476-480

Chapter 476: Luca’s Peak Looks Masterpiece

On June 9th, The Prestige premiered in North America, and Luca attended the premiere in New York.

"Luca, what have you been up to lately?"

At the premiere, Luca chatted with Director Nolan as they walked.

"Lima is pregnant, so I've been staying home as a househusband. I probably still smell like the kitchen."

"Haha, I’ve been through that. When Emma was pregnant with Flora, I’d work, come home, buy groceries, cook, and sometimes even do laundry. Looking back, it was actually a fun experience."

Director Nolan chuckled.

"Yeah, I’m walking the path you once did. I hope I’ll have a similarly interesting experience."

"You will. When your child is born, you’ll be excited—like a movie you’ve been preparing for finally being released. Of course, the feeling will be even more intense."

The two chatted as they walked into the screening hall.

Many stars were in attendance at the premiere today. Besides the cast, there were invited guests like Al Pacino, Kate Winslet and her husband, Robin Williams, and others.

"Luca, good afternoon!"

Inside the hall, Kate Winslet approached and greeted him, which surprised him a little since they hadn’t had much interaction in the industry before.

Next to Kate was her current husband, director Sam Mendes, who won the Best Director Oscar in 1999 for American Beauty.

"Mr. Mendes! Ms. Winslet!"

Luca shook hands with the two of them.

"Luca, just call me Kate. I share the same name as your sister, so doesn’t that feel familiar?"

"Yes, Kate!"

Luca smiled.

"Luca, do you have time? There’s something we’d like to discuss with you."

"Sure!"

Luca sat down, curious as to why Kate had approached him.

After a brief chat, his curiosity was satisfied.

Ms. Winslet was interested in a script.

She had come across a script called Revolutionary Road, which she thought was fantastic and wanted the rights to adapt it.

But someone had already secured the rights—none other than the famous Mr. Luca Kelly.

"Luca, did you acquire the script to produce it yourself?" Winslet asked.

"Yes, that’s the plan."

"Would you consider transferring the rights to me? I really love this script and am interested in playing the lead role. I’m willing to pay more."

Winslet inquired.

Luca shook his head slowly. "It’s not about money. I’m really passionate about this script. The story moved me, so I want to turn it into a film."

"Are you planning to star in it?" Winslet asked.

Luca thought for a moment, but still felt Kate and Leo were the best fit.

"Not necessarily."

Hearing this, Winslet breathed a sigh of relief.

If Luca insisted on playing the lead, it would have been difficult to continue the conversation, as she already had someone in mind for the male lead after reading the script.

"Luca, what do you think of me as the female lead?"

"I think it’s great. When I read the script, you came to mind for the role."

"Haha, that’s fantastic! I also think I’m well-suited for it. Perhaps we can work together."

"I’ll consider it. The movie’s about to start; we can talk more later."

"Sure!"

At 2:00 PM, the film began.

"Did you look closely?"

The film opened with the first scene in a forest clearing, scattered with dozens of black bowler hats.

The camera then shifted indoors, where the prop master, Carter, was demonstrating a birdcage magic trick to a little girl. He placed a small bird in a cage, covered it with a black cloth, and then smashed the cage with force.

Just when everyone thought the bird was dead, the magician revealed another live bird.

In reality, the first bird had indeed died, and the second was a substitute.

This trick was simple, but it was the most important one in the entire film.

Borden’s teleportation and his final escape from prison with a double, as well as Angier’s duplication magic, were, in essence, no different from the birdcage trick—they all involved sacrificing one to showcase the miracle of the other.

From the start, Director Nolan showed the audience hats, a water tank, the drowned "Angier," Borden in prison, and more.

The film itself was like a magic show, requiring the three steps of a magic trick: the pledge, the turn, and the prestige.

Director Nolan also employed these three principles to maintain the complex and conflicting relationship between the two main characters, Angier and Borden.

As the story unfolded, it gradually revealed the truth, culminating in the final step of the trick: "the prestige," or the moment of witnessing a miracle.

Luca sat quietly in his seat, watching the film.

This wasn’t the first time he had watched himself on screen, but this time felt particularly fresh.

On screen, Angier was handsome, elegant, and courteous, exuding a unique charm in every gesture, almost radiating charisma.

Although Luca played the role, he didn’t think he could do it better a second time.

His acting was roughly at a B level, but while playing Angier, it consistently hovered around B+, with the final scenes even reaching an A+.

This performance was probably his best.

"Luca, you did great!" Director Nolan smiled.

"It’s your directing. You made Angier look too handsome. This might just be my peak in terms of appearance."

"Peak looks?" Director Nolan laughed. "Why not your peak performance?"

"Of course not. My acting will only get better."

Luca replied.

"Here’s hoping you win an Oscar for Best Actor soon."

"Thank you, and I hope you win Best Director soon."

Luca smiled lightly, secretly feeling a bit sorry for Nolan.

