King of Hollywood

Chapter 398: Chapter 120: Contest

“I’m sorry, Ed. There was a small issue on my way here, so that’s why I arrived only now.” Tom Cruise, who finally made it to the studio, greeted Adrian with a grin, but his smile didn’t look sincere.

“No worries, everyone has unexpected issues to deal with, right?” Adrian shrugged, seemingly unconcerned, “As long as it doesn’t delay the shooting.”

However, he then forcefully patted Cruise on the arm, his expression turning a bit more meaningful, “Still, I hope there won’t be a next time, understand?”

Cruise’s face stiffened, but he maintained his smile and nodded, “Okay, got it.”

Conflicts over influence between top directors and celebrities on set have a long history. Kubrick once had an unpleasant experience with Marlon Brando. Since Cruise was always wary of Adrian, partly because of Kubrick’s reputation, and had already suffered a setback while preparing for “Jerry Maguire,” even if persuaded by Adrian, he probably still harbored thoughts of using his star status to exert his own power.

But that was as far as he could go. While Cruise could occasionally act foolish, it didn’t mean he was always foolish. After being persuaded and reminded by Kingsley last time, he had somewhat understood Adrian’s capabilities; even if reluctant, he had to behave following the warning.

Many people assume that celebrities hold more power on set; however, this is not the case. This misconception arises because the celebrities’ fame far exceeds that of directors. In fact, the key to who holds the power on set lies in who also takes on the producer’s role. If a director also serves as the producer, then the star must comply if they want to continue shooting; if a celebrity doubles as the producer, then the director must consider the celebrity’s demands. There are no exceptions, except for Adrian.

The reason is simple: no other top director has achieved such great success in filmmaking while also being the chairman of a major new media company like Adrian. Though Lucas’s Industrial Light Magic dominates a major portion of the special effects market, and Spielberg is one of the Three Giants of DreamWorks, none can compare to Adrian.

Not to mention, over the past years, many blockbuster movies and TV shows have been related to Adrian in one way or another; nor to mention his uncanny vision, where actors and directors under his guidance have shone brilliantly. Just owning the broadcast companies TBS and ABC places him on par with Murdoch and Redstone. With such capabilities, even the most popular stars dare not disrespect him. Katherine Hepburn owed her leeway to the media benefits of the ’50s and ’60s, for she would never dare refuse to attend the Oscar ceremony four times in today’s environment.

“By the way, where is your wife?” Adrian then asked.

“She had other matters to handle and couldn’t make time today, but I believe it won’t happen again,” Cruise replied without blinking as he stared at Adrian.