Troy Armitage's New Girlfriend Revealed at the Premiere of His Latest Film! By Brad Ja, Variety

  Troy Armitage needs no introdu. Anyone even slightly familiar with the movie business would know the young man who charmed the world with his portrayal of [Harry Potter]. Even before that, he became a household name as the kid who sees dead people in [The Sixth Sense]. Even if you haven't seen his films, you've probably entered his Crocs ads—the ohat shook the world and ht turhe former child star into a teehrob.

  Thanks to his sary from [Harry Potter] and savvy iment decisions, Troy is now the richest self-made teenager in the world and the third richest actor overall, behind Jerry Seinfeld and Tom Cruise.

  But Troy isn't tent to rest on his urels. He seems determio prove he's not just a pretty face with a multi-million-dolr bank at but also a gealented actor. With his wealth, Troy founded an indie film studio, Phoenix Studios, which has produced three films to date—all starring him.

  [The Perks of Being a Wallflower], which released earlier this year, grossed an astonishing 339 million against a modest 11 million budget. Troy's performance received rave reviews. Even more impressive, the profits from the film were donated eo a foundation supp victims of child sexual abuse.

  Troy's other uping project is an inal movie musical, featuring all-new songs, sted for release ter this year.

  And then there's [Brick], the third film Troy worked on this year—a movie that stunned audiences and critics alike by winning the Grand Jury Award at this year's Sundance Film Festival. Made on a sh 1 million budget, the film has been widely hailed as a masterpiece for its iive storytelling.

  Rumors had swirled about Troy dating Emma Watson, his [Harry Potter] co-star, but those were ter debunked.

  (Two photos side-by-side: one of Troy and Rihanna walking the red carpet at the LA premiere of [Brick], and another, slightly grainy, of the two kissing o of [Little Miss Sunshine], presumably taken by a paparazzo from afar.)

  The real story? Troy is dating Rihanna, an up-and-ing singer from Barbados who was signed by Jay-Z's record bel earlier this year. She released her debut album, Music of the Sun, just st month, and it's already a hit, with tens of thousands of records sold.

  This pairing is nothing short of electric—a power couple in the making, destio domihe worlds of film and musi the years to e.

  (Break)

  "So," Tobias asked, "do you like it?"

  I set dowest edition of Variety that Tobias had handed me earlier.

  "The photo with Rihanna doesn't look good enough," I pointed out.

  "I didn't take it," Tobias said defensively, as if that absolved him.

  "I still 't believe we leaked the set photo of Rihanna and me," I grumbled. Some aspects of showbiz I could accept freely, but this wasn't one of them.

  A paparazzo had she photo of Rihanna and me kissing o and then had the o offer it to bae for a price. We didn't buy it—not at first. But the situation got me thinking. If the photo was bound to surfayway, why not use it to steer the narrative? So, we paid 50,000 for it and re-sold it to Variety on the dition they run it alongside a puff piece. This was the result.

  "Teically, we didn't leak it. Warner did," Tobias crified. "So even if it gets out, we won't be bmed."

  "Same thing," I waved him off. "To answer your earlier question, yeah, this is perfect. Though, they didn't have to mention how rich I am."

  "It's a versation starter," Tobias defended. "It'll get people talking about you, then they'll be curious about you, aually, they'll want to see your movie. It's the perfect promotion strategy."

  I didn't respond immediately. [Bribsp;was a far cry from my usual films, and it needed all the publicity it could get. The fact that Warner was releasing it uheir subsidiary, Warner Indepe Pictures, instead of their main banner didn't help. While [The Perks of Being a Wallflower] was a crowd-pleaser, [Bribsp;catered to a niche audieneo-noir wasly a thriving genre, and a high-school setting wasn't going to win over older viewers.

  Warner's marketing budget for the film was modest. They po rely heavily on word-of-mouth and open it in limited theaters, expanding the release only if initial reas were strong—a strategy I actually agreed with.

  "What are you thinking?" Tobias interrupted my thoughts.

  "Nothing," I said, shaking my head. "Just about the interviews I'll have to do for the film. Do you have my press tour itinerary?"

  Tobias nodded. "Of course. We'll all the interviews in LA in three days, theo New York for two days, and finish with two days in London. After that, you'll have a week to rest before filming for [Harry Potter] begins."

  "That's a pretty short press tour," I noted. "But it makes sense."

  Most of my press tours sted two to three weeks, spanning North America, Europe, and tries like Japan and Australia, where I had signifit fanbases.

  "Hmmm," Tobias agreed. "Now get ready. You're scheduled to appear on The Ellen DeGeneres Show in a couple of hours."

  "Ugh," I groaned. "Why her?"

  "Because her show is the seost-watched daytime talk show after Oprah, and Oprah's booked until week. Ellen's our best option."

  I grimaced but didn't argue. Ellen hadn't wronged me personally, but something about her just rubbed me the wrong way. Must be my future knowledge of her behavior.

  (Break)

  MovieBuffGeek: Holy effing shit! Did someone else see Troy's new girlfriend? The girl is dayummmmnn hot. He is one lucky dog.

