OUTRAGEOUS: PART THREE
GUESS who?
Synopsis: Vickie Lynn adjusts to her new name, Anna Nicole Smith, and the global frenzy that is life as both the leading GUESS model and Playmate of the Year. Anna enjoys her new relationship with the paparazzi, but like most of her romances, it sours quickly.
January 1993
RuPaul’s hit song Supermodel (You Better Work) blares through a montage of Vicki Lynn’s new life as ANNA NICOLE SMITH.
It’s glamorous. It’s global. It’s a gosh-darn dream come true.
Anna flies first-class to New York City with Marciano and the girls and gays of GUESS.
Marciano checks them all into a luxury hotel. Anna can’t believe the elevator, let alone her suite.
Anna loves her bed full of roses, but she wishes she had someone to enjoy it with…
Swigging cold champagne in the prettiest glass she’s ever held, Anna hears a knock.
“We’re all partying in our room,” a striking GUESS guy says.
He leads her down the hall and unlocks the door to reveal a room full of her new colleagues.
“There she is!” one exclaims when Anna tip toes in.
“Whatcha want gorgeous? Vodka? Cigarette? Joint? All three? Me too?” a zany woman asks.
“We’re drugging Isaac until he stops talking about work,” a guy jokes, kissing Anna’s cheeks.
“Don’t mention this to Paul,” another lady whispers to Anna. “We’re hiding from him.”
Anna watches in awe.
“Y’all are so cool,” Anna says. “So not country.”
“You’re the talent babe, we’re just the BTS,” a guy says. “You’re Cinderella, we’re the mice.”
We watch them all dance to Janet Jackson, try on clothes and drink shots.
The next morning, Anna and the team prep for “Boxing,” her first global campaign with GUESS.
“This is my first commercial,” Anna tells the makeup artist.
She waits for a response but doesn’t get one.
“This is like a real movie set,” Anna gazes off at the huge team working.
The makeup artist grabs Anna’s chin and angles it back toward her.
“You know it’s gonna all be black and white right?” Anna asks. “Like Raging Bull.”
The makeup nods once. Anna stares at herself in the mirror.
“I missed that one. But I saw Goodfellas,” Anna says. “Ray Liotta’s hot. He’s got ‘fuck me’ eyes.”
The makeup artist says nothing, powders Anna’s face with surgical focus and precision. She pivots Anna’s chair away from the mirror toward the light.
Bathed in light, Anna sits with her eyes closed and gets her shadow done.
Once the makeup artist finishes Anna up, her tone lifts. She spritzes Anna’s face with hair spray.
“You’re all done gorgeous,” she says, suddenly sweet.
Anna spins around and opens her eyes. ASTONISHED in front of the mirror.
“Thank you so much,” Anna tells the artist.
Anna grabs her hand.
“You’re like, a real painter,” Anna tells her. “I’ve never felt so happy looking into a mirror.”
“You’re stunning,” the artist says. “I just played with the light to show you what’s already there.”
“I can’t even keep talkin’ bout it,” Anna says into the mirror. “Because I’ll cry and ruin it.”
On set in the boxing ring, Anna’s sexual charisma dominates the space.
Cameras roll on the hot boxer with laser focus. Then Anna saunters in, pearls around her neck.
Marciano watches with glee. An assistant director calls cut and everyone claps.
Anna may be a model, but she feels like a movie star.
Marciano and GUESS take everyone to a club. Bottle service in Manhattan.
Waitresses bounce toward them with champagne bottles brimming with fire.
“There’s fireworks in the champagne?” Anna asks Marciano.
“They’re sparklers, babe,” Marciano flirts. “Like you.”
The next day, Anna calls the GUESS stylist’s room.
“G’morning sweetheart. Wanna come to Times Square with me?” Anna asks.
“Why?” he asks. “Buying smack?”
“I want to see the Empire State Building! And all the old theaters,” Anna says.
Then she adds:
“And my billboard’s up! From my first shoot with Paul in Houston.”
“Oh yeah, yeah, yeah,” he remembers. “Congrats. But we’re shooting menswear all day.”
“Oh wow,” Anna says. “But we went to bed at 5 a.m.”
