America: My Time

Chapter 599 Solving the problem
Chapter 589 Solving the Problem

“I think Mr. John is right. We cannot accept the Writers Guild’s unreasonable demands. As the masters of Hollywood, we should stand on the side of the vulnerable, protect their interests from loss, and ensure that their lives are not affected!” Soon, someone stood up to agree with John’s proposal and accept the decision of Legendary Entertainment and Phoenix Group. As long as these two Hollywood giants dared to take the lead, they could follow suit and minimize their own losses.

Soon, one by one, the 'masters' of Hollywood chose to side with John. Even those who had connections with Donkey joined him, because they didn't want their own interests to be harmed. They needed to be responsible to their shareholders; if they opposed him, they would face shareholder questioning and be fired once the news of what happened tonight spread. As Hollywood moguls, they all enjoyed the boundless benefits Hollywood brought them; who would accept being kicked out? No one would accept such a 'terrible' ending.

"Alright, it seems we all share the same goal. I knew it! As the owners of Hollywood, how could we lack public morality and not value Hollywood's development? Since everyone agrees, let's decide on this matter!" Seeing that most people had stood up to agree, John slammed his hand on the table and made the decision. The minority must obey the majority. If you can't solve a problem, that's your own problem. You can't hold everyone back.

Hollywood giants all have corresponding strength. If you don't, it's your own problem. And those decent film companies also have their own capabilities and connections. They also think John's plan is feasible, so they're not the problem. That's how it was decided. As for those who don't have the ability, that's not something we need to consider.

At this point, even Disney didn't dare to cause any more trouble, or they'd be fired. Anyone with a brain knew which option to choose. So the discussion ended there, and everyone firmly supported John's decision.

Now that the problem is solved, everyone can relax and enjoy the party and life. As for those incompetent people and those with ulterior motives, they will have to face all this pressure alone.

"Boss, aren't we being a bit too reckless? Donkey won't give up easily, and based on my understanding of the Writers Guild, they won't compromise. They'll definitely continue. Don't be fooled by their confidence; most of them will fail. At that point, they might regret it and become dissatisfied with us!" Baridyl reminded his boss after the meeting, urging him not to be careless.

At this point, Robert Iger nodded and said, "That's right. The Writers Guild wouldn't have started a major strike if they weren't confident. Our two major groups won't be greatly affected, but other companies can't do it. The boss's suggestion is good, but not many companies can succeed. After all, those writers aren't stupid. They won't give up their own interests, nor would they dare to betray the Writers Guild. Even if they don't jump the gun, they won't choose to make a deal with the company in secret!"

"You don't need to worry. I know many of their companies can't do it, but we don't need to care about what they think. As a Hollywood giant, we've long been on the opposite side of those guys. Even without this incident, they wouldn't approve of us. And if we back down, the consequences will be unimaginable. Our big-budget film project will be in trouble, and I'm afraid we'll no longer be able to control those actors!"

John's statement forced Robert Iger and Barry Diller to agree. As Hollywood moguls, they had long since positioned themselves against their peers. Expecting these guys to have any goodwill was a joke. It was already a blessing that these guys didn't hold them back at crucial moments.

“That’s right, we were overthinking it. These guys are not trustworthy at all. Now they think it makes sense and is feasible, but they won’t thank us. They will only take advantage of the opportunity to ruthlessly attack us.” Baridil nodded at this moment, agreeing with his boss’s words. Competitors are enemies, and we can’t be soft-hearted now.

“Let’s go. There’s no need to worry about such a small thing. Let them think what they want. We just need to do our own thing. Didn’t you see that the Warner guys don’t care about these bastards at all? Warner has been sitting on the sidelines watching these guys fight us. We don’t need to care about them!” As he spoke, John’s gaze swept over the Warner guys. These bastards were chatting with the directors, as if they were preparing to start their new project.