Despite directing many acclaimed and successful films—The Dark Knight, Inception, Interstellar, Dunkirk—with billions in box office revenue, Nolan had only been nominated for Best Director at the Oscars once. In contrast, Li An had been much luckier.

Could he be as lucky as Li An?

"I’ve put in a lot of effort. Every night, I gather the courage to step into the machine, not knowing if I’ll disappear or if a miracle will happen."

"You don’t understand why we perform magic? The audience knows the truth—that reality is cruel and grim, with no miracles or magic. But if you can fool them, even for a second, and make them gasp in wonder, then you’ll witness something truly special. You really don’t know? It’s the expression on their faces."

On screen, Angier knelt on the ground, blood pouring from his abdomen. His face was pale, his forehead covered in sweat, each word spoken with great effort.

Watching this, Luca felt deeply moved. Last year, to nail this scene, he had worked from morning till night, exhausting himself to the point of being hospitalized. But in the end, it had been worth it.

This was one of the hardest scenes of his acting career.

Looking at it now, the effort paid off—the scene was stunning. He even heard someone behind him say, "That’s Oscar-worthy acting," "Luca’s performance is shocking," and someone else commented, "Luca’s finally becoming a serious actor."

Luca smirked. What’s up with that third comment? Wasn’t I a serious actor before?

Clap, clap, clap~

The movie ended, and the room was filled with enthusiastic applause that lasted for over thirty seconds. Based on the response, the film was a success.

"Director Nolan, this is a great film. Congratulations!"

Luca said.

"Haha, Luca, congratulations to you too!"

Director Nolan smiled as he walked to the front.

"Luca, congratulations! Your performance was wonderful!"

Ms. Winslet walked over, smiling.

"Thank you!"

Luca smiled back.

After the afternoon premiere, Luca, Winslet, and her husband went to a café to discuss their collaboration.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 477: Did You Really Cheat on Him?

The story of Revolutionary Road takes place in 1950s America. A middle-class couple, once deeply in love before marriage, finds themselves trapped in the seven-year itch post-marriage. They are unwilling to continue their mundane lives and jobs, yearning for a different way of living.

However, as their relationship falls into a vicious cycle of arguments, jealousy, and blame, their dreams of travel and self-fulfillment become threatened.

To sum up their mindset in one sentence: life is not just about mundane survival, but also about dreams and the distant Paris.

After entering the café with Winslet and Mendes, the three began to discuss the script, director, cast, and production details.

The script was undoubtedly good.

Director Sam Mendes was interested in directing the film, and it seemed like a perfect fit.

Mendes had previously directed American Beauty, which won him an Oscar for Best Director. His war film Jarhead from last year was also well-received, and the film had originally been his project to direct.

As for the casting, Winslet was clearly a perfect choice for the female lead. However, the male lead was a bit of a problem.

"Kate, this male lead has to match you perfectly, and finding the right person is not easy," Luca said, putting down his coffee cup.

"Luca, there's one candidate that I think you'll be very satisfied with," Winslet smiled.

"Who?" Luca asked, 'curiously.'

"Leonardo!"

Winslet smiled slightly, "Both Sam and I believe that Leo is the best choice. We see Revolutionary Road as a spiritual sequel to Titanic.

On the ship, Jack and Rose were madly in love. But back on land, living together, they must face the tests of reality, as dreams fade and age takes its toll. Ultimately, this leads to the outcome we see in Revolutionary Road.

If Leo and I play the leads again, it would create a clever intertextual connection. I believe this would benefit both the film’s reputation and its box office performance."

"Kate, you’ve made a great point. I agree with you," Luca said seriously.

"So, you think Leo is suitable?" Winslet asked with a smile.

"Yes, but there's one issue," Luca spread his hands. "You may have heard that Leo and I don’t exactly get along."

"Rumor has it that Leo blacklisted you. Is that true?" Winslet asked.

"It’s true. This year, I’ve been blacklisted across the board. I’ve had over twenty auditions, all of which fell through. I was almost driven out of Hollywood. You can see reports of this in the newspapers from January and February.

Because of the blacklist, I’ve only shot one film this year. After that, I had nothing to do but stay home, cook, clean, and be a househusband."

"Pfft~" Winslet couldn’t help but laugh.

"Kate, look at my hands. They still have scars from kitchen knives. Even though I’m wearing a suit and sprayed on cologne, I can’t hide the smell of the kitchen," Luca said as he took off his jacket.

"There really is a kitchen smell," Winslet and Mendes both laughed.

"That’s the situation. I have issues with Leo. While I don’t mind, he probably won’t be eager to work with me," Luca said.

Winslet frowned, "Can you tell me what caused the rift?"

"It was a small misunderstanding. Back in 2003, I met Gisele in Bordeaux, and the paparazzi snapped some photos, which led to rumors. It seems Leo was pretty upset about that," Luca said helplessly.

"That was three years ago! He’s still upset? Leo doesn’t seem like a petty person," Winslet thought for a moment, then looked at him with interest. "Could it be that you really cheated on Leo?"

