Chapter 313: Why are you clapping
"Wow, you don"t have such an urge now, do you?"
The woman nodded gently, her face turning even redder.
Eric"s smile turned wicked instantly: "Then you"ll have to hold back, at least until we finish the party."
The woman raised her small fist, as if wanting to punch Eric"s shoulder, but stopped halfway and whispered, "Eric, I think we should return this dress and shoes after the party."
"Don"t you like them?"
"Of course I do, I... I really like them," Famke Janssen bit her lip, then continued, "But they"re too expensive, I can"t keep them."
"As long as you like them," Eric said casually.
"Anyway, I will return the dress and give you back the money tomorrow," the woman said firmly.
Eric turned his head and looked at the woman as if he was scrutinizing her, his voice soft and with a hint of other implications, "Don"t worry, you won"t be able to return it."
The car stopped outside the Coppola estate, and as soon as they got out of the car, a black doorman greeted them and immediately recognized Eric"s ident.i.ty. He flashed a white smile and graciously took Eric"s car keys, then drove the car to the parking lot.
At first, it wasn"t noticeable when she was sitting in the car, but after Famke Janssen put on her high heels, she stood at six feet three inches tall, and with the rose-colored evening gown handmade by a famous designer, she appeared stunning to the security guards and doormen at the entrance of the Coppola mansion.
Everyone has a sense of vanity, and Famke Janssen is no exception. At this moment, she enjoyed the admiring looks of the security guards and doormen at the entrance, even more than the biggest runway show she had walked in, because at that time, she was just a clothes hanger. But now, the expensive evening gown had become her accompaniment.
But Eric was still not completely satisfied, and looked regretfully at the girl"s fair neck. "It would be even more beautiful with a necklace. But we"re short on time today, let"s talk about it next time."
"I think it"s already great like this," the girl said, intimately taking Eric"s arm.
"But I like perfection, not just good," Eric said, handing the invitation to the security guard in charge of checking, and then walking into the Coppola mansion.
Although Hollywood is never short of beauties, there are not many women like Famke Janssen, who are as tall and beautiful. Therefore, as soon as the two walked shoulder to shoulder into the mansion, the guests who were chatting in groups turned their eyes to them. Some female guests, upon seeing Famke Janssen, even subconsciously hugged the men beside them.
Many male guests quickly recognized Famke Janssen"s model-like demeanor, and in Hollywood, female models are very easy to get involved with. However, these people soon noticed the young man next to the girl before they could have any other thoughts.
In Hollywood today, anyone who pays even a little attention to Hollywood affairs would not fail to recognize Eric. And those who can attend the party at the Coppola family"s mansion are surely of a certain status. The chances of recognizing Eric are even greater.
"It seems to be Williams..."
"What do you mean "seems to be"? It clearly is him. How did he get here? I haven"t seen him at any of the parties before. I heard he doesn"t like socializing and only attends some of the firefly"s internal parties at most."
... ...
"Wow, it"s really Eric, he"s so handsome. Who"s that woman with him?"
"He"s a playboy, having a woman by his side is just normal for him. Hey, Julie, don"t let his appearance deceive you."
... ...
"Shall we go and say h.e.l.lo?"
"That might be a bit presumptuous."
"Come on, let"s go. It"s not often we get a chance to meet new people at these events."
Eric couldn"t help but slow down his pace as he felt the strange atmosphere around him. This was his first party after the controversy at the beginning of the year. And it was a party with not many familiar faces, so he couldn"t antic.i.p.ate how people would react.
Seeing people pointing and whispering about him and Famke Janssen, Eric regretted his decision to come. He was worried that he might be snubbed, and that would be a huge embarra.s.sment for him.
As he debated whether to continue forward or turn back, a few guests who recognized them whispered to each other before approaching Eric and Famke.
"h.e.l.lo, Mr. Williams. I am Gary Fredrickson, the executive producer of "The G.o.dfather III." Welcome to the party."
"h.e.l.lo, Mr. Williams. I am Richard Bright, and I played a role in "The G.o.dfather III.""
"h.e.l.lo, Mr. Williams..."
Eric breathed a sigh of relief as he saw the three men approaching him, and he greeted them with a smile. The surrounding people who were hesitant earlier, seeing Eric"s reaction, eagerly came over to join in the conversation.
As Francis Ford Coppola, along with Al Pacino and Nicolas Cage, who had noticed the commotion, curiously walked over, they saw that Eric was already surrounded by a group of enthusiastic people.
Al Pacino was the first to recognize Eric through the crowd, and after exchanging a few words with Coppola, he walked towards the group. The peripheral people soon noticed the arrival of Francis Ford Coppola and his entourage and willingly made way for them.
"h.e.l.lo, Eric. It"s been a while. I never expected to see you here tonight," Al Pacino warmly embraced Eric before turning to Famke Janssen and nodding his head, then turning back to Eric. "Eric, let me introduce you to Mr. Francis Coppola."
"h.e.l.lo, Mr. Coppola. I"m Eric Williams. I really admire your "The G.o.dfather" series, and I believe this sequel will definitely become another cla.s.sic," Eric said.
"Thank you for your compliment, Mr. Williams," Francis Coppola warmly shook Eric"s hand.
"Just call me Eric, Mr. Coppola. Oh, by the way, this is Miss Famke Janssen," Eric gestured to the girl beside him.
Francis Coppola smiled and shook hands with the girl, then made eye contact with his nephew. Nicolas Cage, who had been eager to meet Eric, came forward. "h.e.l.lo, Mr. Williams. I"m Nicolas Coppola."
