Beverly Hills, Theron's birthday party.
Eric walked towards Stuart Townsend, though on the surface, his target wasn't him, but the few others around him.
At this moment, Stuart Townsend was chatting with Tobey Maguire and a few other people Eric didn't know.
"Hi, Toby, we meet again."
Hearing his name called, the spider-man, who hadn't yet evolved into a bully, turned his head.
Seeing it was Eric, his face immediately broke into a smile, and he actively walked over with open arms.
"Hahaha, Eric, you actually came to the party too. It's truly lucky to see you here."
The two weren't really close; they had only met a few times and chatted at various ceremonies and galas, with relatively little private interaction.
Noticing that Tobey Maguire wanted to build a connection, Eric gave him that courtesy and lightly hugged him.
"OMG! No one told me you would be attending!"
Eric smiled slightly: "Theron and I are good friends. She just finished filming a movie invested by MGM."
"Did you direct it?"
"No, but I guest-directed for a few days, so we have a very good relationship. She's a smart and beautiful woman, and this movie will definitely help her win a major award."
"Yes, Charlize's charm is well-known, but first, I must congratulate you. get out's box office exploded. I watched it in the cinema; it was tense, exciting, and the plot had great depth—a truly excellent work."
"seabiscuit is also great; the story is very inspiring and uplifting."
Tobey Maguire waved his hand: "Don't comfort me, boss. I'm well aware of the current situation; audiences simply don't like this type of movie."
"Under the pincer attack of pirates of the caribbean and get out, a failed outcome is already destined."
"I originally hoped to use it as my Transformation (transformation) work, as I can't let audiences think I can only play spider-man, but now it seems I still need to find new opportunities."
Eric patted his shoulder and comforted him, saying, "Don't be discouraged. If there's a suitable opportunity, MGM's films will contact you directly."
"Really? You're the big boss; you can't lie to a small actor like me."
"Hey, Toby, you two are chatting so happily. Aren't you going to introduce us?"
Beside them, a man who looked to be in his twenties said. In reality, they, of course, knew Eric's identity.
Such a big shot is rarely encountered normally. Now that they've met him, they naturally want to build a connection like Maguire.
If their luck exploded, it might be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to become a favored actor.
Just like Spielberg and Tom Hanks, wasn't that their chance to soar?
Tobey Maguire led Eric over.
Before he could even start the introductions, Eric pointed at Stuart Townsend and said, "Get me a glass of red wine!"
Tobey Maguire quickly grabbed his finger: "Eric, he's Stuart Townsend, Charlize's boyfriend, not a waiter."
Eric pretended to size up the other party, then said in a peculiar tone, "Not bad, you found a pretty great girlfriend."
Everyone present knew the fact that she was the strong one and he was the weaker one in their relationship. What Eric said seemed fine on the surface, like a compliment.
But it always gave off a sarcastic vibe, and Stuart Townsend couldn't help but give an awkward smile.
The few of them proactively shook hands with Eric one by one. When it came to Stuart Townsend, someone happened to be passing by with a tray of food.
Eric smoothly took a glass of red wine from it, saving the latter's hand from awkwardly hovering in mid-air.
It would be impolite to retract his hand; the person opposite him was the helmsman of MGM, which would be tantamount to disrespecting him.
Stuart Townsend could only wait, feeling a bit embarrassed.
Eric took a sip from his glass, then pretended to notice the other person: "Sorry, Stuart, I almost forgot about you."
Townsend forced a smile: "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Cooper."
"I'm also very happy to meet you all. Introduce yourselves and let me see what representative works you have. Perhaps I have suitable roles for you."
"Of course, Toby, you don't need to; I wouldn't dare approach you unless it's for a male lead."
Maguire immediately shook his head repeatedly: "Eric, as long as it's your invitation, a supporting role is fine. I completely follow your orders."
"Hahahaha."
Opposite them, several young male actors immediately perked up. This party couldn't have come at a better time; pies were about to fall from the sky.
