"You know, it's easier to make 100,000 believe than just one?" "And now, the one, the only..." "Simone!" "I love you L.A." "It's great to be here." ", ' Looking out on the morning rain, '" ", ' I used to feel so inspired, '" ", ' And when I knew I had to face another day, '" ", ' Lord, it made me feel so tired, '" ", ' Before the day I met you, '" ", ' Life was so unkind, '" ", ' But you're the key to my peace of mind, '" ", ' 'Cause you make me feel, '" ", ' You make me feel, '" ", ' You make me feel, '" ", ' Like a natural woman, '" ", ' Oh, baby, what you've done to me, '" ", ' Done to me, '" ", ' You made me feel so good inside, '" ", ' Good inside, '" ", ' And I just wanna be, '" ", ' Wanna be, '" ", ' Close to you, you make me feel so alive, '" ", ' 'Cause you make me feel, '" ", ' You make me feel, '" ", ' You make me feel, '" ", ' Like a natural woman, '" ", ' You make me feel, '" " , ' You make me feel, ' - , ' You make me feel, '" ", ' You make me feel, '" ", ' You make me feel like a real..., '" ", ' You make me feel, '" ", ' Feel like a..., '" ", ' You make me feel like a real..., '" "Thank you." "Never stop believing." "Yeah!" "Simone!" ", ' What you've done to me..., '" ", ' Natural woman., '" "I said I didn't want to be disturbed!" "Viktor." "My two favourite girls in all the world." " We stopped by to congratulate Simone." " Well, you know... she's lying down." "She's exhausted." "Yeah, I can imagine." "Listen, thank Simone for the tickets, okay?" "That's a good colour on you." "It was a great show, Dad." "I can't believe she's doing this." "Taking advantage of him this way." " It's cruel." " Why?" "Obviously, this can't last." "She's gonna dump him." "Viktor won't be able to take that, he's too sensitive." "This'll destroy him." "Elaine, do you realise that you can't stop talking about Viktor?" "I have to talk to her." "I've been meaning to talk to you." "Elaine, I'm starting to feel like I don't exist." "Dad?" "Oh, hi, baby." "Thank you." "So how's your love life?" "I do okay." "What about you?" "Well, you know me." "Married to my work." "I noticed." "You know I don't like to get between you and Mum, but she's feeling down right now." "She broke up with Kent." "She thinks you're with Simone." "Ah, Lainey." "That's so ridiculous." "I don't have a relationship with Simone." "I know, but Mum doesn't." "Maybe if Simone spoke to her she could straighten things out." "Dinner maybe." "Dinner?" "I don't know about dinner." "That'd be difficult, I think." " Maybe a phone call?" " It's too impersonal." "They have to meet face-to-face." "Well, I'll think of something." "The escalating violence, tragic loss of human life, and threat of all-out war was overshadowed today by the announcement of the Oscar nominations." " Hello?" " Hello?" " Is this Elaine?" " Who's this?" " My God." "Is that you, Simone?" " Yes." " You look beautiful today." " Thanks, I..." " Where are you?" " I'm right here... beside you." " Oh!" " I borrowed Viktor's car." " Hi!" " Hi." "I'm really late." "I would love to talk to you, but I'm on my way to see Viktor right now." "Simone, I know what's going on between you two." "Oh?" "No." "Oh, Elaine, there's absolutely nothing." "It's strictly a working relationship." "I just don't want to see Viktor get hurt." "Sounds to me like you still have feelings for him." "Well, we have a daughter together." "I don't love Viktor." "I could never love anyone." "I'm in love with the camera." "Simone, I recognise the coat you're wearing." "I gave it to Viktor on his birthday." "Oh, Christ." "Elaine, I just..." "Whoa!" "God!" "Oh my God!" "I tell ya." " Are you alright?" " This does look awful." "I know that." "But, Viktor, he's just so crazy about you." " Could you go to the Oscars with him?" " No, no, no." "If you won't do it for him," "I ask you, please, do it for me." "Okay, okay." "For you." "For you I'll go." "Thank you." "Well, here's my exit." "Alright, I'm glad that we talked." " Oh, yes." "Bye." " Bye!" "Goodbye." "Oh!" "And the winner of 'Best Actress'... is... oh my goodness." "We have a tie." "The winners are Simone for 'Sunrise, Sunset'..." "Thank you." "...and Simone for 'Eternity Forever. '" "Unfortunately, Simone cannot be with us here tonight, but thanks to the miracle of modern technology, she joins us live from her goodwill tour of the Third World." "Ladies and gentlemen..." "Simone!" "Thank you." "Oh, thank you." "This means so much to me." "I'm just sorry