Chapter 185: The Arrival of Family

Chapter 185: Chapter 185: The Arrival of Family

"Are they coming to visit the set?" Henry Cavill’s eyes lit up. He put down his knife and fork, his tone filled with obvious anticipation.

"That’s great! Actually, I’m a huge fan of The Godfather. I’ve watched it at least five times, and every time I’m stunned by the cinematography and character development. Especially the entrance of Vito Corleone and the details of the family dinner. It’s textbook-level filmmaking. My decision to become an actor was largely influenced by this movie."

As he spoke, he couldn’t help but imitate a classic line from The Godfather, nailing the tone perfectly, which made everyone at the table laugh.

"Thank you for liking my father’s work so much," Irene said, infected by his enthusiasm, her smile becoming more genuine.

"He really is my mentor. When I was little, I was always hanging around his sets, watching him direct and communicate with actors, and gradually, I developed an interest in film. Having them come over this time is partly to let them relax, and partly because I really want them to look things over and relieve some of my pressure."

"I would be so honored to meet Mr. Coppola," Henry said, rubbing his hands together, his eyes full of anticipation. "I’ll definitely ask for his advice and ask him about his views on character development."

Keira Knightley, who had been listening quietly, suddenly interjected, her tone tinged with shyness. "Irene, does the friend you mentioned include Britney?"

Irene paused for a moment, then smiled. "Yes. How did you know?"

"I absolutely love her!" Keira’s eyes instantly lit up, and her cheeks flushed. "I have her poster on my wall, and I can sing ’...Baby One More Time’ all the way through. Her songs are just so infectious. I’ve been waiting for her new album, and I never expected to have the chance to meet her in person."

"When she arrives, I’ll introduce you," Irene said with a smile. "She has a very easygoing personality. You might even become friends."

Keira nodded excitedly, her face full of anticipation.

At this moment, Johnny Depp suddenly spoke up, his tone filled with curiosity. "Besides your parents and Britney, who else is coming?"

"My cousin, Nicolas Cage, is also coming," Irene replied.

"Nicolas?" Depp’s eyes widened, then he broke into a surprised smile.

"That guy? We go way back. Come to think of it, I only became an actor because of his help. He was the one who recommended me for A Nightmare on Elm Street. Back then, we often got together to drink beer and talk about scripts. Later, we both got busy, and it’s been almost a year since we’ve seen each other. We haven’t had a proper drink either."

"I really didn’t expect you two to be so close," Irene said, a bit surprised. She knew her cousin knew many people in the industry, but she hadn’t expected him to have such a good relationship with Depp.

"More than just close," Depp recalled with a smile.

"When I was filming Edward Scissorhands, he even came to visit the set and brought me a whole case of beer. Later, when he became a huge star, I teased him that he’d have to treat me to some good wine in the future. I didn’t expect the wait to be this long." He tapped the table, his tone cheerful.

"When he gets here, we’ll have to get together properly. We won’t stop until we’re drunk."

"You’d better pace yourselves," Irene reminded him with a smile. "We have to film the next day, so don’t delay the schedule."

"Don’t worry, we know our limits," Depp winked.

Irene continued, "I’ll arrange for him to make a cameo, but I haven’t decided on the role yet. If you have any good suggestions, feel free to tell me."

Depp grinned. "Oh? Then I’ll have to help you think about it."

The atmosphere at the table grew more and more lively. Everyone chatted back and forth, from movies to life, from the seniors they admired to the friends they were looking forward to meeting.

The sea breeze blew in through the open windows of the restaurant, carrying a salty scent, mixed with the aroma of food and laughter, making it exceptionally pleasant.

Looking at the sincere and enthusiastic companions around her, the last bit of gloom in Irene’s heart completely dissipated. She raised her glass and said to everyone with a smile, "Come on, let’s toast to our upcoming reunion and to our smooth filming."

"Cheers!" Everyone raised their glasses. The crisp sound of clinking glasses rang out in the night, intertwined with the sound of distant waves, sounding particularly beautiful.

Two mornings later, as the sun at Port Royal Bay had just warmed the beach, Vivian and Vera drove the production’s van to the airport.

Irene had specifically instructed the two to bring plenty of mineral water and sun hats, and also had the restaurant prepare a light breakfast in advance, knowing her parents weren’t used to long-haul flights.

As soon as the van drove back to the hotel near the set, they saw Irene and Edward already waiting at the entrance.

The door opened, and her parents were the first to step out. Francis was wearing a casual linen shirt and carrying a camera in his hand, while Eleanor was arm-in-arm with him, a smile on her face.

Following closely behind was Nicholas, still dragging that case filled with old camera accessories. When he saw Irene, he shouted, "This place is much more comfortable than Beverly. With a breeze from the sea, I’ve even forgotten about all that nonsense with the financial manager."

Finally, Britney stepped out, wearing sunglasses and a baseball cap, dressed in loose sportswear. After seeing Irene and Edward, she first gave Irene a big hug. "Finally escaped Los Angeles. The air here is so fresh. Can we go diving here? I want to go sea fishing." Only then did she turn to Edward’s embrace.

Irene smiled and walked up to them, hugging them one by one. "You’ve had a long journey. Let’s go to the hotel to drop off your luggage first. I’ve already had the restaurant prepare food. Of course you can go sea fishing. For diving, you’ll need to ask the locals. I’ve found a guide for you who can take you around."

"No rush, no rush," Francis waved his hand, his gaze already cast toward the nearby set. "I’ll go watch you film first. Let them go back to rest. Don’t let it delay the movie’s progress."

Eleanor nodded as well. "We are all very curious about how you direct now. We’ll just watch from the side and won’t disturb you."

Irene couldn’t refuse, so she led them toward the set. Britney was full of curiosity about everything on the set, asking Edward questions left and right while looking around. She even took out her phone to take pictures of the distant Black Pearl, muttering, "This is so cool. It’s actually a real ship. It looks so awesome."

At this moment, the set was filming the scene where Captain Jack and the crew were plotting on the deck. As soon as Irene returned to her post, she immediately switched into work mode. She picked up the walkie-talkie and commanded methodically,

"Camera crew, adjust the camera position. Give Depp a side-backlit close-up. Lighting crew, dim the light on the right side of the deck to emphasize the shadows. Actors, pay attention to the rhythm of your lines. Jack’s tone needs to be more cunning."ℯ