The media industries in both the US and the UK share two bad habits. The first is their penchant for hyping and packaging nobodies, turning them into overnight sensations. The second is their relentless smearing of celebrities until their reputations are utterly destroyed. Michael Jackson and Britney Spears were both victims of the second habit. So, who is the next unlucky star?
While other media outlets are still searching for the perfect target, Time Warner's media arm has already set its sights on Angelina Jolie without hesitation.
There was no need for Duke to provide any input. When The Fellowship of the Ring and Lara Croft: Tomb Raider clashed, Warner's PR department didn't hesitate to expose a laundry list of Jolie's scandals.
Of course, Warner has nothing against Jolie personally. It's just like Viacom's media forcefully stirring up rumors about a "grandfather-grandson romance" between Ian McKellen and Billy Boyd — the target is always the competing film.
Using an actor's scandals to generate public resentment and thereby impact a competitor's box office revenue is a common tactic in Hollywood.
The only difference here is that Angelina Jolie has far too many scandals.
Warner's gossip website, TMZ, was the first to capitalize on the speed of online media. They promptly released a series of photos of Jolie attending the 2000 Oscars. The images showed Jolie and her brother, James Haven, engaging in what appeared to be an infamous "sibling kiss." This reignited incestuous rumors, with Jolie once again admitting that her brother was her "greatest love."
Shortly afterward, Warner's gossip magazines released photos of Jolie's youth experimenting with drugs, complete with the source of the pictures and a seller's testimony:
"One time, Jolie asked me to deliver drugs to her home. When she opened the door, her face was pale, and her arms were covered in needle marks. I asked to take photos, and she didn't seem to care."
Additionally, the same source claimed that Jolie talked about Billy Bob Thornton's "size" with him, describing how Thornton had jokingly said he was "small as a mosquito" but turned out to be "as big as a horse" during their intimacy. The two had been married in 2000.
Furthermore, the website also exposed photos of Jolie wearing only a thong, a cowboy hat, and posing in S&M scenarios. Some images showed her wearing a dog collar and being whipped.
If these revelations seemed minor, a small tabloid dropped an even more explosive bombshell:
"During her teenage years, Angelina Jolie had an affair with her mother Marcheline's boyfriend. Marcheline argued fiercely with her boyfriend at the time, which Jolie saw as an opportunity to seduce him. Afterward, Jolie cried and begged her mother for forgiveness, which Marcheline ultimately granted."
This piece of news caused a sensation, influencing many people's decisions about which films to watch.
Despite Jolie and Paramount's crisis PR efforts — including allegations about casting corruption and animal mistreatment in The Fellowship of the Ring to deflect attention — the reality is that most Hollywood celebrities have questionable pasts, but few are as extreme as Jolie.
Jolie's scandals were so abundant that Warner simply lit the fuse, leaving other media outlets to follow suit for profit. What started as a spark turned into a massive explosion.
No one could deny that this country leans toward conservatism. Most of the public holds others to double standards, so Jolie's actions inevitably alienated some potential moviegoers.
Moreover, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider felt more like a fan-service film, which didn't help its reception among broader audiences.
"Lara Croft: Tomb Raider is as tiresome as most video game movies."
"This movie feels like watching someone else play a video game — boring!"
Negative reviews flooded the internet, tarnishing the film's reputation. Since the inception of video game adaptations, none have received widespread acclaim.
These factors impacted Lara Croft: Tomb Raider's box office performance. After a strong $18.06 million opening on Friday, the film quickly plummeted to $17.13 million on Saturday and $12.53 million on Sunday, demonstrating its rapid decline amid scandal.
In contrast, The Fellowship of the Ring maintained steady momentum. After earning $20.97 million on Friday, it secured $21.08 million on Saturday and $17.89 million on Sunday, continuing its strong performance in the North American market.
By the end of the first weekend in June, The Fellowship of the Ring predictably topped the box office for a second consecutive week, grossing $59.94 million over the weekend.
Despite being affected by scandals, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider managed $47.2 million but lagged far behind in second place.
