After wrapping up the shoot, everyone headed out for a drink together. Gal Gadot had already mentioned this to Murphy, and he didn't refuse. Since they were in Century City and the Fox Tower wasn't far away, Murphy called Carla Faith, who hadn't left work yet, to join them. They found a quiet upscale bar nearby, ordered a few drinks, and sat down to chat.
"How's the shoot going?" Carla Faith asked Murphy after setting down her water glass. "I heard you ran into some trouble?"
"Most of it has been resolved," Murphy replied, raising his beer to the three ladies before taking a sip. "After Phil returned to the crew, we managed to catch up on the shooting schedule."
Especially with Henry Cavill finding his groove, the crew's progress had become smoother, fully aligning with the initial plan.
Carla Faith suddenly turned to Margot Robbie, "Maggie, did you sign with Warner's crew?"
"Yes," Margot Robbie nodded, then gratefully looked at Carla Faith. "Thank you, Carla. You really helped me out."
"No problem," Carla Faith glanced at Gal Gadot. "We're all friends."
Gal Gadot smiled at Carla Faith, understanding well that Carla's assistance to Margot Robbie was due to her and Murphy.
She smoothly changed the topic, "Carla, Maggie and I went shopping the other day. Many stores on Rodeo Drive have their new season collections. We should go check them out sometime."
Fashion is a perennial topic among women. Carla Faith immediately showed interest. "Sure, give me a call when you have a day off."
Margot Robbie, being quick-witted, chimed in, "Great, let's all go together."
"Alright," Gal Gadot then looked at Murphy beside her, "The schedule says we have the weekend off. You won't suddenly add shoots, right?"
Murphy shook his head, "With all of you saying this, how could I dare change the plan?"
The three women laughed together.
Fashion was a hot topic for the women. Gal Gadot, Carla Faith, and Margot Robbie talked enthusiastically about everything from the September Paris Fashion Week to Chanel's latest accessories, from high-end cosmetics to bespoke fashion.
They even planned to go on a shopping spree in Paris during their next extended vacation.
After a while, Gal Gadot noticed Murphy looking quite bored, sipping his beer slowly, unable to join their conversation. She subtly shifted the topic.
"Maggie's new look is a breakthrough," she said, pointing to Margot Robbie's tailored suit. "You look particularly sharp lately. Is it because of the influence of your character?"
Margot Robbie smiled broadly, "This is called living the part. I need to stay in character at all times."
She looked at Murphy, "That's what the director told me."
Murphy put down his beer glass and said directly, "Previously, you were more about looks than sharpness."
"Did you hear that?" Margot Robbie grabbed Gal Gadot's arm, pretending to complain, "Your boyfriend thinks I'm just a pretty face."
Perhaps due to the drinks, Gal Gadot pinched Margot Robbie's cheek, "Aren't you pretty?"
"It hurts!" Margot Robbie pulled away, rubbing her face. "Murphy, control your girlfriend."
Murphy had no intention of getting involved in the women's matters. It's best for men not to meddle in friends' affairs.
Carla Faith then checked her watch and said, "You all continue; I need to go. I have a flight to catch early tomorrow."
"Where are you heading?" Margot Robbie asked with concern. "Will you be back for the weekend?"
She was still thinking about their shopping plans.
"Florida," Carla Faith stood up. "The reboot of 'X-Men' is being filmed there. I'll be back before the weekend."
"'X-Men: First Class'?" Murphy asked, seeing Carla Faith nod, "Did you find Mystique?"
Gal Gadot had recommended Margot Robbie for the role, but Margot chose Murphy's project instead.
"Remember that young actress at last year's Oscars?" Carla Faith revealed. "The one from 'Winter's Bone.'"
Margot Robbie immediately recalled, "You mean Jennifer Lawrence."
Carla Faith nodded, "Yes, she'll be playing Mystique in the new 'X-Men.'"
She grabbed her handbag, "You guys continue. I'll see you later."
