Echoes of Hollywood

The mixed reviews from the screening were not great news, but neither Murphy nor 20th Century Fox were overly concerned. The praise primarily came from major North American mainstream publications, while the criticism mainly originated from French media journalists.

France, considering itself the birthplace of cinema and an artistic sanctuary, has a mindset distinct from the majority of the global film industry and its practitioners. A film that mocks France and Hitler was unlikely to be well-received there.

Variety magazine in North America praised "Inglourious Basterds," saying it delivered "surprise, tension, and courage, a unique new work by Murphy that combines American pop culture with European flair." Conversely, France's Le Figaro denounced it as "very bad, lifeless, and passionless, neither a realistic war film nor an engaging fictional war story."

Murphy's new work was always hotly received in North America. However, his strong personal style evoked strong reactions, both positive and negative.

Regardless of media commentary, "Inglourious Basterds" officially premiered in North America on the weekend following Thanksgiving in 2008.

20th Century Fox ultimately chose not to hold the global premiere in South Korea, instead opting for North America. This was both to cater to the North American market and to prepare for the awards season. Most of the judges for major film critic awards and Hollywood guild awards reside in North America, particularly in Los Angeles and New York.

This time, 20th Century Fox chose Lincoln Center in New York for the premiere.

On the afternoon of the premiere, numerous stars graced the red carpet in front of Lincoln Center.

Members of the Stanton faction and the film's main cast were all present. Actors such as Lindsay Lohan, Julia Roberts, Robert Rodriguez, Sam Rockwell, Chace Crawford, Gael García Bernal, Ben Kingsley, Emma Roberts, Terrence Howard, and many fashion trendsetters showed up, making it a star-studded event.

The red carpet reached its climax when Murphy appeared. Gal Gadot had returned to Israel due to a family matter, so Murphy took Fox's publicity suggestion and walked the red carpet with the film's two leading ladies, Margot Robbie and Diane Kruger, creating a stir.

Diane Kruger wore a silver-white embroidered fishtail evening dress, showcasing the figure honed from her modeling career; Margot Robbie, in a pure white tailored suit, emphasized a feminist theme, with her stunning looks and tall figure garnering applause.

As for Murphy, he was envied by countless fans present.

He walked arm in arm with Diane Kruger on his left and Margot Robbie on his right, appearing quite fortunate.

However, this was all for promotional purposes.

Margot Robbie was a close friend of Gal Gadot, and Murphy would be foolish to think otherwise, while Diane Kruger, although not an A-list star, was comfortably a B-list celebrity.

In today's Hollywood, reaching this level meant an actress could not be easily coerced into anything unless she was willing.

Murphy had no such intentions either. His collaboration with 20th Century Fox's publicity plan was simply to attract attention.

What followed were the typical premiere activities: interviews with media journalists, photos with sponsors, and group photos with the crew.

Inside the New York State Theater at Lincoln Center, Murphy briefly greeted the many guests invited by 20th Century Fox and CAA, especially Julia Roberts and Emma Roberts, who were recent high-profile acquisitions by CAA.

Julia Roberts particularly introduced Emma Roberts to Murphy.

"Murphy, this is my niece," Julia Roberts said, highlighting Emma Roberts. "If there's an opportunity in the future, please look after her."

Murphy shook hands with Emma Roberts and smiled, "No problem."

Although it was a polite gesture, Murphy maintained a respectful attitude towards Julia Roberts. Despite being a top-tier director now, he wouldn't ignore the influence of a superstar like Julia Roberts, even if her career had somewhat waned.

In the online rumors of Murphy's former life, it was said that any director could make any actress, regardless of their status, strip off their clothes for a role. It seemed like superstars such as Julia Roberts were no different from aspiring nobodies in Hollywood.

Murphy initially believed this might be possible, as roles do make stars. However, after entering the industry, he realized this was not the case at all.

No director or producer would risk millions of dollars on a whim. Not many actresses were worth that kind of investment.

If it fails, the losses aren't just financial but also their reputation and position in the industry.

Even someone as daring as Charlize Theron or Julia Roberts at their peak might not comply without serious consideration.

Even Murphy had to admit that A-listers like Tom Hanks, Tom Cruise, Julia Roberts, and Leonardo DiCaprio never lacked scripts or invitations, even if suitable roles were harder to come by.

For example, Julia Roberts' scandalous auditions mostly occurred early in her career. By her peak, she didn't need to use her body to win over any director or producer.

Similarly, Leonardo DiCaprio's continuous collaborations with Martin Scorsese were often misunderstood as him clinging to the director. However, in reality, DiCaprio often served as a producer on these projects, contributing significantly to the production costs, and Scorsese had to respect his opinions.

Leonardo DiCaprio and Martin Scorsese were equal partners on these projects.

According to Robert Downey Jr., who was close to DiCaprio, the actor invested in Scorsese's films both for financial returns and to advance his Oscar ambitions.

If Scorsese couldn't help DiCaprio achieve his Oscar goals, their partnership would end, and DiCaprio would move on to another valuable director.

Murphy's memory of DiCaprio's Oscar journey affirmed Downey's statements.

In many ways, the actor was the driving force in his collaborations with Scorsese.

In Murphy's previous life, there was a saying, "The carp jumps over the dragon gate," which aptly applied to actors.

The idea of offering a script and role to seduce an A-list star was laughable. It's like thinking Spielberg and Cameron combined could make it happen.

Rachel McAdams, famously known for rising through the ranks from the bottom, became a recognized actress and was hard to approach after she became famous.

Murphy had yet to work with non-Stanton faction A-listers. With the Stanton faction, cooperation was straightforward, treating actors like Diane Kruger and Christoph Waltz with respect rather than as disposable objects.

Some actresses did show interest in directors, like Jessica Alba and now Emma Roberts.

"Hi, Murphy..."

As Murphy was about to enter the screening hall, Emma Roberts caught up with him and slipped a note into his hand, smiling directly, "Call me when you have time, let's have coffee."

_________________________

[Check out my Patreon for +200 additional chapters in all my fanfics! $5 for all!!] [[email protected]/INNIT]