“We’ve gotten used to it,” he says. “You will too. See you later, maybe, OK?”
Alone, Anna meets her driver in front of the hotel and directs him to Times Square.
She cranes her neck out and spots herself on the billboard. HUGE! Hay in her mouth.
“There I am!” she squeals. “Look! It’s me!”
She jumps out of the car and paces toward the billboard. Past junkies, cops, tourists.
Anna stands underneath the massive vertical billboard and gazes up at herself.
“Thank you God,” she whispers. Happy tears roll down her cheeks.
Finally, a nerdy English couple locks eyes with her. Just when she thinks she’s being recognized…
“Miss, would you please take our photo?” a woman asks.
“It’s our honeymoon!” the guy squeals.
“Awwww,” Anna squeals. “Ok, get real close.”
They pose and she snaps their photo on a fancy film camera.
“Ok, now kiss!” Anna instructs.
They giggle and kiss as she snaps another pic.
“Thank you!” they say in unison.
Before she loses them, Anna asks them to return the favor.
“Hey, would y’all mind taking my picture too? I’m on that billboard,” Anna says.
She whips out her disposable, green Fujifilm camera and points to the GUESS ad.
“Of course!” the woman says. “Let’s each take one and you decide which is better.”
Anna finds a less crowded place to pose but people keep crossing.
“It looks great,” the woman yells as she snaps her pic.
The man takes his photo of her then gives her a thumb’s up.
“Thank you so, so much,” Anna yells. “Now I can show my son.”
“What’s your name?” the woman asks.
“Vickie,” Anna says, extending her hand.
“Congratulations Vickie,” the woman says. “We’ll watch out for you, best of luck modeling!
“Thank you!” Anna beams. “Congratulations! Best of luck being married! Keep kissing!”
“Thank you Vickie!” they sing and walk away.
“Oh,” Anna yells out. “Actually, my name is Anna! Anna Nicole Smith! Nice to meet you!”
She waves goodbye.
Montage: Anna strides through Times Square enamored, unbothered by its grit. She eats a slice of NYC pizza and slurps sauce off her red manicured nails. Buys “I <3 NYC” souvenirs for Daniel. Ducks into the Playpen sex shop and buys a Hitachi Magic Wand vibrator. Peeks into the seedy Peep-O-Rama theater and pays to watch a woman for a few minutes.
When she reaches the theaters on 42nd Street, she reads each marquee aloud as she strolls:
“LIFE IS NOT A REHEARSAL”
“DEVIANTS ARE SACRIFICED TO INCREASE GROUP SOLIDARITY”
Anna is oblivious to the pimps, prostitutes and drug dealers around her as she absorbs each statement.
“A SINGLE EVENT CAN HAVE INFINITELY MANY INTERPRETATIONS”
“ENSURE THAT YOUR LIFE STAYS IN FLUX”
“SAVOR KINDNESS BECAUSE CRUELTY IS ALWAYS POSSIBLE LATER”
(In 1993, the iconic American text artist Jenny Hozler took over the theater marquees on 42nd street with her “Truism” and “Survival” series. This is what Anna’s seeing.)
“Ensure that your life stays in flux,” Anna repeats throughout the streets of NYC.
Back at her hotel, Anna embraces all it has to offer. Milk and cookies delivered to her room. Dirty laundry picked up for someone else to clean. Fresh towels and replenished toiletries.
We see Anna on the phone with Sandi, glowing as she discusses her new life.
“I swear to God it feels so good,” Anna says. “You don’t even have to move your hand.”
“Don’t go replacing me with plastic,” Sandi says.
“Come here and let me watch you try it,” Anna says.
“I can’t,” Sandi says. “You know I can’t.”
“The buildings are so high here, it’s crazy,” Anna says. “I really want you to see them.”
“I can’t take time off work,” Sandi reminds her.
“What if I hired you? You could be my personal assistant,” Anna says. “You already know me so well. You’d be perfect for the job!”
Sure enough, Sandi hops on a flight.
Dressed in her K-mart khakis, with her hair buzzed short, Sandi presents as masculine as ever.
