

Instead of using heartwarming scenes, Gilbert included suspenseful elements to pique viewers' curiosity.

Zoe and Doug, who had been a young couple watching Gilbert's movies years ago, were now married with twin children.

After a long day, the family sat together on the couch watching TV.

The twins crawled around, and Zoe scooped them back up, asking Doug, "How was work today?"

Doug sighed, "Not bad. My boss is demanding. I'll probably need to work weekends for a while."

Life as adults came with its own struggles.

Zoe, who ran a flower shop, shared her challenges as well.

The couple had their share of difficulties but supported and understood each other, keeping their relationship strong.

As they vented about work, a movie trailer suddenly appeared on TV. It was Gilbert's new film.

Having missed the Super Bowl trailer, they were surprised and delighted to see it here.

"This trailer's... confusing," Zoe said, scratching her head.

Doug replied, "It's a suspense story. There are ghosts in it, so it's probably a suspenseful horror movie."

"Really?" Zoe glanced at the kids. "Then it's not suitable for them."

Doug smiled, "When it's released, let their grandmother babysit. We'll go watch it together."

"Great," Zoe agreed instantly. "It's been ages since we had a date night. I know a good Italian restaurant nearby."

And just like that, their date was set. The innocent twins blinked, unaware of what was happening.

Since Gilbert had started speaking Chinese, Xiaoyi Ye had become a loyal fan of Hollywood movies, watching all his films in theaters.

After graduation, Xiaoyi didn't return to China. Instead, she stayed and found a good job, earning dollars and aiming for a green card.

This time, her university friend Megan visited from London, and they watched the trailer together.

"Looks great!" Xiaoyi said.

Megan, however, seemed slightly disappointed. "It's not an action movie, but skipping a Gilbert film feels wrong. Let's go watch it this year too!"

"Sure!" The two friends made their plans.

In San Francisco's Chinatown, Jack Zhao's mother called out, "Son, Erin's here to see you."

"Tell her I'm not home."

"She already saw you. Stop hiding and invite her in for tea," his mother said, pushing Jack out the door.

Jack awkwardly scratched his head, feeling a bit embarrassed.

Seeing his expression, Erin laughed and teased, "Why have you been avoiding me lately?"

Jack hesitated before replying, "Erin, you shouldn't have come here."

"Why not?" Erin asked. "I came to see my boyfriend. What's wrong with that?"

"Erin," Jack glanced around to ensure no one was watching. "We're not meant to be."

"Why not?" Erin's eyes widened. "Don't be ridiculous. Do you know how many boys like me? I've been chasing after you, and you don't appreciate it."

Jack sighed. Erin was beautiful, lively, and kind.

She wasn't like the typical white girl who looked down on Chinese people. She treated his mother and younger brother with respect.

She was a dream come true.

But Erin came from a middle-class white family, while Jack was just a struggling Chinese boy in Chinatown. The gap was too wide.

Jack Zhao knew it was impossible between them, which is why he kept refusing her.

After yet another frustrating conversation, Erin seemed a little disheartened.

Before leaving, she said to Jack, "This summer, let's go watch a Gilbert movie one last time, okay?"

The two had met because of Gilbert's films, so it seemed fitting to end things with one as well.

Jack thought for a moment. He didn't refuse this time and nodded in agreement.

After Erin left, Jack returned to his room in silence, ignoring his mother's calls to come and eat.

His younger brother brought in a plate of food, only to find Jack lying on the bed, staring blankly, as if his soul had left his body.

His brother sighed and said, "Brother, no matter what you decide, Mom and I will support you.

"Even though you don't want to hear it, I still need to say it—Erin is really great. If you let her go, you'll regret it."

It wasn't clear whether Jack heard him or not. His brother set the food on the bedside table and quietly left, closing the door behind him.

Every time Erin came looking for Jack, he ended up like this—locking himself in his room and saying nothing for hours.

After his brother left, Jack finally regained a little composure.

He quietly ate the food, all the while thinking to himself: This summer, one last time. One last Gilbert movie together.

.....

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