Domination in America, Starting from being a Boxing Champion-Chapter 695 - 504: Who is the Playboy?

After the Olympics, Link participated in over thirty media interviews and TV talk shows, consecutively shot more than forty advertisements, and many print ads, mostly for world-leading luxury brands. This led his net worth to rapidly surpass 5 billion US dollars.

After making money, aside from paying off some of his debts, he also purchased many stocks through Jin Beike Investment, including NVIDIA, Tesla, and SpaceX. Currently, he holds 14.2% of NVIDIA shares, 18.6% of Tesla shares, 5.7% of SpaceX, and 1.3% of News Corp shares.

Moreover, he used funds from the Link Charity Foundation to buy stocks in many pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.

These included Johnson & Johnson, Eli Lilly and Company, and Ruihui Company. Currently, Eli Lilly and Company, which stands to be the future number one by market value, has a market value of just 38.8 billion US dollars, presenting high investment value.

"Link, how many ads have you actually signed up for? It seems like your commercials are everywhere."

At the cafe's card table, Leonardo tossed down his cards and asked.

"I've noticed this issue too. Turn on the TV, and every few minutes there's an ad featuring Link; walk down the streets, and his print ads are all over; there are even ads featuring him in the subways and airplanes. It's too many, it feels like the whole world is invaded by Link's ads."

Tobey Maguire said with a smile while looking at his cards.

"Yes, last week I was on a business trip to New York, and on those big screens in Times Square, one-third of them were playing Link's mega advertisement campaigns like CK underwear, Dior suits, Nike-Link sportswear, mineral water, KFC. What's more ridiculous, he even endorsed Chanel perfume ads, it made me want to puke."

Casey Affleck said.

Hearing this, Link chuckled and shook his head, "You guys are exaggerating, it's just forty to fifty ads, not that many. Besides, the Olympic fever was high recently, those ads were played more frequently, it's much less now, isn't it?"

"Forty to fifty ads? 'Mad Men' should have hired you."

Leonardo grimaced.

"It's not my fault, they offered endorsements that were quite sincere. Hey, Tobey, are you following or not? If not, I'm just taking the money."

Link said, laughing while holding two down cards.

"I'm not following, you win."

Tobey Maguire tossed down his cards.

Link gently smiled and picked up the cash from the table.

"Tobey, why let him win again? This guy is already a money printing machine, and you still give him money."

Leonardo grumbled with a grim face.

"My cards were too poor, I would have lost anyway if we opened the hand."

Tobey Maguire shrugged.

"You're really lucky with cards."

Leonardo looked at Link displeased.

"It's skill."

Link smiled lightly, placing down 20 dollars, "How did 'The Wolf of Wall Street' turn out?"

"It's done. I recently took on a new movie based on Fitzgerald's novel 'The Great Gatsby', there's a role in it that might suit you, care to try?"

Leonardo said with a smile.

"I've read that novel, apart from the leading male role, which other could suit me?"

"Playboy Tom."

"The guy who steals Gatsby's girlfriend? Forget it, it doesn't suit me; playing such a villainous role could damage my image."

Link said jokingly while looking at his cards.

"You care about image? Compared to you, Tom in the novel is far better; you're the epitome of a playboy, and the whole human race knows it."

Leonardo sneered.

"You have the nerve to call me a playboy? Although I've had many girlfriends, each relationship was serious. But you? Switching girlfriends more frequently than clothes, always under 25, each relationship lasting no longer than two years. Compared to you, I might as well be a saint in romance."

"Very funny! While I may date many girls, I never date multiple at the same time, and I take each girl seriously. Besides, it's always a clash of character that leads to breakups, not because I tire of them. You, on the other hand, date dozens at a time, with girlfriends all over the world. The media claims you have a dozen illegitimate children, tsk, Link, you're not just a jerk, you're a deadbeat dad too."

Leonardo retorted, his face turning red.

"Dating multiple girls at the same time? That line might fool the fans but not people in the industry. Gisele Bundchen broke up with you because she couldn't tolerate your philandering, I have Gisele's number, want me to call her now for proof?"

Link said with a sly grin.

Leonardo's face darkened, "You know Gisele?"

Link shrugged, "Last year at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, I was a guest performer, we chatted backstage."

"Just chatted?"

Leonardo frowned deeply and pressed him.

"What else? Besides, Gisele is now Mrs. Brady, even if there were other matters, it's no concern of yours. Ma'am, please continue dealing."

Link placed a fifty-dollar bill on the table.

"Even so, you're still worse than me; I don't have that many illegitimate children out there. I'm in too."

Leonardo looked at his cards and also laid down a bill.

"That's because you're not willing to take responsibility or confident you could be a good father, not something to be proud of. Look at us, Tobey, Casey, Woody, Franco, who here doesn't have several kids? I suggest we start a dads' club; next time we can bring the kids along, talk about their education."