"Of course not, it was just a misunderstanding!" Luca quickly said, believing that even if Winslet asked Leo, he wouldn’t reveal what had really happened during their conversation outside the Victoria’s Secret show.

As for how Leo might explain their fallout, Luca was curious.

"If it’s just a misunderstanding, everything can be cleared up. Leo isn’t a small-minded person."

"I’d love to work with Leo, as long as he’s willing," Luca said generously.

"I’ll take care of it. I’ll go talk to Leo," Winslet said decisively.

"Kate, I’ll be waiting for your good news."

After sitting for a while longer, Luca left early. He had to go back and prepare a healthy meal for Lima and a fitness meal for Miranda—quite a pitiful man, really.

"Who would’ve thought that the infamous playboy in the industry is actually a devoted family man," Winslet said, looking at Luca’s departing figure through the café window with a smile.

Director Mendes shook his head. "Kate, the situation between Luca and Leo isn’t as simple as you think."

"I know. Leo has had plenty of rumors himself. If he’s still upset about this one, then it’s probably because the rumor is at least partially true. And when I brought up cheating just now, Luca seemed a bit nervous, huh~" Winslet said, with a gossipy look on her face.

"Are you still going to try and convince Leo?" Mendes asked.

"Of course. This project is great. It’s got a good script, a good director, and the best female lead. If Leo joins, the quality of the film will be elevated even further."

"You’re right. But too bad Luca got his hands on the script first. If he hadn’t intervened, everything would have gone smoothly with Leo on board," Mendes said.

Winslet smiled slightly, "I don’t see it that way. Everyone in the industry says Luca has a great eye for scripts, and all the ones he picks turn out to be good.

The fact that he found Revolutionary Road ahead of time shows he has good taste. This project is worth investing in, and working with a successful person should be a pleasant experience, right?"

Mendes nodded, "You’re right, dear!"

At that moment, Winslet’s phone rang. She looked at it and said, "Oh~ it’s Leo! I was just about to call him, and now he’s calling me first. Is this fate?"

"Hehe~" Mendes chuckled awkwardly.

"Hey Leo, you won’t believe this—I was just about to call you, and here you are calling me first. How amazing is that?" Winslet laughed.

"Haha, Kate, you were going to call me? What’s up?" Leonardo asked over the phone.

"Yes, I have something good to discuss with you, but since you called first, you go ahead."

"Alright. I’ve got good news. I’ve found a great script.

You know, I’ve been shooting on location for the past few months, and I just got back to LA. As soon as I returned, my agent handed me this script, saying it’s perfect for me and asked me to take a look.

I read through it, and it’s fantastic. The male lead is perfect for me, and the female lead—well, she’s absolutely perfect for you. As I was reading it, I immediately thought of you."

"Really? You thought of me as soon as you saw the female lead? Wow, that’s amazing. I found a great script too, and while I was reading it, I immediately thought of you. Isn’t that incredible?" Winslet laughed heartily.

"→﹏→" Mendes rubbed his chin.

"Haha~ That’s quite a coincidence, Kate. I’ll send you the script. Take a look, and we’ll talk after."

"Great! What’s the title of the script?"

"Revolutionary Road. It’s about a married couple—"

"Wait, hold on. Your script is called Revolutionary Road?"

Winslet’s eyes widened in surprise. Were they talking about the same script this whole time? That would be too much of a coincidence.

"Yeah, Kate. Is there a problem?"

"There’s a huge problem," Winslet laughed hysterically. "Leo, do you know the name of the script I was going to send you?"

"Uh~ don’t tell me—"

"Yep, it’s Revolutionary Road!"

Winslet burst into laughter.

"So, we both found the same script and thought of each other?" Leo laughed on the phone.

"That’s right, Leo. We’re in sync!"

Winslet said with a smile.

"╥﹏╥" Mendes lowered his head.

"Kate, since we both love this script, how about teaming up again?" Leo asked.

"Sure, I was going to invite you anyway. But there’s one issue—Luca, he—"

"Luca? What Luca?"

Leo asked curiously.

"Luca Kelly!"

"Him? What’s he got to do with this?"

Leo asked irritably.

"Luca holds the adaptation rights to Revolutionary Road. He bought the script last year and plans to make it into a movie. He’s not willing to give up the rights."

"Fuck! Why is that damned guy everywhere?!"

There was a moment of heavy breathing on the other end, followed by a series of curses.

"Leo, are you okay?" Winslet asked, concerned.

"I’m fine. I just bit into an apple and found a worm," Leo said, panting.

Winslet shook her head. It seemed like the conflict between them was serious.

"Leon, I talked to Luca, and he’s willing to cooperate with us. What do you think?"

"Even if he’s willing, I’m not!"

"Leon, don’t get angry. I don’t know what issues you have, but I hope you can put aside your differences and work together just this once. What do you think?"

Winslet urged.

"I... I need to think about it," Leonardo said.

"When do you have time for a face-to-face meeting?"

Winslet asked.

