Chapter 588: Naive Sweetheart

Inside the press room of the Hollywood Chinese Theater, hundreds of reporters packed every inch of space. Sarah from the Los Angeles Times was already used to this sight. When had a press conference for a Duke Rosenberg movie premiere ever not been packed? He was simply the director the entertainment media watched most closely.

"Sarah, it looks like the internet leak didn't have much of an impact." While waiting for the Q&A session to begin, Mick Higgins, a reporter from the Washington Post sitting next to her, asked in a low voice, "Is he going to succeed again?"

"I think the chances of success are infinitely close to a hundred percent," Sarah said without even turning her head.

"Everyone knows you're the reporter with the most access to him." Mick Higgins displayed the natural skepticism of a journalist. "You don't just think he's guaranteed to succeed because of that, do you?"

Sarah rolled her eyes slightly and said, "I just contacted my colleagues in New York, San Francisco, and Chicago. The advance screenings for Iron Man are basically sold out at their theaters."

After saying that, she ignored him. The press conference's Q&A session was about to begin.

Robert Downey Jr. was undoubtedly the film's standout performer, but once the Q&A began, the reporters hurled all their questions at Scarlett Johansson.

On one hand, a sexy and beautiful female star naturally drew media attention; on the other, Duke was sitting right in the middle of the actors.

Even though he and Scarlett Johansson had never publicly confirmed their relationship, let alone foolishly flaunted their affection in public, they weren't the type to intentionally hide it either. The media was well aware that they were officially dating.

Celebrity gossip was always a focal point for the media because it was what readers loved to see most.

However, the moment the Q&A session started, Duke made it clear that he would not answer any questions unrelated to the movie.

Mick Higgins, the reporter from the Washington Post, aimed his sights at Scarlett first, but as a journalist for a major newspaper, he wouldn't ask overly gossipy questions.

"Miss Johansson, what made you take on the role of Natasha Romanoff?" His eyes shifted to Duke. "This role doesn't fit your usual style at all."

Although she was only in her early twenties, Scarlett had been in the industry for over a decade. Handling such a mild question was no difficulty for her at all.

She took the microphone, flashed a charming smile, and said, "Agent Natasha Romanoff is a massive challenge, but she also makes me incredibly excited because I've never done anything like this before. Getting to be part of Iron Man and play the role of 'Black Widow' made me so excited I was practically shaking."

The reporters called on by the host were primarily from major newspapers. The reporter from the New York Times asked, "In the past, you've mostly starred in literary and artsy films. This is truly your first role in a massive production since coming of age. How does this differ from acting in an indie film?"

"It required me to give a lot more." Scarlett looked dead serious. "To better portray the character of 'Black Widow', I spent nearly half a year specifically learning combat, undergoing extensive stunt and strength training. I also performed my own stunts in the film whenever possible. But the entire process was full of fun, because I had one goal I absolutely had to achieve—putting on that Lycra Bodysuit."

She laughed again. "When I saw my costume for the first time, it felt absolutely crazy. Zipped all the way up, equipped with all the weapons, I have to say, this 'Black Widow' is incredibly glamorous and totally cool."

Even Robert Downey Jr. was asked about Scarlett during his turn. Having endured a complex and bumpy career, Downey was gradually evolving into a bit of a sly fox, so he naturally showered her with praise.

"Many of us on set are rabid fans of this classic comic, and we all know exactly what kind of image 'Black Widow' should project. Seeing Scarlett's 'Black Widow' appear before us, every single one of us was super excited. Everyone in the crew thought, 'This is truly unbelievable!'"

After saying that, he winked at Scarlett Johansson in true Tony Stark fashion, drawing bursts of laughter from the reporters below.

The guy seemed to have an innate sense of humor. Even without doing much, a single look or a small gesture was enough to liven up the room.

As the film's director, the reporters obviously weren't going to let Duke off the hook. They asked a few questions about the Marvel Series and The Avengers, all of which he deflected onto Marvel Pictures CEO Kevin Feige.

Following that, the reporters inevitably steered their questions for Duke back toward Scarlett.

"Director Rosenberg, how do you evaluate Miss Johansson's performance in the film?"

"Excellent, and very hardworking." Duke gave a brief, standard reply. "I believe that Scarlett, debuting with this brand-new image, will definitely leave a profound impression on everyone."

The reporters, however, refused to let him go. "Could you be more specific?"