But when she arrives in NYC, the car that awaits her at the airport is full of a team of strangers.
“Where’s Anna?” Sandi asks.
“You’ll see her after your….makeover,” one of the women tells Sandi.
A guy in the back measures Sandi’s neck with soft tape.
“I’m just supposed to let you strangle me?” Sandi asks. He moves on to measuring her head.
Next thing you know, we’re on set with GUESS and a new team member stands with the gang…
It’s Sandi. In a long, red wig. And lipstick. And fake eyelashes. And a skirt-suit. Heterosexual drag!
Sandi holds a clipboard and watches Anna at work in front of the camera.
“All this attention makes me feel like myself,” Anna tells Sandi during a break.
Sandi tries to grab her hand but Anna bats it away, oblivious to how uncomfortable Sandi feels.
“My life is finally beautiful and people finally believe in me,” Anna says. “They say I’m good.”
Back in Anna’s hotel room, Anna and Sandi roll around in bed.
“Thank you,” Anna tells Sandi. “I love to cum.”
“I love your body,” Sandi tells Anna. “And you.”
Anna strokes Sandi’s arm.
“How come you don’t have any tattoos?” Anna asks.
“I’m afraid I guess,” Sandi says. “I don’t like pain.”
“How come you don’t have a tattoo of me?” Anna asks.
“Oh, is that what you want?” Sandi giggles, tickling her crazy girlfriend.
We cut to them flying private with GUESS. Sandi and Anna sit together. As colleagues, not GFs.
They disembark the plane in Miami and Anna howls wildly under the hot rain.
The next day they shoot a new campaign -- an ode to Scarface at an oceanside mansion.
After they wrap, everyone goes dancing at Twist, Miami’s favorite gay bar. Drinks all around.
Sandi smokes cigs on the dance floor alongside her new colleagues. All is well until….
Sandi tries to hold Anna at her waist and dance closely. Anna scurries away toward the others.
Sandi and Anna return to their hotel room after the club. Quiet.
Sandi and Anna both take off their dresses. Anna wears lacy lingerie underneath. Sandi wears white Hanes boxers and a matching tank top.
“I never thought I could get sick of looking so good all the time,” Anna says. “But the shoes hurt me and the makeup breaks me out. It really is like dirt on my face.”
Sandi scowls at Anna. Silent.
“Ok, what?” Anna asks. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Even in the gay club we can’t be gay? We met in a gay bar! It’s just wrong,” Sandi says.
“I appreciate everything you’re doing for me,” Anna says.
“Did your agents tell you you can’t be seen with a bulldyke if you want to be a star?” Sandi asks.
“No,” Anna snaps. “But I’m not a fucking idiot. It was my idea to dress you up, for your own good.”
“No, for your own good!” Sandi roars. “I’m tired of feeling like I’m fucking crazy!”
“Don’t you want the best for me?” Anna cries. “You really want to leave me all alone?”
“I can’t be someone I’m not,” Sandi says. “Not like you, Anna.”
We cut to Anna’s GUESS billboards being erected around the world. In every major city. Los Angeles, Miami, Paris, Milan, London, Barcelona, Tokyo and more….
During a fitting at GUESS, Marciano visits with Anna as the designer pokes and prods.
“Please, please, please, pretty please?” Anna begs Marciano.
“I know there’s real money there, but it’s never been part of our strategy before,” Marciano says.
“Well, make it part of your strategy now then! It’s time! Please,” Anna says. “For me.”
We cut to one more huge GUESS billboard being erected… in Houston, Texas, baby. Yee-haw!
At another fitting, Marciano and the designer catch up while Anna stands away on a phone call.
“She can barely fit into the size ten samples,” the designer says.
“Well, put her in a bigger size,” Marciano says.
“We don’t make a bigger size,” the designer says.
“Make the size she needs. And let’s sell it too,” Marciano says.
“But we’ll need to do new samples, new sizing,” the designer starts.
“She’s the GUESS girl, OK? We’re selling whatever she’s wearing. So real women see her in the jeans and then come buy them. What’s the fucking point otherwise?” Marciano asks.
“We could use another model,” the designer whispers.