"I’m in Los Angeles filming a documentary. Come by anytime—I’ll be here."

Leonardo replied.

"Great, see you in L.A.!"

Winslet said.

"Sam, what’s wrong?"

After hanging up, Winslet suddenly noticed Sam’s face had darkened.

"I’m fine," Director Mendes said, stroking his beard. "Ahem, Kate, from what Leon said, it seems like he doesn’t want to work with Luca."

"It’s okay, I know Leon. He’s a professional actor. The subject matter of Revolutionary Road has real Oscar potential. I’m sure he won’t pass up such a great opportunity."

Winslet said confidently.

Director Mendes nodded. "What I mean is, if Leon refuses to cooperate, we could consider Luca."

"Luca?"

Winslet was surprised. "Do you think he and I would work well together?"

"You just saw The Prestige. He played a middle-aged man in that film and did an excellent job. Maybe he could take on the lead role."

Director Mendes suggested.

Winslet thought for a moment. "He was indeed outstanding as Angier, with the charm of a middle-aged man. But we’re planning to treat this film as a sequel to Titanic. If Leon joins, it’ll definitely make the movie shine. We should do everything we can to get him."

"Yes, Leon is definitely the first choice. If he’s willing to work with us, that would be ideal. But Luca could be a backup option."

"Alright, let’s hope we never need that backup."

(End of chapter)

Chapter 478: The Prenatal Concert

Ding ding dong~

"I think I might’ve had a bit too much to drink. Everyone looks a little blurry. Dancing till I’m dizzy, can’t find the booze or the men..."

In Apartment 43, Fanny sat on the table with her guitar, strumming and singing.

Lima sat across from her, sipping juice and smiling. Miranda was lounging on the couch, gently tapping to the beat. When Fanny reached the chorus, Miranda couldn't help but start moving along, dancing a little.

"Dance, dance, just dance

Let’s all dance together

Player, please shut up.

Why's your shirt not done right?

Don’t go overboard,

Roses have thorns that’ll fight back."

As Fanny got to this part, she jumped down from the table, singing and dancing along with Miranda in a goofy duet, shaking their hips and shoulders.

Lima watched and chuckled. Having these two around had certainly made the house more lively.

"Ah!"

Suddenly, Lima felt a kick from the baby inside her.

"What’s wrong? What’s wrong?"

Fanny and Miranda stopped immediately.

"It’s nothing, the little one just kicked again. You guys keep singing," Lima laughed.

"Fanny, maybe the baby thinks your song is too loud. Why not try something a little softer?" Miranda teased.

"Fine, fine," Fanny agreed. She sat back down with her guitar, strumming softly. "I wrote a new song recently called Beautiful, Dirty, Rich. Wanna hear?"

"Is it too loud?" Lima asked.

"Nope!" Fanny smiled and began strumming her guitar.

"Beautiful and dirty, dirty,

Rich, rich, and dirty

We’re banned from lust,

Dancing, and fighting

It’s serious, honey,

But we’re out of cash

When we all pass out drunk on the floor..."

"Wait, Fanny! This isn’t the kind of song you should be playing for the baby! What if they understand and start picking up bad habits?" Miranda said, concerned.

"They won’t! This song’s totally appropriate for prenatal education. Nothing to worry about!" Fanny rolled her eyes.

"Fine, but if you come across any sensitive words like 'lust,' 'drunk,' or 'butts,' just hum over them, don’t sing it out loud," Miranda instructed.

"Alright, alright. Since when did you become so uptight?" Fanny teased.

"I’m just thinking about the baby. The father’s kind of a jerk, so we need to make sure the kid doesn’t follow in his footsteps. We should start with good prenatal care."

"I support that," Fanny said, laughing as she started singing again.

"Dad, I’m sorry, so sorry,

I just really love to party,

Love to party, yeah~

We’re beautiful, dirty, rich

I’ve got a lovely life..."

"Dinner’s ready!" Luca called from the kitchen, wearing an apron.

"Hold on, the song’s almost done!" Miranda motioned for him to stay quiet with her finger.

Luca wiped his hands on his apron, feeling a little confused about his role in the household. He was working hard in the kitchen while these three were singing and dancing without a care in the world. It was starting to feel a little unfair.

"Luca, what do you think of my new song?" Fanny asked after finishing.

"The rhythm’s great. It’s got Billboard Hot 100 potential," Luca replied.

"Luca, don’t you write songs? Why don’t you write a few for Fanny?" Miranda asked.

"Who says I haven’t?" Luca responded.

"You have? Then why isn’t your pen name, 'Mr. Big,' on Fanny’s album?" Miranda pressed.

"Luca changed his pen name. He wrote two songs for my last album," Fanny laughed.

"Again? Who keeps changing their pen name like that?" Miranda mocked.

Luca shook his head, "That’s composer business. You wouldn’t understand."

"Whatever," Miranda scoffed and walked into the dining room.

