I am Hollywood

[Chapter 961: The Question of Who is Richer]

After a week of adjustments, the entire crew of Iron Man gradually set aside their concerns, thanks in no small part to Eric Williams' professional demeanor, which he never let mix with his personal identity. The efficiency of the production team soared, and what was expected to take two weeks to shoot in the cave was nearly 70% complete just one week in.

Meanwhile, media speculation and discussion regarding the lead actor of Iron Man grew increasingly lively. Although the crew employed strict confidentiality measures, it became clear that more and more hints were being unearthed by the press. All signs seemed to point to an incredible truth: Eric Williams was indeed set to star as Tony Stark in Iron Man.

It wasn't until Eric showed up, sporting his full head of dark hair, at the premiere of a film titled The Big Lebowski that media outlets confirmed Eric's role as Tony Stark. Directed by the Coen brothers, The Big Lebowski was produced by polygram and distributed in North America by New Line due to Eric's prior deal with them when he intended to invite Jeff Bridges to star in Iron Man.

Though Universal took over Polygram's film operations after Seagram's acquisition, films that had existing contracts, like The Big Lebowski, couldn't be reclaimed. The film received positive reviews, but this news paled in comparison to Eric's involvement in Iron Man, especially as Forbes Magazine released their annual list of North America's wealthiest individuals shortly after, revealing Eric's stunning net worth of $136.8 billion.

Bill Gates saw his fortune surge to $51 billion as the value of Microsoft soared past $200 billion, but much like last year, Eric's wealth continued to outstrip Gates by more than half. With Firefly Investments holding a vast range of enterprises across the information sector, Forbes even dubbed Eric "the Rockefeller of the Information Age" in their feature on him.

The media's mixed reviews on Eric's decision to play Iron Man varied; some viewed it as a frivolous gamble that might ruin the comic adaptation series, while others believed it would lead to more resources being allocated to the project, promising audiences an unprecedented special effects spectacle.

As discussions expanded, one topic captured public fascination more than any other: who was wealthier, Eric Williams or Tony Stark? The question prompted little debate since the answer was evident. Stark Industries had a prototype easily identified as the well-known Lockheed Martin, the largest defense contractor in the world.

However, despite Lockheed Martin's prominence in the defense sector, its current market value was only $22.5 billion. By analogy, Stark Industries' value couldn't exceed about $20 billion, meaning Tony Stark couldn't possibly have a net worth over $10 billion, even as a major shareholder.

...

At Firefly Studios, inside soundstage number seven, the cave scene was coming to a close. They were filming the moment Tony Stark donned the Mark 1 armor, and once the remaining battle scenes were completed, the cave shooting would wrap up entirely. The Mark 1 armor, crafted over several months by Stan Winston, felt just like real armor and allowed for agile movement despite its weight of 45 kilograms, so Eric opted not to use a stuntman.

Behind the monitors, Joss Whedon replayed the footage to confirm everything was perfect before giving the crew an "okay" gesture. "Alright, that's a wrap for today."

Applause erupted throughout the soundstage as several crew members quickly approached to help Eric take off the Mark 1 armor. Joss Whedon, holding the director's script, approached Eric. "Eric, we only have five scenes left. I think we could pull an all-nighter tomorrow; that way, we can head to Las Vegas for shooting next week."

California's labor laws for the film industry were quite strict. Today was Friday, and without special arrangements, the crew traditionally had weekends off. Of course, working overtime wasn't out of the question; however, workers usually earned several times their usual wages, making overtime an uncommon choice.

Once the helmet was removed, Eric stretched his neck and raised his arm for the chest piece to be taken off. "Joss, if you think it's suitable, go ahead and arrange it. I don't have anything special planned for the weekend."

Joss nodded and instructed one of the crew members to notify everyone about the additional shooting day. After chatting with Joss for a moment and completely removing the armor, Eric bid him farewell and decided to head home. He had been juggling the complexities of Firefly's business affairs with shooting Iron Man, and he was feeling worn out.

...

Caroline and Melanie approached him, with Melanie handing Eric a bottle of water. Caroline opened her folder and pulled out an invitation. "Eric, this is from Ms. Madonna Ciccone. She wants to invite you to her new album launch party."

Eric glanced at the invitation, but thoughts of Victoria Adams, the girl he'd placed next to Madonna, crossed his mind. Wondering how she was doing, he noticed the event was tomorrow night, which led him to shake his head. "I can't, I have to work tomorrow. But when did her new album come out?"

Caroline replied, "March 3rd. It sold 760,000 copies in its first week, which is Madonna's best performance since 1990."

Eric simply nodded, more concerned about when he could get Madonna's album onto Yahoo Music Store, but did not ask further.

Caroline closed her folder and added, "And Eric, Miss Kerr is waiting for you outside."

As they stepped out of the cave set, Miranda Kerr rushed over from the waiting area, beaming, "Eric, you're finally off work!"