Marciano points to printouts of Anna all over the room.
“Look at her,” he demands. “There’s only one of her and she’s ours. We made her! She looks like Marilyn Monroe, Anita Ekberg, Jayne Mansfield combined. What are her measurements?”
”39-27-39,” the designer says.
“Perfect,” Marciano says. “I’m calling her publicist. Let’s put them in the press. Promote them!”
Anna’s star continues to rise. We watch her work the talk show circuit. She chats with hosts like Arsenio and John Stewart with ease and charms everyone she meets.
We cut to Anna in Los Angeles. At the Playboy Mansion. With both Hef and Marciano.
“It’ll be a collaboration,” Hef explains. “GUESS meets Playboy.”
Anna bats her lashes.
“In celebration of all her magic,” Hef says. “The magic we first discovered.”
“I mean, it’s no secret I first saw her in your magazine,” Marciano says. “What do you want me to do, pay you a finder’s fee?”
“No, no, I’m just proud,” Hef says. “The GUESS look is great.”
“Together, it’ll be legendary,” Marciano says.
“How are you feeling darling?” Hef asks.
“I’m just super grateful for the both of you,” Anna says. “I just can’t believe it at all.”
“Well you’ve already got a cover and a centerfold right?” Hef asks. “And now you’re a supermodel. Now you’re gonna be our Playmate of the Year. If you’ll have us…”
“Stop it!” Anna screams. “Oh my god! Of course! Are you kidding?”
“Our 34th Playmate of the Year. Miss ‘93,” Hef says.
“Creative directed by GUESS,” Marciano adds.
Anna beams.
“I can’t wait to tell Daniel, oh my gosh,” Anna exclaims.
“Sure, sure,” Hef smiles. “As long as you don’t show him the pictures!”
We cut to the official Playmate of the Year ceremony on the mansion’s rolling lawn.
Anna takes the stage in full Marilyn cosplay from The Seven Year Itch, with that white halter dress and voluminous hair.
“First of all, we have a little check here for $100,000,” Hef tells her when she reaches the stage.
“Thank you,” Anna says and flashes the check for the audience to see. “That’s a big check!”
“Sitting out of the house is also a Jaguar XJS convertible in oyster metallic gold skin,” Hef says. “So here are the keys for that.”
Anna dangles the keys for the huge, seated crowd. “Thank you,” she says.
Hef grabs a big copper version of Anna’s Playmate of the Year cover.
“This is a tradition dating back to 1960,” Hef says. “Each year we give the Playmate a copper engraving of their cover.”
“Thank you,” Anna says.
Press gathers close and takes thousands of photos of Anna and Hef.
“I’m proud of you,” Hef whispers to her as the cameras flash. “Marilyn would be too.”
Anna excuses herself for a makeup touchup inside the mansion.
Her makeup artist, Alexis Vogel, powders her.
“If my first husband wasn’t abusive, I’d be barefoot and pregnant in Texas with five kids and no job,” Anna says. “Life is full of blessings in disguise, don't’ cha think?”
“You’d be the prettiest stay-at-home-mom in Limestone County,” Alexis says.
“You just never know,” Anna says. “The good can be bad and the bad can be good.”
Back outside, Anna poses in front of her new convertible, like Marilyn over the subway grate.
She hops in, insists Alexis do the same, and speeds toward Coldwater Canyon.
“I’m never driving in LA again,” Anna cackles. “So enjoy the ride!”
The next day, Anna celebrates Playmate of the Year with Daniel at a more age-appropriate wonderland than the Playboy Mansion -- Six Flags Magic Mountain.
Daniel suggests a small roller coaster but Anna insists on the new Batman ride.
“But that one has the biggest drops,” Daniel worries.
“We’ll survive,” Anna assures them.
We see them round the ride’s terrifying curves, then buying matching Looney Tunes merch and sharing a big funnel cake for breakfast.
Next, we follow Anna to film on her very first movie set. Her director? The Coen brothers. Her co-star? Paul Newman. Not bad right?
In her trailer, Anna runs lines very seriously.
“What are you waiting on Clarence, pop him one!” Anna says into the mirror.