"Wow, so much food! Fruit stew, garlic veal, veggie yogurt toast, potato omelet, squid rolls with salad dressing, coconut shrimp, shrimp bisque..."

"Stop listing the dishes, just sit down and eat!" Lima said.

"Alright, alright!"

The three sat down to eat, chatting happily as they did.

Luca couldn’t get a word in, so he resorted to reading the newspaper, scanning the headlines about The Prestige.

After three days in theaters, the movie had grossed $9.2 million. It was projected to earn over $15 million in its first week, with an average of $8,500 per theater each day, which was excellent.

The media predicted the film would make over $60 million in North America and break $100 million globally.

The reviews were positive, with many of them focusing on Nolan's unique directing style.

Some praised her innovative approach, turning the film into a grand magic show and making an artistic film incredibly engaging.

Others, however, criticized the movie for being too complex, accusing Nolan of showing off.

Luca chuckled quietly to himself, agreeing with the critique. After all, film is supposed to be a popular art form, and making it too complex could alienate the audience.

Besides Nolan, Luca and Bale received the most praise, with critics lauding their performances.

Premiere magazine commented, “Luca Kelly possesses raw acting talent, filled with passion and intensity. In this film, his performance rivals Bale’s.”

Variety wrote, “This is an ambitious film, and Luca shows his drive and skill as an actor.”

Entertainment Weekly said, “Luca Kelly is an actor who shines, and in this film, his light shines even brighter.”

"Luca, why are you smirking like that? And why is it such an evil grin?" Miranda noticed.

"Nothing, just reading some reviews," Luca replied nonchalantly.

"Let me guess, they’re praising you, aren’t they?"

"Not really. They’re just giving honest feedback, no over-the-top compliments."

"Really?" Miranda grabbed the paper. “Luca Kelly’s handsome features and marble-like ruggedness, combined with his charming smile, set him apart. He avoids relying on his looks, with each character he plays differing in both appearance and personality. He is a representative of the new generation of actors with exceptional skill… Ugh! Luca, is this what you call an 'honest' review? Are you sure you didn’t pay someone to write this?"

Luca blushed. That review was clearly exaggerated and made him sound larger than life.

"Don’t bother reading it. This kind of review was probably written by the competition just to mess with me."

"Haha~" Miranda laughed.

"Miranda, stop it. If you keep teasing him, Luca’s going to turn completely red," Lima joked.

"Please, he’s got such thick skin, I doubt he can even blush!" Miranda shot back.

"In The Prestige, Luca really does look handsome, especially in those scenes where he’s performing magic on stage. He’s all dressed up and looks like he’s glowing. Every move he makes is captivating," Fanny commented.

"Is that so? I’ve been so busy lately I haven’t seen it yet. Lima, have you?" Miranda asked.

"No, it’s been too hot to go out," Lima smiled and shook her head.

"How about we go watch it tonight?"

"Sounds good!"

Their evening plans were settled just like that.

Miranda and Lima were excited to see the movie, and Fanny was eager for a second viewing, since she didn’t fully understand it the first time.

Without consulting the chef, they booked four tickets to the movie.

"Luca, hurry up! We’re leaving!" Miranda called from outside the kitchen.

"Hold on, I’ve still got a few dishes left to wash."

Clink, clink—the sound of plates being washed echoed from the kitchen.

"Hurry up, you’re always so slow!" Miranda urged.

"Why don’t you come help, then?" Luca suggested.

"You’re the man, so of course it’s your job. What else would we need you for?"

"Alright, alright, you’ve got a point," Luca sighed. It was a hard life indeed.

*Chapter 479: The Baby Formula Money is Settled*

“Luca, are you free this weekend? There’s a small party at my place, and Leo will be there too.”

“Kate, thanks for the invite. I’ll definitely be there.”

Luca hung up the phone.

“Kate?”

Lima looked over, curious.

“It’s Ms. Kate Winslet,” Luca smiled and briefly explained the situation with Revolutionary Road. “She wants Leo and me to set aside our differences for now and collaborate, so she’s invited us to talk things over.”

“You and Leo used to be pretty close, right? Didn’t you two just work together on The Departed last year? What happened?” Lima laughed.

Luca shrugged. “That guy still can’t get over Kate. We argued a bit at last year’s Victoria’s Secret show. I told him he wasn’t good enough for her, and that he wasn’t as rich as Kate.”

“Haha, that’s a brutal thing to say.”

“He’s really petty. After that, he tried to blacklist me and push me out of Hollywood, but he failed,” Luca chuckled.

“You’re amazing, babe!” Lima kissed him on the cheek, laughing. “If you want to patch things up with Leo, just let me know. I’m close with Gisele, so I can arrange a meet-up.”

“There’s no need for that. If I ask Gisele for help, Leo might think I’m scared and begging for peace. Do I need to fear him?”

“Wouldn’t it be better to have one less enemy?”

“Having more rivals is fine. It gives me motivation to keep striving,” Luca said with a smile.

Lima shook her head. “I heard Leo and Gisele are planning to get engaged. Leo might be a Brazilian son-in-law soon.”

