Huayu: I'm reborn, but you still force me to be a scumbag?

Chapter 451 The Imprint of the Chinese Theatre
"Why should I?" Nia Okoro retorted instinctively.

"Thanks to Chen, you just saved several million dollars."

Although Allison Graham was indeed an arrogant, rude, and mean woman, Nia had to admit, after calming down, that what she said did have some merit.

However, she was just a publicity director. She didn't have the final say on increasing the budget.

So, on her way back to the hotel, Nia dialed her boss's number.

The phone was answered after only a couple of rings.

Nia Okoro was a little nervous, afraid of being accused of incompetence, and quickly said, "I'm sorry to bother you so late, Robert, I'm here..."

"can."

"What?" Nia's words were abruptly interrupted, and she was taken aback, somewhat confused.

"I said yes."

"Uh, what can I do?"

"We can pay for this."

Nia was immediately taken aback: "Huh?"

"What, you didn't call to talk about this?"

“No…yes, yes…but, Rob, how did you know?” Nia was truly astonished.

For a moment, she even began to suspect that Rob Friedman, that shrewd old Jewish fox, had planted a spy in her team. Otherwise, how did he know before she had even said anything?

But the voice coming from the Bluetooth headset was unusually calm, sounding completely unashamed: "I've been watching ABC live, Nia."

"so?"

"So I witnessed the whole process. Now all you need to tell me is—what did the TV station say? How was the effect?"

“Excellent!” Nia’s tone suddenly became excited. “The people at ABC said we were just a hair’s breadth away from breaking the ratings record set by Pitt and Jolie when they were promoting Kung Fu Panda!”

But Rob Friedman on the other end of the phone remained calm: "That's good, let's do it that way, put the money in our account."

"Okay, but..."

Nia wanted to ask more, but the other person was clearly in a bad mood and didn't intend to continue the topic, interrupting her, "That's all then, Nia, well done. I have to go to sleep. Goodnight."

"Uh, goodnight."

A busy tone came through the Bluetooth headset. Nia Okoro hung up the phone, somewhat bewildered. After thinking for a while, she still couldn't understand it. If it weren't for the inside connection, why did they agree so quickly before she even asked for money?

How did he know?

Could it be prophecy? That's incredible!
But soon, Nia put these confusions and wild thoughts to the back of her mind.

In any case, the matter is resolved.

She, the "mouthpiece" caught between the big star and the company, has finally gotten through another crisis safely.

Now, she should focus her attention on the promotional event tomorrow morning.

The fact that all three lead actors were able to pass the review of the Chinese Theatre's senior committee is certainly due in part to money. But leaving their handprints in the theatre also undoubtedly represents the Hollywood mainstream's approval of the teen idol drama "Twilight".

From the initial criticism of the first film to the gradual change of tone in the second, and finally to the mainstream acceptance of the third.

As a former outsider who had spent nearly two decades in Hollywood as a public relations professional, she was well aware that the real reasons behind this were simply twofold:
money,

as well as--

Huge popularity.

……

At 9:12 AM on December 6th.

Sunlight streamed through the clear winter sky, illuminating the busiest section of Hollywood Boulevard.

Jimmy Kimmel, dressed in a well-fitting dark suit, stood on the stage set up outside the Chinese Theatre. The morning sunlight streamed down from his side and above, making it difficult for him to open his eyes.

"Wow." He squinted at the microphone on the stage and said, "First of all, I'd like to welcome everyone here on this beautiful morning. But I don't know if vampires can still come out now?"

He paused for a moment after speaking.

Laughter and applause immediately erupted from all directions.

Jimmy Kimmel chuckled and continued, “But I bet they will. They’ll risk their lives to come out and see you. It’s because of the passionate support of you fans that Twilight has become the incredible franchise it is today.”

As soon as he finished speaking, excited screams and jeering whistles immediately rang out.

Jimmy Kimmel squinted at the audience.

In the blurry vision, there were heads of all colors, densely packed and stretching as far as the eye could see. Traffic on the entire Hollywood Boulevard had already been blocked off. The organizers had prepared for this in advance, applying for road control permits from the Los Angeles Police Department. As a result, a large number of police officers were deployed to maintain order on site, with many police cars parked around the area and officers patrolling and standing guard on the perimeter, ready to respond at any time.

