Chapter 314: The Artist

Beneath the early September's clear blue sky, Martin, donning a Dodgers baseball cap, sat alone on a bench in front of the art gallery, patiently anticipating someone's arrival.

A few minutes later, Lily hopped down the art gallery steps after her class, landing behind the bench, and called out to Martin, "Boo!"

Martin turned around, a playful grin on his face. "How old are you for playing these games?"

Lily, with her long hair tied in a simple ponytail, replied, "It's no fun if it didn't surprise you."

Martin stood up and retorted, "The moment I heard those footsteps, I knew it was you."

Lily raised her eyebrows in astonishment, "So, you've been intrigued by me?"

As they strolled towards the college entrance, Martin corrected her, "I've known you since you were a little kid. Your running around, distinct accent, quirks, and dislikes were all quite familiar. What is it that I don't understand?"

Lily whispered with a mischievous grin, "I've ditched most of my quirks."

Martin turned to face her and inquired, "So, what's left for me not to know about you?"

Lily chuckled, "I won't spill the girl's secrets."

A friendly face approached and greeted Lily, "Hello, Lily."

Lily waved back in response.

From the art gallery to the college entrance parking lot, at least six or seven people recognized Lily and exchanged greetings.

Martin wondered, "Seems like you know a lot of people."

Lily recalled her time at Marietta Middle School, "I've made friends with many people, just like when I was at Marietta Middle School. There were always a few mean girls who envied my looks. Whenever I played pranks on them in private, I would team up with others."

Martin cautioned, "Just don't go too far."

Lily pouted, "But they all say I'm too nice."

Martin understood Lily's assertive nature; she had grown up under the iron-fisted guidance of her older brother and had extended it to her school life.

Lily and Martin were never overly polite with each other. "Don't worry," she reassured, "I'll call you if anything happens. And that Louise, she knows a lot of people and has contacted me several times."

They reached the Escalade, and Martin opened the driver's door, prompting, "Get in."

Lily settled into the passenger seat, and they drove out of the college towards Sherman Oaks. As they neared Martin's house, they encountered Jenna, who was out for a stroll with her cat in her arms.

Jenna waved as she spotted Martin's car, and he stopped while lowering the window.

Jenna approached and peered inside the car, teasing, "Girlfriend?"

Lily greeted her with a smile, "Hi, little sister, you look stunning."

Martin gently pushed her back, "This is my sister, Lily."

Jenna nodded and gave Lily a careful look, "She's got a great figure and good looks. She's quite talented."

Lily quickly accepted Jenna's warm approval, "Everyone I know says the same. What do you think?"

Martin glanced at Jenna, who promptly shifted her opinion, "I invited you to the set, but you haven't had the time..."

Martin offered an excuse, "I've been swamped with work. We'll discuss it later."

Jenna nodded and turned to Lily, "Hey, beautiful, visit the set with Martin when you have some free time."

Lily agreed, "Sure."

Martin drove to his home's doorstep, and as Lily looked back, she remarked, "She seems like a nice person."

Martin confirmed, "Indeed, she's quite nice." Despite Jenna's unique profession, her character as a person remained commendable.

He mentioned casually, "One of your recommendation letters came from her father."

Lily inquired, "Should I visit her set to express my gratitude and get to know her better?"

Recalling Jenna's earlier words, she added, "What films has she appeared in? She's so striking, I'm sure I'd remember her after watching."

Martin replied straightforwardly, "She's both the director and lead actress of 'San Francisco Valley.'"

Lily was taken aback. "Oh..." The answer had been quite unexpected, leaving her momentarily lost for words.

Martin elaborated, "Jenna Jones and her family are all involved in the arts. She took up this role because there have been rumors about issues with her hormone secretion, but whether it's true or not remains unexplored."

As the car entered the gate, Lily's attention shifted, and as Martin parked at the garage door, she hopped out, commenting, "What a beautiful house." She then caught the scent of a barbecue and looked around, "Hi, Old Bruce, it's been a while. I've missed you."

Bruce was grilling and waved a welcome, "Lily, you're getting more beautiful by the day."

Martin parked the car in the garage.

A long dining table and some chairs had been set up by the poolside.

Martin didn't invite anyone else, just him, Lily, and Bruce for dinner.

Simple grilled meats, vegetables, and fruits graced the table.

Unlike the people they'd met since arriving in Los Angeles, the three of them hailed from Atlanta, making them feel like a close-knit group.

They enjoyed a delightful meal together.

After dinner, Lily visited Martin's house again, hopped into the garage's massive G-Class, and jumped back out.

