Anne Hathaway felt a splitting headache as she woke up.
She vaguely remembered the last moments of the previous night—chatting happily with an older man who had introduced himself as a big-time producer. Then, Gilbert had suddenly appeared and taken her away.
That was the last thing she remembered. Though she had secretly tried drinking many times before, this was the first time she had actually gotten drunk.
"Where am I?" Anne Hathaway sobered up and found herself in an unfamiliar room. However, the décor was elegant, even luxurious.
Her mind started racing. Could this be a hotel? Did Gilbert take me back to a hotel last night?
And… did he take advantage of me while I was unconscious?
But before she could let her imagination run wild, a young Asian woman dressed in a maid's outfit entered the room, carrying a set of clothes.
Seeing that Anne Hathaway was awake, the woman placed the clothes on the nightstand and bowed. "Miss Hathaway, you're awake."
Noticing Anne's confused expression, the woman continued, "I am Kyouko, the housekeeper of Melon Manor. You got drunk last night, so Mr. Gilbert brought you back here."
"I'm at Melon Manor?" Anne Hathaway was surprised.
"Yes," Kyouko confirmed. "Breakfast is ready. Would you like to have it here in your room, or would you prefer the dining hall?"
"Is Director Gilbert here as well?" Anne Hathaway asked.
"He's having breakfast in the dining hall," Kyouko replied.
"Then I'll eat there too."
After freshening up and changing into the clothes Kyouko had brought, Anne Hathaway headed to the dining hall for breakfast.
Gilbert was sitting at the table, eating while reading the newspaper, as if he hadn't noticed Anne Hathaway's arrival.
When breakfast was served, Anne Hathaway quietly thanked Kyouko before eating in silence.
She wasn't stupid—she knew something strange had happened last night. Feeling a little embarrassed, she didn't know what to say, and the atmosphere became somewhat awkward.
By the time she finished breakfast, Gilbert had just set his newspaper down.
Anne Hathaway overheard him scoffing, "These shameless media outlets have nothing better to do. They can turn anything into a sensational story, huh!"
"Um…" Anne Hathaway finally spoke up. "Thank you for last night. If it weren't for you—"
Gilbert waved his hand, cutting her off. "No need to say anything. If I hadn't stepped in last night, you'd be having breakfast with an old man right now."
"Jacqueline," Gilbert continued, "we all know that climbing up in this industry is tough, and sometimes unconventional methods are necessary. But this approach is just…"
He didn't finish his sentence, but Anne Hathaway understood what he meant. She quickly defended herself, "I genuinely thought he was just appreciating my talent, that he admired me."
"In Hollywood, no one appreciates anyone for no reason," Gilbert lectured like a stern elder. "You're not related to him, your parents or family have no connection to him, so why would he take a special interest in you?"
"In this industry, nothing comes for free. If you want something, you have to offer something in return. Think about it—besides your looks and your body, what else do you have that's worth admiring?"
Anne Hathaway thought about it and had to admit he had a point. She lowered her head in acknowledgment. "Alright, I was wrong. I won't drink again. I won't drink with people like that anymore."
"No," Gilbert corrected her. "Your mistake was drinking and socializing without your assistant or manager present. You let your guard down."
Then, in a serious tone, he said, "Jacqueline, Hollywood isn't a charity. It's a den of wolves. If you don't want to fall, you have to protect yourself."
"But… how do I protect myself?" Anne Hathaway asked.
"That's up to you," Gilbert replied. "Your path is yours to choose."
I choose you, Anne Hathaway thought silently to herself.
What happened at the Oscars was just a minor incident. The hook-nosed old man never brought it up again—he simply swallowed his loss and moved on.
However, the fact that Anne Hathaway had spent the night at Melon Manor didn't escape the paparazzi's eyes.
The next day, gossip headlines exploded with rumors about Anne Hathaway staying at Melon Manor, speculating that Gilbert was about to have his fifth girlfriend.
Some even joked that Washington should pass a law allowing Gilbert to marry multiple wives.
Of course, it was all in jest—but some people actually took it seriously.
For example, a turban-wearing Middle Eastern tycoon publicly stated that if Gilbert converted to their faith, he would be warmly welcomed to immigrate there.
But Gilbert didn't care about any of that. He didn't even believe in God, let alone Muhammad.
After these minor distractions, Gilbert continued his work in China, completing the final shoots for The Lord of the Rings.
Starting from late February and early March, one by one, the cast members finished their scenes and wrapped up. However, Gilbert wasn't entirely satisfied with some shots, so he occasionally recalled actors who had already wrapped to reshoot certain scenes.
The post-production of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring progressed smoothly and was completed by late April, even before the entire cast had officially wrapped.
Despite Gilbert's efforts to control the runtime, the final cut of the first film still reached 181 minutes—and that was after omitting the end credits.
Such a long runtime would inevitably affect the number of daily screenings in theaters.
