Chapter 396: Grievance

As the night fell, a black car passed through the gate. Bruce parked the car and turned to Martin in the back seat, saying, "I'm going to find Kohler. I won't be back tonight."

Martin reminded him, "You can take the gifts from our sponsors."

Bruce, somewhat impolitely, headed to the garage to collect them. After packing a few things, he left the house in an ordinary Ford.

As the door closed behind Bruce, Elizabeth jumped up and rushed towards Martin. He quickly caught her, picked her up, and walked towards the villa. He also gave her a playful slap on the cheek, which she enjoyed.

Elizabeth, full of energy, spotted the swimming pool in the front yard and suggested, "Let's go for a swim. The one who swims the fastest gets to take the lead tonight." However, Martin patted her gently, "Not at night. The water's too cold, and my pool doesn't have heating."

Elizabeth, accustomed to a life of comfort, inquired directly, "Isn't there an indoor pool?"

Martin replied, "The house is a bit small, no."

Elizabeth playfully hung on to his arm, saying, "We'll work on that. We'll have them soon."

"Okay," Martin responded, but something didn't feel quite right.

Elizabeth took the initiative, planting a passionate kiss on him, and they became entangled as they entered the villa.

The once pristine villa, cleaned by Lily every week, now looked like a battlefield after a world war.

It wasn't until the next morning that Elizabeth had a chance to explore Martin's house. Upstairs, she discovered a very feminine bedroom.

Martin explained, "This is Lily's room. One of my sisters from Atlanta sometimes stays here while she's studying in California."

Elizabeth wondered aloud, "Should I move in here with you?"

"After a while," Martin explained, "You know, Benjamin's crew will be filming out of town, and I might be gone for a long time."

Elizabeth, who also had a role in the crew, concurred, "You're right. I'll wait until you come back."

Martin led her downstairs, saying, "I'm actually looking for a new house. This one is a bit small and lacks some amenities. You might not be used to it."

Elizabeth, understanding his point, said, "Let's find a great house together. If you're tight on money, I have some savings, I can contribute if your short on cash."

Martin smiled and shook his head, "I make millions in my salary."

Elizabeth admired him sincerely, "Martin, you're amazing!"

Martin guided her to an underground storage room, saying, "Here, I'll give you something special."

Elizabeth followed Martin into the storage room and watched as he opened a metal cabinet, revealing several gift boxes.

Handing two of them to Elizabeth, Martin explained, "These are Lily's creations. One is a hand-carved clown statue, and the other is a figurine along with two Australian crocodile tooth pendants. I've given these to many friends and colleagues. If you like them, keep them."

Elizabeth opened the boxes and examined the items closely, saying, "They're beautiful, I really like them."

Martin opened the safe once more, revealing a mahogany gift box. Inside, there was a green bracelet gifted to him by Wu Maoting.

Elizabeth examined the bracelet under the light, and its beauty was undeniable. She couldn't help but exclaim, "It's so beautiful."

Martin smiled and said, "It's for you; put it on."

Elizabeth obediently placed the bracelet on her wrist.

After their house visit, Martin took Elizabeth out for breakfast, dropped her off at her place, and then headed to Benjamin's studio.

Upon entering the studio's front hall, a crew member approached Martin with a hushed tone and said, "Martin, have you heard? Our crew is making headlines."

Martin inquired, "What's happening?"

The crew member lowered her voice, "TMZ reported that Cate Blanchett used yesterday's incident to express her grievances against the older generation of Hollywood. It suggests that Blanchett believes she should have won Best Actress in 1999, not Gwyneth Paltrow, citing bias from the older generation in the Academy."

Martin knew that Judy was behind this. He had seen such news numerous times, which was why he had asked Bruce to collaborate with Jodi.

Martin nodded, saying, "Well done."

The crew member smiled and replied, "I hope it helps."

This front desk employee was one of the information collectors that Bruce had helped Martin establish within the crew.

Martin inquired further, "Is Blanchett at the studio today?"

The crew member responded, "No, Blanchett requested a day off."

Martin didn't dwell on this and proceeded to the special effects studio to begin his work for the day.

In a Santa Monica house, Cate Blanchett flipped through newspapers and magazines, all featuring the latest entertainment news revealed by TMZ. Among them were her heated criticisms of Jack Nicholson.

