Chapter 309: Notoriety

At the Buckingham County Police Station, Martin and Leonardo sat in the lobby, waiting for their lawyer to handle the necessary procedures. Leonardo held a copy of The Sun newspaper and remarked, "Jack and Meryl made the headlines, went to Pinewood Studios at night, and received complaints from actors in multiple crews..."

Martin held the same newspaper and continued, "In the second version, it says that Bale was accidentally injured on set and had to be temporarily admitted to the hospital. Cate Blanchett was seen at the same hospital."

Leonardo, recalling the two people he had seen the previous day, inquired, "Where was Bale injured?"

Martin shrugged, "Who knows. The old man is so loyal; he didn't reveal that it was related to us."

Leonardo, reflecting on their association with Nicholson, questioned, "Jack is notorious, and we are no saints either. Why do we enjoy messing around with Jack? He's a bastard, but a loyal one. He never judges right from wrong, only closeness and distance. He's never said a bad word about his old friend Polanski."

Their lawyer soon called them out, and Nicholson and Meryl joined them.

Nicholson had nothing pleasant to say upon seeing the two troublemakers, "It's all your fault!"

Martin didn't deny their involvement and simply asked, "Are you happy?"

Nicholson, thinking back to the fireworks show, chuckled, "Oh, I'm thrilled! You should've seen the embarrassment on those folks' faces when they ran out without their pants on."

In contrast, Meryl maintained her composure, behaving as the elegant lady she was known to be in public.

As the group left the police station, Leonardo commented, "You're loyal, Jack."

Nicholson replied, "I dragged you two into this. If something goes wrong, who will bail me out?"

Before exiting, Martin reminded them, "There are reporters outside."

Nicholson and Meryl walked out confidently, ignoring the paparazzi gathered near the door. The four of them got into the same car and drove away without acknowledging the photographers.

During the car ride, Martin waved the newspaper and said to Nicholson, "The two individuals who followed you last night ended up in the hospital."

Before Nicholson could respond, Meryl turned to him and asked, "Jack, you mentioned yesterday that you saw Blanchett and Christine Bale secretly following me?"

Martin's words caught her attention as he handed her The Sun newspaper, saying, "The Sun's gossip scandals are a hundred times more reliable than the political news in The Washington Post and The New York Times."

Meryl, after reading the news about Bale and Blanchett, muttered, "That Bale!"

Leonardo, not taking it too seriously, commented, "Blanchett and Bale seem to regard you as their personal entertainment."

Meryl decided to let it go, saying, "I won't argue with you two about these matters. Let's move on."

Martin smoothly added, "One day, I'll treat you and Jack to a drink and invite some friends."

Leonardo picked up the thread, "Are there some beautiful actresses on the 'Mamma Mia' set?"

Nicholson, who had a grand time the previous night, chimed in, "I'll be the one treating you. Let's plan it for another weekend, and I'll invite Mellie to join us along with her new friends from the set."

Martin agreed, "No problem."

Meryl thought for a moment and finally nodded, "Okay."

At Pinewood Studios, on the set of "Lethal Magic," the originally planned shooting schedule had to be adjusted.

Director Nolan, sitting in his director's chair, asked, "How's Christian Bale doing?"

Emma Thomas, Nolan's wife, handed him a glass of water and replied, "I just inquired. His leg isn't seriously injured, but it's causing trouble in the lower area."

Nolan expressed concern, "Is the injury severe?"

Emma Thomas provided more details, "It's a minor tear in the sponge, along with a mild subcutaneous hematoma. Fortunately, no surgery is required. He just needs a few weeks of rest."

Nolan nodded, "I'll have to postpone all the scenes with him for now."

Emma Thomas expressed her frustration, "I can't believe Bale wasn't in the trailers, hotels, or even the studios. He followed Blanchett to the woods..."

Nolan asked about the circumstances, "Who did this? Did anyone see them? Did they target our crew?"

Emma Thomas explained, "It doesn't seem like a direct attack on us. Bale and the others were disrupted in the afternoon, and troublemakers returned in the evening, which many people witnessed. Jack Nicholson and Meryl Streep were among them." She added, "Nicholson is quite mischievous. He just did it for fun. Even the Harry Potter set next door was alarmed. At least a dozen people were chasing him and Meryl. Someone eventually called the police, but Leonardo bailed them out this morning."

Nolan had certainly heard of Nicholson's infamous reputation and couldn't help but mutter, "This old rascal!"