“I heard that last year too, but who knows if it’s true? I don’t see them lasting. According to the timeline, they should have broken up by now. Gisele will end up with Tom Brady.”

But for some reason, they hadn’t split yet. If they did get married, that would be interesting.

---

That weekend, Luca left Lima with her cousin Chris and flew back to the scorching heat of Los Angeles.

June in LA was much hotter than when he left. The sky was clear and blue, the sun glaring down as if flames were burning. The air smelled faintly of something scorched.

Luca hadn’t even left the airport before he wanted to leave again.

While in LA, he spent half a day at the office.

Little Miss Sunshine had mostly finished its global run, grossing $112 million worldwide.

According to the deal with Fox Searchlight, 26% of the domestic box office and 12% of the international box office amounted to $16.45 million and $4.9 million, respectively.

After splitting with the screenwriter and director, Luca would pocket over $20 million.

Additionally, the upcoming DVD release would earn him another 5% in royalties. After taxes and production costs, he stood to make over $10 million—a nice little profit.

The sequel to Step Up was about to be released, and he was overseeing the final preparations.

The Proposal had entered pre-production, with casting underway, and shooting planned for August or September. As for My Blueberry Nights, well, the script was still being written, and Luca wasn’t rushing it, letting Wong Kar-wai take his time.

---

In the late afternoon, when the sun had mellowed slightly, Luca drove to the Santa Monica villa area where Kate and her husband owned a modest but scenic property.

The villa had lush palm trees, a thatched pavilion, a white sandy beach, a green lawn, and a sparkling blue pool.

Beneath the sun, a group of casually dressed men and women were strolling around the palm trees, pool, and lawn. Among them were Leonardo DiCaprio, Jude Law, Rachel Weisz, Jennifer Connelly, and a few directors and producers—about a dozen people in total.

Since the Winslets were British, most of the guests were Brits too.

“Luca, welcome!” Kate Winslet called out.

“Kate, this place is stunning. I’m so jealous.”

“Haha, thanks! I’ve heard your Big Pear Tree Ranch is quite the landmark in Malibu. When can I visit?”

“You’re welcome anytime!” Luca gave her a hug and greeted the others.

“Hey, Leo, how’ve you been? I hear you’re getting engaged soon—congrats!”

Luca walked over to the pavilion and greeted Leonardo.

“Heh, I hear you’re going to be a dad again. Congrats to you too!”

Leo smirked, his expression holding some kind of amusement.

“Thanks!” Luca didn’t mind the emphasis on “again” and acknowledged his second time becoming a father.

“Leo, aren’t you planning on having kids?”

As far as Luca knew, Leo didn’t have any children. Was there something wrong with him?

Leo, feeling insulted by Luca’s look, grumbled, “Do you know why the weather keeps getting hotter?”

“Why?”

Luca didn’t follow the sudden change of subject.

“Because there are too many people. The environmental destruction from humanity’s overexploitation and pollution is causing global warming. If we don’t control the population, we’re heading for disaster.”

“So, you’ve chosen not to have kids?”

“Yes!”

“Impressive!”

Luca gave him a thumbs up. Leo was known for promoting environmentalism, even producing a documentary this year called The 11th Hour to raise awareness. In this area, Leo was really doing good work.

“If I were you, I’d have lots and lots of kids,” Luca said.

“Why?”

“Have you heard the story of The Foolish Old Man Who Moved Mountains? Environmental problems are huge, and it’s not something our generation alone can solve. We need our children to carry on the work.”

He then told the story of the Foolish Old Man.

Not far away, Kate Winslet watched the two men’s strange behavior, utterly confused.

Before inviting them, she’d imagined several different scenarios—heated arguments, cold indifference, or intense script discussions. She’d never expected them to be talking about having kids and getting along so well.

They seemed more like friends than enemies.

She felt like she didn’t need to stick around and walked off to chat with others.

“All your descendants digging away at the mountains? Wouldn’t that destroy the local ecosystem by cutting down all the trees? Where would the animals live?” Leo wasn’t convinced by the story.

“Fine, suit yourself.”

Luca shook his head, feeling like he’d wasted his breath.

“Luca, let’s get down to business,” Leo suddenly said, his face serious.

“What is it?” Luca took a sip of his cold juice.

“Sell me the script!”

Leo stared at him intently.

“What script?”

“Don’t play dumb. Revolutionary Road. Name your price.”

Leo was impatient.

“Alright, $8 million, flat.”

“Spit-take! How much?!”

Leo wiped his mouth, putting down his glass and glaring at Luca.

“Eight million.”

Luca held up eight fingers, then realized Leo wouldn’t recognize the gesture and put his hand down. “I was originally going to ask for ten million, but for the sake of our friendship, how about eight?”

Leo’s mouth twitched as he coldly said, “You bought the adaptation rights for $1.2 million last year, and now, just a few months later, you’re asking for $8 million? Are you extorting me?”

