Hollywood: Star Kid

By this point in its development, Hollywood was no longer just a geographical location. It had become a term for the entire American entertainment industry and a synonym for a vast industrial chain.

By the time the 21st century arrived, the entertainment industry would become the second-largest in the U.S., second only to manufacturing.

So who were the people at the core and top of this circle—or rather, this industrial chain? The Jews.

To some extent, Jews deeply influenced the lifeline of this country. Although the descendants of the Anglo-Saxons had established many anti-Semitic organizations, they had been unable to curb the expansion of the Jews.

As Ryan grew older and his features matured, he began to show more and more traits typical of Jewish descent. Whether he admitted it or not, anti-Semitic organizations would treat him as a Jew. He needed allies.

Using the advantages of this body to build closer relationships with the Jewish community would do him no harm. His future lay in the entertainment industry, and this would help pave his path.

He admitted that the things he had said to Spielberg earlier contained an element of performance—but also a measure of sincerity. In his eyes, the German Nazis and Hitler were not much different from the Japanese invaders. Furthermore, due to his past life, he had a particularly sensitive reaction to the term "massacre." Whenever he saw Schindler's List, he would recall the city he had lived in during his past life and the sirens that rang out every year on May 3rd.

But… Ryan shook his head, too lazy to say more. The war dramas and films of his past life often had a problematic stance. When your own people felt the logic didn't hold, how could you expect international recognition?

"Ryan, what are you thinking about?" Nicole glanced at Kimberly in the passenger seat, then leaned close to Ryan and lowered her voice.

"Paving the road for our future." Ryan leaned in toward her ear as well, his lips brushing against her soft earlobe. In an instant, they both froze slightly.

Luckily, they remembered that Kimberly and George were also in the car, and quickly returned to normal. Ryan offered a brief explanation, and since Nicole was already an industry insider and a smart woman, she quickly understood.

"Darling, you can say things like that to me—but don't say them to anyone else." Nicole warned softly.

"Relax. I'm not an idiot."

Since being reborn, the only person Ryan fully trusted was Nicole.

Hollywood's Planet Hollywood restaurant was located on Vine Street. Its exterior resembled a sky-blue planet, and its interior was themed entirely around American film and television. Since opening earlier that year, it had become the top dining choice for Hollywood celebrities.

Firstly, it was jointly invested in by three major stars: Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Bruce Willis. Secondly, the restaurant had strict privacy rules—stars didn't need to worry about their dining experiences being leaked to the tabloids. And thirdly, if you were lucky, your waiter might just be one of those three superstars.

Honestly, dining here after coming from Universal Studios wasn't the best idea. Only God knew what Ron Meyer and Nicole were thinking.

Spielberg and George Lucas hadn't come. Ryan understood the anxious mood of the Jewish director. However, both of his goddaughters had arrived.

Whether it was Drew Barrymore or Gwyneth Paltrow, both were born into acting families and had grown up immersed in the industry. They knew well the importance of socializing in this circle—especially Drew, who was already a networking expert despite her young age.

With Spielberg as a bridge, it wasn't appropriate for Ryan or Drew to keep feuding.

Nicole, Kimberly, and Ron Meyer huddled together to discuss something. Ryan sat with Drew and Gwyneth.

After chatting for a while, Ryan got a sense of their personalities. Drew—both now and in the future—had a reputation for being wild and reckless, but she had her bright spots. She was straightforward and didn't like to hide her likes or dislikes. Gwyneth, on the other hand, was more reserved and calculating.

Having lived two lifetimes, Ryan naturally knew how to say the right things to the right people. After all, Drew's behavior was the norm for more than 90% of Hollywood actresses: drinking, drugs, one-night stands—perfectly ordinary by Hollywood standards.

He wasn't a saint. As long as those close to him could keep a clear head, that was good enough.

"By the way, Gwyneth, I remember in Hook… uh…" Ryan put down his knife and fork, tapped his head, and tried to recall the name of a character but couldn't. So he asked, "You were in Hook, right?"

"Yes, a small role." The future Pepper Potts, with her beautiful golden hair, wasn't exactly stunning in looks, but had a unique charm. "Unlike you, Ryan, you've already starred in several movies."

Even the nearby waiter could hear the envy in her voice.

"I've just been lucky," Ryan replied modestly.

"Hey~" Drew suddenly gestured at him with her chin.

"Me?" Ryan pointed to himself.

"I heard you're really good at making up stories?"

"More or less."

Drew suddenly leaned in. "You threw me down so hard back then. A verbal apology isn't going to cut it, right, Gwyneth?"

"That's between you two. Don't drag me in."