I couldn't be there with you." "First, I want to acknowledge my fellow nominees." "I don't even feel I belong in the 'Best Actress' category, let alone with these wonderful human beings." "And I also want to thank my co-stars and the studio, of course." "And as always, I dedicate this to Hank, without whom none of this would be possible." "I love you, Hank, wherever you are." "Thank you." "Who's Hank?" "Her agent?" " Her father." " Oh." "Why didn't she thank you?" "She did." "Didn't she?" "No." "And of course, I must thank my collaborator," "Viktor Taransky, without whom none of this would be possible." "And of course, I must thank my collaborator," "Viktor Taransky, without whom none of this would be possible." "Why didn't I say it?" "How could I forget to say it?" "I wrote it." "And of course, I must thank my collaborator," "Viktor Taransky, without whom none of this would be possible." "Excuse me, Mr Taransky, are you ready for your casting session?" "Nicola is here for the role of Simone's sister." "Viktor." "So much has happened since we last saw each other." "Oh, yeah." "Yeah." " Why don't you sit?" " Thank you." "I never got a chance to properly apologise for what happened on 'Sunrise. '" "Oh, that's okay." "I know." "I understand." "When I saw what Simone did with the role," "I mean, I fired all my people." "I went into rehab." "I took some acting classes." "I changed my whole look." "She really, really inspired me." "Would you like me to read?" "Oh, sure." "That would be good." "'Who do you think you are, Carlos, coming in here like this?" "My husband's sleeping in the next room." "You think I won't call out?" "Do you think I'll just... give in to you without a fight, like I did the last time and the time before that?" "I wish you were dead." "I wish we were both dead. '" "Oh... that was just wonderful." "Wonderful acting." "Thank you." "You could play the lead." "Isn't that Simone's part?" "Of course." "Of course it is." "You have such a beautiful line, right, right there." "It's not a wrinkle, or anything, it's like a dimple." "Right when you smile, it..." "I was thinking of incorporating something like that in Simone." "Cosmetically altering Simone to look like me?" "Oh, yeah." "That would be crazy." "That would be crazy." "Yes... that would be nuts." "Would you like me to try something different with this, or do it again?" "No, it's fine." "Okay." "Thank you." "Thank you, Viktor." "Happy birthday, Lainey." "What do you think?" "It's fantastic." "It's what she drove in 'Eternity Forever. '" " I know." " See?" " You have to thank her for me." " It's from both of us." "You know, you won't be able to drive it till you get your permit, but you can take it around the lot, okay?" "Here." "What's the matter?" "I can't accept it." "Why?" "Why, honey?" "I don't want a car, Dad." "What do you want?" "I'll give you whatever you want." "The old Viktor Taransky." "I can't stand to see you like this... clinging to Simone's coattails." "It used to be all about the work and now it's all about her." "And then she's not even grateful enough to thank you." "Oh, no, that was me." "There you go again, blaming yourself." "Can't you see what she's done to you?" "She's taking advantage." "Mocking you." "You deserve better than Simone." " I have to go, Dad." " Okay." "Oh, sure." "She comes in all the time." " Really?" " Mm-hmm." " Is she nice?" " We've become very close." "She told me she wanted to look at my script next week." " Jane?" " Got to go." "I'm leaving early." "If anybody needs me, I'll be at the beach house having dinner with a certain someone." "Elaine Christian, please." "Elaine." "Hi." "Hi." "I was in the neighbourhood." "I just thought I'd drop by." "You don't use the front door anymore?" "Uh... no." "When is she coming over?" " About now." " Oh." "Okay." "I'll just stay until she gets here." "Well, she's..." "already here." "What?" "Elaine..." "Simone is not coming over tonight or any other night." " I want you back, Elaine." " I want you back, too." "Oh, Viktor!" "Wait!" "Viktor!" "This is crazy." "Who are we kidding?" "I can't compete with Simone." " Well..." " What woman can?" "I'd rather have you than Simone." " Believe me." " Oh." "That's so sweet." "No, but I can't let you do that... make that kind of sacrifice." " No." "No." " God, this is strange." "You know, I have stabbed people in the back and clawed and slept my way to where I am." " But..." " You have?" "Well, it goes