The crowd surged like a tide, with countless arms raised high. Some held digital cameras, some recorded videos with their phones, and others waved hand-drawn portraits, homemade light boards, and various support posters. About 70% of them were held by one person, while the remaining 30% were shared equally by the female lead and the second male lead.

Almost all the windows in the rooms of the Lushford Hotel facing this area were open, and people were standing behind each window, some with cameras and some with binoculars, all aimed at the stage.

Such a scene was extremely rare, even in Jimmy Kimmel's more than ten years of hosting career, and it even made him feel a little jealous.

He cleared his throat, waited for the noise from the audience to subside slightly, then leaned closer to the microphone and said with a smile:

"Today is a big day. Movie stars all over the world want to leave their hands and feet in this cement, but only a very few can actually receive this honor."

“I mean—it’s a tremendous honor. Look at all these names around here, well… except for Matt Damon, they’re all amazing. These superstars come here, leave their handprints or footprints, and those marks will stay here forever, making their names a part of history. It’s incredibly exciting.”

"So, thank you for coming here today to witness all of this. Now I think the whole of America knows that Twilight fans are the most passionate."

These words once again elicited screams and cheers.

Once the noise subsided a bit, Jimmy Kimmel continued, "Let's thank Summit Entertainment for arranging this event. Before we begin, we also have a special gift for you. Let's welcome this lady, because it is because of her that all of this is possible..."

……

Inside the Chinese Theatre, the door to the dressing room opened, and a blonde, round-faced, somewhat simple-minded black woman leaned in and said, "Excuse me, Ms. Mel, it's almost your turn to go on stage."

Stephanie Meyer—the author of the Twilight series—a voluptuous woman in her thirties with striking dark hair, reluctantly stood up from the sofa and said, "It was a pleasure chatting with you, Chen. I'll head over now."

Chen Nuo also stood up and extended his hand, saying, "I'm also happy to chat with you, Stephanie."

Stephanie Meyer shook hands with him, then gave him a cheek hug. When they parted, they looked at each other for a second, and Stephanie smiled as she looked into his eyes. She then turned and walked towards the door.

Blackie continued, "Chen, Christine, and... well, you guys get ready too, it'll be your turn soon."

When Taylor Lautner heard that "hmm," he felt as if he had been stabbed in the heart.

As an actor, what could be more unacceptable than finishing a movie and only receiving a simple "hmm" from your own company's publicity director?

If there is one, it can only be that one person.

Not only was his initial role stolen, but even his girlfriend was stolen in the end.

At least he could still get the chance to leave his handprints at the Chinese Theatre.

Thinking of this, the young Native American felt a little better.

Of course, this kind of self-comfort is definitely an ancestral skill for him. If Native Americans didn't know how to think, how would they survive?
Chen Nuo discreetly slipped the note into his pocket. This was, in fact, a skill passed down from his ancestors, inherited from his previous life. From the moment he suddenly held something in his hand to their final farewell glance, he showed no unusual behavior, which brought a relieved smile to Stephanie's face.

However, he guessed that the woman had probably misunderstood.

He now bears a heavy responsibility.

He might be okay with casual flings without any consequences, but he would keep his distance from women who have husbands, children, and money.

When this kind of woman goes crazy, she's truly impervious to all pressure and money can't buy her anything.

Unlike Theron, he simply sends a sum of money every month.

As it turned out, he really didn't say anything or give any hints last night. As soon as he got back to his home in Beverly Hills, he received a phone call. The woman actually came to his door. He was really... sigh, it's just that there are too many easy girls here in America. There's really no way to deal with it. He's always perfectly fine back home, but every time he comes here, he has to become a different person.

He was exhausted after being pushed around by the little motor all night, and he had trouble getting out of bed this morning. He was really sleepy right now.

As soon as Stephanie left, he yawned, really wanting to lean down and take a nap. But just like Nia said, it would be their turn soon, so he could only close his eyes and rest for a little while.

But some people just didn't have any sense of propriety and kept nagging in his ear.