  ArmitageArmy: Are you serious!? Any girl in the world would bend over backward to get a ce to date Troy. He's handsome, super rich, and the best actor in the world his age. Rihanna is lucky to even be in the same photo as him, let aloe him.

  TroyFan_88: I don't uand what he saw in her. She is so mid. Emma Watson was so much better than Rihanna!

  LunaBliss: Why!???!!!? I waroy for myself! But now I have to pete with her of all people? She's not eveiful :'(

  MovieBuffGeek: Calling Rihanna ugly is like callih ft. Say whatever you want about them as a couple, but don't say shit about Riri!

  SereneDreamer: I 100% agree with @LunaBliss. Rihanna is pretty average. She is okay-ish, but not good enough for someone like Troy. By the way, how did the two eve?

  icalScribe: Acc to inside sources, Troy and Rihanna shot a musical film together and fell for each other during it. They're saying the film will release ter this year along with Troy's first album! I 't wait for it.

  TroyFan_88: Holy shit! How did I miss that!? I 't wait for Troy to release a full album! I always wao hear one from him ever since he dropped 't on Me' ages ago.

  RedPillRevealer: Are we sure that this is not some publicity stunt? Because Troy vely outed his retionship right when his film is about to release.

  SocialJusticeStan: I will totally watch his film! That film got the top award at Sundance Film Festival, and the critics are raving about it. I don't even care if they use some shady practices to promote it. By the way, I love Troy and Ri together.

  TinfoilHatExpert: What I don't uand is why the hell Troy dating a bck girl? Are all the beautiful girls extinct? It's a proven fact that bck girls aren't as beautiful as white girls. Heck, even bck guys secretly want to fuck white girls. And here's one of the richest guys who deliberately went for lesser?

  TinfoilHatExpert has been banned by the moderators for 24 hours.

  SweetStone: People like @TinfoilHatExpert are bigots who 't look beyond the race of a person. Thank you, moderators, for blog him. Troy and Rihanna are perfect for each other. I worked with the two on the film, a me say this: they both are extremely hardw and wonderful people. I'm happy for them.

  icalScribe: Woah! We have an insider. Let's check their legitimacy. What is the story of the film about, @SweetStone?

  SweetStone: It's a rom-usical film produced by Troy. The highlight of the film will be Troy's songs. He wrote and sang most of the musi the film AFAIK, and it is magical.

  SocialJusticeStan: we rather talk about [Brick] instead? @SweetStone, were you als on [Brick] si was also produced by Troy? If yes, give us some iories, pretty please!

  SweetStone: I did work on that film as well, and it's so good. As for iories, Troy and his co-star Emily were getting pretty close while shooting. But I guess it didn't go anywhere. What I say for sure is that Troy is the most genuine and helpful person I've ever met. He doesn't have an ounce of ego, and anyone o could go to him for help—he'd urn them away.

  TroyFan_88: Wait a minute! I checked IMDb. That girl is Emma Stone, right? And you're SweetStone? ve, eh?

  SweetStone: I wao go with "stoner" since I love weed a lot, but that name was already taken, so I removed an "r." It really is a ce.

  ArmitageArmy: I guess what they say about Hollywood and drugs is true then.

  (Break)

  Robert Pattinson burst into ughter beside Emily as soon as he read the st message.

  "Really?" he asked. "That's the best you could e up with?"

  Emily shrugged. "They almost guessed my identity. I had to say something!"

  Rob grinned. "Then maybe you shouldn't have picked a s name so close to your real one. Who knows? Maybe the founder of your family was really a stoner. I have to ask though, did you have to start rumors about yourself and Troy?"

  "Isn't that what everyone ,does in Hollywood?" Emily said with a nervous ugh before ging the topic. "How did your audition go?"

  Rob shook his head, his expression turning more serious. "Meh, I'm not getting that role. But fet about that. How do you feel about this? You didn't get to promote the film."

  "They're not promoting it as heavily because this isn't a blockbuster-type film," Emily expined. "They're doing a slow release, letting word-of-mouth build it up over time. And no one really knows me yet, so Troy's doing the heavy lifting on the marketing."

  "Alright then," Rob said, standing up and stretg. "e o's go, or we'll be te for [Brick]."

  "I've already seen it," Emily pointed out. "Twice. O Sundand o the LA premiere."

  "But I haven't," Rob tered, grabbing her hand and pullio her feet.

  Emily rolled her eyes but didn't resist. Together, they walked out to her car.

  (Break)

  "We have a treat for our viewers today," Ellen announced, her tone pyful as she looked out at the excited crowd. "Please wele the you superstar in the world, extremely handsome, and no longer single—Harry Potter himself, Troy Armitage!"

  The audieed in cheers as I stepped onto the set of The Ellen Show. I waved at them with a broad smile, soaking in their energy, before making my way to Ellen. We exged a friendly hug before I settled into the chair adjat to hers.

  "Wele to the show," Ellen said once I was seated. "This is your sed time here!"