“Leo, don’t say that. You asked for the price, and I gave you one. Now you’re calling it extortion? Is that fair?”

Luca shook his head.

“Hmph. I asked for a price, but you can’t just throw out a number. Eight million? Are you out of your mind?”

Leo was clearly annoyed.

“I really am broke, Leo. You know that someone in the industry is trying to blacklist me, which means I’ve only landed one role this year, and the pay was pitiful.

Now, my kid is about to be born, but I don’t even have money for formula. I’m really stressed about it. Every night I’m so worried I can’t sleep, and every morning, my hair is falling out in clumps!”

Luca sighed dramatically, his voice full of exhaustion and helplessness, painting the picture of a struggling soon-to-be dad.

Leo’s mouth twitched. This guy had no shame.

The entertainment magazines had reported that Luca earned over $50 million last year just from movies. He was ranked 8th on the list of highest-paid actors, outclassing many A-listers and making a lot of people jealous.

Yet here he was, pretending to be broke, claiming he couldn’t afford baby formula. Leo really wanted to kick him.

“Eight million is out of the question!” Leo raised a finger. “Sell me the script for what you paid, and I’ll promise not to target you anymore.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“Why not?”

“Because you have no integrity!”

“What did you say?”

Leo’s eyes flared with anger.

“Hold on, don’t get mad. I’m not trying to slander you. Remember last year? You kept saying we were friends, but then you stabbed me in the back, costing me several important roles.

If it weren’t for your interference, I’d be an A-lister by now. How can I trust someone who backstabs his friends?”

Leo’s face darkened.

"And now, with this script being widely praised, it clearly has the potential to be a hit. If I sell it to you for cheap, people will say I’m foolish and lack vision. That would be a huge blow to my reputation. I’m a top producer, I need to maintain my reputation."

"1.5 million!"

Leon gritted his teeth and said.

"No way, 8 million is the friends' price, not a penny less. If I lower it, we can’t even call ourselves friends."

"You!!!"

Leon pointed at him, his eyes blazing with anger.

"What’s going on, Leon?"

Noticing the tension, Mrs. Winslet walked over, feeling puzzled. Just a moment ago, the two of them were chatting like close buddies about having kids, and now they’re practically at each other’s throats.

The friendship between men is truly hard to understand.

"I’m fine, Kate!"

Leon took a breath and said.

"Kate, we’re good. It’s just that the heat is making everyone a little edgy."

Luca smiled lightly as he poured a glass of juice for Leon from the ice pitcher.

"Hmph!"

Leon gave him an irritated glare, feeling like Luca’s smile was especially annoying. He took a deep breath, trying to stay calm so he wouldn’t be outdone by this jerk.

"8 million is impossible. If you’re not willing to lower the price, then this conversation is over."

"8 million? What 8 million?"

Mrs. Winslet asked curiously.

"Haha, Kate, I was just joking around, but Leon took it seriously."

Luca chuckled softly.

"Joking? I’m discussing serious business with you, and you’re joking around?!"

Leon’s temper flared again, for some reason he was especially irritable today.

"Leon, don’t get mad. You know me, I’m both a writer and a producer. Revolutionary Road is great, it has huge box-office potential, so I never intended to sell the script."

"You!"

"Don’t be rash. Honestly, I’m more inclined to collaborate. Leon, we’re friends. Let’s make a movie together, just like we did on The Departed. It would be a great time."

"That’s not happening. I will never work with you."

Leonardo turned coldly and walked away.

"Leon~"

Mrs. Winslet hurried after him.

Sigh~

Luca genuinely wanted to work with Leon. With him on board, this project could make a lot of money.

Unfortunately, Leon didn’t care about their friendship at all, and he said such hurtful things.

"It’s really heartbreaking!"

Luca pulled the corners of his mouth into a bitter smile.

(End of the chapter)

*Chapter 480: You Won't Succeed*

"Leon, didn't we agree to work with Luca? Why aren't we talking about the partnership?"

Amidst the coconut trees, Ms. Winslet asked as they walked.

"I don't want to work with that guy. That jerk is infuriating."

Leon tugged at his collar and let out a frustrated sigh.

Partnering with Luca? If the movie is a hit, it would mean helping that guy earn money for baby formula. There’s no way he’d do something so foolish, helping his enemy while hurting himself.

Ms. Winslet glanced at him and chuckled lightly.

"Kate, what are you laughing at?"

"Haha~ Leon, you're usually calm and composed. Why do you suddenly get so irritable around Luca? This isn’t like you."

Winslet laughed as she asked.

Leon frowned. She had a point. Whenever he saw Luca, he would start to boil inside. After just a few words, his anger would build to the point where he could barely contain it. Why was that?

Was it because Luca ruined his relationship with Kate? Or because he failed to kick the guy out of Hollywood? Or maybe because the script he liked got snatched up by that guy?

Probably a bit of all of it.

"Leon, there's a rumor that Luca and Bundchen..."

"It's just gossip!"

Leon replied with a dark expression.

