As Martin and Lindsay walked to the midpoint of the red carpet, they stopped to sign autographs for fans and pose for reporters.
At this spot, they were closer to the fans on both sides, and amidst the enthusiastic cheers, Martin caught snippets of insults and taunts directed at Lindsay by a few female fans.
"Lindsay, you little b****, you're not worthy of Martin!"
"Get lost! You don't deserve to be by Martin's side."
"Lindsay, you're nothing but an ugly pig, a leech clinging to Martin's fame!"
Martin's expression darkened, and he glared angrily at the crowd, quickening his pace.
Amusingly, Lindsay didn't seem bothered. She kept up with him, cheerfully whispering in his ear, "It's okay, Martin. Listen, there are people defending me too."
Sure enough, while a few extreme female fans hurled insults, others couldn't tolerate their behavior and spoke up in Lindsay's defense. Some even shouted back.
"Martin can be with whoever he wants. Who are you to interfere?"
"Please, go look in the mirror! Do you think you're so beautiful? An ugly hag calling someone else ugly—how shameless!"
Lindsay tightened her grip on Martin's arm, leaning closer as she said, "I love seeing them jealous like that."
In the interview area, a reporter asked Martin about his relationship with Lindsay.
Martin smiled and replied, "So, is every girl who gets close to me automatically in a relationship with me? Over the years, you've reported about Jessica, Scarlett, Britney, Anne, Charlize, and even Nicole. Alright, fine, I'll tell you the truth."
He paused, meeting the reporters' excited gazes, then smirked mischievously. "Yes, they're all my lovers."
The reporters burst into laughter.
They assumed Martin was joking.
What they didn't realize was that Martin was hiding the truth in plain sight. I'm not lying; you just don't believe me, he thought.
After answering a few questions about Harry Potter, Martin headed toward the theater.
The "Golden Trio" didn't attend the North American premiere, but the atmosphere was just as electric as the one in London.
While there were no royal guests, the red carpet was graced by one celebrity after another.
Leonardo DiCaprio arrived with Gisele Bündchen.
Bruce Willis showed up with his new girlfriend, Emma Heming (he had already divorced Demi Moore by this time).
Tobey Maguire also attended. Martin had invited him to give him some exposure as compensation for taking the role of Spider-Man.
As he entered the theater with Lindsay, Martin greeted the guests cordially.
After all, he was the host of this movie—not as an actor, but as an investor. Anyone attending was doing him a favor, so polite small talk was a must.
Soon, he found himself hanging out with Leonardo DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire.
"Martin, my new movie is coming out at the end of this year. It's directed by Spike Lee. Will you attend the premiere?" Tobey asked.
"Spike Lee's The 25th Hour? Are you in it?" Martin asked.
Since that night when the three of them partied with Victoria's Secret Angels, their friendship had deepened, and they stayed in touch regularly.
"No, I'm not acting in it, but I'm one of the producers. Edward Norton stars in it—he's a phenomenal actor," Tobey said.
Tobey had started producing films early in his career.
"I'll try my best to make time," Martin replied.
He wasn't deliberately playing hard to get; he genuinely had a packed schedule. Later that year, he had to film Bruce Almighty, and in December, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers would be released, keeping him extremely busy.
"Martin, is it true that you acquired Warner Bros. shares?" Leonardo asked, his tone a mix of excitement and envy.
"Yes, that's correct. 5.21%," Martin confirmed.
"Wow! Warner's largest individual shareholder and Disney's largest individual shareholder. That's incredible," Leonardo said, his eyes gleaming with admiration.
He then added with a sly grin, "Looks like I'd better stay on your good side. Who knows? My chances of winning an Oscar might depend on you in the future. You've joined the Academy, right?"
"Yes, they invited me to join the committee, and I accepted."
"Damn it, I'm jealous. Don't forget to vote for me," Leonardo joked.
"No problem, as long as we're not competing," Martin said with a shrug.
He wasn't interested in being swayed by the minor perks of lobbying and would naturally vote for those he was closer to.
"When does Catch Me If You Can come out?" Martin asked.
"Also in December. The exact date isn't set yet. Make sure to come to the premiere," Leonardo replied.
"Damn it, I shouldn't have asked," Martin groaned.
Tobey chimed in, "So my movie, Leo's movie, and Martin's movie are all coming out in December?"
Shaking his head with a wry smile, he added, "Looks like The 25th Hour is doomed."
"Did you invest in it?" Leonardo asked.
"No, but Spike Lee did. He's the lead producer—I'm just helping out," Tobey replied with a chuckle.
"The 25th Hour is a crime thriller, so it's kind of like Catch Me If You Can. You two can duke it out. My The Lord of The Rings:The Two Towers will just sit back and watch," Martin joked.
The three of them chatted amicably while Lindsay, holding Martin's arm, maintained a poised and elegant demeanor, exuding an aura akin to that of a girlfriend or wife.
Just then, a woman's voice called out, "Hello, Martin. Can we talk?"
It was Jennifer Aniston.
Lindsay turned to see the Hollywood sweetheart approaching, offering her a friendly smile.
Lindsay returned the smile politely.
Martin knew Jennifer wanted to discuss Bruce Almighty, so he patted Lindsay's hand.
Lindsay, understanding his cue, let go of his arm.
"Take care of Lindsay for me," Martin said to Leonardo and Tobey.
"Got it," Leonardo replied.
"No problem," Tobey said.
Martin followed Jennifer Aniston to a corner lounge area and sat on the sofa.
"What's up?" he asked.
"There's a problem," Jennifer said with a hint of awkwardness.
"The director of Bruce Almighty insists on having Jim Carrey star in the movie after hearing we decided not to approach him."
"Who's the director?" Martin asked, frowning.
"Ah, him," Martin said, understanding immediately.
Tom Shadyac had directed Jim Carrey in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective and Liar Liar, both of which were massive hits, cementing Shadyac's reputation as a comedy director.
However, Shadyac seemed to only succeed when working with Jim Carrey, giving the impression that his directing style was tailored to match Carrey's comedic performance.
"Then replace him," Martin said without hesitation, making the decision without mercy.