Chapter 143: English Rose

The red carpet adorned the sidewalk outside the Fox Theater in Los Angeles' Westwood District, drawing a growing crowd of movie fans on either side of the barriers.

Emily and Jessica clutched the complimentary tickets given to them by Martin and arrived at the theater in the early afternoon.

Being considerate fans, they brought along Martin's character poster.

To their surprise, the number of fans at the event was unexpectedly large, and most of them held posters featuring Paris Hilton's wax figure character, which had become incredibly popular.

In addition to the character posters, there were various signs held by fans, insulting and criticizing Paris.

Paris's fan base had taken up positions on both sides of the red carpet, leaving little room for fans of the film's heroine, Elisha Cuthbert, who huddled in a corner near the media area.

Jessica, being tall, pointed out, "Look, some people are holding Martin posters over there."

Emily urged, "Let's go take a look."

They approached the media area, where more than twenty young men and women had gathered, led by a bespectacled young woman distributing posters to everyone.

Seeing Emily and Jessica holding Martin posters, Rachel waved and called out, "Come join us!"

Curious, Emily joined the crowd and asked, "Are you all Martin supporters?"

One of the young men with freckles on his face nodded enthusiastically, saying, "Absolutely! The Zombie Stripper is just awesome. I've always wanted to learn that machine gun dance."

Jessica, who had seen many attempts at the dance, remarked, "Most people can't pull off that kind of performance."

Several others in the crowd agreed, saying, "It's way too challenging."

Rachel inquired, "Did you sign up through Martin's blog?"

Emily shook her head and explained, "No, we came on our own."

Rachel quickly added, "You should consider following Martin's blog if you're a fan. There's a dedicated fan section, and we notify members about events like this."

Jessica was surprised, "I didn't realize Martin had so many supporters."

Rachel fondly recalled her first encounter with Martin, saying, "Martin is not only a fantastic actor but also a genuinely nice person."

Phoebe, standing nearby, couldn't contain her admiration, muttering, "He's so handsome, stylish, and my hero."

As fans on both sides eagerly awaited, a car arrived at the scene. The person who stepped out of the car was none other than Elisha Cuthbert, the beloved actress of the summer.

The crowd erupted in cheers and applause as they captured the moment.

In the distance, Bruce arrived in a black Cadillac, with Martin engrossed in flipping through his notebook.

Bruce teased, "If you'd put in this much effort during middle school, you might have already been admitted to an Ivy League school."

Martin, true to his character, replied, "Naturally lazy; exams were never my forte."

Bruce agreed, saying, "Talent is all about messing things up."

Martin, not interested in further conversation, closed his notebook. It contained congratulatory messages from fans at his first fan meeting. Despite the fun of signing reverse signs and controlling the meeting's rhythm, he found it challenging to remember every detail.

Rachel, who had seen him on the Saturn Awards red carpet, had posted on her blog, urging fans to support Martin at the premiere.

Martin took her words seriously, and if people like Rachel showed up, he always made sure to express his gratitude.

After a thorough review, he closed the notebook, determined not to repeat such an experience.

The Cadillac stopped in front of the red carpet, and Martin emerged from the vehicle, smiling and waving as the photographers' flashbulbs illuminated his arrival.

Unlike before, this time, Martin was recognized as the male lead of "House of Wax," thanks to the film's extensive publicity.

He paused for a moment on the red carpet, allowing photographers to capture his images, before making his way towards the theater's entrance. The sight was dominated by posters featuring Paris's character from the film.

The premiere appeared to have generated significant publicity.

Martin continued to wave to the crowd as he approached his group of fans who were there to support him.

Upon seeing Martin, Rachel shouted at the top of her lungs, "Martin! Martin..."

The entire group, including Emily and Jessica, joined in the enthusiastic chorus of fans. The collective cheers from over thirty people briefly overshadowed the hundreds of others present.

As Martin reached the guardrail where they were standing, he greeted Rachel, saying, "Hi, Rachel."

He then acknowledged Emily, Jessica, and the rest of the fans, saying, "Good afternoon, everyone. Thank you for coming out to support me."

Rachel handed him a signature pen and her poster for an autograph.

Having just reviewed his notebook, Martin penned a heartfelt message: "You're the lightning on a rainy day, lighting up the entire night sky."

Rachel, overwhelmed with emotion, covered her mouth, tears welling up in her eyes.

Martin gently embraced her and said, "Come on, Rachel."

He proceeded to sign autographs for the other fans, making their day special.

Phoebe, seeing Martin in person for the first time, couldn't help but express her admiration, "He's so handsome, stylish, and my hero."

For Emily and Jessica, who were neighbors with Martin, it was a different experience seeing him in person. Martin's usual easygoing personality had transformed into an aura that was both friendly and dignified when he put on a formal suit. The contrast between the two sides of his personality was mesmerizing.

The volume of chatter along the red carpet surged once more, and another figure arrived.

Martin turned to see an old acquaintance—Kate Winslet.

Clearly, she must have been invited by Louise.