"Alright, that's a personal issue, I won’t pry. Let’s talk work. Revolutionary Road is a big production, and we’re both starring in it. The budget is over 40 million. Luca is willing to invest. Why not accept? If the movie succeeds, won't that be a win for us?"

Winslet asked.

Leonardo thought about it. That was true. If the film succeeded and he won awards, his career would soar even higher.

If it failed, well... pfft, as if his movie could fail.

But it’s an art film, so even if it does well, the box office won’t be huge. If he wins an award and Luca doesn’t make much money, that wouldn't be so bad either.

"Leon, partnering with Luca isn’t a big deal. He’s just an actor. He won’t have time to be on set. At most, he’ll send a producer, so technically, we're working with Bra Films, not him. Why not think about it?"

Winslet urged.

Leonardo pondered for a moment. That did make sense.

Why hadn't he seen it that way earlier?

Then, an idea crossed his mind.

"Kate, if I didn’t play the male lead, who would you consider?"

Leon asked.

Winslet was taken aback, not sure why he suddenly asked that. "Emm... Sam said Luca could work, but I still think you’re the best fit."

"Heh..."

Leon grinned. He finally understood that guy’s plan. That jerk must have eyed the male lead from the start.

When Winslet approached him, the jerk probably wanted the role even more.

But with Winslet and Sam preferring him, the jerk had no chance. So, he resorted to a sneaky tactic — he deliberately provoked Leon, hoping Leon would back out on his own.

If Leon quit, the jerk would have his chance.

Heh, got to hand it to him, that guy's pretty crafty.

"Kate, I agree to the partnership!"

Leonardo smiled.

"What? You agreed?!"

Ms. Winslet exclaimed.

"Yes, Kate, we’re friends. Why not collaborate on such a great script one more time?"

Leonardo smiled faintly.

"Leon, that’s great to hear!"

Ms. Winslet laughed out loud.

"Yes!"

Leonardo suddenly turned to look toward the gazebo, flashing Luca a smug smile. As long as I’m here, you won’t get your chance.

"..."

Luca was puzzled. What’s with this guy? Did he eat something weird? Why does his smile look so smug?

"Luca, Leon agreed to the partnership."

Winslet and Leon walked back to the gazebo.

"Really? That’s great."

Luca glanced at Leon. What made this guy suddenly change his mind?

"Luca, aren’t you disappointed to hear I’m playing the male lead?"

Leonardo grinned smugly.

"Disappointed? Why would I be?"

"Heh~, what do you think?"

Leon smiled triumphantly again.

Luca shook his head. Sure, he had considered playing the male lead, but he wasn’t delusional. The Jack-and-Rose combo is the real money-maker.

He came to Hollywood to make money first and become a big star second. Winning an Oscar could wait. He had plenty of scripts and roles to choose from. Losing one role wasn’t a big deal.

"Alright, Luca, let’s talk about the partnership."

"OK!"

The three of them sat down.

...

“Pitt, did you catch that piece of news?”

In the Ocean's Thirteen set lounge in L.A., Wilson spoke softly as he held a document.

“What is it?”

Pitt, lounging on the sofa with half-closed eyes, asked.

“There’s word that Leonardo and Luca are about to co-invest in a new project.”

Wilson whispered.

“What?”

Pitt’s eyes shot open. “Is the source reliable?”

“Very. The new movie is called Revolutionary Road. Their companies have been in frequent contact these past few days, discussing the investment. It seems like a big production, with Winslet as the female lead.”

Wilson explained.

“How did that happen? Leonardo and Luca have a feud, don’t they? Earlier this year, he was part of the effort to blacklist Luca, so why are they suddenly working together now?”

Pitt slammed the sofa.

“I don’t know, but despite our efforts to blacklist Luca earlier this year, we failed. Leonardo must have realized that Luca is too powerful to take down, so he decided to switch sides and cooperate for mutual benefit.”

“Hmph!”

Pitt’s expression darkened, cursing Leonardo in his mind as a traitor. They had agreed to team up to take down that hillbilly and drive him out of Hollywood.

But before anything could be done, Leo had quietly switched sides, betraying the plan.

"Have they finalized their partnership?"

Pitt asked in a deep voice.

“They’re still negotiating, but it should be settled soon.”

Wilson responded.

Pitt frowned and thought for a moment. “Keep an eye on this project. Report any developments immediately.”

“Got it.”

Wilson nodded. As he was about to leave, he hesitated and added,

“Leon, there’s also news that Luca is a shareholder in YouTube. Google is preparing to invest billions to buy the site. If Luca has shares in it, it might not be worth going after him.”

Wilson mentioned.

Pitt’s face darkened even more. “He’s just a minor shareholder, at most a few million. Forget about that. Keep focusing on their collaboration. If there’s any chance to disrupt it, you know what to do!”

“Understood!”

Wilson sighed inwardly and left the lounge.

“Hmph, Leon, Luca, you think you can partner up? Have you asked me first?”

(End of the chapter)