Chapter 360: Exclusive Services

Before Murphy stood a strikingly attractive blonde woman, seemingly under thirty, her face unfamiliar to him. She was neither a famous Hollywood starlet nor someone destined for future stardom.

Her makeup was impeccable, her clothing lavish, and her demeanor flawless, suggesting she was well-educated or involved in a high-end profession.

Confronted by such a glamorous woman, Murphy was naturally puzzled. He wasn't naive enough to think he was some sort of hormone-emitting machine or inherently carried an aura that would draw such attention unprovoked.

"Hello, Director Stanton," the blonde introduced herself proactively. "I'm Michelle Braun. You can call me Micha."

Out of basic courtesy, Murphy nodded, "Hello, Micha."

Bill Roscius, standing nearby, glanced at Michelle Braun and subtly stepped back, seemingly recognizing her but chose not to say anything.

It's best for agents not to interfere too much in their clients' personal lives, as it often becomes a source of conflict.

"You've just received your first Oscar nomination, don't you think it calls for a celebration?"

Initially, Murphy thought she might be a public relations person from a high-end party planning company, but Michelle continued, "I've organized an Oscar-themed party two nights from now, celebrating the upcoming gala. Reese Witherspoon and Keira Knightley, who are nominated for Best Actress, and Michelle Williams and Rachel Weisz, nominated for Best Supporting Actress, have all accepted my invitation."

She didn't mention any men's names; all were notable Hollywood actresses.

It sounded like an upscale party, Murphy's first thought. However, something felt off, but he couldn't pinpoint exactly what.

Noticing Murphy's confusion, Michelle Braun, realizing he was a newcomer to such circles, smiled slightly and added, "The party will be grand, able to cater to any of your desires, Director Stanton..."

As she spoke, she pulled a business card from her purse and handed it over, "If you're interested, you can call this number. A concierge service will attend to your needs."

Murphy took the card and glanced at it. It bore only a phone number. He nodded subconsciously, "If needed, I'll give it a call."

Michelle Braun gave him another smile and gracefully moved on to approach George Clooney.

Piecing together her words and actions, Murphy began to understand what was happening. He shook his head; it seemed that his current status made him a target not just for film enthusiasts but also for certain figures within Hollywood's more clandestine spheres.

After exiting the hotel and getting past the press to his Bentley, as the car started and pulled onto the road, Murphy turned to Bill Roscius, "Who is she?"

Knowing Murphy was referring to Michelle Braun, Bill explained, "She's the next Heidi Fleiss, currently Hollywood's top madam."

"The party she mentioned..." Murphy gestured towards the Hilton they had just left, "Is it like the ones Downey told me about?"

"Exactly," Bill acknowledged, well-informed about most industry matters. "Just getting in costs thirty thousand dollars."

Murphy nodded; Robert Downey Jr. had told him about these masquerade parties held around the Oscars where attendees wore masks and indulged in unrestrained activities under the theme of anonymity and pleasure. The parties often featured famous actors and actresses and even newcomers who participated out of interest or necessity.

Michelle Braun mentioning several high-profile actresses could very well be a tactic to lure potential clients, perhaps using good-looking individuals like himself and George Clooney as bait.

According to Downey, the providers at these parties were usually high-end escorts or financially needy actors and models.

"So?" Bill asked playfully, "Interested?"

Murphy shook his head, "Just curious."

The darker underbelly of Hollywood's glamorous façade was indeed intriguing.

"Since Heidi Fleiss was imprisoned, Michelle Braun quickly rose to prominence, reportedly managing over seventy high-class escorts or gigolos."

Seeing Murphy's interest, Bill briefly explained, "That includes fashion models, Hollywood actresses, adult film stars, Playboy cover girls, etc., offering 'exclusive services' to the elite at terrifying rates. Her escorts charge eight thousand five hundred dollars to accompany someone on a day trip and up to fifty thousand dollars for a night of services, making it some of the most expensive companionship globally."

He added, "Rumor has it, Mike Tyson is now her top gigolo."

This detail didn't surprise Murphy; the former boxing champion wasn't known for his brightness and had nearly ended up in adult films during his lowest times.

After attending the nominees' luncheon, Murphy flew to Northern Ireland that evening. Upon landing at Belfast International Airport, he skipped the hotel and went straight to the set, immersing himself in work.

Besides continuing the shoot, he reviewed the footage shot by Seth Rogen. Since his departure, the crew's progress had slowed, maintaining only basic shooting operations. With the experience from two movies and innate talent and

 diligence, Rogen could handle straightforward shots with no issues.

Murphy was generally satisfied with Rogen's work, with only a few flawed shots that could be fixed during post-production.

Even for the few that weren't to his liking, Murphy had no plans to reshoot them; he planned to find solutions during editing. A person's energy was limited; he couldn't cover everything in Northern Ireland and push for Oscars simultaneously. Since he had gained something on the Oscar front, it was normal to lose something on the set.

As for the Oscars, Murphy left everything to Bill Roscius. With several major nominations secured and winning Best Director unlikely, he wasn't going to pour more resources into a lost cause.

However, Murphy hadn't given up entirely. While Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Actress might be out of reach, there was still some maneuvering room for another, lighter award.

Although the Academy explicitly stated that all PR activities must cease after the Oscar nominations were announced, and while public relations did indeed die down, behind-the-scenes activities didn't. They continued until the Oscars voting closed, with contenders still scrambling to make their final efforts.

As long as it wasn't too excessive, the Academy turned a blind eye, though they would occasionally make an example of someone if needed.

How many big-name actors or directors had been publicly penalized by the Academy throughout Hollywood history?

As for Michelle Braun's party invitation, Murphy had long dismissed it from his mind. He had neither the time nor the energy for such games.

Regardless of how one viewed him, Murphy wasn't about to betray someone like Gal Gadot, who was devoted to him, by engaging in such activities.

His focus remained solely on the remaining shoots for "Game of Thrones: A Song of Ice and Fire," with Paul Wilson having finished his shoots and returning to Belfast to join him. The crew was set to film the last of the main storyline scenes, aiming to wrap up all shooting by mid-February.

Like before, Murphy led the crew around various locations in Northern Ireland and Scotland, even making a trip to Iceland to shoot scenes outside the Wall, with its expansive icy landscapes serving perfectly as the terrain beyond the Wall.

Murphy had informed Kara Faith that Iceland would be added as a main external shooting base in future productions.

After spending over a week on location, Murphy and the crew returned to Belfast to shoot the last significant scene of the season—the execution of Ned Stark.

This scene was crucial for the series, directly affecting the direction of the second season. Joffrey's decision to execute Ned Stark against Cersei Lannister's wishes meant that the Lannisters could no longer reconcile with the Starks, leading inevitably to war.

A game of thrones was just beginning.

This scene required many extras, and aside from essential personnel, others stood around in the open set square, acting as spectators to Ned Stark's execution.

It was also Sean Bean's final scene.

"Cut! That's a wrap!"

With Murphy's shout echoing across the set, the filming for "Game of Thrones: A Song of Ice and Fire" finally concluded. After three grueling months, everyone, including Murphy, was physically and mentally exhausted and looking forward to a break.

Leaving a team to handle the remaining minor tasks in Belfast, Murphy took the main staff and the filmed material on a chartered flight back to Los Angeles.

The crew was on a long break, but Murphy had to discuss subsequent production and promotion matters with Kara Faith.

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