America Tycoon: The Wolf of Showbiz-Chapter 767 - 760: Good Man Martin Helps Depp Out of a Predicament

Early in the morning, Martin left his room alone. The door of the suite diagonally opposite opened at this time, and Catherine Daddario poked her head out, greeting him warmly.

"Morning, Martin, heading to the set so early?"

"There’s a scene of mine to shoot as soon as we start, so I need to get there early," Martin said with a smile, nodding his head. "Take it easy. I’m off."

Catherine asked, "What about my sister?"

Pointing to his room, Martin replied, "She doesn’t have any scenes this morning; she’s still asleep."

Catherine probed, "Can I go in to see her?"

Martin hesitated slightly, then swiped his card to open the door, "Go ahead."

"Thanks." Catherine slipped into the room.

Martin looked at her retreating figure, closed the door behind her, and went to the dining room for breakfast.

The room was in disarray, with women’s clothing scattered across the living room floor. Catherine recognized the size as belonging to Alexandra at a glance.

In some places, traces of battle remained.

Catherine stared blankly at these areas, as though paying tribute to the battlegrounds where Martin had fought.

In the bedroom, Alexandra, who had just finished freshening up, heard some noises outside and, thinking it was Martin, came out in her robe, only to find her sister standing there in a daze, and leaned in the doorway to watch her.

Turning around, Catherine caught sight of her sister’s robe falling open at the collar and couldn’t help but praise, "Martin wasn’t wrong; you’re definitely more gifted than me."

Alexandra didn’t mind flaunting her superiority, in every aspect, in front of her sister, who seemed eager to compete at this moment. She sauntered over to the sofa, sat down, and said, "How did you get in here?"

"Martin let me in." Catherine scrutinized Alexandra; her skin was smooth, so white it shone, her face flushed, her spirits high, and overall, she appeared as youthful as her 20-year-old sister.

Alexandra was wary of her sister’s intentions, "Now that you’ve seen me, head back if there’s nothing else. Report to acting class. I’ll notify you if there’s a suitable role."

Catherine instantly bristled with anger. Why should she be rushed off? Just because you’ve got bigger breasts?

She stepped on a bra lying on the floor, grinding the heel of her high shoe into it several times before settling on the armchair next to her, "I came to visit you on set, and you’re telling me to leave? What kind of sister does that?"

Alexandra crossed her arms over her chest, "Did you come to see me? Have you ever thought about visiting me on my previous film sets? You didn’t even call me! Don’t think I don’t know what’s on your mind. The reason you bothered to come to Boston was that the male lead of the film is Martin Davis."

Kicking off her high heels, Catherine crossed her legs on the couch and said, "Even if that’s true, is it necessary for you to behave like this? As far as I know, there are no fewer than five female stars in Hollywood who have maintained long-term affairs with Martin."

She stuck out her tongue and deliberately licked her lips, "You would rather share him with other women than let your own sister have a taste? Heh, such a sister exists in the world, who would rather give to others than share with her own sister."

Alexandra was almost exploding with anger, her chest seeming to swell a size larger, "Is this something to be shared with a sister?"

Catherine, well-prepared, jumped up and hugged one of Alexandra’s arms, "But we are sisters, after all. We should be united! Think about it, Lacey. Martin only has a limited amount of resources at any given time. Those female stars, whether it’s fame or roles, are bound to share his resources."

Alexandra fell silent.

Catherine continued, "Instead of letting others take them, we might as well claim more for ourselves! You and I are sisters; if we join forces, the synergistic effect could be multiplied several times. Who could resist the charm of sisters acting together?"

Mumbling to herself, Alexandra said, "You’re crazy!"

Catherine saw things very clearly, "It’s not me who’s crazy; it’s this society. From the entertainment industry to the business sector, and even politics, isn’t it all the same?"

Alexandra was speechless for a moment because in her view, her sister was entirely correct—society was just that rotten.

She even thought that sometimes Martin’s nonsense was correct, like his belief that the world had entered an era of competing to be the worst.

It didn’t matter if you weren’t good, as long as others were worse, you could easily win.

Catherine stared at Alexandra for a while, then said, "Ignoring the advantage of being sisters is the most shameful waste!"

She emphasized, "I am your sister, after all!"

Considering it seriously for a while, Alexandra gave a slight nod, "I can give it a try, but if Martin opposes it, we must stop immediately."

Of course, she wouldn’t sacrifice her promising Hollywood career for her sister, "Also, you must listen to me on these matters."

"Of course, you are the older sister, after all." Catherine smiled happily.

Alexandra stood up and went to the walk-in closet to change her clothes and said, "We need to find the right opportunity. Actually, having you to share the load is not bad; handling Martin alone is a bit hard. His needs in that department are extraordinarily robust."

Catherine’s eyes gleamed with excitement, "Like Tiger Woods and NBA or NFL players?"