with the territory." "But for some reason, I can't betray Simone." "I can't." "There's a goodness to her, Viktor." " No, there's nothing to her." " Oh, Viktor." "You say that now, but in the morning" " You would go back to her." " No." "No." " You would, Viktor." " She's gonna retire." " She'll never work again." " Her public will demand that she does." " Not if I don't let her." " You?" " Yeah." " How can you stop her?" "I'm gonna tell you a secret now, Elaine." "Simone isn't a real person." "I invented her." "Every actor is an invention." " Elaine..." " Please." "You're lucky she's loyal enough to stay with you." "Maybe she's staying out of pity." "Who knows?" "I mean, she certainly doesn't need you." "Listen, she's thin air." " She's pixels." " What?" "Computer code moulded by me from a mathematical equation" "I inherited from a madman." "How much have you had to drink?" "There is no Simone." " I'm Simone." " You're Simone?" "I've done the impossible." "I have recreated the infinite nuances of a human being... a human soul." "I have taken nothing, and made it something." "I have breathed life into a machine." " I made a miracle." " Viktor, please stop." " Please." " I swear, Elaine." "As God is my judge, I swear." "I made Simone." "I made her." " You made Simone?" " Yes." "Viktor... she made you." "You bitch." "I'll destroy you." "Bravo!" "Yes!" "Yes!" "Yes!" "Had a rough night?" "Let's see if they still love you after this." "You made me?" "I made you first." "Well, we're back on 'Good Morning, Good Day, ' and we are here once again with the incomparable Simone." "Simone, before the break you were taking a rather controversial position." "I just think all elementary schools should have a firing range." "How else can the children learn to defend themselves?" "If there is a hole in the ozone layer, how come I can't see it?" "Immigration?" "God!" "Isn't it crowded enough?" "But God created furry animals to be worn." "Have you ever tasted dolphin?" "Pan-fried with a little garlic and fennel?" "Everybody always talks about the negatives of cigarettes." "But look at the benefits." "I mean, you don't eat as much." "And you've got something to hold in your hand." "We always knew Simone wasn't like other celebrities." " Oh, no." " She speaks her mind." "She certainly does." "It's plastic, Hank." "I know that's the way you'd want it." "She killed you, Hank." "Now she's killing me." "She's a serial killer." "But I don't know how to stop her." "I mean, she's taken on a life of her own." "I can't just come clean... you know, make some confession... because..." "I've defrauded millions." "They'd turn on me." "I just can't put the genie back in the bottle, because... if she suddenly stopped working, you know, just dropped out of sight, they'd never let it rest." "I tried killing her career... but they like her even more." "What am I gonna do?" "Not another word, Hank." "You are truly a genius." "Thank you, Hank." "Thank you." "What's the matter, Viktor?" "You look so sad." "Don't you love me anymore?" "It's over, isn't it?" "I know what you're thinking, Simone." "This is a phoney-baloney world." "We're all living one big lie, so, why shouldn't you live, too?" "You're more authentic than all these people who worship you." "And that's the problem." "You're looking at the real fraud." "I told myself this was all about the work." "But if that were the truth, it wouldn't matter to me that you get all the attention." "And it does." "It does." "I'm sorry, Simone." "Here I was trying to convince the whole world you existed." "But what I was really trying to do was convince them that I exist." "It's not that you aren't human..." "It's that I am." "I'm sorry, Simone." "It is my sad... and solemn duty... to announce... the tragic passing of Simone." "How did she die?" "It was a rare virus she contracted on her goodwill tour of the Third World." "Did she suffer?" "Mercifully, it was quick." "I feel awful." "It's a great loss." "You know, we're going to have to restructure your deal." "Can I see you later?" "I mean, go away for the weekend?" "How could you bring that up at a time like this?" "One minute, Mr Taransky." "Oh my God." "This has got to be a mistake." "You have the right to remain silent." "Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law." " You don't understand." " Viktor!" " It's a mistake!" " I'll call my attorney." "Dad!" "Elaine, call Bernard!" "That's why it was so light." "I heard him