"Chen, you look very tired."

"Ah."

"Would you like me to pour you a cup of coffee?"

"No, thank you." "Then...tea?"

"No."

"Then do you want to..."

Chen Nuo couldn't hold back any longer. Without opening his eyes, he raised his voice and said, "Christine, either shut up or get out."

The noise finally stopped a second later.

At the same time, the previously noisy lounge fell silent.

Nia Okoro left the door open when she took Stephanie Mel out, so the sound came from outside and was quite clear.

"...I am very grateful to each and every one of them. Their dedication to the role moved me deeply, and I will always be grateful for everything they have done. I know they have gone through a lot of difficulties."

"It's really cool to achieve this honor today, to be a part of Hollywood history, and to be listed alongside other amazing artists here. I'm so proud of them..."

"Among them, I especially want to thank one person, and that person is..."

Huge applause and screams erupted, a stark contrast to the quiet room in the theater.

“From the first film to this year’s last, we all know that his life has undergone tremendous changes in the past few years. But I am gratified to see that he has maintained his inner balance amidst such changes. During filming, he has always maintained a kind, gentle, and friendly nature towards everyone…”

Taylor Lautner glanced at the man described as "kind, gentle, and friendly," then at the woman sitting beside him, her face flushed and looking somewhat embarrassed.

He had also seen Kristen Stewart, now a popular Hollywood star, with her ex-boyfriend. Back then, she wasn't like this at all. In front of Robert, she spoke and acted with an air of superiority, like a noble princess.

But now... haha, the former princess is being scolded like a servant, yet she doesn't dare utter a single word.

The two different attitudes were filled with the stench of pragmatism and self-interest, which suddenly made Taylor Lautner feel nauseous and like he wanted to vomit.

He not only felt disgusted by the woman, but also by himself.

And after that one sentence, the entire room became as quiet as if no one was there, even though there were more than a dozen people present.

It's all fucking disgusting!

Hollywood, this is Motherfucker's Hollywood!

Fuck these sons of bitches, they're all bastards who judge people based on their status.

He felt he didn't belong here; this wasn't the place for him.

“Now let me hand the microphone back to Jimmy so he can invite today’s main characters to the stage…” Stephanie Mayer’s voice continued.

At that moment, the door was pushed open again, and Nia called out, "Alright, guys, come on, it's your turn now."

Taylor Lautner breathed a sigh of relief, stood up without hesitation, and walked towards the door.

……

"Now let's invite today's stars and legends, Taylor Lautner, Kristen Stewart, and... Norman!"

With Jimmy Kimmel's introduction, Chen Nuo followed Christine about two steps behind as they walked out of the Chinese Theatre.

The sun was shining brightly outside; no wonder Allison had specifically reminded him to wear sunglasses.

I don't know when, but so many people have come outside. No wonder it's been so noisy.

He went up on stage, surrounded by screams from all directions. Following Allison's instructions, he smiled and waved in all directions. Whichever side he faced, the cheers were even louder; it felt just like being at a concert.

Kristen Stewart gave some remarks, followed by Taylor Lautner.

To his surprise, the young Native American man spoke quite well and fluently, much better than Christine's rambling remarks, which made him look at him with new respect.

However, it's also possible that a woman's fluctuating emotions could lead to a decline in her language skills.

But we really can't blame him for what happened just now.

He didn't actually have much ill will towards Christine. The real fight scene in the ocean, in the end, added to the film's appeal. He was sacrificing for art, so there was nothing wrong with it.

He simply disliked this woman purely because of what he had seen and heard in his previous life. Therefore, when this woman, known in later generations for her emotional outbursts, unconventional ways, and promiscuity, tried to get close to him, he could only offer rather blunt advice.

After Taylor Nottner finished speaking, it was his turn to speak.

At this moment, Chen Nuo wasn't particularly excited.

It's not like the Venice Film Festival or the Oscars. He can achieve a grand slam in the former, and he can also fulfill his long-held wish in the latter.

The Chinese Theatre leaves its mark, the Avenue of Stars leaves its mark.

To be frank, he felt he would have been able to do it sooner or later. It was just a coincidence that things happened a little earlier than expected.

