Chapter 266: The Foundation of an Equal Dialogue

"George was the first mentor on my cinematic journey. Before I was even ten, I was already wandering around the Star Wars set." Standing in the banquet hall dedicated to hosting the press, Duke looked at George Lucas beside him and addressed the surrounding reporters. "It was the magical scenes George brought to life that ignited all my passion for film, which eventually led me to the California Institute of the Arts..."

Since they were promoting both their films, Duke spared no praise for Lucas, and George Lucas's subsequent words were equally complimentary.

"Since 1995, I've been trying to persuade Duke to direct the new Star Wars, but without success." Amidst the astonished gazes of the reporters, Lucas continued, "It wasn't until I read his script for The Matrix that I finally understood why Duke turned Star Wars down. I firmly believe he is filming a sci-fi masterpiece. He has created a world entirely his own. When the movie hits theaters next year, it will inevitably usher in a new era for sci-fi films!"

"A groundbreaking sci-fi film is being born!"

With those words, George Lucas and Duke left the press banquet hall, handing the rest of the time over to the actors from both casts.

They bypassed a corridor and entered another, smaller banquet hall. This was where the main cast and crew held their private party. Because most of the personnel were out in the press hall promoting the films and themselves, this room was actually quite empty, save for a few behind-the-scenes staff.

Sitting down at a table, Duke shook his head and said to George Lucas, "You gave me far too much praise."

"I believe you have what it takes." George Lucas seemed even more confident than Duke himself. "You've never disappointed anyone."

Duke just smiled and changed the subject, chatting with George Lucas about the filming of Star Wars.

"I think the months of waiting were entirely worth it!"

The topic shifted to the female lead, Padme Amidala. George Lucas was clearly very satisfied with the Jewish girl. "In the film's setting, Queen Amidala is only fourteen, yet she's a successful politician. While there's no shortage of excellent young actresses in Hollywood, we both know the reality, Duke. It's hard to find a young actress with above-average looks who can also exude a queen's mature, wise temperament. Natalie's performance has far exceeded my expectations."

"I've seen her in Léon and Heat." Duke suddenly thought of the future. "I have to admit, she's an acting genius. But George, have you considered who will play the adult Anakin Skywalker? If you cast a young actor with poor acting skills, she will completely overshadow him. It will unbalance the film and directly impact how the audience perceives them as a couple."

Anakin Skywalker and Padme Amidala in the Star Wars Prequel were arguably one of the most famous yet disjointed couples on screen. Describing that Canadian actor's performance opposite Natalie Portman as a train wreck would be a compliment.

George Lucas nodded slightly. "It isn't necessarily a good thing when the female lead is too outstanding."

He frowned. "Male actors generally mature later. Even a recognized acting genius like Daniel Day-Lewis didn't fully hit his stride until he was past thirty. Trying to find a young male actor with exceptional skills in that same age bracket..."

Duke shrugged. How to find a suitable actor was a problem for George Lucas to worry about.

Even if he couldn't find one, it didn't really matter. The influence of Star Wars on this soil was something Duke couldn't have previously imagined. As long as it was a big-budget production in the Star Wars Series, it would never lack an audience.

Seeing an actor enter the banquet hall, Duke left the table and walked toward the slender girl. She seemed thirsty, heading straight for the bar to order a glass of juice.

"Hi, Nat."

Greeting her, Duke sat on the adjacent barstool. Natalie Portman turned her head and smiled. "Hi, Duke."

"A martini, please," Duke said.

After ordering his drink, Duke turned back to Natalie. "How come you're back so soon?"

"I'm not an adult yet," Natalie said matter-of-factly, "so I don't want to be harassed by the media. Plus, those people are incredibly annoying."

Duke gave her a questioning look, and Natalie Portman continued, "They only asked a few questions about the movie before pressing me on whether I had a boyfriend at school..."

She shrugged again. "Some reporters even asked me if I was a virgin!"

Seeming a bit indignant, Natalie picked up her juice and took a large gulp. "I'm not Drew Barrymore or Kirsten Dunst!" she muttered resentfully.

"It's perfectly normal; you'll get used to it," Duke said, setting down his glass. "If they didn't ask things like that, they wouldn't be entertainment reporters."

The sixteen-year-old girl's eyes suddenly darted around before she asked tentatively, "Duke, can I ask you a question?"

"Hmm?"

Duke looked confused for a moment before replying, "It is an honor to be consulted by a teenage genius like you."

