Echoes of Hollywood

The spacious hall fell silent instantly. Dozens of guests attending the party were stunned, including Emma Roberts, who stood opposite Jonah Hill, completely at a loss.

Under everyone's gaze, Jonah Hill acted as if he were the only person in the world. He unbuckled his belt, reached into his pants, and began masturbating in front of Emma Roberts, whom he had invited.

Murphy was the first to react. He quickly tapped the stunned James Franco and Robert Downey Jr., who immediately snapped out of it and helped Murphy grab Jonah Hill. They dragged him to the nearest lounge without any explanation.

"You guys, you jerks!" Jonah Hill struggled desperately, trying to free himself. "Let me go, let me go!"

One hand slipped out of James Franco's grip and reached for his crotch again.

Murphy shook his head, clamped Jonah Hill's neck like a vise, and pushed him toward the lounge. Jonah Hill, in Murphy's grip, was as helpless as a chick caught by an eagle. Within moments, he was shoved into the lounge.

"Close the door!" James Franco followed them in and shouted at Robert Downey Jr., who was the last to enter, "Quick, shut the door."

The door was slammed shut with a bang.

Inside the lounge, Murphy had Jonah Hill pinned to a high-backed chair. However, the Quaaludes had him in a euphoric state, causing him to struggle constantly.

To prevent Jonah Hill from doing something even more outrageous, Murphy instructed James Franco and Robert Downey Jr., "Find something to tie him up."

Just as James Franco was about to search for a rope, Robert Downey Jr. quickly moved to Jonah Hill's side, felt around his waist, and swiftly pulled out a black leather belt. With James Franco's help, they used the belt to bind Jonah Hill to the high-backed chair.

Jonah Hill, now unable to comprehend their actions, kept shouting, "You want to steal my woman? I'll fight you! Watch me..."

A string of profanities spilled from his mouth.

James Franco found a roll of wide tape in a drawer and, without hesitation, tore off a piece and, along with Robert Downey Jr., taped Jonah Hill's mouth shut.

Outside the lounge, the party was in disarray. Lily Collins, the hostess, clearly lacked experience and didn't know how to handle or explain the situation.

Especially how to face the guest, Emma Roberts.

"Those guys just like to mess around," Gal Gadot said, taking the initiative. "They're just playing a prank."

Susan Downey chimed in, "Yes, they always mess around, regardless of time and place."

Hearing her companions' support, Lily Collins quickly gave Emma Roberts an apologetic smile.

Gal Gadot knew this explanation was flimsy and that Emma Roberts likely wouldn't believe it, but she didn't intend for her to believe it. As long as Emma Roberts could save face and not make a big deal out of it, this incident could be glossed over.

Emma Roberts forced a stiff smile, "It's okay."

In the hall, Seth Rogen also came up with an excuse, telling the bewildered guests, "We thought the atmosphere here was too dull, so Jonah wanted to liven things up. Everyone, carry on."

Hollywood was full of strange happenings, and with Seth Rogen's excuse, the party quickly returned to normal.

Lily Collins, Gal Gadot, Susan Downey, Seth Rogen, Leonardo DiCaprio, and others found excuses to dismiss the surrounding people and gradually gathered in the lounge.

"What happened?"

Gal Gadot walked to Murphy's side and asked, concerned, "What's wrong with Jonah?"

Jonah Hill lay slumped in the chair, the belt around his wrists loosened. After the effects of the Quaaludes wore off, he had fallen asleep.

Murphy shook his head, "This guy took some drugs, and the effect was pretty strong."

Gal Gadot sighed. Jonah Hill's drug use wasn't new, and there wasn't much anyone could say about it.

"It's best to avoid this stuff," Robert Downey Jr. seriously reminded everyone in the room. "The effect is too strong. When Jonah wakes up, everyone should talk to him."

After another glance at the unconscious Jonah Hill, Murphy walked to the other door of the lounge, opened it slightly, and looked around. "Let's move Jonah to the bedroom upstairs. He won't wake up anytime soon."