Compared to Francis Ford Coppola, Eric is more familiar with Nicolas Cage. Despite being dubbed as the "king of bad movies" at one point, it cannot be denied that Nicolas Cage has starred in many cla.s.sic films.
"h.e.l.lo, I think it"s more friendly to call you Mr. Cage. I really love your film "Moonstruck," and both you and Ms. Cher delivered excellent performances."
"Thank you, Eric. Just call me Nick," Nicolas Cage shook Eric"s hand with a slight force. Clearly, his emotions were running high. This detail struck Eric as a bit strange, as if Cage"s eagerness was a bit over the top. After a moment"s thought, Eric quickly realized why he received this invitation - Nicolas Cage clearly has his sights set on the lead role in "Ghost," just like Brigitte Fossey.
After sizing up Nicolas Cage, who was only twenty-six years old at the time, Eric observed that his hairline had not yet receded like it would twenty years later. His hair was thick, his eyes deep, and there was a hint of melancholy in his entire demeanor.
I noticed Eric scrutinizing Cage, while Francis Ford Coppola stood by with a knowing grin, and Al Pacino smiled beside them, understanding that the astute young man had likely picked up on something. Though it felt strange to be scrutinized by someone several years his junior, Cage wisely remained silent.
The entire party was held in celebration of the upcoming production of "The G.o.dfather III," and as the director and lead actor remained silent, the others in attendance sensibly fell quiet as well.
After a minute or so of careful consideration, Eric combined his observations of Cage"s performance in "City of Angels" and made a decision. He reached out his hand once more and asked, "Nick, would you like to join the cast of "Ghost"?"
Cage was incredulous, as someone from the Coppola family would understand better than most that the lead role in a major commercial film was not easily attained. This was not simply a matter of acting ability, but involved complex negotiations and maneuvering, as a successful commercial film could turn an unknown Hollywood actor into a global superstar. Although many films sold well in Hollywood each year, most of the leading roles were already taken by established stars, leaving few opportunities for newcomers.
Therefore, despite already having the audition opportunity for "Ghost" and being confident in his acting skills, he still took advantage of the opportunity of the party for "The G.o.dfather III" to persuade his uncle to help him invite Eric and continue to push the influence of the Coppola family in Hollywood, hoping to increase his chances of getting the role.
To his surprise, things turned out to be so simple, making him want to pinch himself hard, thinking that it must be a dream.
Cage hadn"t had a chance to pinch himself yet, and Al next to him had already punched him in the chest with a fist: "Lucky guy, do you still need to hesitate?"
The impact on his chest finally woke Nicolas Cage up. He grabbed Eric"s hand and shook it hard, saying, "Of course, Eric, thank you."
Of course, Eric wouldn"t just leave it at that. After "Ghost," another Hollywood rising star from the Coppola family would appear. How could he easily let go of such a favor? Therefore, after letting go of Cage"s hand, Eric turned to Francis Coppola with a smile and said, "Mr. Coppola, Nick is a descendant of the Coppola family. I believe that his acting skills will not let me down, right?"
Eric"s seemingly ordinary statement was quickly recognized by some of the more socially adept people around him as a hint that the Coppola family owed him a favor. It remains to be seen whether Francis Ford Coppola will acknowledge this favor, but as the success that Cage achieved through "Ghost Rider" continues to grow, the weight of this favor is sure to increase.
Cage noticed the reactions on some people"s faces around him and thought about the meaning behind Eric"s words.
He looked at his uncle with some apprehension, even though this uncle had been good to him. When Cage was just starting out, Francis Ford Coppola had arranged several small roles for him in his movies. However, he wasn"t actually Francis Ford Coppola"s son.
To everyone"s surprise, Francis Ford Coppola hesitated for two seconds and then shook Eric"s hand with a carefree smile. "Of course, Eric. Nick will not disappoint you, and if he can achieve some success in his acting career, it will be a glory for the Coppola family."
Truly one of the four major Hollywood directors, Coppola"s character and breadth of mind are not something that ordinary people can compare to. Those around him felt emotional upon hearing Coppola"s words and then, led by someone unknown, applause broke out.
Eric released Coppola"s hand with a slightly embarra.s.sed expression. Well, it seems he had become a person who seeks to repay kindness, but he had no regrets. It would be foolish not to take advantage of the situation at this moment. After all, he wasn"t doing charity work.
However...
He glanced at the woman next to him who was clapping with a smile.
"What are you applauding for, silly woman? Are you laughing at me?"
Fameek Johnson keenly perceived the "killing intent" in Eric"s eyes. Her delicate hand stiffened in front of her for a moment, and then she understood what was happening. She quickly intimately held Eric"s arm and rubbed her soft chest against it a few times without leaving any marks, like a naughty cat asking for attention from its owner.
"Alright, Eric. Let"s go inside and let me introduce you to some people," Francis Coppola made a gesture of invitation with a smile after a moment. The group walked and chatted, heading towards the mansion.
"To be honest, Eric, you should partic.i.p.ate in more parties. This will help you better understand Hollywood. Oh, by the way, your "Free City" in Malibu is really spectacular. Now many people consider it a landmark in Malibu. When will you invite us to visit? I really want to see what a $20 million mansion looks like," Francis Coppola walked beside Eric and spoke like a familiar elder.
Eric had been smiling and agreeing all along, looking around the estate. When they were about ten meters away from the villa, Eric suddenly stopped and looked curiously in a direction, but the graceful figure quickly disappeared into the crowd.
Noticing Eric"s unusual behavior, several people looked curiously in the direction of Eric"s gaze, but they didn"t see anything unusual.
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