As a result, Robert Iger discussed with Gilbert whether the film's duration could be shortened—ideally down to 150 minutes or less.
Gilbert's response was firm: not a single second could be cut. Even removing one second would significantly diminish the viewing experience.
Robert Iger had no choice but to accept the lengthy final cut.
As the summer release approached, the marketing campaign for The Lord of the Rings intensified. The production team released multiple trailers and behind-the-scenes footage, continuously attracting the attention of fans.
After wrapping up her role, Anne Hathaway participated in promotional activities and joined the Victoria's Secret Angels on the runway.
At London Fashion Week, she once again wore the Evening Star nightgown.
This time, the Evening Star nightgown was made with luxurious materials sourced from China, including silk, jade, Ceylon sapphires, and pearls.
The gown also featured a delicate gold-thread mesh overlay and was paired with a diamond necklace, making it a true showcase of opulence.
At this time, the myth of diamonds as the ultimate luxury had not yet been debunked, making this Evening Star nightgown seem even more valuable than the one purchased by New York real estate tycoon Donald.
With the added connection to the movie and the fact that Anne Hathaway had worn it, Victoria's Secret priced the gown at $8 million.
For billionaires, however, $8 million was just a number. A nobleman from an old London aristocratic family quickly purchased the Evening Star nightgown as a gift for his granddaughter.
Apart from the Evening Star nightgown, the Victoria's Secret Angels' runway show attracted significant attention, and Sky TV broadcasted the entire event live.
Gilbert recalled that in his past life, many Victoria's Secret fashion shows featured live performances from singers and bands. The combination of music and the runway made the show unique.
For this London show, the recently popular Spice Girls took the stage.
Although the Spice Girls paled in comparison to the Victoria's Secret Angels in terms of appearance, their popularity was undeniable. They were one of the top girl groups in Western music, competing with the Backstreet Boys.
Gilbert, however, did not attend the London show. As the production entered its final phase, he was busy shooting the last major battle scene.
For this scene, as well as other battle sequences, the production team had been working with local stables for two years, breeding 2,000 horses specifically for the film. Over time, this number increased to more than 4,000 horses.
During filming, seven horses unfortunately died, and several others were injured.
Fortunately, animal rights organizations were not present in China. Otherwise, the production team would have faced protests. After all, these organizations did not protect every animal—at least, in their eyes, Chinese animals didn't seem to count.
Despite some injuries, over 4,600 horses still participated in the final battle scene.
Coordinating such a massive number of horses for the climactic cavalry charge made this one of the most spectacular battle sequences ever filmed.
To bring this scene to life, the production team trained more than 3,000 extras in advance. In addition, 1,600 professional horse riders, along with principal actors featured in close-up shots, participated in the sequence.
The filming location was a vast plain in front of the White City, with a high ridge to the east. During the charge, the cavalry and extras would storm down from this ridge.
Gilbert wanted the first rays of sunlight to illuminate the cavalry as they galloped down the grassy hill from the east.
Thus, at around 3 a.m., the crew arrived on location to prepare for the shoot.
Bernard Hill, who played King Théoden, was discussing his approach to the scene with Gilbert.
"I believe that a pre-battle speech is crucial," Bernard Hill suggested. "I think it would be more impactful if I add a shot where I strike my sword and spear together while on horseback."
Gilbert agreed. "Go with your instincts, Bernard. This scene is yours to own."
Bernard Hill gave an "OK" gesture and went off to prepare. He was the central figure in today's shoot, and the pressure was immense.
He had prepared for this scene for weeks, rehearsing dozens of times—all in pursuit of the perfect performance.
"Director, it's about time. We should get started," said Ning Hao, who had grown significantly in his role as an assistant director. He checked the schedule and reminded Gilbert.
"Alright," Gilbert said, holding his walkie-talkie. "Make sure everything is in place. We must follow the schedule precisely—no mistakes allowed."
The open-air set was bustling with activity. With over 4,600 horses and thousands of actors involved, this was one of the largest live-action cavalry charges in film history.
Initially, the visual effects supervisor had suggested using CGI for the battle sequence. However, after careful consideration, Gilbert realized that practical shooting would be more cost-effective.
The reasoning was simple—this was China. Labor costs were relatively low, and horse expenses were minimal.
If they had filmed this in New Zealand, finding thousands of skilled horse riders would have been nearly impossible. Even the cost of a few hundred horses there would have matched the price of 4,000 horses in China.
Therefore, Gilbert ultimately decided to film the battle scene with real horses and actors.
While CGI technology had advanced significantly, nothing could compare to the authenticity of practical effects.
This decision placed enormous demands on the crew, as organizing such a large-scale shoot was an unprecedented challenge—both in Hollywood and in China.
Perhaps only Ben-Hur, filmed 41 years earlier, could be considered comparable to this spectacle.
As the first golden rays of dawn illuminated the eastern horizon, one of the greatest shots in cinematic history was finally about to be filmed.
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