say, 'Die, bitch." "I'll destroy you. '" "It was so strange." "He actually wanted to replace Simone with me in his new movie." "He's a sick man." "He was a controlling madman." "She was a prisoner." "I blame myself." "I wish I had done more to stop him." "Forgive me, Mr Taransky." "I'm just trying to understand here." "Now, all these films and TV appearances and magazine covers and Internet interviews, publicity photos, snapshots from her childhood... all fake?" "Hmm?" "This is fake?" "This is fake?" "Fake, fake, fake, fake, fake." " All fake?" " Yes." "You understand perfectly." "So I will confess... to fraud, but not to murder." "And a fan club with a worldwide membership in the millions, that's also bogus?" "No." "No." "The fan club's real." "It's just what they were worshipping is a computer code." "Ones and zeroes." "You couldn't have killed Simone because there was no Simone." " Right." "Exactly." " And this 'Hank Aleno' that you keep talking about, renowned failure who also happens to be so conveniently dead." "Now, perhaps this man that you claim helped invent Simone, is an invention himself." "Oh, no." "No." "This whole thing is insane!" "There is no Simone!" "Look..." "even her name is fake." "It's not Simone." "It's 'Sim one'... see?" "'Simulation one'!" "It's a computer code!" "You really hated her, didn't you?" "Perhaps you could explain this to me, Mr Taransky." "Or is this tape doctored, too?" "This is footage from the marina's closed-circuit camera on the night in question..." "altered of course." "Can you tell us why you're disposing of the body of a woman who doesn't exist?" "Well, it's not her body." "It's her body..." "of work." "Viktor, Viktor, Viktor." "Viktor, I know." "Look." "Look." "Look." "Why don't you just come clean?" "Huh?" "Just tell the truth, you're gonna feel better afterwards." "I'm telling the truth, and I don't feel so good." "Hey, we all know what happened." "In a fit of jealous rage, you killed Simone and you dumped her body off the boat..." " Don't say that." "...that she bought for you." "I did..." "I can prove..." "I can prove it to you." "Let me just take you there." "I'll take you to the spot." "I can prove it." "Here." "Here." "Come on." "We can just go there, can't we?" " Let's go." "I'll take you there." " Oh, Viktor." "Okay, good." "Thank you." "Good work." "Now you'll see." "What is this?" "No, there's drives and discs." "Where are the discs?" "You have to go back down and get them." " That's where they are." " We can't go back down there." " There's discs down there!" " Calm yourself!" " Please!" " Sit him down." "You must go down and get the drives." "Hey, you see what's down there?" "Plead guilty." "Plead guilty and throw yourself on the mercy of the court." "It's the best deal you're gonna get." "I could get the death penalty." "Yeah." "Yeah." "You certainly will if you go to trial." "A jury, in this kind of ugly mood... you killed an icon, for God's sake." " Bernard, listen to me!" " Viktor!" "Bernard, I didn't kill anyone." "Viktor, come on, it's in the paper." "There's no one to kill." "Bernard, I'm a filmmaker." "I was trying to say something." "I wanted recognition." "I wanted to be appreciated... so I created her." "Bernard, there's no one to kill." "Do you understand?" "An insanity defence." "Beautiful." "Fantastic." " What are you doing?" " 'I created her. '" "Viktor!" "Jesus!" "Jesus Christ, Viktor!" "What am I doing?" "Oh, what am I doing?" " Get me out!" " Viktor!" "Get me another lawyer." "I want another lawyer!" "Why can't people just take responsibility for their actions anymore, huh?" "You know, I can almost forgive him for killing her." "But to deny her existence?" "I can never forgive that." "Because obviously she existed, right?" "I know it just as surely as you're sitting there." "She was the most vital woman I ever met." "So you did meet her?" "Yeah..." "Lainey, what are you getting at?" "I'm the head of a major studio." "Do you think I'm gonna make a three-picture deal with an actress I never met?" "No." "No." "I mean, really meet her..." "like in the flesh?" "I know it's embarrassing to admit it, Mum, but when I think about it honestly, I haven't." "I've never really seen Simone up close... touched her." "Been in her physical presence." "Have you?" "We don't want to believe Daddy because we don't want to believe that we were taken in too." "But, Lainey... there's no evidence that Simone isn't real." "Listen to what