On Saturday night, the Regent Hotel was brightly lit, and celebrities gathered.
20th Century Fox convened a banquet in the name of “Titanic,” and both the cultural and entertainment circles responded.
“Over there.”
Passing through two groups of people, Robert Lee gestured with his eyes toward the front left: “The person opposite Leonardo is Saleh Zayed. When my friend met him, I caught a glimpse of him from a distance.”
Ronan nodded, handed his glass to Robert, and walked toward another small circle near Leonardo.
Approaching him directly wasn’t the best option; the banquet had just begun, and there was plenty of time to find the right opportunity.
There were four or five people in the circle where Saleh Zayed was.
Ronan observed quickly; the center of that circle was undoubtedly the immensely popular Leonardo DiCaprio, while Saleh Zayed seemed subtly excluded.
The circle he went to was very close to Leonardo, where five or six people were gathered around Kate Winslet, talking loudly and eloquently.
Praising the high and trampling the low was the most basic rule of survival in Hollywood.
As Ronan walked, he stole glances at Saleh Zayed.
This Arab was young, looking to be around twenty-five years old.
Robert’s friend had obtained some information about him.
Saleh graduated from Cambridge University last summer with a double master’s degree and is one of the deputy directors of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority in the US—a typical top student.
But his current position had nothing to do with being a top student; it was because of the name Zayed.
In Western terms, Saleh Zayed is a member of the royal family of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.
Of course, there are dozens of princes in Abu Dhabi, and he wasn’t particularly prominent for the time being.
Robert found an empty spot, ordered a glass of champagne, and watched Ronan while drinking.
Perhaps because the failure of the last project was too painful, the young man had changed significantly lately; his arrogance and pride had vanished, and he had become more organized in his actions.
Would this financing plan succeed?
Robert lacked confidence in this; perhaps Ronan couldn’t even handle that Arab.
If it failed, it would be time to consider a way out.
Having stayed with Sand Sea Entertainment until now, he had fulfilled his obligation to the late Old Anderson.
Arabs…
Sigh.
Robert shook his head.
Arabs didn’t have a good impression of Hollywood; they were hard to deal with.
Approaching the small circle where Kate Winslet was, Ronan adjusted his bowtie and pushed up his non-prescription glasses.
The dark suit and gold-rimmed glasses gave him a more mature look.
Taking advantage of two people leaving, Ronan stepped forward quickly to Kate Winslet.
Wearing a broad smile, he proactively extended his right hand: “Hello, Miss Winslet. Congratulations on your nomination for best actress.”
In the recently announced Oscar nominations, Rose was among them, but Jack was left out.
“Thank you.” Kate Winslet gave his hand a light squeeze.
Just as Ronan was about to say more, a strange sound came from Leonardo’s direction.
“Are there even movies in the Arab world?”
Leonardo’s voice was filled with arrogance and sarcasm: “Can you even see movies in Abu Dhabi?”
Laughter broke out around them.
Kate Winslet looked over, and Ronan also turned his head to look.
A middle-aged man wearing black-rimmed glasses chimed in: “That place is a desert of civilization.”
Saleh Zayed argued his point: “The UAE is a free, civilized, and open country with over a hundred cinemas.”
Leonardo spread his hands and asked the people around him with a smile: “Has any of you heard of a UAE film? Can anyone name a single UAE movie?”
Saleh was about to speak again, but Leonardo cut him off: “Tell us the name of a UAE movie so we can broaden our horizons.”
People on both sides echoed Leonardo’s words.
Ronan shook his head slightly.
Leonardo was at the height of his fame, the darling of the media and producers.
As for the Arab world, let alone now, even ten years later, in the eyes of most Hollywood professionals, it still wouldn’t belong to the civilized world.
The current Leonardo was young and aggressive.
Not long ago, he had publicly announced he wouldn’t attend this year’s Academy Awards Ceremony, grandly claiming it was to avoid stealing the Oscar’s spotlight.
Ronan remembered reading reports in his previous life about how James Cameron privately evaluated Leonardo during this period—arrogant and a spoiled brat.
Looking at the current situation, James Cameron’s words were not false.
“What a joke,” someone said, shaking his head as he left.
“An Arab actually wants to break into Hollywood. Pure wishful thinking!”
Saleh remained relatively calm and said, “The UAE’s film industry is just starting…”
“In other words, it’s currently a desert of film civilization!” Leonardo was overbearing.
Right now, he looked nothing like the kind uncle he would become later, when both he and everyone else got chubby.
“That is an absolutely incorrect statement!”
Ronan first spoke up to refute Leonardo, then stepped into the circle and said, “The UAE’s film policy is very open. They’ve always imported Hollywood blockbusters and Indian Bollywood musicals, and the cinemas are almost always packed.”
Leonardo, Saleh, and the others immediately looked toward Ronan.
