River Phoenix's death sent significant shockwaves through Hollywood. He wasn't the first celebrity to die under media scrutiny, nor would he be the last. However, in the week following his death, the bizarre mudslinging war between media outlets suddenly ceased. All the tabloid newspapers fell silent.
Several mainstream North American media outlets published special reports, making River Phoenix's death the dominant topic of public discussion. This recent mudslinging war had exposed the public to the chaotic private lives of many seemingly glamorous Hollywood celebrities. Numerous stars had their dirty laundry aired during this smear campaign, which fundamentally damaged Hollywood's image.
No matter how chaotic or messed up their private lives might be, there was a shared understanding that everyone needed to maintain Hollywood's glamorous facade. So, after River Phoenix's death, many Hollywood companies tacitly agreed to stop smearing each other.
At the same time, seeing Keanu Reeves and Johnny Depp doing volunteer work at welfare centers and participating in charity events, as arranged by Disney and Warner Bros., proved highly effective. Everyone followed suit, and for a while, charity work became a trend in Hollywood. Tom Hanks visited hungry children in Africa, Julia Roberts launched charity fundraisers, the Cruise couple established a charity foundation, and so on. Under the deliberate guidance of numerous mainstream media outlets, the previous scandals seemed to be covered up, and the atmosphere in Hollywood became harmonious and friendly, resembling a big family.
Logically, the people who caused such a terrible situation should have been identified and jointly punished. But the problem was, everyone was involved. If someone hadn't died, it would likely have continued. From this perspective, River Phoenix's death was actually a good thing.
During the mudslinging war, fans who paid attention to Gilbert noticed that there was surprisingly little negative publicity about him in the media. This young director seemed to be an outsider, observing Hollywood's changing tides with a cool detachment. How could anyone maintain such a clean image in the tempting world of Hollywood? It seemed impossible.
But in fact, it was true. Aside from beautiful women, Gilbert wasn't interested in Hollywood's other vices. Besides, liking beautiful women was a right given to him by God. As a man, there's nothing wrong with appreciating beautiful women! On the other side of the Pacific, male-female relationships could be a tool to bring down a celebrity. But in Hollywood, it was never a major issue.
---
The incident passed, and Speed resumed its normal promotional activities. A little over ten days after River Phoenix's death, Gilbert finally met Keanu Reeves. The first thing Keanu asked Gilbert was, "How did you manage to resist those temptations?"
Gilbert was momentarily stunned. He knew that River Phoenix's death had deeply affected Keanu Reeves, leading him to rethink his past and future life. Since Keanu was an actor he had always admired, Gilbert answered very frankly: "I've never resisted temptation, Keanu. It's just that I know some things you can do, and some things you can't. Before doing anything, you have to weigh the gains and losses, consider the cost, and whether the exchange is worth it. When you can clearly measure the consequences of all your actions, you can make judgments that are beneficial to yourself."
Keanu Reeves nodded repeatedly, listening intently. He said, "I only now realize that we wasted a lot of good time in the past. Johnny and I have decided to quit alcohol and drugs, and actively dedicate ourselves to charity, atoning for our past sins, and begging for God's forgiveness." In the West, with its strong religious atmosphere, bringing God into the conversation after doing something wrong is common.
Keanu Reeves and his two close friends hadn't really done anything wrong, after all, many people behaved similarly. Their biggest mistake, perhaps, was becoming the focus of media attention, becoming a target for attacks.
Gilbert patted Keanu Reeves' shoulder and said, "It's good that you can change. I'm sure River would be happy to see your changes. Please accept my condolences."
After more than ten days of soul-searching, Keanu Reeves was determined to turn over a new leaf and reform himself. He also began to participate in Speed's promotional work, diligently promoting the film. When he appeared on talk shows, Keanu Reeves candidly spoke about the impact of his friend's death on him and his own transformation.
"I feel like my life changed in an instant. I used to ignore many people and things. But now I'm going to live very carefully and care more about this world." Keanu Reeves said this on the show, and he genuinely acted on it. Unlike other celebrities who only did charity for show, he was truly committed to it. Keanu Reeves donated his entire salary from Speed and intended to give a portion of his future film earnings to charity. He wasn't just talking; he genuinely planned to do it. Of course, he kept these plans to himself.
---
Ultimately, the focus of the film had to return to the film itself. This mudslinging war had significantly impacted Speed, but Disney and Warner Bros. still had high expectations for the film. So, after consulting with Gilbert, the distributors decided to hold the premiere at a theater in South Los Angeles, to commemorate the victims of the Los Angeles riots.
The Los Angeles Police Department also helped promote the film because the riots had given the public a negative impression of the LAPD. Therefore, the police department hoped to use this film to improve its public image.
Before the premiere, Gilbert went home to see his father and invited him to attend the premiere. After all, it was his (adoptive) father's first premiere, and it would be rude not to invite him.
"Gilbert, your outreach to the Los Angeles Police Department was very well done. It will help you build good relationships with the municipal departments." By the swimming pool in the backyard, old Gilbert held a glass of red wine, imparting his Hollywood wisdom to his son. "Do you know who was behind all of this?"
Gilbert replied, "Whoever profits is the hand behind it."
"You're right, but not entirely," old Gilbert wisely taught. "Others just jumped on the bandwagon. Only one or two individuals are your true enemies."
Gilbert humbly asked, "So who are my true enemies?"
The old man didn't answer directly. He took a sip of red wine and said meaningfully, "I heard that there's been dissatisfaction within Disney with Michael Eisner's autocratic rule for a long time. They want him to step down as CEO and have someone else take over."
"I heard Mr. Eisner is very strong-willed. Will he agree?" Gilbert asked.
The old man shook his head. "Of course not. But Disney isn't his alone, so there will inevitably be concessions. I hear Michael Eisner intends to bring his friend Michael Ovitz into Disney to serve as CEO."
Gilbert immediately understood: "I see..."
It seemed Michael Ovitz wanted to create more achievements for CAA before leaving, and also prove his capabilities to his friend. Even though he reigned supreme in the Hollywood agency world, consistently being named the most powerful person in Hollywood by Vanity Fair for three consecutive years, it still couldn't overcome the allure of a CEO position at a major company. This shows that the title of "most powerful person in Hollywood" was merely a joke.
---