A chorus of teasing and coaxing rose from the crowd. Duke's expression remained calm as he swept his gaze over the reporters and said lightly, "Miss Johansson gave far more for this role than you can imagine."

"Throughout the entire prep and shooting process, she couldn't enjoy good food; she had to curb her appetite. She loves to eat, just like I do. But to better shape the character, she could only eat low-carbohydrate foods. On top of that, she threw herself into training with incredible dedication. Eating less and training more ultimately yielded perfect results. Scarlett's portrayal of 'Black Widow' truly amazed me..."

Throughout the entire interview, there was one person wearing a perfect smile while feeling somewhat resentful inside, and that was Rachel McAdams. Even though she was sitting right there in a highly conspicuous spot, she was virtually ignored by the reporters.

No one liked this feeling, especially since she was the female lead of the movie!

In truth, after watching the entire film, Rachel McAdams was smart enough to realize a very serious problem: she had been upstaged.

Pepper Potts was a very likable eye-candy role. She believed that her image, aura, and styling would definitely provoke a strong response. If things went smoothly, it could take her career a massive step forward. Even if she didn't reach the ranks of A-list actresses, she could at least become one of the more popular B-listers.

However, Scarlett Johansson's existence had become her biggest obstacle.

Judging from the reactions of the reporters and the live audience below, it was easy to see that Pepper's thunder had been completely eclipsed by Black Widow.

Even though she felt very uncomfortable inside and wanted to scream at the crowd that she was the female lead, Rachel McAdams was a smart person. She knew who she could afford to offend and who she needed to greet with a smiling face.

Without a doubt, provoking Scarlett Johansson would do her far more harm than good.

After all, the person standing behind the other woman was Duke Rosenberg, a super director countless actors dreamed of working with, and a heavyweight power player in Hollywood.

Rachel McAdams sat there quietly, not speaking, nor making any proactive attempts to steal the spotlight. Her eyes just occasionally darted toward Scarlett Johansson.

She had interacted with her before; she seemed like a carefree, straightforward person. Usually, women like that were relatively easy to approach and easy to manipulate.

Thinking up to this point, Rachel McAdams formed a plan in her mind, and the rehearsed smile on her face grew even brighter.

After the press conference ended and the group had just walked into the backstage lounge, Rachel McAdams took the initiative to approach Scarlett.

The two of them hadn't interacted much during filming on set.

But at this moment, Rachel McAdams offered a highly sincere smile. "Scar, you did amazingly. I saw your character and couldn't help but marvel."

Scarlett revealed a charming smile, looking exactly like a naive sweetheart of an American girl, and said cheerfully, "Thank you, Rachel. You did great too."

Rachel McAdams frowned imperceptibly, yet she said, "Thank you. I'm really looking forward to our next collaboration."

"Mhm, me too." Scarlett nodded gently.

"Are you free tomorrow?" Seeing that the other woman had her guard completely down, Rachel McAdams suggested, "Shall we grab coffee together tomorrow? A few boutiques on Rodeo Boulevard just got some new arrivals, want to go take a look?"

Scarlett's eyes immediately lit up. "Sure! I haven't gone shopping in forever. It's a date then."

The two agreed on a time, exchanged private phone numbers, and went their separate ways as they left the lounge.

Rachel McAdams gradually got the feeling that Scarlett Johansson's acting skills, image, and hard work were only a small part of the reason she had made it this far. The larger reason was the backing she had.

Everyone in Hollywood knew that her godmother was a famous super-rich woman in America, and that godmother had a son named Duke Rosenberg.

To this day, Scarlett Johansson's most critically acclaimed film was Lost in Translation, produced by Duke Rosenberg's good friend Sofia Coppola.

'She has incredibly good luck!' Such a thought naturally sprang into Rachel McAdams's mind.

Under the cover of night, a black Rolls-Royce drove onto the road heading to Malibu. Duke rolled up the window and looked at Scarlett beside him.

"She's not a simple person."

Hearing Duke's reminder, Scarlett knew exactly who he was talking about. She yawned and said, "I know."

She stretched lazily and hooked her arm through Duke's. "I've been a bit bored lately, so I need to find something interesting to do. Honey, don't you think watching a woman who thinks she's so smart trying her absolute hardest to put on an act right in front of you is a very amusing thing?"

Although Scarlett looked somewhat like a traditional, naive sweetheart of an American girl, Duke had never actually seen her that way. He just shook his head and said nothing more.