The party was quite impressive, with dazzling lights, melodious music, and guests chatting and laughing, showcasing the host's thoughtfulness and style.
Kazir chatted casually with Tom Cruise, and through their conversation, he found Tom to be a rather good person, quite different from the image he had previously imagined.
As the hosts of the party, Tom and Nicole had the "important task" of greeting every guest, so they quickly left after only a brief chat with Kazir.
However, this first meeting had a generally harmonious and pleasant atmosphere.
"Tom Cruise seems to be filming Mission: Impossible this year."
Kazir muttered to himself, unsure if the film had already started production, but he had heard that Paramount had approved the project long ago.
At this moment, Brad Grey of Paramount was probably feeling depressed, as Kazir had ultimately chosen Warner Bros..
But there was nothing to be done; the conditions offered by Warner Bros. were simply too tempting, and anyone would find it hard to refuse such an appealing offer.
"Hey, who's that kid?"
Nicole Kidman is from Australia, and she had invited many of her compatriots to this party.
Mel Gibson turned his head to ask Russell Crowe, who was beside him.
This Australian was a formidable figure, having acted in Mad Max and Lethal Weapon, and was also the lead actor, director, and producer of Braveheart, writing, directing, and starring in it himself—a capability not possessed by ordinary people.
"Him? He's called Kazier Gray, I think."
Russell Crowe wasn't entirely sure, only vaguely remembering the name.
The man stood alone in the corner, his eyes scanning around, with little presence, like air, as if out of place in the lively party.
Kazier Gray was like a pure moviegoer, detached from the party's clamor.
"So he's Kazier Gray…"
Mel Gibson raised an eyebrow, having overheard some interesting news about Kazir from others' conversations.
"Mel, you've had too much to drink; don't do anything you'll regret."
Russell Crowe quickly reminded him.
They were both Australians, and in the complex world of Hollywood, their influence wasn't strong, at least not enough to withstand the influence of the Jewish circle.
"Don't worry, Russell, I'm sober!" Mel smiled, then walked towards Kazir.
With his own film being overshadowed by napoleon dynamite on the annual box office chart, he wanted to see who this director truly was.
As an actor who aspired to transition into directing, Mel also wanted to hear Kazir's views on film.
"Hello, Kazier Gray." Mel greeted him warmly.
"Good evening, Mr. Gibson." Kazir responded politely.
"Don't call me 'Mr.', just call me Mel." Mel spoke with a slight Australian accent; perhaps the alcohol had brought out his native language habits.
"Kazir, napoleon dynamite was well-made, congratulations!" Mel said sincerely.
"Thank you. It's an honor to be recognized by a senior like you." As a new director, Kazir genuinely felt it was quite a feather in his cap to be recognized by Mel Gibson.
Mel was quite surprised; he had expected the young man to be arrogant, but he was unexpectedly modest.
The two chatted for a few minutes, then Mel excused himself.
"How was he?" Russell asked curiously.
For actors, maintaining good relations with directors is always a good idea; who knows, they might get a good role someday.
"He's quite modest…" Mel answered simply.
"Hmm?" Russell looked puzzled.
"Too modest." Mel clicked his tongue, then continued, "Facing a fan who knows all your works by heart, how could I possibly get angry?"
"Seems like he's a good person." Russell said with a smile.
"…"
Mel didn't respond; his film being surpassed by a comedy still left a knot in his heart.
His only hope was the Oscar, which was also one of the reasons he came to this party—to network and gather some votes.
But Kazir actually said he thought Mel could win Best Director and Braveheart could win Best Picture!
Upon hearing this, Mel's view of Kazir completely changed.
He felt a bit embarrassed, his face flushed, and then he quickly left with an excuse.
How could he hate such an open-minded person? Probably never.
Kazir stood aside, sipping champagne, as many people secretly observed him.
"Nicole, you're saying that young man is the director of napoleon dynamite?" Naomi Watts asked Nicole Kidman.
"Yes. I didn't expect Tom to know him; I heard Kazir used to be a gopher on the set of rain man." Nicole nodded and said.
Naomi and Nicole were famously good friends, both Australians, and in the foreign land of Hollywood, they were each other's support.
Naomi stared intently at Kazir; to be honest, the man was quite to her liking.
He was solidly built, tall and strong, and good-looking—clearly the type who exercised regularly, which was definitely a plus for Naomi.
Finally, Naomi bit her lip, gathered her courage, and walked over to him.
In Australia, she had some fame, but in Hollywood, it was a cruel battlefield, and getting a good role was incredibly difficult.
"Hello, I'm Naomi Watts." Naomi greeted him with a smile.
"Kazier Gray. A pleasure to meet you, Ms. Watts." Kazir responded politely.
"Just call me Naomi." Naomi said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, then asked, "I hear you're a director?"
"Yes, I directed napoleon dynamite."
Kazir had nothing to hide; after all, the industry was small, and everyone would know sooner or later.
"Can you tell me about yourself?" Naomi asked with interest.
"Me? My family situation is quite bad; I grew up with my dad since I was little." Kazir didn't know where to start, so he talked about his family, only realizing after speaking that the opening was a bit disheartening.
"That's really tough." Naomi showed an appropriate expression of sympathy; after all, she was an actress and knew how to control her emotions and expressions.
Other women looked a bit envious when they saw Naomi talking to Kazir.
These actresses knew very well that to make it in Hollywood, getting on good terms with successful directors or producers was undoubtedly the fastest shortcut.
Among so many people at the party, Kazier Gray was the most composed and calm, handsome and talented, with two films grossing over a hundred million at the North America box office—his strength was undeniable.
The women's gazes were like knives cutting at Naomi, but she didn't care at all.
This was Hollywood; the competition among women was much fiercer than among men. On the surface, everyone smiled, but inwardly, they wished they could tear each other to shreds.