The Matrix trilogy had finished filming, and the remaining special effects were now in the hands of Industrial Light & Magic.
Initially, Martin had wanted to hand the special effects for The Matrix to Weta Digital, after all, it was his own company, and it made sense to keep things in the family.
However, Weta Digital was fully occupied with The Lord of the Rings, and they couldn't spare any personnel for another blockbuster's effects.
That's when Martin turned to "Industrial Light & Magic."
By late November, Charlie's Angels had completed its final edit and was about to be released.
In the offices of Miramax, Harvey's office was abuzz.
"Bob, what do you think about releasing Chocolat early?" Harvey asked.
Bob Weinstein nearly jumped out of his chair.
"Are you crazy, Harvey? I don't understand why you're so fixated on beating Martin. You two could have been friends. You used to flatter him, and I thought you were going too far, but now you're really out of line. Harvey, I hope you can calm down. Ever since that Oscar season, you've gotten carried away!"
Harvey Weinstein slammed his hand on the desk in anger. "I've gotten carried away? That kid's the one who ended our partnership!"
"Yes, but Martin choosing to work with big studios is totally normal, don't you think? We're affiliated with Disney ourselves. Why are you so determined to go against him?"
"Disney, huh. I'll break away from them eventually. As for Martin..."
Harvey's gaze grew sharp before softening, and he sighed. "I don't know why, but I just feel kid looks down on me. And I can't stand him!"
"Is that it?" Bob raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised. He didn't expect Harvey's disdain for Martin to be based on just a gut feeling.
But Harvey was convinced—Martin had an air of superiority about him.
In fact, Harvey was right. The influence of Martin's past memories made him less impressed with Harvey.
In the end, though, Harvey was persuaded by his brother.
"Fine, fine. I won't do anything foolish. Chocolat will still release as planned in December."
Charlie's Angels held its premiere.
As the largest investor in the film, Martin of course attended the premiere.
The event was held at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, where Drew Barrymore and Martin both had strong connections, drawing many celebrities to the event.
When Martin walked the red carpet with Jessica, Scarlett, and Lindsay, a huge cheer erupted from behind them.
The commotion even surpassed the noise Martin caused when he first stepped onto the red carpet.
The host interviewing the four of them looked slightly excited and turned to look behind them.
Martin turned to see a striking young man, who looked just as handsome as him, holding the hand of a tall blonde woman, walking down the red carpet.
"Wow, it's Leonardo DiCaprio and Gisele Bündchen!"
"I heard they're dating. Is it true?"
"I don't know, but Leonardo is definitely handsome, no wonder he's the only one who can compete with Martin in looks!"
A few girls whispered excitedly, while Martin walked up to them.
"Leonardo, hey, didn't expect to see you here. Did Drew invite you?"
"Martin, hey. Yes, Drew invited me—what can I say, I owe her one!"
The two Hollywood heartthrobs shook hands, instantly killing countless rolls of film.
"Leonardo, look here!"
"Martin, here, here!"
The female fans were ecstatic.
"Oh my god, these two are so handsome. I almost wish they were together."
"Wow, you're right, just imagining that makes me excited!"
"Come on, do you women only like to see pretty men together?"
"Yes, just like you men always fantasize about beautiful women being lesbians."
"But don't you think that's such a waste?"
At the end of the red carpet, the female host got into the spirit of things, pulling Martin and Leonardo aside for an interview.
"Martin, do you know Leonardo?"
"Of course, who doesn't know Jack?"
"So, Leonardo, did Martin invite you?"
"No, it was Drew. Obviously, Jack's fame hasn't caught Martin's eye yet!"
"No, because Jack doesn't know Martin!" Martin added.
The two shared a look and laughed.
At the banquet, Martin and Leonardo continued their conversation.
The girls gathered together, chattering away.
Drew leaned over curiously and asked, "What are Martin and Leo talking about?"
Gisele Bündchen, who had known Drew for a while, smiled and said, "I bet they're talking about women."
"I think it's basketball. Both Martin and Leo like basketball," Drew chimed in.
Suddenly, Jessica suggested, "Why don't we eavesdrop?"
The girls immediately became interested.
Martin and Leonardo were sitting comfortably on a couch in the lounge area, looking like a stunning sight as they chatted, drawing the attention of many.
"I went to Gisele's hometown not long ago. It's such a beautiful place."
"Yes, Brazil! It's like a world made of sunshine, beaches, and passionate Latin women—just amazing."
Leonardo was still excited about his recent vacation, even though it had been over a month.
"Did you know? If I didn't have Gisele, I might've been swallowed up by all those passionate women."
"Really? You seem a bit upset about it?" Martin teased.
"A little," Leonardo shrugged. "You know, that place is full of beautiful women—"
Just then, he suddenly realized something and, noticing Gisele was possibly right behind him, lowered his voice, "Is Gisele behind me?"
Martin nodded subtly.
Leonardo cleared his throat and shifted back to a serious tone, "The Lakers are playing well lately. I think they'll win the championship again this year."
Martin smiled in agreement, "Kobe's really grown. He definitely has superstar potential."
Leonardo chuckled and pointed at Martin. "I've seen you play one-on-one with Kobe. You're in great shape. You could dunk at just thirteen, and back then you were barely 1.7 meters, right?"
Suddenly, Leonardo remembered a rumor and, forgetting about his girlfriend's potential jealousy, leaned in close to Martin and asked, "I heard the Lakers once tried to recruit you. Is that true?"
"Yes, old Buss called me personally. It was a pretty sincere offer, but I turned it down."
"Why? Well, I shouldn't ask that. Look at your success in Hollywood now, that's way better than playing ball."
Nearby, the girls were eavesdropping on their conversation from behind a buffet table.
Drew smiled at Gisele, "Looks like we were right. But I bet Leo won't be getting into your bed tonight."
Gisele, however, responded confidently, "No, I'll drain him dry, not a drop left!!!"
𝙥𝗮𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙤𝙣(.)𝙘𝙤𝙢/𝙂𝙤𝙙𝙊𝙛𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