  The appuse from the audience was still going strong, but I was used to this kind of reception by now.

  "Thank you for having me," I replied, gng at the crowd. "This audience is something else. I haven't had a wele like this in ages."

  Ellen chuckled. "Of course, they're great. But isn't this just your normal life? Wherever you go, people must feel like they know you."

  "It be a little jarring," I admitted, "but it's also one of my favorite things about this profession—eg with people."

  Ellen leaned in with a mischievous smile. "Speaking of people you've ected with, I've heard a little rumor about a certain Barbadian singer."

  The mention of Rihanhe audieo a frenzy.

  I couldn't help but ugh. "I think it's safe to say it's no longer a rumor."

  Ellen's eyes twinkled with curiosity. "Go on, tell us how you two met."

  "We shot a film together," I expined. "It's set to release ter this year. When I met her, she was so calm and fident, ag as if she didn't know me at all. That intrigued me. Once we started talking, I realized she's incredible. Just perfee."

  Ellen turo the audience. "Ladies, take note: if you want to date Troy, ignore him. That's the trick!"

  The audience burst into ughter, and I chuckled along. But before I could respond, the side table between our chairs suddenly sprang open. Out jumped a grotesque-looking , shouting something unintelligible as it tried to scare me.

  Tried being the keyword here.

  I was a little surprised by his sudden appearance, but I didn't reauch. I had heard about Ellen's infamous scare pranks and had prepared myself mentally. Without hesitation, I grabbed the by the throat and judo-flipped him onto the floor.

  "Aahh," the man groaned as he hit the ground. I reacted pletely out of my instincts. It had been drilled into me relentlessly by my tutor. But as soon as I did it, I regretted it immediately. I hope his injuries won't be too bad and he'd be fine in a day or two. After a few moments, I looked up at the host of the show.

  Ellen stared at me, her mouth agape, while the audience went wild. Laughter, cheers, and appuse filled the room as the scrambled to his feet areated backstage.

  I brushed off my hands and sat back down, unfazed. "So," I said, voice steady, "we were talking about my movie."

  Ellen blinked, regaining her posure. "No, we weren't! What the hell was that?"

  "I've been learning self-defense since I was very young," I expined casually. "I was bullied in school, so I adopted one philosophy: if someoacks me, I attack back."

  Ellen turo her producers and said, "Make a note. ime, we aren't sg Troy at all."

  The audiend I ughed in unison at her quip.

  Theurned bae. "So, your film [Brick] is releasing iers this week. Tell us what it's about."

  I smiled—finally, something I really wao talk about.

  "It's one of the best films I've ever worked on," I said fidently. "My character, Brendan, is a high school kid caught up in some shady things happening at his school. He discovers that his ex-girlfriend has been murdered and is determio find out who did it and why. To know what he uncovers and how, you'll have to watch the movie."

  "I io," Ellen said with a nod before turning to the audience. "[Brick] is out on limited release iers. Go grab a ticket before they're all sold out, because ohing I know for sure is that this guy"—she poi me—"sells tickets like crazy."

  I chuckled good-naturedly, waving at the crowd o time as the shoed up.

  "Cut!"

  As soon as I heard the cue, I quickly removed my mid got up.

  "Are you okay?" Ellen asked. "You seem to be in a hurry."

  "I am in a hurry. You e along if you want," I said, walking backstage. Ellen didn't follow me right away, but I didn't care—I had something important to do.

  "Is everything okay, Troy?" A man, probably a producer on the show, asked worriedly.

  "Where's the guy who tried to scare me?" I asked. "I o make sure he's okay."

  "There's no need," he said, trying to pcate me. "He's fine."

  "Regardless, I o see him," I insisted.

  He hesitated for a moment before nodding and leadio ay room. A man was lying on his front, shirtless, his back slightly red but not badly ihe stra part was that not a single person was near him to make sure he was okay. What kind of workpce is this?

  "Hey," I called out. "I'm so sorry about that stunt earlier. I reacted a little too excessively. Are you okay, um...?"

  He looked me in the eye fidently. "Emile. And yeah, I'm okay. Hazard of the job, I guess."

  Before I could say more, Ellen walked in, followed closely by my assistant.

  "There you are," Ellen said to me. "What was so important?"

  I poi the man lying in front of me, who was now looking away, not meeting anyone's eyes as if he were ashamed.

  "He'll be fine," Ellen assured me. "We have excellent insurance, and um… his tract explicitly says he 't sue us or uests for injuries."

  "His name is Emile," I said before turning to Tobias. "heless, Tobias, make sure Emile sees a good doctor and knows how sorry I am for his injuries."

  "Of course," Tobias said with a nod, catg my meaning.

  As I left the studio for my interview, I couldn't help but wonder why Ellen seemed so ed about wsuits. It hadn't even crossed my mind. Sure, I'd still make sure Emile got some extra money, and Tobias would probably have him sign an agreement not to sue, but that was sedary.

  I guess the saying is true—no one in Hollywood is truly good.

  _____________________________________________

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