Chapter 87: A Starkly Different Premiere

Chapter 87: Chapter 87: A Starkly Different Premiere

"Hey, guys, are the weekend plans set?" Wells burst into the classroom, full of energy. "Tom got his surf wagon and said he’s taking us to Malibu. John, did your girlfriend agree to come with you?"

John waved his hand, looking helpless. "I can’t go. Susan finally agreed to a date with me, but it’s not surfing. She wants to see a movie."

"All right, I won’t mess up your couple time. By the way, what movie are you seeing? If it’s good, I might tag along," Wells asked, leaning in with curiosity.

"What’s it called again? Oh right, Mean Girls."

"No way," Mike said from nearby, organizing his sneakers. He made an exaggerated gagging face. "That movie about girls backstabbing each other?"

"Yo, you seem to know a lot, figuring out the plot just from the title," another boy teased.

Wells rubbed his chin, his eyes lighting up. "Now that you mention it, I’ve noticed a lot of girls talking about that movie. John, why don’t you check it out first? If it’s good, we can do a group trip next week."

"That’s a great idea!" Mike perked up at the mention of a group outing. He tossed his sneakers into his locker and said, "Jenny from the class next door said she wanted to see it a few days ago! Count me in for something like that!"

"Get lost!" Everyone laughed and shouted at once, and the classroom filled with noise and energy.

On the night of the Mean Girls premiere, the Walk of Fame in front of the Hollywood Chinese Theatre felt like it had been flooded with bright pink energy.

On the huge poster, the actresses looked sharp and confident, their poses bold.

Unlike the quiet atmosphere at the Legally Blonde premiere last year, tonight was pure celebration.

"Director Irene, over here!"

"Congratulations, Director Irene!"

"Are you confident about the new movie’s box office?"

Irene looked at the microphone nearly in her face and answered calmly. "I have full confidence in this film. It keeps the spirit of the last one, but we’ve pushed forward with the story and the visuals. I believe audiences will see how much work we put in."

After a short response, she nodded politely and walked straight toward the screening hall.

Johnny Depp stood on the red carpet, watching the scene. He turned to Charlize Theron beside him and said, "Has our director always been this cool?"

Charlize Theron smiled, waving to fans while keeping her voice low. "From what I’ve seen, the director isn’t someone who likes a lot of flash."

Charlize had officially joined the crew and was taking pre-production driving lessons. Even though stunt drivers would handle the dangerous shots, the lead actors needed to master professional driving to make the performances look real.

"I’m getting more and more interested in our director," Johnny Depp said thoughtfully.

"Hey, Depp, look over here!"

Hearing the call, Depp turned toward the sound and flashed a classic Hollywood smile.

Beyond the core cast, the arrival of Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson, who had just worked with Irene on a new project, pushed the red carpet energy even higher. Their appearance caused a stir in the media area.

"Why is Tom Hanks here too? What’s his connection to Irene?" a young reporter on the edge of the carpet asked his colleague while snapping photos.

"Your info is out of date. How are you a reporter? Irene and Tom just finished a project together, only two months ago," said an older, veteran reporter.

"Really? Where’s the news? What movie did they work on?"

"It seems to be an independent drama. I haven’t seen any reports about the story, but we’ll find out when it comes out."

"This young Director Coppola is impressive. She’s already changing direction after only two campus comedies. A drama and an action film, that’s a huge jump. Isn’t she worried about taking on too much?" The young reporter sounded both admiring and skeptical.

Achieving this much before age twenty was remarkable, and anyone would be impressed by her talent. But shifting genres after only two films in the same style, and moving into completely new territory, made the outcome uncertain.

In a high-end lounge not far away, Francis Coppola and George Lucas watched the guests and critics move back and forth. Thinking about the Legally Blonde premiere this time last year, the two film veterans felt a wave of emotion.

"In just one year, everything has changed," Francis said, gently swirling the wine in his glass. "This is the charm of Hollywood."

George patted his old friend’s shoulder knowingly. "The next generation is strong."

Just then, a familiar figure approached. It was Joyce Jackson, the former MGM acquisitions executive. Last year, she had been the one to submit Legally Blonde to the company, helping make the deal happen.

But this time she wasn’t here as an MGM employee. She had changed careers and was now a professional film critic.

Due to internal politics at MGM, after her boss Robert Smith was transferred, she had been moved to a sidelined position and wasn’t valued.

But waiting around wasn’t her style. She wanted to build something for herself, so she resigned and was now a contributor to the Chicago Sun-Times.

"Mr. Coppola, Mr. Lucas, good evening," Joyce Jackson said, stepping forward to shake hands.

Francis and George set down their wine glasses and stood to greet her.

Francis noticed the badge around her neck and asked, "Ms. Jackson, did you leave MGM?"

Joyce glanced down at her badge and answered honestly. "Yes. The creative environment at MGM no longer matched my vision. But my passion for film hasn’t changed, so I decided to stay in the industry in a new role."

"That’s good," Francis said with a nod of understanding. "Hollywood needs people like you who truly understand film. No matter the position, staying true to the art of cinema is the most important thing."

After exchanging pleasantries with Coppola and the others, Joyce walked away slowly.

Standing at the bright, bustling premiere, she felt a rush of emotion. Besides the Coppola family and their friends, maybe no one understood the meaning of this change better than she did.

Back then, Irene was just an unknown director who barely got attention because of the name "Coppola."

But now, Joyce couldn’t help but shake her head. As long as this movie succeeds, Hollywood will never forget Irene’s name.

She walked into the screening hall with the crowd, her mindset completely different from before.

As an acquisitions executive, she had always watched films with an eye for commercial potential. The anxiety of missing a great project was still fresh in her memory.

Every decision involved millions of dollars, a pressure that used to keep her up at night.

Now, the press pass on her chest gave her a new perspective.

As a critic, she no longer had to worry about box office numbers. Instead, she could focus on the beauty of the cinematography, the structure of the story, and capture the moments of inspiration or the missed opportunities.

This kind of discussion, centered on the art of film itself, might have been the reason she entered the industry in the first place.