you're saying, Mum." "I mean, is there any evidence that she is?" "Do you have any idea what you're doing?" " What's that?" " Part of Dad's story may be true." "Simone may have contracted a virus." "Certain viruses can be cured." "I have no idea what you're talking about." "Listen to me." "There's a psychiatrist in Ventura, well-respected, who is willing to testify under oath that you have diminished capacity... due to the trauma of your divorce," "10 years of abject failure in the movie business and a bump on the head you sustained as a child." "No more." "I can't go along with this horseshit." " Come on, Viktor." " I did it." "No." "No." "Viktor, come on." " Tell them they can fry me." " No, Viktor, please." " I did it!" " Viktor, please." "It was premeditated!" " Can you please lower your voice?" " I strangled her..." "I bludgeoned her..." "I set her on fire, and then I killed her!" " I did it!" " Excuse me." "I think you better see this." "Breaking news..." "international media star Simone is alive and well." "Her studio released this footage, just minutes ago." "Simone reading today's edition of 'The LA Times. '" "Who says the only bad publicity is your obituary?" "Details at the top of the hour." "She's indestructible." "He's coming." "Viktor." "Oh, Viktor." "Oh, honey." "I don't know what you did or how you did it," " But thank you." " Well, it was Lainey." "But don't thank us too fast." "You know what we have to do now?" "What?" "Well, why stop at one character when you can have a whole cast?" "You have to finish what you started." "We can do it together." " Haven't we done enough?" " Could we go, please?" "Where are we going?" "Well, I was thinking... how about you and Simone, moving in with me and Lainey?" "That's wonderful." " What do you think, Lainey?" " About you and Mum?" "Well, about me and Simone... what I did... everything." "I'm sorry." "Your mistake wasn't making something fake, Dad." "We're fine with fake..." "as long as you don't lie about it." "Oh, come on, Viktor." "It's not a death sentence." "No." "It's life." "Hey, Viktor, remember us?" "We probably never met." "I'm Milton." "How are you?" "Max Sayer from 'The Echo. '" " Hi!" " It's life." "Just call." "Five minutes." "All we need is five minutes." "Good evening, and welcome." "Simone, the question on everybody's mind is simply... 'Why?" "'" "Frank, you know as well as I do, living in this fish bowl... the insatiable appetite of the media... with everything that was going on in my life," "I just needed to drop out of sight for a while." "I needed time, and Viktor bought me that time." " I owe him so much." " We all do." "But now I understand you're eager to get back to work, and it's not the kind of work we were all expecting." "It's true." "I can reveal I am considering a career in politics." "And what, may I ask, brought this on?" "I suppose this little man had something to do with it." " That beautiful baby?" " Yes." "You see, Viktor and I are both very concerned about what kind of world our new son, 'Chip, ' is going to grow up in." "Aren't you, Viktor?" "Oh, yes." "Hi." "Oh yes." ", ' Looking out on the morning rain, '" ", ' I used to feel so inspired, '" ", ' And when I knew I had to face another day, '" ", ' Lord, it made me feel so tired, '" ", ' Before the day I met you, '" ", ' Life was so unkind, '" ", ' You're the key to my peace of mind, '" ", ' 'Cause you make me feel, '" ", ' You make me feel, '" ", ' You make me feel like a natural woman, '" ", ' When my soul was in the lost and found, '" ", ' You came along to claim it, '" ", ' I didn't know what was wrong with me, '" ", ' Till your kiss helped me name it, '" ", ' Now I'm no longer doubtful to what I'm living for, '" ", ' And if I make you happy, I don't need to do more, '" ", ' 'Cause you make me feel, '" ", ' You make me feel, '" ", ' You make me feel like a natural woman, '" ", ' Woman, '" ", ' Oh, baby, what you've done to me, '" ", ' Done to me, '" ", ' You made me feel so good inside, '" ", ' Good inside, '" ", ' And I just wanna be, '" ", ' Wanna be, '" ", ' Close to you, you make me feel so alive, '" ", ' 'Cause you make me feel, '" ", ' You make me feel, '" ", ' You make me feel like a natural woman, '" ", ' You make me feel, '" ", ' You make me feel, '" ", ' You make me feel like a real..., '" ", ' You make me feel, '" ", ' Feel like I'm real..., '" ", ' You make me feel like a real..., '" "She likes chicken pot pie... just like me."