Chapter 042 Hollywood Director
Smack, smack, smack!
"Well said! With such eloquence, you shouldn't be a boxer; you should be a lawyer or a politician."
Emma Watson said teasingly as she clapped her hands.
"Thanks for the compliment!"
Link tousled her hair, which she annoyedly swatted away before pulling on his arm to hug her.
"Link, come out for a moment, someone is looking for you."
Just as Link sat down, ready to watch a variety show with Emma, James called from outside.
"Who's looking for me? If it's reporters, let them go to West Boxing Gym; we don't entertain reporters here."
"Just come out first."
James urged.
Link shook his head and reluctantly let go of the soft Miss Emma. He went to the front shop, only to see chubby James alone, with no one else around.
When James saw him coming out, he dropped a 'Playboy' magazine and pulled him towards the door.
"Who's looking for me?"
"Me!"
James dragged him to the entrance, glanced back towards the direction of the living room, and whispered, "How come you were hugging Emma Watson?"
"Is there a problem?"
"A big problem,"
James nodded gravely and said, "Last time it was Taylor, now it's the even more famous Emma Watson. Why do you always like to mingle with celebrities? The magazines say their lingerie costs thousands of US dollars, and their jewelry costs over a hundred thousand. Where are you getting the money to entertain them?"
Link glanced at him, "You spend all day reading fashion magazines and only remember the price of lingerie?"
James paused, scowling, and said, "Don't joke around. Let's be serious for a moment. I've told you we're ordinary people; dating and marrying a regular girl is most suitable for us. Don't mess with such celebrities; their lifestyle is too lavish, and you can't afford it."
Link shook his head and patted his shoulder, "James, look at this face, this body, these muscles. Do you think anything about me looks ordinary?"
James squinted his small eyes and sized him up, "You look all ordinary!"
Link pushed him aside, not intending to persuade him any further. Just then, Michael from the surfing shop waved from the beach with a middle-aged man holding a camera by his side. Link waved his hand, indicating to James to stay outside and block the reporter.
"Link, wait, Mr. Herrick wants to see you."
Michael yelled.
"Michael, I'm busy today, no interviews. If Mr. Herrick wants to interview, he should schedule an appointment at West Boxing Gym first."
Link said.
"Link, Mr. Herrick isn't a reporter; he's a director."
Michael ran over, excitedly saying, "Mr. Herrick is really a director. Have you seen '101 Dalmatians'? 'Life Because of You'? And the Tommy Lee Jones starred 'Spicy Girl Bodyguard'? They were all directed by Mr.
Herrick."
A director?
Link had seen '101 Dalmatians' out of the two movies, a story about dog lovers and fashion designers, a comedy film of decent quality.
But why would a renowned director want to see him?
A movie about a boxer?
Link was somewhat perplexed.
Before he could think further, Michael had eagerly given him the answer.
Contrary to his expectations, Mr. Herrick wasn't here to discuss filmmaking, but rather to find a skilled diver who could take him to the nearby islands and coral reefs.
Your next chapter is on empire
"Link, have you seen 'Deep Sea Quest' starring Jessica Alba? Jessica's figure is incredibly hot. Columbia Pictures is planning a sequel, and Mr. Herrick is the director. He's scouting locations for the new movie, thinks our area is quite suitable, and has even promised me a small part."
Michael danced with excitement.
Link shook his head; he had thought his outstanding performance in the boxing ring had caught the attention of a Hollywood director, prompting the director to seek a collaboration in person.
It seemed he had thought too much.
The director named Herrick approached them, a man in his forties to fifties, wearing a white polo shirt and a green vest with many pockets, his skin reddish, face broad, ears large, and white stubble on his chin. He had a look distinctly different from that of the journalists.
Michael introduced the two, extravagantly praising Link's diving skills as comparable to those of Olympic athletes.
Director Herrick remained noncommittal.
He told Link he wanted to check out the nearby islands and asked if there were any beautiful coral reefs or thrilling rocks in the area, as 'Deep Sea Quest 2' would continue the style of the first movie, featuring sunshine, beauties, hunks, beaches, reefs, and coral reefs.
Link didn't know what standards the other party had and didn't over-describe the local attractions; he merely explained the distribution and features of the nearby undersea coral reefs and outcrops, letting Herrick judge their beauty for himself.
Director Herrick expressed a desire to see them and asked Link to guide him, saying he would pay for the service.
Link returned to the shop, informed Emma, and asked James to find a suitable diving suit for Director Herrick to change into.
Then he drove the speedboat, touring the nearby islands, reefs, coral reefs, and lighthouses with the visitor, choosing locations and taking pictures.
The circuit took over four hours.
The Baker shop had high rates: diving equipment for $200 US Dollar per day, diving guide services for $200 per half-hour, and speedboat transfer services for $100 each time, exceeding one hour at $200 US Dollar per hour.
This business deal made the shop $2000 US Dollar, the most it had earned in a while.
However, after returning to shore, Director Herrick kept staring at him with a strange expression.
"Mr. Herrick, is there something wrong?"
Link asked as he packed up the diving gear.
Sitting on the deck, Director Herrick smiled and said, "Earlier, Michael boasted that your diving skills were world-class. I didn't believe it. I didn't think a small beach shop would have such a skilled diver, but now I believe it. Your diving skills are excellent. Very few can match you."
"Thank you!"
Link smiled faintly, declined the cigarette offered to him, and handed out a bottle of mineral water instead.
"Link, you have an impressive appearance. Among male actors in Hollywood, you would be considered top-notch. Have you ever thought about pursuing a career in Hollywood?"
Director Herrick asked, smoking his cigarette.
"Looking good qualifies someone to be an actor?"
"Haha, it didn't used to, as everyone treated film as an art form and cared about the actors' skills—without acting skills, you'd starve in Hollywood.
But now it's different, films are just a form of entertainment. After watching, everyone just laughs; there's no need for exquisite acting skills. Being attractive is good enough.
Attractive actors capture the audience's eye easier than those with great acting skills. That's the state of the entertainment industry today."
Director Herrick shrugged his shoulders, his expression somewhat melancholic.
"Sounds appealing, I'll consider it," Link said.
Director Herrick laughed heartily, handed him a business card, and also took his contact information, mentioning he would refer him for suitable roles.