Ronan smiled politely and added, “The film industry is hard to start. Hollywood also grew from nothing, developing for nearly a century to reach its current state.”
Hearing this rebuttal, Leonardo couldn’t help but frown, appearing somewhat displeased.
Saleh first nodded to Ronan, then said, “To promote the development of the film industry, Abu Dhabi is actively engaging in international cooperation and is also willing to cooperate with Hollywood.”
“Ha…” Leonardo laughed, no longer bothering with Saleh.
Instead, he said to Ronan, “I remember who you are now. You’re that spendthrift!”
Kate Winslet gave Leonardo a tug, seemingly reminding him not to speak recklessly.
Ronan watched this.
Their friendship would span many years.
Even now, he remembered Kate Winslet’s confession to Leonardo: “I’m so happy I can stand here and tell you how much I love you and how much I’ve loved you for 13 years. I love you with all my heart, I really do.”
This was a declaration of friendship.
Perhaps Rose always had Jack in her heart, but Jack clearly wasn’t into that.
Leonardo didn’t care at all and said to everyone around: “Everyone, let me introduce you. This is Ronan Anderson. You might have heard of his father, John Anderson.”
“John Anderson from Sand Sea Entertainment?” someone chimed in.
Leonardo was very unhappy with Ronan’s rebuttal and continued, “When I was filming ‘Growing Pains,’ John was the assistant producer on the crew, very capable. It’s a pity that the company John spent ten years building was squandered overnight by someone.”
The middle-aged man with black-rimmed glasses leaned into Leonardo’s ear, seemingly whispering, yet in a way that everyone around could hear: “Leo, haven’t you heard? That spendthrift is preparing to make a new movie again.”
Ronan didn’t argue.
His gaze secretly drifted toward Saleh, and he silently called out in his heart: Let the mockery come even more fiercely.
All this mockery is just an assist.
Knowing that Leonardo was so overbearing at this stage, why would he jump out to refute him?
Leonardo’s smile was bright and handsome, but his words were unpleasant: “Not everyone has self-awareness.”
Kate Winslet gave Leonardo another tug.
Leonardo laughed and left with her, muttering as he walked, “Kate, it was this spendthrift who disrespected me first! People like him, every time I see them…”
“Just say less,” Kate Winslet interrupted him.
The others also quickly dispersed.
Only Ronan and Saleh were left here.
“Hello,” Saleh stepped forward and said to Ronan, “Thank you for speaking up for me.”
Ronan waved his hand: “It’s nothing. I was just telling the truth.”
Saleh said seriously, “They were too much.”
“It’s nothing. I’m often mocked,” Ronan gave a bitter smile.
“In their eyes, I’m a Hollywood outlier.”
He shook his head: “These people all consider themselves noble, yet they don’t even have the most basic respect.”
“It’s okay,” Saleh used Ronan’s words, “I’ve gotten used to it lately too.”
Ronan deliberately glanced at Saleh, then lowered his voice and said, “If you want to make it in Hollywood, you really have to adapt. The jewish people hold the discourse power in this circle.”
Saleh deeply agreed: “Yeah.
I’ve been in Los Angeles for two months, and all I’ve heard are ridicules and attacks.” He smiled sheepishly: “You’re different from them.”
Ronan appeared particularly sincere: “This circle is just like that. Driven by certain forces, whether in fiction or reality, there’s a lack of a fair stance toward you.”
“Yeah.” Saleh felt this young man was worth befriending and introduced himself: “I am Saleh Zayed, from Abu Dhabi.”
Ronan shook hands with him: “I’m Ronan, Ronan Anderson. An owner of a small film company and a new producer.”
The two exchanged a few pleasantries.
Having just stood in the same camp, they quickly became acquainted.
After chatting for a while, Saleh remembered Leonardo’s words and asked, “From their tone, it seems you’ve run into some trouble?”
Ronan shook his head with a bitter smile: “I messed up a movie and lost a lot of money, so they all say I’m a spendthrift. Seeing the difficulties with my new project, they’ve been full of sarcasm.”
Saleh asked with concern, “Difficulties?”
Ronan shrugged slightly: “It’s no big deal, those jewish vampires think…” He ran a hand through his hair: “Look at me, speaking out of turn again.”
“You’re telling the truth.” Saleh was certain this guy was indeed an outlier.
The Hollywood professionals he’d met before all couldn’t wait to kiss up to the Jews.
“I just can’t stand those Jews,” Ronan said indignantly.
“Playing the victim all day, getting all the benefits but still acting aggrieved, as if the whole world owes them.”
Saleh deeply agreed: “Indeed.”
Ronan shook his head helplessly: “Working in Hollywood, you have to compromise. They control distribution and promotion; it’s too easy for them to smear someone.”
From beginning to end, over ninety-nine percent of what he said was the plain truth that anyone could verify: “And then there are the vampires who control the massive funds. Like with my new project they just won’t give me a loan, and there’s nothing I can do.”