Chapter 308: Silent Under Unjust Treatment

"Do you often encounter this situation?"

As Natalie Portman walked out of the office, Gal Gadot emerged from the suite, standing beside Murphy. Murphy shrugged calmly, "Today was just an exception. I didn't expect her to be so eager for the leading role."

Gal Gadot moved closer and tightly clung to his arm, "I'm so sorry, Murphy."

She sighed, her head drooping slightly, "I've caused you so much trouble."

If she hadn't met Natalie Portman in Jerusalem, if she hadn't been dazzled by her outward appearance, if she hadn't considered their seemingly illusory friendship important enough to show her the script, none of today's troubles would have happened.

Gal Gadot truly regretted her lack of experience in judging people.

From Natalie Portman, she thought of a few of Murphy's friends. Compared to the publicly admired Natalie Portman, Robert Downey Jr. was a wayward former addict, James Franco was accused of pedophilia, Jonah Hill was known for his lewd jokes, and only Seth Rogen seemed somewhat naive...

But these guys, who didn't have the best public image, now seemed a hundred times better than Natalie Portman. They supported Murphy like friends and brothers.

"It's okay, dear," Murphy gently patted her back. "Who hasn't mistakenly made a few bad friends?"

Gal Gadot was still upset and shook her head, "If you hadn't reminded me, I would've been such a fool."

Murphy leaned in and kissed her forehead lightly, "My Gal is the smartest."

Only a few naturally have keen discernment; most people develop it gradually through experience.

"Could she... Natalie Portman," Gal Gadot suddenly asked, "do something to harm you and the crew?"

"Who knows." Murphy shrugged, taking Gal Gadot's hand as they walked towards the suite's glass door, "Let's not worry about her; I've been missing you terribly."

Rosa Rodriguez, like a warden escorting a prisoner, had been guarding Natalie Portman up to the warehouse set entrance.

Natalie Portman glanced at the robust Latina woman with a cold snort, walking out without looking back.

From the office area to the set entrance, her anger from rejection and the humiliation she felt were gradually suppressed. From her role as Mathilda in "Léon: The Professional" till now, she had never been so insulted.

Especially after the burning sensation on her face subsided, the pain from her knees hitting the floor was a sharp reminder of her previous humiliation by a director far less notable than Luc Besson or George Lucas!

Such incidents couldn't just be laughed off and forgotten, not by anyone.

Even so, Natalie Portman knew better than to overreact. The actions she had just taken were common in Hollywood, but nobody openly admitted to being the protagonist.

Of course, she wouldn't either.

As she walked out of the semi-enclosed gate, the blazing sunlight fell on her, causing her to shield her eyes briefly before noticing a few entertainment reporters waiting nearby—those she had specifically arranged to contact before her arrival to create media buzz, giving the impression of a fait accompli, thereby influencing Murphy Stanton's decisions.

But now? All these preparations seemed like a self-directed joke.

However, Natalie Portman was extremely clever; seeing the reporters, her mind quickly shifted, and an uncontrollable thought emerged.

Being Jewish, she recalled rumors of Murphy Stanton's past racial prejudices, which had been sensationalized by the media. Could she play on that angle?

Her mind raced quickly, and by the time the reporters swarmed around her, she had already decided on her approach.

This was her PR team's media contact, definitely biased in her favor. If the initial wave of momentum could be created, many other media outlets would likely follow.

And she understood the mentality of her own ethnic group very well; explicit evidence was not necessary. Just a hint of such rumors would suffice for the paranoid old men...

After all, it's a circle dominated by Jewish influence.

In an instant, Natalie Portman's expression changed from somber to a mix of grievance and anger, as if she had been treated extremely unfairly.

Her acting was superb, making her a standout among Hollywood's younger generation, and she immediately conveyed this emotion through her expressions to the approaching reporters.

"Miss Portman, is everything not going smoothly?" a reporter immediately asked.

Natalie Portman stopped, her eyes reddening as if deeply wronged, "It's not going smoothly at all. I cannot work with Murphy Stanton anymore."

Another timely question came, "Why? You are so talented..."

"Director Stanton is biased against me." Natalie Portman knew not to say too much herself, but rather insinuated, "Personal biases dominated our conversation. Director Stanton believes that a Jewish actress like me doesn't fit in his crew."

"Jewish actress doesn't fit in his crew..."

The reporter's emphasis on these words caught the attention of all present, who thrived on chasing gossip and scandals.

"Miss Portman, can you elaborate?"

Natalie Portman's words had ignited the previously bureaucratic-like reporters, who bombarded her with questions, "Are you saying Murphy Stanton is biased against Jewish actors?"

"He dislikes Jewish actors?"

"Murphy Stanton has had rumors of racial prejudice before; is his bias against you related to that?"

Although these questions stemmed from her remarks, Natalie Portman no longer spoke, opting for a silence full of suffering instead of a barrage of accusations.

She got into her car, slowly driving off amid the throng of reporters and paparazzi.

Watching the crowd easily manipulated by her, Natalie Portman felt a sense of control, along with an inexplicable satisfaction. With her past positive image and excellent public reputation, she was bound to attract significant media attention. The media frenzy was sure to impact Hollywood's inner circles, where many Jewish individuals stood at the top, including several key partners at CAA, Murphy Stanton's agency.

Finally freeing herself from the crowd, Natalie Portman floored the accelerator, her engine roaring as she sped away.

Within just half an hour, a journalist's blog was updated with the news—Murphy Stanton was allegedly biased against Jewish actors, citing Natalie Portman's interview.

This reporter, somewhat ethical, had used the word "allegedly" and accurately quoted Natalie Portman's statements. However, many entertainment gossip sites had outright declared—Murphy Stanton discriminates against Jews!

As time passed, more and more related news appeared online, with a video captured by a journalist uploaded to a video website.

It must be said, Natalie Portman's reputation was indeed stellar, her public image flawless.

In contrast, Murphy was much less favored. His films, filled with violence and blood, naturally conveyed a negative impression. Coupled with past tabloid speculations about his racial prejudices and ongoing rumors of ties to drug traffickers, his public image was mediocre at best.

With the story breaking, most of the public and media sided with Natalie Portman, especially online where Murphy became the target of her many fans' criticisms.

"A drug addict and trafficker, how dare he discriminate against Natalie?"

"How dare he attack my goddess? I swear, I will never watch any film related to Murphy Stanton or his followers again."

"This man is just trash, trash, trash!"

Seeing these aggressive comments on her laptop, Gal Gadot felt her anger surge. How

 could someone be so shameless?

If not for Murphy discussing strategies with Grace and Bill Rossis, she would have wanted to smash the laptop.

Since becoming an adult, Gal Gadot had never been so angry, never having encountered someone whose outward appearance so starkly contrasted their inner character.

"This situation is very unfavorable for you."

Grace continued analyzing for Murphy, "Natalie Portman is Jewish, has a very good image, and she didn't attack you directly, yet she gave the media enough hints..."

She turned to Gal Gadot, "Luckily, Gal, you being his girlfriend, might help pull some public opinion back."

Murphy remained silent, considering if there were better strategies to handle the situation.

"Back in the office," Bill Rossis asked, "do you have anything else that could serve as evidence?"

"Um..."

This reminder suddenly sparked a memory in Gal Gadot, which she had almost forgotten, "I have!"

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