America 1987

Chapter 20 The Paparazzi's Madness

Specifically, a songwriter named Daniel Wollensky kissed Madonna on the cheek at a party, and Sean Penn immediately beat him up.

The so-called "cheek kiss" or "face kiss" refers to a polite way of kissing where the two people's cheeks are pressed together and their lips make a "pop" sound, but their lips do not actually touch the skin.

This is extremely common in the Los Angeles entertainment industry and is considered standard social etiquette.

Sean Penn was so angry probably because of the angle of his position; he mistakenly thought the other person had actually kissed his wife on the cheek.

However, it is indeed quite unique to start a fight with someone in public.

It's said that Madonna not only didn't stop him, but also "greatly encouraged" him, praising him as "the coolest person in the universe." Indeed, he's a perfect example of "birds of a feather flock together."

The couple instantly became known as "one of the most infamous couples in Hollywood," with various news stories making headlines across major media outlets.

"Actually, Sean hitting the paparazzi wasn't entirely due to his bad temper."

Tony then chimed in with a comment and kicked David under the table.

"Oh right, I almost forgot to tell you, Cathy, if you become a star in the future, you'll have to be careful of the paparazzi here."

David Ovitz, caught up in the conversation and somewhat absorbed in himself, quickly stopped and steered the conversation toward the listener himself.

In the past, when he chatted with people, he was so enthusiastic about sharing science, entertainment, and gossip that he would often forget what he was talking about and sometimes would not care whether the listener was interested. Tony, who was a good friend of his, had reminded him of this before, but he almost fell into his old habit again.

"They're notorious for being persistent and stalking us. They'll do anything to take a picture, from stalking and surrounding us to illegally trespassing."

David gave her a heads-up, "Don't let yourself get pushed to the point of crashing into a telephone pole..."

"Alright, David, stop nagging. The afternoon shoot is about to begin." Tony couldn't stand his exaggerated description any longer, so he finished his coffee in one gulp and urged him on.

Catherine also felt that what the other party said was a bit exaggerated, but since the other party meant well, she didn't say anything more and just listened with a smile.

In fact, David was not exaggerating.

In the original timeline, after Catherine rose to fame in Britain with "Flowers of May," she was constantly stalked by paparazzi, who even followed her closely while she was driving. To escape the paparazzi, she once lost control and crashed into a streetlight, nearly causing a serious accident, thus becoming the second Princess Diana.

Later, in 92, she came to Hollywood to develop her career, most likely to escape harassment from British paparazzi.

Actually, American paparazzi can be quite crazy. David Ovitz, who has almost finished shooting in New York, is going to meet the person who is most qualified to speak on this matter.

As David pushed open the revolving door of the restaurant, he immediately spotted the thin figure sitting in the corner.

"You must be Jodie Foster. My name is David Ovitz, you can call me David."

After David recognized the person, he went over and greeted him.

"Jodie Foster, just call me Jodie, director Ovitz."

Jodie Foster took the initiative to shake his hand. Although her mature and capable demeanor had not yet been fully developed, she already had some of the flair from "The Silence of the Lambs".

Her appearance was indeed as David had predicted—delicate features, deep eyes that made her instantly memorable, short dark brown hair, and a slightly long face that gave her an air of intelligence and decisiveness.

That's right, he specifically asked someone to help him make an appointment with this future Oscar-winning actress.

Jodie Foster, who graduated with honors from Yale University in 84 with a Bachelor of Arts degree, returned to the entertainment industry, but her transition was not smooth.

She starred in several films, including "Five Corners" and "Rejuvenation," but they were all met with lukewarm reception, and she failed to recapture the glory of her childhood star days.

At this time, she was at a crossroads in her career—the halo of being a child star was gradually fading, and her positioning as an adult actress had not yet been established. She urgently needed a challenging role to prove herself.

There are many child stars in Hollywood, but very few of them can successfully transition into adulthood and continue to break through their own limitations.

There exists an invisible "life-or-death line" for child stars in Hollywood. When child stars who rely on cuteness and charm grow up to be fifteen or sixteen years old and their appearance changes significantly during puberty, they must strive to transform and break through in their acting careers.

Because audiences have a strong "childhood filter" for child stars, they are often forced to dwell on their past images and cannot accept the changes they undergo as adults. Therefore, it is much more difficult for child stars to transition to adult roles than for adult actors.

To successfully transition into a new role, one must choose a character that contrasts sharply with their own personality and then perform it well. Only by deliberately choosing roles to break through the audience's childhood filter can one prove their versatility as a mature actor.

and so……

"Can you tell me why you took this role?" David asked knowingly, since it was standard procedure and he couldn't avoid it.

Jodie Foster's answer was not unexpected and was pretty much exactly what he had guessed.

"So, Judy, you should know the risks behind taking on this role, right?" This was David's second question.

He felt that the other party should know, and the reason he asked was just to confirm it one last time, just in case.

After all, once an actor takes on such a role, they are very likely to be repeatedly asked by the media during the promotion period whether they have ever had a similar experience. Even if they haven't, they can probably make up one out of thin air.

"Three men can make a tiger," and "Many mouths can melt metal." Rumors are terrible, especially for public figures. Once they are maliciously associated with someone, they will be labeled with "ominous" or "bad luck," thereby affecting their commercial value.

Moreover, the character's personality was inherently unlikable and highly controversial. If it weren't controversial, it wouldn't have caused such a huge uproar and become a sensational case back then.

Controversy brings risk, and although the film ultimately conveys the belief that justice will prevail, it undoubtedly challenged the male-dominated judicial system and public prejudice in the context of American society at that time.

Not to mention in this era, even in the era before David's time travel, movies of this kind are very likely to provoke polarized opinions—supporters praise their courage, while opponents may accuse them of "inciting gender antagonism."

If female celebrities take on such roles, they may be caught up in unnecessary public opinion storms, which could directly affect their commercial collaborations such as endorsements and variety show invitations.

However, Jodie Foster still took on the role, and she acknowledged all the risks David mentioned, showing a kind of do-or-die courage and determination.

It seems there's a reason why her name became synonymous with "brave woman" on the internet decades later.