Chapter 204: A Stunning Woman
"Hah…"
In the bedroom of the Bel Air villa, Aaron lay back on the bed, quietly enjoying Monica Bellucci's attentions beneath the covers.
Staring up at the ceiling, his thoughts drifted back to his meeting with Ted Turner earlier that evening.
To be honest, Aaron wasn't particularly interested in whether Sumner Redstone's Viacom or Barry Diller's QVC ended up acquiring Paramount Communications.
The scale of capital involved was far beyond his reach anyway—this was a contest meant to be watched from the sidelines.
But TBS was different.
With TNT, CNN, TBS, and the Cartoon Network under its umbrella, Turner's empire spanned entertainment, sports, news, and children's programming.
Especially CNN—the world-famous American cable news network.
By June 1990, CNN had already marked its tenth anniversary. At that point, it had surpassed the three major U.S. broadcast networks in reach, entering over 60 million households, maintaining 21 bureaus worldwide, employing more than 1,600 staff, and broadcasting to over 100 countries and regions.
Ted Turner wasn't just eyeing Hollywood—
he was eyeing Dawnlight Pictures.
After all, nine years earlier, Turner had acquired MGM from Kirk Kerkorian.
Though TBS later resold MGM due to debt pressure, it retained a massive library of classics.
Films like Gone with the Wind, The Wizard of Oz, and A Christmas Story were now all part of TBS's vault.
A moment later, a muffled breath escaped beneath the covers.
Monica Bellucci emerged, resting against Aaron's chest, breathing softly as she recovered.
"Aaron," she said quietly,
"there were a lot of powerful people at tonight's reception, weren't there?"
Aaron smiled and ran his hand lightly over the woman's lush curves.
"There really were a lot of big players there tonight. One of Hollywood's Big Six—Paramount—is being fought over."
"Paramount?" Monica Bellucci raised her brows slightly. "Columbia and Universal were already acquired before. I didn't expect Paramount to be next so soon."
She wasn't deeply familiar with Hollywood's inner workings, but news of that scale was hard to miss.
"Yeah," Aaron said softly. "It all happened pretty fast."
From now on, Viacom was a company Aaron would have to keep a close eye on. In the battle for Paramount, Viacom had ultimately prevailed.
Once merely a distribution arm spun off from CBS, Viacom had grown into a media giant—its chairman, Sumner Redstone, transforming himself into a full-fledged entertainment tycoon.
---
As May arrived, the brutal summer box-office season officially began.
Dawnlight's Speed and The Mask of Zorro were about to clash head-on with Universal's Jurassic Park, Paramount's The Firm, and Columbia TriStar's In the Line of Fire and Cliffhanger. A true cinematic battlefield.
At the same time, Aaron arrived in Cannes, accompanied by Catherine Zeta-Jones.
The Mask of Zorro was holding its international premiere at the Cannes Film Festival.
In the hotel bedroom, Catherine lay nestled against Aaron's chest.
"I'll only stay in Cannes for two days," she said softly. "Then I have to fly back to the States to start promotion."
With the film's wide release scheduled for late May, its leading actress had a packed publicity calendar ahead.
"That's fine," Aaron replied, rolling over and pinning her gently beneath him. "I'll come find you once you're back."
He leaned down and kissed her deeply.
Directed by Ridley Scott and starring the red-hot Kevin Costner, Aaron was full of confidence.
After all, The Bodyguard, released just months earlier, had earned $120 million in North America and over $410 million worldwide, pushing Costner's popularity to new heights after Dances with Wolves, Ghost, and JFK.
Another box-office juggernaut.
When the kiss ended, Catherine wrapped her arms around him.
"So," she asked with a playful smile, "how did I do in The Mask of Zorro?"
Aaron studied her face, a smile forming at the corner of his mouth.
"Your entrance is stunning. You handled the action scenes beautifully, and your performance has no real weaknesses."
"Once the film releases," he added, "you'll truly break through in Hollywood."
"I heard there's also going to be a premiere in Spain?" Catherine asked.
"Of course," Aaron said, kissing her cheek. "It is a Spanish story. Even the Spanish royal family will attend."
She smiled, anticipation gleaming in her eyes.
"I really can't wait for the release."
Her voice dropped to a teasing whisper near his ear.
"I'm leaving tomorrow night… don't you feel like doing something memorable?"
Aaron's hand slid gently over her, and he kissed her again.
"When we're back, find one of your costumes from the film. Your classical look in that outfit was breathtaking."
Her smile widened.
"So you liked it that much?"
"Very much."
"Then next time we're in London," she murmured, "I'll wear a court gown just for you."
"That sounds perfect."
---
After its Cannes premiere, The Mask of Zorro was met with warm acclaim.
Anthony Hopkins's seasoned Zorro and Kevin Costner's rising successor formed a compelling and charismatic duo.
Paired with Catherine Zeta-Jones's exotic beauty and classical elegance, the film delivered a rich feast of spectacle and emotion.
Horses, haciendas, gold mines, dungeons, and masterful horsemanship painted a vivid Western landscape rarely seen on screen.
At its heart was a deeply emotional story of a father's enduring love for his stolen daughter—Hopkins portraying dignity and sorrow with restraint, while Zeta-Jones shone with both strength and grace.
The film honored traditional craftsmanship, respected character and story, and balanced engagement with pure entertainment—an unexpectedly delightful surprise.
"The Mask of Zorro is undoubtedly the best action-adventure film of the summer. It has everything you could want: outstanding performances, breathtaking scenery, and exhilarating storytelling."
— Le Monde
"The Mask of Zorro is a spirited rebuttal to those who claim such films are a thing of the past—no gimmicks, just brilliant wit, clashing steel, and sheer cinematic joy. One can hardly resist humming along."
— Le Figaro