Confessions of a Hollywood Celebrity

Previously...

Luckily, Naomi was there for me like the good friend she is.

As she held my hand in a gentle grip so we wouldn't get separated, she hissed things like "You guys, I need you to step back please!" and "Shoo, shoo, all of you" at the photographers as we headed to her limousine. It was when we got inside and Naomi said "Drive" to the guy behind the wheel that she and I were finally able to relax.

"Are you all right, Jade?" she asked as she turned to me, her protective mother bear self, which she usually saved for the paparazzi, falling away and being replaced by the concerned friend persona (which was usually for me).

I nodded. "Yeah, I think so. Thanks for staying with me the whole time, Naomi. I needed that."

She smiled. "You're welcome, Jade. After all, we celebs must stick together, like a pack of wolves when one of their own is in danger."

I nodded at that one. Apparently, that was true, since I was kind of like a wolf cub, and Naomi, Macaulay, Michael, Britney, Jack and the other celebs were like the mother and father wolves assuming a protective stance in front of me so that I was OK.

*******************

The next day seemed to come too slowly for me. After my usual morning routine, I then called my friend Paris Hilton with news of my planning to visit her.

"Jade, that's wonderful!" she said. "I'd love to see you. My sister Nicky and I haven't seen you since your thirteenth birthday.

"How's your jewellery business going?" she asked as an afterthought.

I paused and thought for a moment before answering, "It's going well, Paris. I mean, I never thought I'd have a good head for business or that I could sell so much jewellery for only five dollars."

"I can imagine that," Paris replied. We laughed. Then she said, "How've you been managing your money since the last time we talked?"

"I've been doing great," I replied. I then gave her the same example I gave Macaulay.

"That's fantastic, Jade," Paris said; I could hear her being proud of me in her voice. "I'm glad you have chosen to be frugal with your money and spend less than you earn, too. That really helps a lot. Also, I think the celebs that have either gotten into debt or are about to could learn some lessons from you and the other frugal celebs whose example you follow, too."

"I should say so myself, Paris," I nodded.

Finally, we said we'd meet each other sometime before ending the call. After checking my schedule, I noticed that I had a meeting with Daniel and Tom that day. It was in two hours, so I made up my mind to use it wisely.

With that, I headed into the bathroom and took a shower. Then, after drying myself off, I changed out of my normal outfit and put on clean underwear, a washable wool classic straight skirt (from Jones New York) and a long-sleeved purple turtleneck. On my feet were dark blue socks, and over the socks were a pair of black Mary Jane shoes with a Velcro strap. I wore a Jones New York women's business jacket over the turtleneck. The jacket itself had a flowery plant pattern, three black buttons, and two pockets (one on each side) on the front. The lining was black acetate, and it looked awesome on me as well.

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I somehow thought that Daniel and Tom were going to plotz when they looked over and saw me coming into the room where they had been sitting in black vinyl chairs. I did look a little bit surprised when I noticed they were dressed both for business and casualty.

But I managed to hide it very well, thanks to the acting skills I had picked up from watching a few of my actor friends, such as Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst (with whom I watched the film Interview with a Vampire once, and was pleased when I informed her that I liked her character of Claudia, the vampire child who was dismayed when she discovered that, being what she was, she wouldn't be able to grow up even though her mind matured into that of a woman) and J.K. Simmons.

Tobey, Kirsten and J.K. had starred in the Spider-Man film series, and I had complimented them on their acting skills, which, to me, were fantastic. In return, they thanked me. Tobey himself even gave me some advice about money: "You know those Lotto winners who win big and then blow all the money? Well, thanks to my advice and example of being frugal, that will never happen to you, or me."

I thanked him and replied that I would make sure to keep his advice in mind. He smiled and said, "Good."

Anyway, Daniel was wearing blue jeans, a white turtleneck and black shoes covering socks that were dark green. Tom wore a black Calvin Klein business suit over a white long-sleeved turtleneck, black pants and matching socks. Over the socks were shoes (also black).

********************

We soon got down to business. Daniel told me all about how the Harry Potter films were doing financially, and I listened.

"They're doing quite well - so well, in fact, that I've decided to make going into theater as the next move in my career," Dan remarked.

"Hmm... I see," I replied. Looking thoughtful for a moment, I then said, "You know, Daniel, that is a great idea you have there. A little variety goes a long way, of course. And an actor like you will definitely go far, too - at least in my mind."

Dan nodded, knowing that I had a point there.

Tom then spoke up. "Well, get this, Jade," he said, looking me in the eye as he did so. "I keep hearing about how you're managing your money, and you're doing very well at it, too. However, for my part, I made a few financial mistakes."

"You did?" I asked.

He nodded. "Yes."

He then gave me a copy of the Daily Mail magazine. On the cover was the headline " 'I lost my childhood to Harry Potter': The actor who plays Draco Malfoy reveals his own chamber of secrets".

I opened the magazine to the article with that headline and began to read...

‘My mum told me: “You have worked hard for it so get what you want, but beware, you will lose money on cars.” And she was right.’
The reality check came via the tax man.
‘My parents did what they could, but when money is thrust upon you so are a load of other things: tax, VAT, mortgages — things a 16-year-old really doesn’t know ­anything about. I got myself into a bit of trouble.
‘There was a scary two years where it was madness because I was really in trouble with the taxman. I had been working for eight years and all I had to show for it was this horrible debt. At one point we had the bailiff at the door.
'I was so naïve I didn’t even know what he was there for. He pointed at my car and said: “This yours?” and I said: “Oh, yes, I bought it two weeks ago and it’s all paid off.” He said: “Brilliant, we’ll take it. Give us the key.”
‘I managed to get out of that ­situation but it was a scary time, the result of too long burying my head in the sand.
‘I’ve spent the past year and a half with an accountant, trying to understand VAT, DVD residuals and things like that. I’ve had to really grow up.

"Wow," I said, closing the magazine and looking up at Tom. "That sure is quite something."

Tom nodded in agreement with my statement, as did Daniel. "I sure hope," he said while locking eyes with me (and vice versa), "that you have learned something from what I experienced, too. You know, just so you don't make the same mistake I did."

I nodded. "Don't worry, I did. And I'll do my best to keep what happened to you in mind as well."

Tom and Dan looked at each other and smiled before turning back to me. "Good," they chorused.