Blanchett remained defiant, stating, "It was Jack Nicholson who provoked me first. If he hadn't pushed my buttons, I wouldn't have said what I did. I was furious at him, and he just kept provoking me."

This wasn't a one-time occurrence but a series of emotional outbursts, from Toronto to Pinewood Studios to Los Angeles. Actors are known for expressing their emotions, and their anger tends to escalate.

Her agent, Helda Quilli, tried to calm her down, saying, "Cate, right now, the issue isn't what caused the incident."

Dana, the public relations manager, pointed to the newspapers and magazines on the table, saying, "Because TMZ was the first to break the story, traditional media like 'The Hollywood Reporter' and 'Entertainment Weekly' didn't follow the usual procedure of informing us or Quilli beforehand. Now, it's all over influential publications in the industry, and we need to consider the repercussions."

Cate Blanchett agreed reluctantly, "Nicholson pushed me to my limit, and then he misled me."

Dana shook her head, "What people see may not be what they understand. In fact, some might think that Nicholson's actions were a romantic gesture. More importantly, he's an American and one of those older men, which is the group you criticized. You, Kate, are an Australian..."

Cate Blanchett had already considered the group Dana was referring to.

Quilli added, "Your movie 'Queen Elizabeth' is about to be released. You want to compete for the Best Actress Oscar with this film."

Dana advised, "Cate, I suggest you apologize publicly as soon as possible."

Cate Blanchett agreed, "Yes, I'll apologize for what I said."

Dana pushed further, "And apologize to Jack Nicholson as well."

Cate Blanchett firmly refused, "No, I'll never do that. This whole thing started because of Nicholson."

Quilli understood that Nicholson was the instigator, but she knew that things often didn't follow a straightforward right-and-wrong narrative. She tried to reason, "Apart from his actions of showing affection, Nicholson didn't make any teasing remarks or engage in inappropriate behavior."

Cate Blanchett sadly acknowledged this but couldn't accept it, saying, "I can apologize for my words. I can issue a sincere public apology, express regret to the older generation, and admit my mistakes, asking for their forgiveness. But I cannot bring myself to personally apologize to Nicholson." She played her last card, "I'm a woman, and he's a man!"

Dana, a seasoned entertainment public relations manager, understood the dynamics of the industry well, and she noted, "In most cases, that might work, but you're dealing with a sensitive group that holds significant influence within the Academy."

Blanchett remained resolute, stating, "I'd rather forfeit the Oscar."

Quilli cautioned her, "If you give up, will the crew agree? The focus of this film's award campaign is already on the Best Actress category. What do Universal Pictures and various investors think if you voluntarily step down? In these financially tough times in Hollywood, some investors might even blacklist you."

Cate Blanchett's determination remained unwavering.

Quilli grew increasingly concerned, "Cate, consider this; it's not just about the Oscars. Many actors have faced rejection by the Academy without doing anything truly objectionable. They might have made some casual remarks, and what's the outcome? They're resented for years."

She laid out some harsh realities, "You've always followed the path of artistic awards. If the road to the Oscar is closed, what's your plan? Do you have the appeal of Julia Roberts or the charm of Meryl Streep? If not, don't worry about those older white men. You can still become a superstar without them. However, if your artistic path is severed, your acting career could be over soon." Blanchett offered a faint smile, lowering her head, deep in thought.

Seeing her attitude soften, Dana swiftly added, "If we act promptly to address the situation, it won't be as grave. At most, it may affect this awards season."

Quilli chimed in, "You've already won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. Don't you aspire to claim the Best Actress Oscar? When you become the Best Actress, you can find a way to strike back."

She provided an example, "Maybe by then, Nicholson will be as disheartened as Marlon Brando."

Cate Blanchett let out a slow, relieved breath, attempting to release the tension within her chest. While she knew that with Martin Davis and Leonardo around, Nicholson couldn't turn into the next Marlon Brando, what other option did she have at this moment?

Had she wholly alienated the old white male group by accusing Nicholson of harassment?

Cate Blanchett suppressed her inner reluctance and slowly uttered, "Dana, please assist me in drafting a statement and find an appropriate time to address the media."

Dana replied, "I'll start right away."

Quilli gently patted Cate Blanchett's hand, offering solace, "Momentary grievances can lead to a brighter future."