Chapter 45

Chen Long was also promoting his movie in Hollywood and, as expected, was asked by the media about Chen Tiandu.

He had no idea where this Chen Tiandu had come from before, but recently, this name had become quite significant. Serving as the screenwriter and assistant director for Spielberg's major production, "Saving Private Ryan," he had managed to convince DreamWorks to invest $30 million in a horror film within just half a year of being in the United States.

Now, this horror film had already won two consecutive weeks of box office success, with extremely high ratings on IMDb. Even now, it still holds a high rating of 8.7, surpassing "Saving Private Ryan."

"Although he's a newcomer, his films are very creative. I look forward to meeting this young fellow countryman. As for collaboration, we can talk about that later; after all, we don't know each other yet... How does the box office of 'Rush Hour' compare to 'The Sixth Sense'? Personally, I hope it does well, the higher the better."

"Rush Hour" was successfully released and received good reviews.

A typical popcorn action movie, Chen Long's popularity in Hollywood had grown significantly over the years. In his first lead role in a big-budget Hollywood action film, he incorporated many of his unique action elements, naturally captivating the American audience.

The box office data over the past few days also reached Chen Long's ears, and he was in high spirits, happily promoting the film across the country.

However, at the end of the third week, the box office results were announced. "The Sixth Sense" grossed $30.56 million, with only a 36% drop, and its total box office earnings reached $116.56 million, officially breaking the $100 million mark.

"Rush Hour" opened with $28.9 million, unfortunately placing second.

A startling fact: "The Sixth Sense" had won three consecutive weeks of box office success.

Seeing this data, Chen Long frowned, and for the first time, he began to actively pay attention to this young man who had single-handedly made his way to Hollywood from mainland China. It wasn't that he was underestimating him; it was just that at this time, did mainland China have any big box office hits? Although Hong Kong's "Oriental Hollywood" reputation was waning, when it came to Chinese films, people still thought of Hong Kong first.

DreamWorks, having reaped significant benefits, began to think of ways to promote the film further. Talk shows were a good choice, and some programs started to invite the lead actors of "The Sixth Sense" to participate.

Chen Tiandu, a 23-year-old Chinese man who held multiple roles as director, screenwriter, and lead actor, naturally became the center of attention. However, he was not yet familiar with the American talk show format. During his first appearance, he was filled with enthusiasm, eager to promote himself. But the host kept steering the conversation towards the "American Dream."

It seemed that for a Chinese person to develop in Hollywood despite the tough conditions at home was a remarkable feat, and achieving a box office success of over $100 million was the best embodiment of the American Dream as the new millennium approached.

He had become a symbol of the American Dream, what a joke!

Chen Tiandu's eloquence couldn't match the host's flowery speech, and his attempts to interject were repeatedly and unreasonably interrupted. He almost stormed out but held back; he didn't have the capital to do so. For the entire evening, he felt like a prop, being made up and subjected to various embarrassing situations.

Finally, the recording ended, and Katzenberg called to ask, "Christmas, how was the show? It's the longest-running talk show in America."

"Shit! Don't mention that talk show to me again, the American Dream is bullshit. I won't participate in any more TV shows." He hung up the phone angrily, remembering the show, "Saturday Night Live," which had played him for a fool all night.

"..."

After calming down for a while, he realized he had insulted Katzenberg and quickly called back, "I'm sorry, Mr. Katzenberg, I wasn't targeting you. I just... haven't gotten used to the rhythm of American TV shows. You know, although I've been in the U.S. for over a year, I'm still a traditional Chinese person at heart and haven't fully adapted. Sorry, I'm very sorry."

Katzenberg replied, "It's okay, I should have communicated with the TV station first and reminded you how to shine on a talk show. In a sense, the 'American Dream' is indeed a deception. I've received an invitation to 'The Oprah Winfrey Show,' and this won't happen again."

Chen Tiandu knew the reputation of "The Oprah Winfrey Show," the most-watched talk show in America. However, he still shook his head, "I'm really not interested in participating in such shows anymore. If we need promotion, I think Kate, Halle, and Charlize would be more suitable."

Charlize was very willing. For an actress like her, being invited to major TV shows, let alone "The Oprah Winfrey Show," was a rare opportunity.

Her agent was also overjoyed. They had only taken the role in the film because of the DreamWorks brand, but it turned out to be Charlize's first box office hit over $100 million. The film's success in both box office and critical acclaim greatly boosted her popularity and recognition.

Now, with the film needing promotion, Charlize was more than happy to participate, cheerfully joining the promotional tours.

On "The Oprah Winfrey Show," Kate revealed many behind-the-scenes stories of the film, praising "The Sixth Sense" as one of the smartest scripts she had ever read.

"The first time I heard this story was in a coffee shop. At that time, I hadn't seen a single word. Christmas just vividly told me the whole story, which was a bit messy, but strangely, after he finished, I had a complete picture of the story in my mind. Then I felt that I had to play a role in it, no matter what."

Oprah敏锐地察觉到了什么, "你和圣诞陈是怎么认识的？你们似乎认识很久了。"

"Oh, it's a bit unbelievable."

Kate hesitated for a moment. She really liked the show and finally decided to tell the story, "He rented a house next to mine. One day, I was very tired, but the neighbors were making a lot of noise while moving in. I came out in my pajamas, ready to scold the impolite neighbors. Then I saw Tom Hanks, Vin Diesel, Matt Damon, and others helping him move. Yes, the main cast of 'Saving Private Ryan'..."

These insider stories naturally piqued the interest of the audience.

"It sounds like a fairy tale, Tom Hanks helping him move, wow. If Chen isn't just lucky, he must be a very likable guy. Did he ever pursue you, given that you were such a beautiful neighbor?"

Kate fell for the trap, covering her face, unsure how to respond.

Oprah laughed, "Ha, be honest, there's nothing wrong with that, girl."

"Alright," Kate sighed, "Yes, he did pursue me, and that's how it went." She blushed, smiling happily. The audience whistled in approval.

"Wow, sounds like a great love story," Oprah smiled. "Do you know why he declined my show invitation? I heard that during his first talk show appearance, he was played for a fool and had an unpleasant experience, which made him dislike talk shows. Is that true?" The episode of "Saturday Night Live" had already aired, and Chen Tiandu had become an enviable figure, so he was teased on the show, becoming a laughingstock for Americans.

Kate quickly shook her head, "I don't think that's the case. He just hasn't adapted to the rhythm of talk shows, and there were no unpleasant incidents. But he doesn't plan to participate in talk shows for the time being, just a work arrangement, nothing more."

Oprah said, "Alright, I won't push you. Chen is a very handsome guy, especially with those deep, captivating eyes. I sincerely hope he won't really stop participating in talk shows."

"Thank you," Kate said gratefully. This was one of the reasons for Oprah's success—she always knew when to stop and wouldn't make guests feel too uncomfortable.

In this wave of promotion, Kate wasn't the only star.

The outstanding performance of the young actor Haley Joel Osment was also seen by American critics as a strong contender for next year's Oscar. Charlize's beauty caught the eye of Hollywood producers. This South African diamond, no matter where she went, could not be overshadowed.

(Crazy for votes, please collect!)

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