"Alright~"

Ryan nodded. In any case, this girl had great potential and extensive connections. Besides, it was a mutually beneficial opportunity. "Drew, how would you feel about being hunted by a serial killer? Would it be even better if that killer was your boyfriend?"

"You'd be the one being hunted—"

Drew didn't finish her sentence. She realized something. "That kind of story is too common, isn't it?"

"How many horror movies have you two watched?" Ryan asked.

"Not many. I don't really like them," Gwyneth shook her head.

"I've seen a few, like Nightmare on Elm Street," Drew said, pointing to the three adults discussing matters across the table. "Don't tell anyone else. Otherwise, I'll be in trouble."

"Alright. This will be a secret between the three of us. Nobody else can know. Of course, I've watched a lot too," Ryan smiled and continued, "Haven't you noticed? American horror films have become formulaic. Aside from a few exceptions, they're all assembly-line products. Beyond seeing who spills more tomato sauce, they barely offer anything new."

"Oh~"

The two girls perked up. "Do you mean something like The Sixth Sense—a psychological thriller?"

Even though The Sixth Sense focused more on family and ethics, most people still regarded it as a milestone in horror cinema. Since last year, a lot of copycats had emerged. Unfortunately, few succeeded—most failed.

"Definitely not!" Ryan wagged a finger. "There are several consistent tropes in horror movies nowadays: anyone who has sex dies."

"Go on!"

"Anyone who drinks or uses drugs dies. Anyone who says, 'I'll be right back' dies. Anyone who asks, 'Who's there?' dies. And anyone who goes alone to check out a strange noise? Yep—dead."

"That's… actually true," Drew thought for a moment and nodded in agreement.

"So…"

Ryan tapped the table lightly. "Horror and slasher films have become formulas. So why don't we make a horror movie that gathers all those clichés—and have the characters mock and ridicule them through dialogue?"

"That's actually a great idea!"

Drew widened her eyes. "What happens next?"

"It'll be a teen horror movie set in high school. I'll still need to work out the plot," he said, then looked at Drew and added a reminder, "But roles like this will pigeonhole your image. It won't be good for your future career transition."

"Future?" Drew gave a bitter smile and waved her hand. "Do you think things could get any worse for me?"

Ryan laughed. Fair point. In the early '90s, Drew Barrymore was at the lowest point of her life. The fame from E.T. had run dry, she had no strong new projects, and scandals were piling up. It really couldn't get much worse. Still, according to Spielberg, she had quit drugs and was attending rehab—just like in Ryan's past life, she seemed to be trying to rise again.

"Alright," Ryan thought of the plot of Scream. Aside from a few lines referencing Basic Instinct, it had little to do with real-life events. Making it a few years earlier shouldn't be an issue. "I'll start working on it, but it might take a while."

"Why?" Drew widened her eyes, as if to say, Don't forget you owe me!

"Because you're too young," Ryan replied, a little annoyed.

"Too young?" Drew pouted and stuck out her chest flirtatiously.

"Jesus!" Ryan cursed inwardly. That was so typically Drew Barrymore. "I've got my first album coming out next month—promotion, signings. I've also got an unfinished script. All that takes time!"

"Album?" Drew and Gwyneth were both stunned. Then they remembered that Ryan was about to release his first record.

"Damn!" Drew slapped her forehead. "Are all '80s kids as freakish as you?"

"I'm just the most special one," Ryan borrowed a line from a madman in his past life.

"How about this, Ryan: if you finish the script for me first…"

Drew suddenly leaned closer and whispered playfully, "I'll spend a week with you—any way you want."

"Pfft—"

Drew Barrymore really was Drew Barrymore! Ryan almost spit his juice out. Forget the age gap—just her tall, tough build was completely outside his tastes.

"Drew, are you kidding? Ryan's only twelve," Gwyneth whispered, so only the two girls could hear.

"Twelve? So what? I wasn't a virgin at twelve," Drew said bluntly, completely unfazed.

Ryan nearly sprayed juice again. This girl was absolutely wild.

Truthfully, Ryan understood very well—women in Hollywood using their bodies to get what they want was nothing out of the ordinary.

There were no hidden rules in Hollywood—by the '50s and '60s, they had become open rules. Women without connections or opportunities who still wanted fame would do anything to climb up. Even if the man didn't acknowledge them after pulling up his pants, they'd keep charging ahead.

And it wasn't just the entertainment industry—this kind of thing was common across all sectors in the U.S. The openness of Western girls before marriage was genuinely shocking.

Especially in entertainment—a true cesspool of fame and desire. While there were a few who stayed pure, 99% of actresses had no problem with one-night stands if they liked the person. If they could get some benefit out of it, all the better.

In fact, if it weren't for his age, given his string of successful projects, Ryan would've already had to deal with all kinds of temptations.