"Mr. Cooper, I'm Shane West. I appeared in the ABC TV series 'Once and Again,' played a supporting role in 'Crazy/Beautiful' the year before last, and was the male lead in 'A Walk to Remember' last year."
Eric nodded: "Not bad. I know A Walk to Remember. It's a great pure romance film, and it seems to have made quite a bit at the box office."
Shane West grinned: "It can't compare to your films, but it did make some money. I'm very eager to participate in an MGM production."
"Hmm, your appearance is great, and I see potential in you. Let me think if there's a suitable role."
"Thank you. If there is, please be sure to contact me."
After Shane West introduced himself, the others also began to boast one after another.
Regardless of whether it was true or false, Eric gave positive reviews and greatly praised them.
When it was Stuart Townsend's turn, he, of course, also very much hoped to get an opportunity.
The entertainment industry is like this; one role, one movie, can change an actor's life. He desperately needed a good role so he could shed the image of being a kept man in a female-dominated relationship.
With a fawning smile, he said, "Mr. Cooper, I debuted in 1993 and have appeared in many productions, including those from Warner Bros., 20th Century Fox, and Universal."
"Including 'Man of the House,' 'Queen of the Damned,' 'Trapped,' etc. I have rich acting experience and can handle various roles, as long as—"
"Wait!"
Before he could finish, Eric interrupted him.
"Queen of the Damned, I remember that. Was it a movie from last year?"
"Yes."
"I have some impression. That film cost Warner Bros. a lot of money."
"Uh, while the box office wasn't great, the DVD sales were decent, so it didn't actually lose much," Stuart Townsend tried his best to salvage the situation.
Tobey Maguire chimed in: "I also saw that movie. Actually, the reason it didn't do well at the box office was the clichéd plot, but Stuart delivered an excellent performance."
"Eric, through this film, Stuart's popularity among young women soared. At least he didn't let any movie down."
Eric nodded lightly: "Stuart, your appearance is good. I actually do have a suitable role in mind, but I must test your acting skills first."
Stuart Townsend's eyes instantly lit up. A pie was really falling from the sky. It seemed his feeling was wrong; the other party was truly a good person.
"No problem, Mr. Cooper. I can audition tomorrow."
"No need for tomorrow. I think we can do it now."
"Now? Here?"
"That's right. MGM intends to film a movie similar to Tarzan, where the male lead is a man abandoned in the forest and raised by animals."
"His behavior and mannerisms need to have animalistic characteristics. You've studied animal mimicry, haven't you?"
"Yes, every school teaches that. Of course, I can do it."
Eric gestured for the others to clear the space: "Come on, show me your acting by mimicking an animal."
Stuart Townsend hesitated. Under everyone's gaze, he felt a bit humiliated doing this.
But in his heart, he desperately wanted the role. It was the male lead in a blockbuster, and if he didn't follow Eric's request, he probably wouldn't even get an audition.
He gritted his teeth, thinking, it's just a party, a time for relaxation and fun anyway, so letting loose isn't a big deal.
With that thought, he no longer hesitated. Images of Tarzan cartoons and movies flashed through his mind, and he immediately crouched down and began to mimic a gorilla.
"Ooh-ooh... Ah-ah-ee-ee..."
He made a cacophony of sounds from his mouth, hopping and bouncing back and forth on the floor, immediately drawing all eyes around him.
A group of people surrounded him, curiously watching Stuart Townsend's strange antics.
Hahahaha.
Suddenly, it's unclear who started it, but everyone else couldn't hold back and joined in the laughter.
"Catch, Stuart!"
A banana was thrown from behind, hitting him right on the head, followed by another burst of laughter.
Enveloped by laughter, Stuart Townsend suddenly felt deeply humiliated. He was simply the biggest fool in the world.
"Damn it, what am I doing? Tonight is my girlfriend's birthday party, and I'm being played! I'm being toyed with by this damn Eric Cooper!"
Coming to his senses, Stuart Townsend roared internally, his head burning hot, his face flushed to his earlobes.