Besides, it's just a marketing handprint, there's really no need to get too excited.

What is a marketing handprint?

The nomination and selection of stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame usually takes place in June each year, and is decided by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce's Walk of Fame Selection Committee. It is a proper and official process.

And what about the Chinese Theatre?

That is more commercialized.

There are two types of marks left here. The first is a historical imprint, preserved forever. The second, like what they are doing now, is film marketing.

The first type will remain in the front yard of the Chinese Theatre, becoming part of history. The second type will be moved to another location, such as a warehouse or a garbage dump, after the marketing campaign is over.

Examples include a certain Xiaogang in 2013, a certain Wei and a certain Xiaoming in 2015, which illustrate this point.

Especially that year, when a certain Wei and a certain Xiaoming were promoting a movie in 2015, they paid to have their fingerprints taken, and afterwards they even wrote and directed their own thank-you posts on Weibo, making it seem like it was real.

Seeing this, Chen Nuo laughed until his stomach hurt.

Now, if it were him, there would certainly be nothing to be happy about.

Although currently only Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan have Asian handprints on the Chinese Theatre Plaza, he can now use his handprint to claim he's the first Asian to do so in mainland China, thus fooling the public.
But he couldn't hide it from himself; this mark would probably disappear in two months, so what was there to be proud of?

At this moment, he stood calmly in front of the podium. After about five or six seconds, the noise from the fans below finally subsided, and he was able to speak normally again.

Out of politeness, he took off his sunglasses and said, "Thank you everyone..."

Chen Nuo spoke for less than 30 seconds in total. Perhaps because his acting was so convincing, he had to interrupt himself three times. Each time, it took about three to five seconds for things to quiet down.

He also took the opportunity to greet the guests at the Rutherford Hotel above. These people were definitely high-spending individuals; they could certainly afford to go to the movies, so they needed to be given special consideration.

This caused a stir among the wealthy and influential men and women in the hotel.

After he finished speaking, the fans below the stage made a great commotion, forcing him to force himself to stay focused and smile as he nodded and greeted everyone.

In short, it took Christine or the handsome Native American guy less than a minute between them, but he took almost 3 minutes by himself before it was finally time to leave his mark.

A specially treated cement formwork was carefully lifted up by the staff.

First, I signed my name.

Chen Nuo took a specially made iron pen and carefully wrote his name in Chinese on the cement – ​​“Chen Nuo”.

Then came the handprints and footprints.

It was December, after all. When I put my hand into the cement, it felt wet and cool, which was very uncomfortable. After a while, I took it out and my palm was covered with grayish-black cement.

There's not much to say about the footprints; just stand on them and wait for the staff to say it's okay before stepping down.

Of course, throughout this process, the media reporters who came today kept flashing their cameras and taking pictures.

After leaving his footprints, he wiped his hands clean with a towel, thinking that was the end of it. But the manager of the Chinese Theatre said to him, "Chen, could you leave another mark?"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"It's your unique personal mark. Just like John Barrymore left his profile mark in 1940, and Marilyn Monroe adorned her signature with an earring in 1953. Whoopi Goldberg left her dreadlocks in 1990, and Emma Watson and Daniel Radcliffe left their wands in 2008. Jacky Chen also left his nose mark here in 2002. We'd like to invite you to do the same and leave a unique symbol that you're proud of."

After the manager finished speaking, Chen Nuo's surroundings fell silent.

Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner, Allison and Nia, along with Stephanie Mayer and Jimmy Kimmel, who were preparing to take a group photo with the main characters, all turned to look. Surprise, joy, jealousy, envy, sadness… each person's eyes held a different emotion.

Because this is not the kind of treatment you'd expect from a marketing handprint.

The Chinese theater wouldn't go to such lengths for something with a two-month time limit.

This is an enduring symbol, like Marilyn Monroe, John Barrymore, and Marlon Brando. It is entirely different from Christine and the Native Americans.

Chen Nuo glanced down instinctively, then realized that it couldn't be in public. He looked up and frowned, asking, "What do you mean?"

The manager gestured in front of his face and smiled.

(End of this chapter)