Chapter 468 - 469: Nicolas Cage Wants to Play Gay
The next day, reviews for Bruce Almighty were released.
To Martin's surprise, they weren't all negative.
"Martin Meyers is a true genius. Even the most ordinary material shines in his hands."
"With its clever plot design and perfectly cast actors, the success of Bruce Almighty was inevitable. Martin Meyers can confidently pop a bottle of champagne—his performance was outstanding, and the script gave him plenty of room to showcase his talent."
"A predictable success—this isn't just a regular comedy. It's a film that hits you right in the heart. It makes you laugh, it makes you cry. Clearly, its box office performance won't be weak."
The most interesting review came from David Denby.
"The film takes inspiration from religious culture, crafting a series of brilliant comedic moments. For instance, Bruce parting tomato soup instead of the Red Sea is absolutely hilarious. The film is packed with comedic elements that constantly aim to tickle the audience's funny bone. However, its sentimental ending is far too obvious in its attempt to draw tears. Rather than elevating the emotional core, it disrupts the film's overall tone."
Aniston set down the newspaper and smirked. "Most of these reviews are actually praising the movie. You won, the critics have surrendered. But what is David Denby even trying to say? Is he complimenting us or criticizing us?"
Martin chuckled. "That guy wants to follow the other critics in acknowledging me, but he just can't swallow his pride, so he wrote this awkward, half-baked review. Ignore him."
"Oh, fine. Let's not bother with him. But hey, honey... do you want to go for another round of 'exercise'?"
"Absolutely!"
Wearing only a bathrobe, Aniston squealed as Martin swept her up into his arms. She buried her face into his chest, giggling.
...
Returning to the Spider-Man set, Martin finally had an uninterrupted stretch of filming. Director Sam Raimi was nearly in tears of gratitude.
He had no doubts about Martin's box office appeal, but having to constantly readjust the shooting schedule for Martin's frequent absences had been a nightmare.
For Raimi, it meant more work. For the other actors, it meant struggling to maintain consistency—just when they got into the groove of a scene, they had to switch to a completely different one.
Of course, no one dared to complain.
Martin, understanding the situation, always brought back expensive gifts for the entire crew, from the lead actors down to the production assistants.
That gesture helped smooth over any resentment.
Scarlett Johansson approached him. "Martin, Lost in Translation is premiering next month. Can you come?"
"Ugh, another break?" Martin rubbed his nose but still nodded.
Damn, I'm way too busy! He started thinking about cutting down on acting commitments. Maybe Leonardo was right—doing too many movies in one year really wasn't sustainable.
Leonardo DiCaprio: "..."
You weren't saying that when I brought it up!
...
September.
Greenwich Village, Manhattan.
The New York Cinema.
This historic theater, dating back to the 1930s, was regarded as one of the most artistic cinemas in the United States. It frequently screened independent and foreign films, drawing in serious movie lovers.
The Lost in Translation premiere was held here.
Technically, Lost in Translation was an indie film. These kinds of movies usually didn't have big premiere events—if they did, they rarely attracted major stars.
But Sofia Coppola had a powerful last name.
In Hollywood, the Coppola name was solid gold. The Godfather franchise alone could sustain at least two generations of success. No surprise that James Cameron, Steven Spielberg, and George Lucas all showed up.
Even Nicolas Cage, the so-called "black sheep" of the Coppola family, had made an appearance. He was enthusiastically chatting with Sofia.
When Martin arrived, Sofia immediately abandoned her cousin to greet him.
"Thank you for making time for this, Martin!"
"Scarlett's in this film, and I'm also curious about a movie that's been in post-production for nearly a year."
Sofia looked a little sheepish. "I was just too nervous about it. It's my first feature, and every time I finished an edit, something always felt off."
"That sounds like the start of a serious case of OCD," a smooth voice interjected.
Both turned to see Nicolas Cage standing nearby, extending his hand to Martin.
"Nicolas Cage. Nice to meet you, Martin. You can call me Nicolas."
"Nice to meet you too, Nicolas. You can call me—oh, wait, I guess you already did."
They both laughed.
"Martin, I heard you're adapting Brokeback Mountain into a film?" Nicolas asked.
"You interested?" Martin raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah. I want to challenge myself—try playing a gay character."
Nicolas Cage was a true acting fanatic. Coming from a wealthy family, he had never needed to worry about money. He joined Hollywood purely out of passion.
Later, he ended up broke due to financial mismanagement, forcing him to take on a string of terrible films. But even in those, he never phoned it in—he always gave it his all.
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He had a peculiar blend of aristocratic and rebellious energy, an odd mix of refined and rugged. Strangely enough, he was especially popular in China.
"You're too late. The role's mine."
A voice cut in. Martin glanced over—Leonardo had arrived.
"Wow, wow, wow! If it isn't Jack Dawson himself," Nicolas teased.
He had once accompanied his friend Johnny Depp to audition for Titanic, which is how he first met Leonardo. Over the years, they had crossed paths at parties and auditions but never worked together.
"Wow, wow, wow! If it isn't Nicolas Coppola?" Leonardo shot back.
"Alright, alright, I surrender!" Nicolas raised his hands in mock defeat. Then he turned to Martin with curiosity. "So it's confirmed? You and Leonardo as the leads?"
Martin nodded. "Yep, it's locked in—Leo and me."
Nicolas Cage shook his head before grinning. "No chance you'd reconsider? Honestly, I'm a better actor than Leo."
Leonardo's eyes widened, but to his horror, he couldn't find a way to argue.
Martin clapped him on the shoulder. "Nope. Leo's my friend, and I believe in his talent."
Leonardo immediately straightened up, puffing out his chest.
Good man, Martin! Solid bro!