Link said with a laugh.

"Link, that's a good idea, I'm in."

James Frank laughed.

"I agree too,"

Casey Affleck, Tobey Maguire, and Woody Harrelson all chimed in one after another.

Leonardo, with a dark expression, listened in. When it came to discussing children, he suddenly felt like an outsider.

"Let's not talk about kids, we're discussing who's worse. Since you won't admit it, let's have everyone else judge which of us is the crummier one."

Leonardo turned to Tobey Maguire and Casey Affleck and asked.

"Uh, that's a tough question. I suggest you start a poll on Facebook and let people around the world decide who's crummier."

Tobey Maguire said.

"That's a good idea. The opinions of netizens are more comprehensive,"

Casey Affleck laughed.

"No need, I wouldn't want to be on par with the world-famous playboy Leonardo. It would do great damage to my reputation,"

Link joked.

"Shit! You are crummier than me, okay?"

Leonardo retorted.

Link shrugged his shoulders, picked up some U.S. dollars, and continued placing bets, "Leon, it's just the two of us left, are you going to follow the cards?"

Leonardo paused for a moment, looked at his two hole cards, and then at the community cards on the table; he gritted his teeth and decided to call.

Link smiled lightly, revealed his two hole cards—both Ks. Coupled with the two Ks on the table, he had a four of a kind. There was only one A in the community cards. If Leonardo wanted to win, he needed a straight flush.

"Leon, do you have a flush?"

"Shit, you won,"

Leonardo begrudgingly threw down his cards.

Link smiled lightly, glanced at his watch and noted that the game time was ending. He played a couple more hands, lost all the money he had won, then took his leave, stating he needed to go home to take care of his kids.

"Link is just too lucky, it's hard to win against him in cards,"

James Franco said, looking at the cards Link had thrown down.

"Wasn't this hand a win for me? Link must have been worried about losing a lot, that's why he left at this time,"

Leonardo scooped up the cash on the table, laughing heartily. After losing for seven or eight rounds in a row, he finally won one, and it was over three hundred US dollars from Link.

"That's not necessarily true,"

James Franco spread out Link's hole cards—it was a Queen of hearts and a nine of spades. With the community cards, the best hand achievable was a 9, 10, Jack, Queen, King straight, slightly better than Leonardo's three Ks.

"Shit!"

----

Link drove to Lionsgate Films and picked up Miss Ivanka to go home.

On the road, they discussed the company's recent movie releases. For July and August, Lionsgate released "The Evil Invasion" and "Safe for Now," along with the most recent release, "The Master."

"The Evil Invasion" is adapted from journalist Leslie Goldstein's factual book "The Dibbuk Box," about a girl named Em who opens an antique wooden box left from World War II, after which a series of eerie and terrifying events occur.

The film had a production budget of 14 million and garnered 49.13 million in US dollars in North America and 36.31 million in overseas markets in just over a month of its release. DVD sales were also strong, selling over half a million copies in North America in two weeks.

Earnings are expected to be around fifty million, more than many blockbuster films.

The second film, "Safe for Now," performed less impressively at the box office. With a production budget of 22 million US dollars, it tells the story of a retired elite police officer, Luke, who protects a Chinese math prodigy from the mafia in a bid to atone. The leading role was played by Jason Statham, with the Chinese prodigy portrayed by Ouyang Nana from Taiwan Island.

Three weeks after its release, the film has grossed 17.14 million in North America and currently 22.35 million in foreign markets.

It barely broke even.

"The Master," starring Joaquin Phoenix and others, was released last week with a production budget of 32 million US dollars.

The film attended several film festivals before its release, including the Venice Film Festival in Italy, the Toronto Film Festival in Canada, and the Kansas Film Festival in the United States.

At the Venice Film Festival, director Paul Anderson won the Silver Lion for Best Director, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Joaquin Phoenix jointly won Best Actor, and also received the International Film Critics Award, alongside a nomination for Best Film's Golden Lion.

It won four awards at the Toronto Film Festival, including Best Film, Best Director, Best Lead Actor, and Best Supporting Actress.

It also won two major awards at the Kansas Film Festival.

From the awards, the film's quality is evident.

However, due to its overly complex plot, it received high praise but not high box office numbers.

In its first week, it was shown in 442 theaters and brought in just 2.97 million US dollars. It is projected that the North American box office will not exceed 20 million. If it wins one or two Oscars next year, it might earn a few million more.

But from the current situation, it is clearly a loss-making film and the first obvious financial loss for Palm Beach Films.

Fortunately, Palm Beach Films only invested 10 million US dollars, so the loss is only a few million, which is not a significant impact.

"Originally, Harvey came to me looking to make money from this partnership. Now that the film has lost money, he's probably very angry,"

Link said while driving, laughing.

"These things are unpredictable. Who can he be mad at?"

Ivanka said, holding flowers and smiling.

"Right,"