He quickly stood up and pushed through the crowd, wanting to leave.
Just then, Theron's voice came from nearby.
"What are you doing? Why are you gathered in a circle? Did something fun happen?"
Everyone made way, and Eric walked over to Stuart Townsend, patting his shoulder and saying.
"Your little boyfriend just made everyone laugh out loud with his superb acting. He's simply hilarious."
Theron smiled at her boyfriend: "Really? No wonder it's so lively."
Stuart Townsend's mouth twitched, but he couldn't manage a smile. He opened his mouth but felt too embarrassed to explain.
Having played a trick on the other party, Eric didn't want to overdo it. He pulled Theron and glanced towards Sergei's location.
Theron nodded and followed him to a corner.
Behind the two, Stuart Townsend felt a surge of anger building in his chest.
At that moment, he had a misconception, as if he had become a passerby, and Eric Cooper and Theron were the couple.
"Sorry, Theron, Stuart was actually auditioning just now. MGM has a new project, and I think he's suitable for the male lead."
"A Tarzan-like role, so he mimicked a gorilla, which made everyone laugh."
"I saw that Stuart didn't look too happy. It was thoughtless of me. Could you apologize to him for me privately?"
Upon hearing this, Theron immediately looked at Eric gratefully: "Thank you. It's already wonderful that you could come, and you're even willing to let Stuart be the male lead. You're truly a good person."
"Don't worry, he won't mind. As an actor, this is what he should do."
Eric hummed: "It's good that you understand. Actually, it's all for your sake, because I like you."
Theron didn't respond, just smiled a little shyly.
She was very conflicted. On one hand, she felt it was immoral to betray her boyfriend, as they had only argued and no major conflict had erupted.
On the other hand, she was infatuated with Eric's affection. That sweet feeling made her unable to extricate herself, even though she knew it was unfair to Stuart.
But she still couldn't cut ties with Eric, instead falling deeper and deeper. Sometimes she wished they had met earlier, then Stuart wouldn't be in the picture at all.
Eric was unaware of Theron's complex inner turmoil. He pointed at Sergei and asked, "How's he getting along with Kate Winslet?"
"Very well. Your friend was a bit nervous at first, but he quickly got into the swing of things."
"Winslet has a great personality; she's the kind who's very open-minded. If he suits her taste, she won't refuse."
"Uh, does Winslet have a boyfriend right now?"
"Not sure, but she's been divorced for a long time. Maybe she does, I haven't paid much attention."
"Even if she does, it doesn't matter. Sergei also has a wife, but they've been separated for many years. He's a middle-aged man desperately needing emotional fulfillment."
"To seek love again in middle age, it's a bit sad."
"Yes, I hope we don't have to wait until middle age to find love. Isn't it better to cherish the present?"
Theron glanced at Eric, naturally understanding the implication of his words.
With people all around, and somewhat worried Eric might make another impulsive move, Theron turned and walked towards her group of girlfriends.
Time flew by, and soon it was eleven o'clock at night. The party was almost over, and people began to bid their farewells one after another.
Theron walked out of the villa to see everyone off.
Suddenly, there was a series of muffled bangs, and then the sky was painted with color.
Indeed, countless fireworks exploded in mid-air, their brilliant colors illuminating the entire Beverly Hills in a kaleidoscope of shapes.
The fireworks formed various patterns, finally spelling out "Happy Birthday."
"OMG! Who set off those fireworks? They're so beautiful!"
"That's so creative! If someone did that for me, I'd definitely fall in love with him."
"Stuart, was that you? Great job, man."
Stuart Townsend was too embarrassed to speak, then secretly looked at Eric.
At the same time, Theron also secretly glanced at Eric, who smiled back at her, everything understood without words.
Renting the entire hilltop cost a lot of money. This fireworks show alone probably cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.
But seeing Theron's eyes, almost dripping with emotion, it was worth it!
In contrast, Stuart Townsend's anger burned hotter and hotter, feeling as if his head had already turned into a lush green grassland.
His fists clenched, already on the verge of exploding.