Dealing with reporters was something Laila had long since mastered.
She didn't mind occasionally throwing a bone at the journalists who followed her around—after all, during her film promotions, they always cooperated well with her campaigns. Even if they were sometimes pulled onto her "warship" without knowing it, you couldn't deny the value they added, right?
Besides, there were plenty of things she wanted to say to the outside world through them. Like to those who had prayed for her safe return, and to the fans around the world who had worried about her—she wanted them to know she was grateful.
At the press conference, Laila mainly spoke about her experience with Martin and expressed her heartfelt thanks for everyone's concern. She didn't say too much beyond that, only adding that she would continue creating great films for everyone in the future.
"Director Moran, what's the biggest takeaway from this whole experience?" one reporter asked.
Laila thought for a moment and answered, "I'd say the biggest thing I realized is... there's no place like home."
That line was so simple and heartfelt that it drew light laughter from the reporters and everyone present.
Laila laughed along with them. "That's one of the takeaways. But there's another pretty great one, too."
"What kind of gain?" The reporters were intrigued—what kind of "benefit" could she have possibly gotten out of such a situation? Some sort of profound insight?
Laila smiled and replied, "While I was there, I met a screenwriter—and got a truly outstanding script from him. If all goes well, I'll be bringing that script to the big screen in the near future!"
Whoosh—
The audience burst into murmurs of surprise.
Finding a script while being kidnapped—and wanting to turn that into a movie? It sounded like a movie plot in and of itself!
The journalists were momentarily stunned. It wasn't until a good thirty seconds later that someone finally snapped out of it and followed up, asking what kind of script could make her so excited.
Laila offered a summary but didn't go into detail. "Once the screenwriter and I have finished polishing the script, I'll give you all a more detailed announcement before filming starts. For now, it's still just a target project, so I'd rather not say too much."
Talk about a cliffhanger! The reporters scrambled to dig for more details. Sure, her safe return was big news, but let's not forget—Laila was also a director, and not just any director, but one of the top-tier names in Hollywood. The fact that she'd discovered a new script during a kidnapping and seemed so taken with it? That was media gold! Reporting that alone would be enough to generate massive attention.
But Laila had no intention of saying more. After answering a few other questions she was willing to address, she ended the press conference.
No matter how curious the reporters were—pulling at their hair in frustration—they could only swallow their questions and head back to their temporary accommodations to file their reports.
The internet connection in the area wasn't great, but it wasn't non-existent either. While transmissions were slow, they could still make it into the next morning's editions.
Sure enough, by early the next day, news about Laila dominated the headlines of nearly every major U.S. publication. You could pick up any random paper at a street corner and the boldest headline would almost certainly relate to her.
Some reports focused on her rescue, using it as a springboard to discuss how Americans should protect themselves abroad. Others zeroed in on her new movie, reviewing her past accomplishments and tying in the massive success of The Dark Knight.
Some papers, somehow obtaining inside info, learned that Roy had gone into Martin's lair alone to rescue her. That little tidbit was immediately turned into a major story, painting them as a pair of star-crossed lovers straight out of a fairytale.
This particular detail hadn't been mentioned in the press conference, nor had it been publicly disclosed—yet the journalists had still managed to dig it up. You had to hand it to them; their ability to uncover secrets was almost supernatural.
Fans and moviegoers were also extremely curious about Laila's new film. Once they heard she'd acquired a new script—and had even sung its praises—they were full of anticipation. Even the film she was currently working on, Blood Diamond, saw a massive spike in exposure. Everyone wanted to know: what kind of movie could be so compelling that even a kidnapping wouldn't keep her from filming it?
This surge of public interest left the film critics and insiders in awe of Laila's luck. Before the incident, many in the industry had actually predicted Blood Diamond would underperform. They thought she'd made a rare misstep—one that could potentially break the seven-year box office streak she had held.
It wasn't that they doubted her directing ability. After all, she'd already swept the Oscars with The Lord of the Rings—no one questioned her skills anymore. The issue was the film's subject matter. It simply didn't scream "box office hit." Reaching her usual $300 million mark seemed risky at best.
But now? Laila's disappearance during filming, followed by her immediate return and relentless work ethic, had the public enthralled. Even industry insiders were getting curious: what kind of film was so compelling that it had captivated someone like Laila?
Just look at the discussions online. The curiosity alone would drive people to theaters—curiosity that would translate directly into box office sales.
Originally, box office projections for Blood Diamond hovered around $150 million. But now, public momentum had pushed that estimate to $270 million. Insiders speculated that if they launched a full-blown marketing campaign and picked a smart release date, the film could surpass $300 million—allowing Laila's streak to continue unbroken.
The news in the U.S. quickly spread worldwide through the internet. While people everywhere celebrated her safe return, they also collectively turned their focus to the movie she'd mentioned.
So, the question on everyone's lips became: what kind of script was it, exactly? And more importantly, who was this screenwriter lucky enough to catch Laila's eye?
Anyone who knew Laila even a little would understand how incredibly picky she was about scripts. Whether it was her early low-budget indie films or her later Oscar contenders and blockbuster hits, her standards had always been sky-high.
For someone that discerning to personally praise a script and commit to filming it? Once that screenwriter stepped into Hollywood, he was bound to become the new darling of the screenwriting world. At least, that's what the major film studios thought—several had already started digging into his identity, hoping to reach out early. Who knows, maybe he had more scripts in the vault? Better to buy them before someone else does!
There was just one problem: that future screenwriting darling... wasn't feeling particularly happy right now.
He was nervous. So nervous that sweat had completely soaked the palms of his hands.