After Martin finished signing autographs, Kate approached, waiting for him before they ventured into the media area together.

A reporter swiftly approached for an interview, asking, "Kate, are you familiar with Martin?"

Kate glanced at Martin, offering a warm smile, then turned back to the reporter and replied, "I met Martin while shooting a movie in Atlanta. Did you notice he appeared in one of my films?"

Most reporters had seen "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," but Martin's appearance in the movie had left little impression.

Martin was well aware of it. In that film, he had only four frontal shots, a single line of dialogue, and a mere 20 seconds of screen time.

The reporter, wanting to know more about Kate's connection with Martin, inquired further.

Martin praised Kate with genuine admiration, "There's no doubt that I'll always be a fan of Kate. Rose will forever be a goddess in my heart, and so will Kate."

The two stood together in front of the advertising backdrop, cooperating with reporters for photographs.

Subsequently, they entered the theater side by side.

Louise emerged from the lounge at that moment, greeted the two, and addressed Kate, "You made a special effort to be here."

Kate chuckled, "Not particularly. The Toronto Film Festival is over."

With a playful smile, she continued, "As an investor and producer, I must ensure I keep good relations with you, or else I won't get any roles in the future."

Martin trailed alongside the two as they made their way toward the theater.

Kate added, "The awards season is starting, and I'm planning to host a party. I'll send you an invitation."

Martin chimed in, "You should introduce me to some British directors and producers."

Kate playfully winked at Louise, then said to Martin, "I can also introduce you to some British actresses."

Louise chimed in, "British roses."

Martin smiled and inquired, "Has the awards season officially begun?"

Kate explained, "In a narrow sense, it starts in December, but more broadly, it kicks off with the Toronto Film Festival in September."

The trio entered the cinema together, with Martin taking a seat in the front row.

Director Jaume had arrived as well.

They exchanged a few words, and Mene eventually entered the theater, taking a seat next to Martin, brimming with excitement.

He exclaimed, "Boss, you won't believe it, when I walked the red carpet, fans on both sides were shouting my name. It felt incredible!"

Martin chuckled, "You're a celebrity now; you must carry yourself with style."

Mene beamed, "I never expected that, just like Paris...I'd end up gaining so much fame. I'm a celebrity now, too. Cheers!"

Elisha, dressed in a stunning red gown, moved over to greet members of the crew sitting nearby.

Approaching Martin, she smiled and nodded, and he responded with a friendly smile and nod of his own.

Guests, audience members, and media reporters streamed in one by one. Susan and Jaune led the crew and creative staff to the small stage in front of the curtain for a brief group photo and some speeches, after which the film commenced.

This was a classic American horror film, but it featured a novel twist with killings carried out using wax.

The film incorporated certain innovations, such as the stunt of twins fighting twins. In the movie, the wax figure artist and his conjoined twin brother were played by real twins, while the heroine and supporting actor were also twins.

Whether it was intentional on Jaume's part or something inherent to Paris, her character in the film exuded a villainous aura right from her introduction.

For most viewers, the first significant moment arrived when Paris and Mene engaged in an intimate interaction.

Even from the front row, Martin couldn't help but overhear the myriad of curses and insults directed at Paris.

With her already tarnished reputation from the video scandal and the heightened media attention during this period, Paris Hilton's fall from grace was even swifter than Martin had experienced in his previous life.

Since Elisha was the film's lead, Martin's role was undeniably secondary, but he played his part commendably.

The film's director, Susan, and the editors knew how to engage female audiences beyond the horror genre. Whenever Martin appeared on screen, he exuded an air of tall, cool, and handsome charisma.

Inside the theater, Phoebe, who had accompanied Rachel, couldn't help but gush, "He's my male idol!"

Rachel nodded in enthusiastic agreement, saying, "He's good-looking, a talented actor, and has a great personality. Our Martin is quickly becoming a sensation!"

Jessica chimed in, "I think he looks even better in person."

The consensus among those around them was clear .

Emily offered a reminder, "Martin also starred in a horror film as the absolute lead; it might be released next year."

The theater erupted in cheers and applause.

Everyone fell silent as they focused on the movie.

Paris Hilton's character encountered the film's killer, the moment many had eagerly anticipated.

Paris was being pursued by the murderer.

From somewhere in the audience, a voice shouted, "Kill her! Get her!"

A few sporadic responses followed.

To endure a character who could invoke such strong emotions, Paris must have possessed an extraordinary talent. She was born into the Hilton family, and perhaps her ability to elicit such visceral reactions from the audience was a unique form of talent.

"House of Wax" seemed poised to set a record for audience anticipation in the history of horror films. Never before had a character been so eagerly awaited to meet a gruesome end.

And so, the cinema witnessed the true climax of the night.

When Paris had her ankle tendons severed by the villain and was trapped in a wax museum while wax was poured over her, the audience erupted into applause.

The audience, having been bombarded by the news media and feeling oppressed by the Paris scandal, finally found a cathartic release through the film.