Chapter 762 - Amazing Popularity

Due to traffic, Laila arrived a bit late. She was immediately grabbed by the impatient Jimmy as soon as she and Nolan entered backstage, and the makeup artists were hurriedly called to work on them.

This annoyed Nolan; he had wanted to have a few words with Laila before the show started, but it seemed like he wouldn't get the chance now.

Sitting beside him, Laila, with makeup being applied to her face, couldn't help but chuckle as she saw his expression in the mirror. A director who wore his heart on his sleeve like him was rare in Hollywood. At least in her impression, those big directors were either shrewd and cunning or had personalities that left people speechless.

"Nolan, if you have time, how about we chat after the show? There's a nice café nearby," Laila said to him as she saw his eyes light up.

"Of course, I'd love to," Nolan replied eagerly.

"Then it's a plan," Laila smiled at him.

Then, amidst applause, the show began.

Knowing that the two big directors would be on stage, the station had heavily promoted the episode. The audience in the studio were carefully selected fans—some were loyal fans of Laila, some were Nolan's followers, and there were also book fans and comic enthusiasts among them. They were invited to liven up the atmosphere of the show, and Jimmy was curious to know what questions these fans had.

"Hello, everyone, I'm Jimmy, and it's Saturday again," Jimmy walked onto the stage amidst applause, taking his seat behind the desk. "Every summer is like another world war, with smoke and casualties everywhere. I can't even remember how many films were highly anticipated before release but turned out to be flops after hitting the screens, making history in the summer box office."

"This year's 'warfare' is still fierce, especially with two films dominating all the summer discussions: the adaptation of Tolkien's 'The Lord of the Rings' and the superhero film 'Batman Begins.' Now, let's welcome the directors of these two films, Laila Moran and Christopher Nolan, to the stage!"

"Wow!"

"It's really the two directors; it's so great that they're here!"

"Laila, you're the best!"

The audience erupted into cheers, waving their arms and the large photos and movie posters they brought with them. There were even two men dressed as Batman, jumping on chairs and playfully fighting each other, adding to the excitement.

Jimmy shook hands with the two directors as they came on stage, then pretended to wipe the sweat off his forehead. "That was terrifying. I used to think that the sound that could shake the studio ceiling only happened when Laila came on the show. But now, with Nolan here, the sound has increased by so many decibels. With the popularity of both directors, what will those actors do?"

He made a joke to tease their astounding popularity.

Nolan was a more serious person; he usually just smiled at jokes and didn't continue them.

As a host, the worst thing was encountering someone who couldn't hype up the atmosphere. No matter what you said, they responded with "Hmm," "Oh," or "Hehe" or remained silent, making the show pointless. Would there still be viewers interested in such a talk show?

Fortunately, Laila knew how to adjust the atmosphere, so seeing Nolan not responding, she naturally took over.

"This indicates one thing," Laila said seriously.

Jimmy knew she was intentionally saying this, so he pretended to be very curious and asked, "Really? What does it indicate?"

Laila shrugged innocently, her serious expression instantly turning innocent. "It means we're doing a good job and haven't let everyone down, right?"

Jimmy burst into laughter. "Of course, this summer belongs to you guys. I have to say you've done a great job."

"Exactly!" "I love your movies!" The audience below also voiced their agreement with laughter.

Seeing the atmosphere heating up, Jimmy immediately shifted the topic to the movies. "Director Moran, your 'The Lord of the Rings' has already grossed $1.1 billion worldwide. How much more do you think it can earn?"

"The more, the better, of course," Laila said truthfully, eliciting another round of laughter from the audience.

If she had just said this sentence, it wouldn't have been anything special, but paired with her expression, it was quite amusing—a serious yet innocent look that made people unable to help but smile. Even Roy, watching the live broadcast, was laughing happily in front of the TV screen.

Jimmy was also laughing, and after the laughter subsided, he turned to the other director. "Director Nolan, your 'Batman' has received a lot of praise. Many people want to ask you a question: why did you choose Christian to play Batman?"

When it came to movies, Nolan had more to say.

"It should be the first impression," Nolan replied. "When I saw him for the first time, I felt that he was the perfect Batman for me."

"Does Director Moran also have such situations? Choosing an actor for a role at first sight?" Jimmy asked curiously.

Laila didn't really have this habit, but she couldn't say that now. If she said she could train any actor, wouldn't that just invite criticism?

"Yes, sometimes that does happen. When selecting actors, seeing a certain actor's appearance or mannerisms makes you think, 'Ah, he's the one I need.' Then, no matter what problems arise, you must place that person in that position," Laila shrugged. "I think many directors are like this."

Nolan nodded eagerly. His eyes sparkled even more when he looked at Laila. So, Director Moran also chooses actors like him!

The audience and many viewers in front of their TV screens believed her words, but those who knew the truth had a different expression. For example, Louise was twitching at the corners of her mouth.

What's all this talk about her selecting actors? How many times has she actually selected actors? Wasn't it always the company that did the selection, and then she just gave the final approval? And even that final approval was just a formality. After working together for so many years, she hasn't vetoed anyone from the list of selected actors!

Sure, it could be said that Louise and the company did a great job selecting actors, and the chosen actors met her requirements. But more than that, it was probably Laila's laziness at work here, right?

But the audience didn't know this, and even the host Jimmy was drawn in by her words. "What if you don't find an actor you think is suitable for the role? Continue searching, or settle for someone similar?"