Echoes of Hollywood

In Hollywood, it's not very common for stars who don't see eye to eye to openly criticize each other in front of the media. However, it's not unheard of, but if the words can't withstand scrutiny, the one who becomes a laughingstock will be themselves.

Robert Downey Jr. usually has a lot of offbeat remarks, but this time, he didn't speak impulsively.

"In the 90s, I worked with Natasha Gregson Wagner, Natalie Wood's daughter, on a movie called 'Two Girls and a Guy.' I learned some things about how Kirk Douglas treated Natalie Wood."

Now, Robert Downey Jr. was completely in the tone of an accuser, "Natalie Wood was raped and crazily abused by Kirk Douglas..."

Jonah Hill, standing on the outskirts of the reporter circle, shrugged helplessly at Murphy. Murphy lightly shook his head; Robert Downey Jr. had been holding this in for too long, how could they not let him vent?

Although neither he nor Jonah Hill, James Franco, or Seth Rogen approved of Robert Downey Jr. revealing this old story to the media, because it wouldn't have much of an actual impact on Kirk Douglas, they didn't stop him either because Robert Downey Jr. needed an outlet for his anger.

Then, Robert Downey Jr. briefly mentioned an unsavory episode between Kirk Douglas and Natalie Wood, which Murphy had heard in detail from him before.

In the 1950s, there was a rumor in Hollywood, "Natalie Wood would do anything to get a movie role." Natalie Wood, a child star who had appeared in "Miracle on 34th Street" and "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir" by the age of 9, wanted a rebellious teenage role in a certain film. Eventually, she had some dealings with the married director of the film, which was the legendary movie "Rebel Without a Cause."

Of course, this was a rumor, and its truth was unknown, but it wasn't so simple in Kirk Douglas's eyes at the time.

One day, Kirk Douglas invited Natalie Wood to a hotel to discuss a film audition. Natalie Wood, who was then in the prime of her career, accepted the invitation.

When she arrived in the room, the already drunk Kirk Douglas did not discuss anything related to the film but immediately started tearing off Natalie Wood's clothes. Natalie Wood declined and said she had to leave, but Kirk Douglas forcibly stopped her, started pushing and insulting her, eventually escalating to a violent beating. During the beating, he forcibly stripped Natalie Wood's clothes, in a frenzy of violence and lust...

Well, as Robert Downey Jr. put it, the listeners could use their imagination.

In addition, Kirk Douglas forced Natalie Wood to drink his saliva, among other S&M behaviors, and threatened her not to speak of what happened. This ordeal repeated itself multiple times over the next month, leaving a permanent scar on Natalie Wood's heart.

Even more shockingly, when Natalie Wood returned home, her mother was not angry but blamed her for making Kirk Douglas unhappy, which could ruin her career. In those days, Kirk Douglas had such a prominent position in Hollywood that he could have Anthony Mann fired and replaced by Stanley Kubrick with just one word, and Kubrick dared not refuse.

The so-called golden age of Hollywood, nostalgically remembered by the Academy elders, was a hundred times more chaotic than it is now. Such incidents as Kirk Douglas's were not uncommon, but when placed on an actor of such revered public image, it surely caused a lot of negative impact.

However, hoping that such an old story would have a huge impact on Kirk Douglas was impossible.

Just as Murphy and Jonah Hill thought, this was purely an act of Robert Downey Jr. venting his anger.

Throughout the day, a series of events unfolded, and Robert Downey Jr.'s words needed time for the reporters to sort out and report. Cameron Douglas's side hadn't yet widely disseminated the news.

For instance, the seemingly aged Kirk Douglas, who considered himself still as vigorous as ever, hadn't yet received the news about his beloved grandson's mishap.

He had arranged for an afternoon tea at home with Sid Ganis, whom he had once mentored.

"It's been just a year..."

In the garden of the mansion, Kirk Douglas personally poured a cup of tea for an elderly man with white hair sitting beside him. "I didn't expect you to turn completely white-haired and old."

Sid Ganis took a sip of the tea. "I'm almost seventy years old."