James Franco nodded, calling Seth Rogen to help him carry Jonah Hill upstairs.

Seeing Jonah Hill taken away, Lily Collins breathed a sigh of relief. The party hadn't been ruined by Jonah Hill's antics.

"Don't worry," Gal Gadot comforted her. "Those guys occasionally get out of hand. You'll get used to it over time."

Lily Collins nodded lightly. James Franco wasn't exactly known for being reliable in such matters.

Susan Downey also joined them, and the three women began chatting quietly.

The room gradually quieted down. Leonardo DiCaprio glanced at Robert Downey Jr., who seemed to be on a phone call, and then walked over to Murphy.

"It's a mess," Leonardo DiCaprio said, shaking his head. "You guys need to talk to Jonah Hill. Drugs and medications have ruined too many lives."

"We'll figure something out." Murphy knew the dangers of such things, but in a place that highly valued personal freedom, it was hard to intervene even among close friends like the Stanton Gang.

As Murphy was considering this, Leonardo DiCaprio suddenly changed the subject.

"A couple of years ago, you acquired the film rights to an autobiography," he mentioned, referring to a film project. "Jordan's autobiography."

Murphy turned to Leonardo DiCaprio and said, "Yes, I have the film rights to his autobiography."

Although they weren't close friends, Leonardo DiCaprio had interacted with Murphy many times and somewhat understood his personality. Therefore, he didn't beat around the bush and asked directly, "Would you consider transferring it to me?"

Murphy shook his head immediately. Leonardo DiCaprio added, "The price is negotiable."

"Leo," Murphy smiled, "it's not about the money."

He didn't beat around the bush either. "Are you interested in collaborating with Stanton Studios?"

"This..." Leonardo DiCaprio thought for a moment. "Can I think about it?"

"Of course," Murphy made a call-me gesture. "Let me know when you've made up your mind."

Leonardo DiCaprio nodded and left the lounge.

Murphy had specifically acquired the film rights to this autobiography a couple of years ago and wouldn't give them up easily.

This Jordan was not Michael Jordan but Jordan Belfort.

Jordan Belfort had played many different roles in his life: salesman, financial scammer, millionaire, prisoner, writer, and motivational speaker. In the 1990s, he was jailed for stock market fraud involving hundreds of millions of dollars. After his release, he wrote two memoirs about his experiences and made a successful career as a speaker, thanks to his excellent storytelling skills and charisma.

Initially, Jordan Belfort had little understanding of finance. He had attended dental school and dropped out to sell frozen lobsters and steaks door-to-door. Later, he sold ice cream on the streets.

With his persuasive skills, Jordan Belfort scammed investors out of money and trained a team of subordinates to do the same. While in prison, his cellmate encouraged him to write down his stories.

In 1998, Jordan Belfort was charged with securities fraud and money laundering, resulting in investor losses of nearly $200 million. He was sentenced to four years in prison. However, by agreeing to cooperate with the FBI in prosecuting his partners and colleagues, Belfort's sentence was reduced, and he served just 22 months.

While in prison, he didn't waste time. He transferred his enthusiasm for finance into writing. He meticulously studied Tom Wolfe's "The Bonfire of the Vanities," learning character portrayal, dialogue, and tone, then used Wolfe's writing style to narrate his own experiences, ultimately producing two memoirs.

But he wasn't doing particularly well nowadays. Even after receiving substantial income from the sale of his autobiography's film rights to Murphy, the money he could keep was limited.

According to Murphy's understanding, Jordan Belfort had to use half of his earnings to repay the 1,513 investors he had defrauded, with a total compensation of $114 million.

Regardless, he was a legendary figure with a tumultuous life story, naturally suited for a film adaptation.

Leonardo DiCaprio needed time to consider, and Murphy wasn't in a hurry. With "Inglourious Basterds" still in theaters, its final screening was a long way off.

After James Franco and Lily Collins' party ended, 2009 quickly arrived. "Inglourious Basterds" smoothly crossed the $200 million mark in North America, with global box office earnings approaching $400 million...

Soon, the time came for the announcement of the new Oscar nominations.

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