Shrek ranked third with $28.17 million, while Pearl Harbor and The Mummy Returns came in fourth and fifth with $5.46 million and $3.88 million, respectively.
The total box office for the weekend's top five films exceeded $144 million. Including other films released during the same period, this marked the first time the North American box office exceeded $150 million in a single weekend — a historic milestone.
"This is a moment worth celebrating. The North American film market is turning a new page. But we must not overlook that since Duke Rosenberg's name became synonymous with Hollywood, the market has been continuously transformed by him. Records have been repeatedly shattered. The Fellowship of the Ring has reached $210.93 million in just ten days — the fastest film to cross the $200 million mark in North American history!"
Placing the newspaper down, Ivanka Trump looked at Duke. "Is your North American promotional tour over?"
"More accurately, my part is over," Duke replied, sipping his coffee while gazing at the dim yellow sunlight outside the window. "The crew will split into two groups: Ian McKellen and some actors will head to Europe since the film opens there next weekend. Meanwhile, Viggo Mortensen and others will continue promoting in North America before moving on to Australia and Asia, where release dates are slightly later."
"And you?" Ivanka asked with concern while holding a glass of water. "Will you stay in New York for a few more days?"
"Not too long."
Turning his gaze from the window back to Ivanka, Duke added, "Post-production for The Two Towers has already started. Anna is currently overseeing it, but I can't stay away for long. Besides, Zack has gone independent, and I'm searching for a suitable assistant director. There's a promising candidate I need to meet."
"You always keep yourself so busy," Ivanka remarked with a hint of complaint. "You're just like Aunt Leah, always working hard for your career."
"Filmmaking is both my job and my greatest passion."
Duke rested his chin on one hand, feeling relaxed in front of Ivanka. Unlike his formal demeanor with Sofia Coppola or Irene Lauder, he didn't need to maintain strict etiquette with her.
"Don't move!" Ivanka leaned forward slightly, reaching out to pluck a strand of hair from Duke's forehead.
A sharp pain on his scalp made Duke blink. When he refocused, Ivanka held a half-brown, half-silver hair between her fingers and showed it to him.
Her eyes filled with concern as she handed the hair to Duke and said firmly, "If you keep up this hectic pace, you'll age prematurely!"
"Premature aging?"
Repeating her words, Duke tossed the white hair aside and pointed to his chest. "Honestly, I already feel quite old here."
With an older psychological age, he saw things more clearly. As his vision sharpened, he cared about fewer things, save for a select few.
Duke momentarily lost himself in thought. It suddenly dawned on him that he had crossed the age of thirty again.
"You really are aging," Ivanka muttered quickly. "But it's your body aging, not your heart."
Duke understood the meaning behind her words but chose not to respond.
"I'm serious; you're aging." Ivanka pointed at Duke's forehead and eyes. "Your crow's feet and forehead wrinkles are starting to show."
"Darling, isn't that normal?" Duke wasn't too bothered. "I'm already thirty-one."
Although he paid attention to his diet and fitness, he was just an ordinary person. It was impossible to escape the natural course of aging. No man could remain ageless, nor could any woman retain eternal youth. If such people existed, they would likely fall into two categories: makeup enthusiasts or injection addicts.
Ivanka, however, refused to let the topic drop. "If you're not careful, you'll end up looking like my dad."
"Maturing isn't so bad," Duke replied, his eyes returning to the window. The setting sun cast a golden glow over his face. "They say mature men are more attractive, don't they?"
"Wrong!" Ivanka countered. "It's mature and successful men who are truly attractive."
"Like Donald?" Duke quipped lightly.
Ivanka shrugged without denying it.
The two sat quietly, both gazing out the window. The sun sank lower, eventually disappearing below the horizon. The golden light turned into the orange-red hues of twilight.
Had the café not been in Trump Tower, they wouldn't have been able to enjoy the sunset amid New York's concrete jungle.
After nearly ten minutes of silence, Ivanka suddenly asked, "Do you have time to go out for a walk with me?"