Kirk Douglas laughed heartily and started reminiscing with Sid Ganis. The atmosphere in the garden was very pleasant, like two old friends catching up after a long time.

Compared to the almost fully retired Kirk Douglas, Sid Ganis held an extraordinary position in Hollywood. He was the current president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Sid Ganis's true profession in Hollywood was that of a producer. He had served as the president of both Paramount Pictures and Columbia Pictures, and he also held positions in the Academy, overseeing public relations and marketing, and was on the board of Marvel Comics and DC Comics. Within the Academy, besides being the chairman of the executive committee, he was also the head of the Academy's Visual Effects Branch.

It was no exaggeration to say that he was a super big shot at the core of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

"We're all getting old!" Kirk Douglas had some ideas that he couldn't achieve on his own and had to rely on the connections he had made over the years. "We can't deny it, it's now a young people's world."

Although both were Jewish, Sid Ganis knew exactly what kind of person Kirk Douglas was. If he came to him, it definitely wasn't just for tea and reminiscing.

He smiled and agreed, "Yes, the young people today are all amazing."

"Yes, indeed." Kirk Douglas gradually steered the conversation toward what he wanted. "Last year, a young director in his twenties achieved the third highest global box office gross. That was unimaginable in our time."

"Are you talking about Murphy Stanton?" Sid Ganis naturally guessed who Kirk Douglas was referring to. In Hollywood and even the global film circle, there was only one young director as outstanding as Murphy Stanton. "He indeed did very well."

Talking about Murphy Stanton, Sid Ganis commented a few words. "It's very rare for someone to create such depth and richness from an ordinary commercial and comic adaptation film."

In today's increasingly homogenized commercial films, Hollywood needed directors like Murphy Stanton who had a unique style and could produce widely disseminated works.

Within the Academy, the admiration for him was not less than that for Quentin Tarantino, and possibly even more.

In today's Hollywood, even films contending for the Oscars were becoming increasingly formulaic. As the chairman of the executive committee of the Academy, Sid Ganis knew that this trend would inevitably weaken Hollywood's influence.

Overly commercial films that focused on visual effects lacked substance and were just a bunch of pretty digital codes. Conversely, films that focused on substance and art could only spread within a small range and didn't align with Hollywood's global influence, making them almost impossible to disseminate widely.

Murphy Stanton, with his past few films, had fully proven that he could perfectly combine both elements, creating a unique and deeply memorable type of mass entertainment film.

Such films might not be the Academy's choice for Oscars, but they were exactly what Hollywood urgently needed.

Like other Academy members who supported Murphy Stanton, Sid Ganis, due to his position, also greatly appreciated the young director.

"Murphy Stanton has a unique style, and I also like his films very much." Kirk Douglas took a sip of tea, put down the cup, and slowly said, "But he's not one of us."

Sid Ganis turned his head to look at him, seemingly not understanding the meaning behind Kirk Douglas's words.

Kirk Douglas didn't even lift his eyelids and said, "As far as I know, he's a racist who discriminates against us Jews!"

In the era when he dominated Hollywood, if he said someone was anti-Semitic, then that person definitely was anti-Semitic, and their development in Hollywood would be greatly restricted, especially at the Oscars...

Although times had changed, Kirk Douglas believed his words still carried weight.

Whether Murphy Stanton was a racist, Sid Ganis didn't care at all. Who cared about those black folks' fates anyway? If it weren't for the sake of fairness and drawing them in, would black people win awards in a jury with over ninety percent white members?

As for Murphy Stanton being anti-Semitic, that was the funniest joke he had ever heard.

"Kirk, do you know Murphy Stanton?" Sid Ganis, hiding his disdain, calmly asked, "Are you kidding with what you just said?"

Kirk Douglas tightened his old face. "Do you think I would joke about something like this?"

Hearing this questioning tone, Sid Ganis frowned slightly. After all these years, was Kirk Douglas still trying to boss him around?

Being in different positions naturally led to different mindsets. Sid Ganis was no longer the little guy who needed mentorship; he was now the president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences!

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