Natalie frowned and gave him another glance before saying, "When reporters ask you these things, how do you handle it?"

"I mean..." She was absolutely doing this on purpose. "The media and magazines are always writing about your scandals with other actresses... Sorry... I didn't mean anything by that..."

"It's fine."

Since he had done it, there was nothing to hide. Duke raised an eyebrow. "Just ignore them. Because no matter what you say, whatever ends up in the papers and magazines will either have nothing to do with your original words, or it'll be exaggerated a hundred times over."

"I've actually always liked your movies."

The girl had a very quick mind. Having deliberately prodded Duke on the sly, she immediately set about smoothing things over. "When you were filming Independence Day in Central Park, I specifically went to watch."

"It's a shame I didn't get to meet you then," Duke laughed. "I've always loved the character of Mathilda."

Duke snapped his fingers at the bartender. "Mix a drink suitable for a girl."

Turning back, he said to Natalie, "Let me buy you a drink to make up for that missed opportunity."

Natalie lifted her half-finished glass of juice. "Sorry, I think this suits me better. I'm not eighteen yet."

"No reporters are going to come in here..."

Once the bartender served the drink, Duke slid it over to Natalie. "It's just a sweet liqueur; it won't get you drunk. Don't tell me you've never had alcohol before?"

Although North America as a whole leaned conservative, a girl reaching sixteen without ever having touched alcohol was practically unheard of.

"I..." Natalie hesitated before finally saying, "Just a taste."

She picked up the glass and took a tiny sip. It seemed to taste fine, so she took another.

"How is it?" Duke asked.

"Better than the sweet sherry I've had before..."

At that, Natalie suddenly covered her mouth. Her eyes darted back to Duke's face as she said earnestly, "You're not allowed to tell anyone, especially my mom and my agent!"

Duke quickly nodded. "It's our secret."

Whether in the East or the West, alcohol was always a great tool for closing the distance between people.

"Where's your mom?" Duke looked around. "How come I don't see her?"

"I had to make so many promises." Natalie picked up her glass and took another small sip. "That's the only reason she stayed in her room. It's not like I'm some clueless kid."

"In the eyes of every mother," Duke said, leaning in just a bit, "their children never grow up."

"Is that how Mrs. Leah sees you?" Natalie asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah." Duke nodded, casually spouting nonsense. "My mom is always saying my thinking is very immature."

"Immature?" Natalie looked him up and down, her eyes full of suspicion.

She wasn't a naive, clueless girl. She had heard her agent mention certain things in the industry, especially regarding Duke's history with CAA and Mel Gibson. Her agent had used those incidents as textbook examples to educate her. If someone like him was innocent, then Hollywood was truly crawling with angels.

"Mom always says I love to fantasize, and that those fantasies are a bit unrealistic." Duke naturally knew she wouldn't believe such talk, so he quickly added, "But she always encourages me. She pushes me to turn those immature ideas into movies."

"So that's how it is," Natalie nodded.

Aside from the necessary socializing, Duke spent most of his time sitting there chatting with Natalie. The girl's demeanor was somewhat different from other actresses in the circle. Regardless of whether it was a strategy devised by her agency or herself, she rarely mingled, making her look very much like an outlier among actors.

Before the party was even over, the two of them walked out of the banquet hall one after the other.

"Even though we're staying in the same hotel," Duke remarked as he headed toward the elevators, "I rarely see you around."

"I spend most of my time in my room." Natalie maintained a sufficient distance from Duke. "I still have my studies to finish. I don't want to give up my education for acting."

The two walked into the elevator lobby just as a car arrived. Someone stepped out, and Duke hurried inside. After Natalie followed him in, he asked, "What floor is your room on?"

"I'll do it myself."

Natalie Portman stepped up, pressed the button herself, and then backed away. "Duke!"

"Hmm?"

Duke turned to look at her. The girl's face was flushed red, seemingly brought on by the drink she'd had. "Is something wrong, Nat?"

"Why did you follow me out?" she asked, tilting her head. Without waiting for Duke to answer, she stated firmly, "I'm not letting you into my room, so don't even think about it!"

"Hey, sweetheart!"

Duke shook his head. This was Sydney, and Natalie was only sixteen. "I'm just tired and want to go back and rest."

"Also..." He suddenly took a step toward her, using his height advantage to say, "Didn't you want to see the difference between my directing style and George's? You can come over to my set and watch anytime."

When the elevator doors opened, Duke stepped out first and walked toward his room without looking back.