Alexandra nodded, somewhat troubled, "It’s a pity I’m not Madonna."

......

In the streets of Boston, the film crew was still shooting exterior scenes today.

Martin and Jeremy Renner followed the set routine, acting out a scene of brotherly conflict.

After a brawl, Martin knocked Jeremy Renner to the ground; Renner pulled out a gun to threaten him, and the two traded barbs for half a minute until director Villeneuve outside the set called it a wrap.

This long-take scene was over.

Martin left the set, took off his dirty costume jacket, handed it to an assistant from the crew, and noticed Thomas had arrived.

The two went to speak inside the makeup trailer.

Thomas brought some good news, "Hamlin and the representative lawyers from Warner Bros. have reached an out-of-court settlement. Warner Bros. has agreed to pay the personal share they owed you last year in accordance with the contract, totalling 17.58 million US dollars, which has already been paid to the agency. It’s estimated that it will hit your account in a couple of days."

Martin said, "Warner Bros. is really efficient this time."

Thomas smiled, "Jon Berg was fired, and the newly appointed Daniel wants to reverse the downturn of Warner Bros. He wants to continue collaborations with A-list stars and directors, as well as with other companies and investment funds; they must rebuild Warner Bros.’ credibility."

Martin said, "Lately, Daniel has called me several times, repeatedly stating that Warner Bros. wants to work with you again."

Thomas reminded him, "We’ve signed an agreement with Disney Studios."

"The agreement with Disney was made by Davis Studio," Martin simply said. "Film projects produced by Davis Studio, of course, must follow the contract and be distributed by Disney Studios, but I am still an actor. As long as the project and the pay are right, I won’t reject offers from other companies, including Warner Bros."

Thomas agreed completely, "Not being tied to one company is a wise decision."

Martin went on to say, "Would Daniel have chosen an out-of-court settlement if Warner Bros. alone dominated Hollywood?"

The current large-scale situation in Hollywood suggests that unless one is like Mel Gibson or Pitt and Ben, A-list stars won’t face big problems even if they fall out with one company.

As long as there is enough commercial value, other companies in Hollywood will offer contracts just the same.

With Jon Berg’s departure, Martin’s dispute with Warner Bros. temporarily came to a close.

Thomas continued, "The daily box office for ’Jack the Giant Slayer’ has fallen below 300,000 US dollars, triggering the relevant clause of the distribution contract. It’s now been compelled to be pulled from screenings across all major North American theaters."

Martin asked, "How much was the final box office in North America?"

"27.41 million US dollars," Thomas felt at that moment that the film industry was truly fraught with enormous risks—one project could lose hundreds of millions.

In the next instant, he suddenly wondered, what had made him think filmmaking wasn’t a high-risk investment?

Thomas’s eyes immediately fell on Martin, having grown accustomed to success over the years alongside him...

He collected himself and then said, "Overseas, the film has had a very mediocre reception as well, with audiences around the world virtually all criticizing the content and protagonist for Split. Currently, with over 60 countries and regions where the film was released, the overseas box office has only accumulated about 30 million US dollars; it’s impossible for the film’s global box office to surpass 100 million."

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The film wasn’t a sequel to a successful movie; a poor reception in North American markets meant the same could be expected overseas.

Martin nodded slightly and asked about another matter, "What’s the situation with Depp?"

"Both sides are still bickering in the media, but public opinion has almost unanimously sided with Amber Heard," Thomas reported succinctly. "Amber Heard’s lawyers have proposed a domestic abuse settlement and property division claim totaling 65 million US dollars in the divorce litigation."

He shook his head, "Depp also has to pay the tax arrears and fines on time, and on top of Amber Heard’s demands, his life is going to be miserable."

Martin said, "He would be better off declaring bankruptcy and becoming homeless."

Thomas understood the meaning behind Martin’s words; if Depp, the drunkard and drug addict, declared bankruptcy, he’d no longer receive any offline share for starring in films. The drugs alone could make Depp’s life worse than death.

He said, "If Depp has any sense left, he won’t declare bankruptcy but will tough it out instead."

Martin also believed Depp would hold on. He remembered news he had once read about a Hollywood actress declaring bankruptcy and being forced to live in a sewer.

Thomas said, "However, one thing is certain, Depp’s career in Hollywood is over; his current assets will be almost entirely sold off, and he’ll be saddled with massive debts. Any share he’ll receive in the future will also go towards repaying his debts."

Suddenly, Martin had an idea, "It’s sad to see Depp brought to such a state. We good people, shouldn’t we lend him a hand?"

The consistently quiet Bruce spoke up, "What are you planning to do now?"

"When Amber Heard and Depp are divorced, help Depp find a stable job," Martin truly considered his enemy’s welfare without expecting anything in return. "If Depp and Pitt were to go to Sacred Valley to film something like a man-to-man movie, wouldn’t it cause a sensation and blow up in sales?"