After sporting the heavy Mark 1 armor for the entire afternoon, Eric felt as if he had been lifting weights all day. As Miranda confidently leaned against him, he instinctively wrapped an arm around her waist, lifting her with ease before setting her down. "Alright, there are too many people here, no need to act spoiled."

"Am I getting lighter?" Miranda joked, breaking into laughter as she turned to wave at Caroline and Melanie, keen on forging good rapport with Eric's two female assistants, knowing how much he valued them. "Hey, Carly, Mel!"

Caroline felt a pang of jealousy but maintained her politeness. "Hello, Miranda."

Melanie, however, wasn't as friendly. She remembered when this girl had acted entitled. She simply nodded before pulling Caroline away. "Eric, we'll head out now."

Watching Melanie storm off with Caroline, Miranda kept her bright smile intact. She linked her arm through Eric's. "Eric, I really want to see you film. They won't let me in. Can't I come in just for a little while?"

"Getting into this soundstage is quite a feat. Do you think just anyone can stroll in?" Eric laughed, shaking his head.

He was always kind to the women around him, but he drew the line when it came to maintaining the secrecy around Iron Man's production. Everyone who entered the cave set had signed a non-disclosure agreement.

Understanding the situation, Miranda pivoted, "Then how about we go to Tokyo this weekend? I heard the cherry blossoms there are beautiful right now."

Eric had the impulse to give her a playful smack on the behind. A weekend trip across the Pacific to see cherry blossoms was quite creative. "Forget about Tokyo; I have to work tomorrow."

Miranda pouted in disappointment, shaking Eric's arm. "But tomorrow is Saturday!"

"Plenty of people work on Saturdays too. Not like you, who just plays all day. Or should I let Drew take you to Tokyo?"

At the mention of Drew's name, Miranda suddenly tensed up. She suspected that Christina Aguilera had said something unfavorable about her in Drew's presence, and from the few encounters they'd had, Drew had never been particularly nice to her. Given how favored Drew was by Eric, she worried that Drew might throw her out of a plane mid-flight over the Pacific.

Shaking her head in sadness, Miranda said, "Well, never mind. But Eric, next month is my birthday! You can't forget!"

Eric nodded and smiled. "Hmm, what do you want as a birthday gift?"

"Shouldn't that be something boys think about doing?"

Eric pretended to ponder the question, hesitating for a moment. "How about a big stuffed animal?"

Miranda perked up, intrigued. "How big?"

Eric recalled the giant bunny Stark had gifted Pepper in Iron Man 3. "Like three meters tall. Just tell me what type you want, and I'll have someone special order it."

"Why would I want a stuffed animal that big? I'm not your doll girl," Miranda said, playfully imagining how cool such a massive toy would be, though it wasn't quite what she wanted. Gently bumping against Eric, she continued, "Actually, I want to move out, like Gisele and Ale."

"That won't work; let's stick to the stuffed animal," Eric immediately shook his head. He wasn't unwilling -- after all, even a ten-million-dollar mansion wasn't a big deal for him -- but Miranda was still too young for independence. Noticing her sulking expression, he added, "Let's just wait until next year. Your sweet sixteen birthday next year, and you can pick any house in Los Angeles."

Miranda's face lit up as if the previous gloom had vanished. "That's a deal! But really, I want to choose, can I pick a place in the Liberty City Manor?"

"Definitely not."

"Hmph!" Miranda pouted playfully.

The two laughed and chatted as they exited the soundstage. It was the end of the workday, and the area outside was bustling with people. Miranda instinctively let go of Eric's arm. Noticing he didn't head toward the parking lot but moved in the opposite direction, she questioned, "Eric, aren't we going back to Liberty City Manor?"

"We are, but not by car."

Eric explained. With the confirmation of his role in Iron Man, he had become a target for paparazzi. While they didn't aggressively intrude on his privacy, they were eager to snap photos of his daily life. Any sighting of Eric became newsworthy, with some publications even offering a high price for behind-the-scenes snapshots from the Iron Man set.

Confused, Miranda followed Eric as they walked for over ten minutes until they reached a lush lawn near the administrative area. There stood a powerful black helicopter, nearly 20 meters long -- over twice the size of a typical civilian helicopter.

"Wow, I've seen that before; it's a Black Hawk."

"Black means it's a Black Hawk," Eric remarked as he playfully patted Miranda's back, who seemed to pause, pondering the helicopter's grandeur before hurrying up to follow him.

Climbing aboard excitedly, Miranda sat down in her seat, curiously exploring her surroundings. "This has to be a Black Hawk."

Eric shook his head, holding her back to fasten her seatbelt. At that moment, Eric's head of security, Carter Moen, stepped aboard the helicopter. Hearing Miranda's comment, he smiled and explained, "Miss Kerr, this is the VH-60N. While it belongs to the Black Hawk family, it's also been nicknamed the 'White Hawk.'"

Miranda obediently sat still as Eric buckled her in, but quickly chimed in, "White Hawk? That doesn't sound cool; it's still black!"

"True, it doesn't sound as intimidating as Black Hawk," Carter said as he took a seat in the back. "But it has another nickname: 'the President's Hawk.'"

*****

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