Murphy knew Jennifer Lawrence well. In the past, she had become one of Hollywood's top stars born in the '90s, with both box office appeal and an Oscar for Best Actress. Even scandalous photos hadn't significantly damaged her career.
Of course, this also related to Western culture.
Murphy recalled that many classmates were curious back then about the man who had "milk" on her face. Was it the PR boyfriend Nicholas Hoult or the man who helped her win the Oscar, Harvey Weinstein?
"What are you thinking?"
A tug on his arm brought Murphy back to reality. Gal Gadot was looking at him, her hand extended, "You seem lost in thought."
"About 'X-Men,'" Murphy said casually.
He couldn't tell the truth about what hadn't happened yet.
Thinking of this, Murphy suddenly realized that he and Gal occasionally took personal videos during intimate moments. These videos needed to be stored in a safe place, not on a networked device or kept on phones and computers.
As he thought about this, he asked, "What were you talking about earlier?"
"My character," Margot Robbie said curiously. "Henry Cavill has a three-picture deal, but I only have two. Does that mean my character dies in the second film?"
Only a few people knew the outline of the second film's story. Hearing Margot Robbie's question, Murphy nodded, "Your character is very important in the second film. Jay's death will directly change the protagonist and the plot's direction."
"Another tragic fate," Margot Robbie sighed.
So far, her most iconic role was Sansa Stark in "Game of Thrones," a character known for her misfortune.
Gal Gadot noted, "Characters who die tragically often leave a deep impression."
Margot Robbie looked at Gal Gadot and pretended to complain to Murphy, "How could you let a righteous character die?"
Murphy didn't hesitate, "Because someone as principled as Jay Rachel doesn't fit in this world. The world is too dark and chaotic for an idealist."
"Looks like I can take an early break," Margot Robbie said, grabbing Gal Gadot's arm. "We can go to Australia for a vacation then. I'll take you horseback riding on the farm."
"Horseback riding?" Gal Gadot asked, intrigued. "Is that the farm where Murphy met you?"
"That's the one," Margot Robbie took a sip of water. "The first time I met Murphy, he... cough, cough..."
She suddenly started coughing, realizing she shouldn't mention past events.
Gal Gadot knew what Margot Robbie wanted to say and didn't mind, "Wasn't he with Carey Mulligan then?"
"Yes," Margot Robbie nodded but didn't mention Carey Mulligan. "After this film wraps, you and Murphy should vacation in Australia. My farm not only has horseback riding but also hunting. Back then, Murphy even hunted a rabbit with a gun butt..."
She vividly recounted those old stories, as if back on the Australian farm, still the wild cowgirl.
"I don't have time," Murphy declined. "Too much work."
Margot Robbie held onto Gal Gadot's arm, "You can come with me then, Gal."
Gal Gadot laughed, "It's too early to talk about this. I'm not sure if I'll have time then."
She's no longer a student but a producer and executive producer, equally busy with work.
"Come on, come on," Margot Robbie said, shaking Gal Gadot's arm. "I'll take you hunting. There are not only rabbits but also many deer."
Gal Gadot said helplessly, "That depends on whether I get a long vacation."
Margot Robbie then turned to Murphy, smiling, "If you want to join, just sign up with me."
Approaching eleven o'clock, with filming the next day, they left the bar and went home to rest.
"Murphy, you should take a long vacation yourself."
On the way back, Gal Gadot advised Murphy, "How long has it been since you had a proper holiday?"
Murphy shook his head, "After this project, there's more work."
Gal Gadot remained silent. She knew what Murphy meant. Despite her strong disapproval, attending the trial had already put Murphy in a storm of controversy. Even now, the media reported on Murphy's supposed close ties with a drug cartel, laundering money. This undoubtedly harmed Murphy's reputation.
Moreover, she believed this would make it harder for Murphy to win an Oscar for Best Director.
Back home, Gal Gadot couldn't help but ask, "Are you really going to make a film about Ross?"
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