Upon seeing Warner's performance, Barry Diller and Robert Iger both sighed. These bastards were despicable; as the organizers, they had done such a thing. They had no choice but to part ways with John and do what they were supposed to do.

After Robert Iger and Barrydiller left, Sophie Marceau returned to John's side from the crowd. She dared not leave John for too long, because she knew very well how many beautiful women were eyeing her man at the party. If she was even slightly careless, she would have another competitor!
Seeing Sophie Marceau's actions, John couldn't help but smile, saying nothing. This was normal behavior for a woman, especially in Hollywood, a city teeming with beautiful women, whose openness rivaled that of New York's modeling scene. Countless women here sought powerful connections, willing to exchange their bodies for resources and future prospects. In this industry, there's no gain without pain, and no results without connections. Hollywood's beauties and handsome men understood this. Without a powerful backer or connections, one had to use their body as a bargaining chip—a perfectly normal occurrence in Hollywood, and these were all open transactions, not some kind of unspoken rule. This was the real Hollywood; transactions were the norm. Compared to New York's modeling scene, Hollywood was much better, at least less chaotic. Of course, wrongdoing existed; not everyone was willing to follow the rules, and there were plenty of those who broke them, though they were ostracized.

Those who manage to become prominent figures in an industry are generally concerned about their reputation and won't do anything too outrageous. However, every industry has its 'scoundrels,' not to mention Hollywood, an industry full of endless temptations, where there are plenty of crazy people, especially in the independent film circle, where the level of madness is not much better than that of the New York modeling circle. They are willing to sacrifice everything for 'art.'

Sophie Marceau is an insider in this industry, so she naturally understands the situation better. Moreover, as a beautiful woman, her senses are more acute, so her reactions at such parties are quicker.

“Cage, this is Mr. John!” Just as John Sophie Marceau was about to sit down in a corner to rest for a moment, Francis Ford Coppola and Nicolas Cage appeared in front of them, and Coppola introduced Cage to John.

"Hello, Mr. John, I'm Nicolas Cage!"

“Hello, Mr. Cage!” John smiled faintly, somewhat impressed by the man before him. This guy, though constantly running away from the Coppola name, had still received Coppola's favor and enjoyed the family's benefits. In short, he was a rebel against his family. It was fortunate Francis could tolerate him; otherwise, this guy would have become a tragedy.

“John, I heard that Legendary Entertainment and Phoenix Group are launching a new project. If you have the chance, please take good care of this guy!” As he spoke, a faint bitterness appeared on Francis Ford Coppola’s face. He was worried about his nephew’s future. If he could gain John’s approval, things would be much better.

“Francis, you’re really well-informed. We just made a decision, and you already know. You know I don’t get involved much with Legendary Entertainment and Phoenix Media, so I’m sorry to disappoint you. You should go find Robert Iger and Barry Diller; they’re the managers, and you’re a director yourself, so you’d be better able to take care of Cage. Speaking of which, I should be asking you to look after Sophie!” John said, leading Sophie Ma to meet the famous director. Just then, John noticed another woman beside Francis—the beautiful Jennifer Connelly.

Seeing John's puzzled look, Francis said, "This is Jennifer Connelly. Lucas asked me to take care of her. He had something to discuss earlier, so he asked her to show her around!"

John nodded and smiled, "So that's how it is. I was wondering why you had a little girl with you! But she looks familiar, I can't remember where I've seen her before!" At this moment, John finally understood why Jennifer Connelly was with Francis. It turned out that it was arranged by Lucas. Jennifer Connelly starred in "Labyrinth of the Magic Mountain," and Lucas was the producer of that film.

"Hahaha, you have indeed seen him. You've forgotten Sergio Leon, the girl from the 'Once Upon a Time in America' series you bought. I remember Phoenix Media made a fortune from the videotapes and television broadcasts, making that guy Aaron Bell regret his decision!" Francis laughed heartily at this moment, seemingly also dissatisfied with Aaron Bell.

(End of this chapter)