Emma Thomas, always practical, offered her perspective, "You have your eyes set on an Oscar. Let's put this matter to rest. We aren't the ones who got hurt, and the impact on the crew as a whole isn't substantial. Nicholson, being a veteran with numerous friends and some influence in the Academy, may not achieve much, but he can certainly create trouble."

Listening to his wife's counsel, Nolan agreed, "Bale, please call him and express my concern."

Emma Thomas nodded, "I'll pay a visit to the hospital. It's the proper thing to do."

After safely dropping Meryl off at the studio, the three idle companions roamed around London for a while before finding a bar to relax.

Nicholson sipped a glass of whiskey, and mischievous thoughts crossed his mind, "I called and checked. Bell is in the hospital with a torn sponge. How unfortunate. Can we visit him in the hospital tomorrow?"

Martin, pouring drinks for the trio, advised, "Let's be humane, not devils in human skin, okay?"

Nicholson retorted, "You and Leo got me into this mess!"

However, Leonardo defended their actions, "We were only helping you."

Nicholson, with a crooked smile, responded, "I really should thank you, shouldn't I?"

Martin, draping his arm around Nicholson, said, "We're best friends; you don't need to thank us. In return, when the time comes, if you ever need to return the favor, cooperate with us. Today's assistance will be water under the bridge."

Nicholson pondered, "You say that, and it makes me a bit nervous. Should I still thank you?"

Martin feigned surprise, "Didn't you just mention wanting to express your gratitude? We helped you deal with those peepers! Think about it, Bale and Blanchett were treating you and Meryl like voyeuristic Indian gods. If they had brought a camera or camcorder, you'd be in deep trouble. The footage would be all over the world...imagine, Pinewood Gate, the Oscar-winning actor and actress! Think about how quickly that would spread!"

Leonardo nearly burst into laughter.

Nicholson, somewhat exasperated, commented, "You're making a mountain out of a molehill. I'm getting old and should retire."

The three of them laughed, drank, and enjoyed their time together. Men could have a great time without women, but life was undeniably better with beautiful ladies.

Later, Martin received a call from Kate Winslet and prepared to leave the bar.

Nicholson, before departing, announced, "Martin, I have a surprise for you. I saved some of the fireworks you gave me yesterday. If you're in the parking lot, Leo and I will set them off to celebrate."

Leonardo, also in high spirits, patted Martin on the shoulder and advised, "Kate and I have been friends for ten years. I don't have any other requests; just be good to her. No need for the rough approach you used with Heidi Klum, Angela Lindvall, KK, and the others, be gentle."

Martin playfully pushed Leonardo away, "What nonsense are you talking about? Kate and I are simply familiarizing ourselves with and rehearsing a few scenes. It's serious work."

Leonardo shook his head but didn't press further.

As Martin left the bar, Nicholson inquired, "What's the story with Kate?"

Leonardo offered a vague explanation, "Kate called me shortly after arriving in London two days ago to discuss some specific scenes. She felt that incorporating field experience would enhance the performance."

Nicholson nodded in understanding, "You're absolutely right!"

Leonardo posed a curious question, "Have you ever experienced it during filming?"

Nicholson, with a sardonic grin, answered, "The stuff you're playing with is all leftovers from our adventures. Think about Malone's buttery hands back then; who would dare use them now?"

Leonardo humbly accepted the revelation.

As the night fell, Martin hurried back to the hotel. He needed to prepare for rehearsals with Kate, so he took a shower, brushed his teeth, and changed into fresh clothes to remove the lingering scent of alcohol.

After a brief wait, there was a knock on his hotel room door. Martin opened it to find Kate Winslet waiting outside with a script in hand.

He welcomed her in, saying, "Kate, please come in."

Kate entered the room, and Martin offered her a bottle of water, suggesting, "No need for formalities between us."

Kate, getting straight to the point, said, "Let's get to work."

Martin understood the importance of their upcoming scene, "I know we need to convey a transformation from physical attraction to emotional depth."

Kate hesitated for a moment and then confessed, "I've been preparing for this role and project for two years, Martin. You know how much I long for the Best Actress Oscar."

Martin affirmed, "Your acting surpasses all Oscar-winning actresses."

Kate stood up and removed her coat, revealing her dedication, "There's no turning back for me, and I don't want to. Will you help me?"

Martin owed Kate a favor and couldn't refuse, "Of course."

Kate explained, "I consulted with Leo and discussed it with Sam. They both advised me that field experience would be the best solution."

She mentioned a historical rumor, "Do you recall the rumors surrounding Nicole Kidman's role in 'Eyes Wide Shut'? They say Kubrick used real footage from actual experiences."

Top actors often pushed boundaries, and Kate appeared to have entered that state of mind.