Martin didn't mind and said casually, "If you need a car, feel free to drive it for a while."

Blake was quite meticulous, placing all the expensive gifts he'd given here, aside from a few keepsakes.

Lily realized the previous owner of the car must have been a girl and shook her head, "I can't use the car for now. Once I get acquainted with the school, I'll find a job to earn money and buy a car on my own."

Before it got dark, Martin gave Lily a ride back to school and assured her that she could reach out if anything came up.

He had spent several hundred million dollars to negotiate with Louise.

When Lily left, Martin handed her a large bag filled with gifts.

Though she had mixed feelings, Lily accepted the gifts with tears in her eyes.

The awards season was about to begin, and Martin would soon be heading to Canada for the Toronto Film Festival.

Promotion and awards campaigns for "The Departed" were set to kick off during the festival. The film would premiere there and see a general North American release in October.

Producer Graham King shared some details with the cast and crew during a meeting in the Warner Building's conference room. "The MPAA has given it an R rating, and the distributor has secured approximately 3,200 theaters for its release. We anticipate the North American box office to exceed $100 million."

All eyes were on Leonardo and Martin.

Aside from Matt Damon, who was busy filming "The Bourne Supremacy" in London, these two were undoubtedly the ones with the most commercial appeal.

Nicholson, sitting next to Martin, playfully remarked, "Don't thank me, but I'm the one holding you back."

Leonardo chuckled, and Scorsese added, "Jack, what kind of mischief have you been up to now?"

Nicholson pointed a finger at Martin, jesting, "For any crazy ideas beyond standard publicity, come to him."

Martin raised his hands, jesting, "I just got back from London, and I'm still figuring things out."

In front of others, he'd praise both Leo and Jack, saying, "With Leo and Jack here, there's no shortage of star power. Leo appeals to both the young and old, and Jack is a middle-aged and elderly heartthrob."

Graham added, "The three of you will participate in all major promotional events for the film at the Toronto Film Festival and Los Angeles."

All three of them agreed.

Afterward, the conversation shifted to awards strategy.

The crew aimed for Best Picture and Best Director, and Martin would also strive for a Best Supporting Actor nomination.

The only surprise was that Leonardo would not campaign for Best Actor with this film.

After the meeting, the trio naturally congregated.

Martin inquired curiously, "You're not pursuing an Oscar for your role in this film?"

Leonardo explained, "The resources for this film are mainly allocated to Best Picture and Best Director. Very little is left for other categories. I played the character of Billy, and while getting nominated wouldn't be too challenging, there's no hope of winning. With just the three of us here, Nicholson couldn't resist a jab, "You only had to glare, furrow your brows, and roar three times." He teased, "With your acting skills, you don't stand a chance in other roles."

Leonardo, taken aback, retorted, "Alright, alright! Your acting skills are impressive!"

Nicholson delivered another playful blow, "Let me say it; Martin has a better shot at winning an Oscar than you."

Leonardo stared speechless at the sky, nearly moved to tears by the revelation.

Nicholson chuckled, "See that? Compared to this bad guy Martin, I'm a good guy."

The three of them laughed and bantered as they discussed taking a ride in Nicholson's extended Lincoln.

Martin eventually shifted the conversation, asking, "Leo, which film are you planning to compete with for the Oscar?"

"Blood Diamond," Leonardo explained briefly, "It's the film I completed before 'The Departed,' and it's also the film I finished right before 'The Departed.' Jennifer Connelly co-starred in it, and the male lead role in that film was more substantial than in 'The Departed.' What's more, the crew's primary focus is on the Best Actor category."

Martin remembered the film, particularly an incident involving a red diamond that had sparked controversy. Apparently, the De Beers company was concerned that the film would have a significant impact and lead to consumer resistance to diamonds. They had joined forces with other diamond companies to boycott the film.

Martin mentioned this to Leonardo.

Leonardo responded, "They've been protesting against the crew for a while now, but it's alright. From an artistic perspective, it's a positive thing."

Martin understood, "An artist unafraid of challenging the powerful."

Nicholson chimed in, "Indeed, actors and actresses who win Oscars need the right packaging with proper PR."

He looked at Martin, "Haven't you done any packaging over there?"

Martin responded, "Yes, the agency has invested a lot of resources, and I plan to be a children's love ambassador."

Leonardo nodded, "That's a role that won't easily falter."

Martin added, "That's precisely why I chose it."

Initially, he had considered advocating for equal rights, but for some inexplicable reasons, he hadn't been able to follow that path.

The three of them went to a bar for drinks and made arrangements to head to Canada together in a few days for promotional activities at the Toronto Film Festival.