[Chapter 219: Honey Trap (2)]
Tom Cruise cursed Link in his mind.
That bastard Link kept giving good roles to Monica Bellucci ever since he had hooked up with her. Last year, Monica played the evil femme fatale in Ace Ventura. Despite the movie receiving a fair share of criticism, her performance garnered a lot of praise from professionals in the industry.
This year, Monica landed two more significant roles.
One was in Ed Wood, a biopic starring Johnny Depp about the notorious hack director known for his campy films in the 50s and 60s. Link had even been dubbed the "Ed Wood II." Monica snagged the role of Ed Wood's muse.
The other was in MGM's GoldenEye, where she played the iconic Bond girl, a stunning and deadly female secret agent.
These were all weighty roles, and they were secured thanks to UTA, which helped Monica land them, presumably because of Link's influence. There were rumors that Link had pulled strings and spent a fortune to get those parts for her.
All of a sudden, many actresses envied Monica.
Meanwhile, the boyfriends and husbands of actresses in the industry felt tremendous pressure. To avoid being overshadowed by Link, they scrambled to help their partners secure roles, but none had the resources or connections Link did, making them feel inadequate in comparison.
This led to many men secretly resenting Link, questioning why he had to be so serious about his womanizing.
Tom Cruise was no exception, feeling furious at Link.
...
"Nicole, don't rush it. Good roles take time to find," Tom's tone softened.
"Is that so?" Nicole Kidman responded, her disappointment evident. "Should I reach out to Sherry Lansing and see if she'd be interested in investing in To Die For? If she's in, I can drop the collaboration with Guess Pictures."
"Nicole, don't believe those tabloids. My relationship with Ms. Lansing is strictly professional, nothing like what you might think."
"Oh, really? Because I know you two are partners. Do you have any other relationship besides that?" Nicole asked with an unsmiling expression.
"Nothing at all! All those rumors about us are baseless." Tom hurriedly defended himself.
"Alright, I want to believe you, and I hope you can believe me. My partnership with Guess Pictures is strictly because they are the only ones willing to invest in this film. We have a solid basis for collaboration -- nothing more, nothing less."
"Nicole, are you sure about this? You know the major studios are preparing to take on Guess Pictures. This isn't a good choice -- they're going to face big troubles."
"I know. If I can find another investor, I might reconsider. Until then, Guess Pictures is my only option. Tom, I'm an actress too, and I need to work. I hope you understand."
Nicole put the magazines she had been holding under her arm and took the stairs, heading upstairs.
...
With a loud thud, Tom kicked the couch in anger. The two stuffed cats on the cushions jumped up, startled, and quickly scurried after their owner.
"Link! Damned Link!"
Tom yelled in a hushed voice. If it weren't for Link, his career wouldn't be suffering, his income wouldn't have plummeted, and he wouldn't be fighting with Nicole all the time.
Everything was Link's fault -- the damned womanizer.
In that moment, he wished to see Guess Pictures crumble and Link go bankrupt, falling back into poverty.
...
Rring! Rring!
The phone rang suddenly, and Tom picked it up with a scowl to hear Michael Ovitz's gruff voice on the line.
Ovitz informed him that the Mission: Impossible project was confirmed, and he was still set to star as the lead.
Tom acknowledged the news.
Mission: Impossible was Paramount's upcoming marquee project. Originally, he was supposed to headline it, but due to some controversies and the untimely death of River, his reputation took a hit. The board suggested casting someone else for safety.
However, with Sherry Lansing's backing, he wasn't worried about losing the role.
Michael, sensing Tom's mood wasn't great, jokingly asked if he wanted to grab a drink.
Tom thought better of it, recalling Ovitz's extensive connections. He brought up To Die For and asked if CAA was interested in arranging investment for it, similar to other projects.
"To Die For? Wait, Tom, are you saying Guess Pictures is looking to finance this film and keeping Nicole as the lead?"
"Yes."
"Do you suspect Link has his eyes on Nicole?"
"Just a hunch. Last time I ran into Link at the bar, he had a greedy look in his eyes when he stared at Nicole."
"Really? That could be a good play."
"A good play? How can this be a good play? That playboy Link is after Nicole!"
Tom said, visibly annoyed.
"Ha ha, Tom. Don't you want to see Link crash?"
"Hmm? What do those two things have to do with each other?"
"Absolutely! We have been digging up dirt on Link but haven't found anything substantial. If he were to seduce another man's wife or destroy someone's marriage -- or worse, turn out to be a rapist -- do you think he could ever work again? If people stopped watching his films, Guess Pictures would inevitably decline and Link would go bankrupt. Isn't that what you've been wanting all along?"
"Michael, Nicole is my wife."
"Tom, you must understand, Link is a billionaire. In America, billionaires occupy the top echelon, enjoying certain privileges. To take a guy like him down is incredibly difficult and costly, we are talking capital -- tens of millions, may be even more than a hundred. But using a woman, it would become much simpler and much more effective. Come on, Tom, which do you think is easier -- a few million or a woman!" Michael laid it out.
"But Nicole is my wife."
"Tom, if this works, and Guess Pictures goes under while Link is left humiliated and out of Hollywood, CAA and the major studios will remember your sacrifice. They will open up all their resources to you. With the big studios on your side, you'd be the top star in Hollywood -- untouchable."
Michael Ovitz stated.
Tom's grip on the phone trembled, "Michael, I need to think this over. You know I love Nicole."
"Ha ha, I know, I know. I'm not going to pressure you. You have plenty of time to consider this. Remember, we're friends. Whatever you decide, I'll support you."
Michael hung up.
Tom Cruise sat on the couch, lost in thought.
...
Click, click!
Nicole Kidman, dressed in a white Chanel summer dress and high heels, descended the stairs, carrying her Gucci handbag. Her tall, slender figure accentuated the flattering dress, outlining her curves in a captivating way.
"Naomi is calling me for coffee, I'm going out for a bit," Nicole said casually.
"Nicole, wait!"
Tom took a deep breath and looked up at Nicole.
"I agree with you working with Guess Pictures on the To Die For project."
*****
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