She purrs like a kitty cat. Blows her lips. Stretches open her mouth.
“What are you waiting on Clarence, pop him one!” Anna says into the mirror. Again.
“What are you waiting on Clarence, pop him one!” Anna says into the mirror. Sexier this time.
“See, I have options,” Anna murmurs to herself. “I make choices. I’m a very creative person.”
A PA ducks their head in.
“We’re ready for you, Miss Smith,” the PA informs her.
Anna rises, glowing. Finally an actor headed to an actual movie set!
Next comes Live with Regis and Kathie Lee. Anna pinches herself backstage before the show.
“Well, maybe you don’t recognize the name, but I’m sure you recognize that sensuous look that’s been in hundreds of thousands of magazines as part of the latest GUESS ad campaign...They refer to her as the girl-next-door so how come none of my neighbors ever looked like her? Here she is… Anna Nicole Smith!,” Regis says.
Anna strolls out in white jeans and a black and white striped t-shirt, blonde hair bouncing.
“What a year you’ve had!,” Kathy Lee says.
“Oh yeah,” Anna smiles.
“So Marilyn Monroe has been your lifelong idol?” Kathy asks.
“Yes, I love her,” Anna says.
“Did people always tell you you look like her growing up?” Kathy asks.
“Some people, not many,” Anna says. “I don’t dress up very much. Well, I used to not dress up very much. Now I dress up all the time.”
“I heard you were a late bloomer,” Kathy says.
“Yep, I was straight as a board until I had my son, then I went boom, boom, boom,” Anna says.
“You’re quite the change for GUESS from the Claudia Schiffer type right?” Kathy asks. “Do you think there are a lot more people in the world who look like you than Claudia?”
“Definitely, I think um, a lot of women can relate to my size,” Anna says.
“I don’t think there are enough women that look like you,” Regis says. “Now what about your movie career, the inevitable movie career that follows?”
“Look how she starts with her very first film, opposite Paul Newman and Tim Robbins, not too bad,” Kathy says.
“I only had one line, but I got to growl like a cat in heat,” Anna says.
“What’s that sound like?” Regis and Kathy ask in unison.
Anna laughs.
“Rawrrr,” Anna purrs.
“I heard something good happened out of all this, you reconnected to your biological father after many years? Did he see a photo or something?” Regis asks.
“Right after 24 years,” Anna says. “No, uh, I went through a place called Birth Parents. They found him in one week. I’d never known him, but I called him. It was really emotional. We cried. Oh, it was so sad. Then I flew him to Los Angeles to meet me and he flipped out.”
“I bet he flipped out,” Regis jokes.
“He goes, ‘Oh my God, I’ve looked at you!’” Anna says. “In the Playboys.”
“Oh my god!” Kathy exclaims.
“Oh daddy, I’m home!” Regis jokes. “Thank you for coming by Anna.”
They shake hands and wrap up the segment.
Alone in the car leaving the studio, Anna answers her new mobile phone. It’s Sandi.
“Isn’t he a rapist? “Didn’t he fuck your mom’s little sister when she was ten?” Sandi asks.
“Don’t talk like that,” Anna demands.
“God forbid you’re a lesbian, god forbid you even know or stand next to a lesbian, but you can brag about finding your rapist-pedophile-hick father on national TV?” Sandi asks. “Fuck you.”
“Fuck you!” Anna roars and hangs up the phone.
Anna arrives back at her hotel and dashes off to the lobby bar.
“Too early for a drink?” Anna asks.
“Not here,” the bartender replies.
Anna orders herself a mimosa and then lets every man who offers buy her another.
We cut to Christmastime in Houston. Anna lays naked under a white fur blanket and masturbates like she knows she’s being watched.
We reveal her lover J. Howard Marshall watching her from his wheelchair under the Xmas tree.
As Anna orgasms, her cries turn into the faaa-fa-la-la-la-fa-la-la-la of her favorite Christmas hymn: “Gloria in Excelsis Deo” (“Angels We Have Heard On High”).
With the white fur wrapped around her, dragging like a gown’s train, Anna slinks over to J.Howard and rolls him beneath the mistletoe.
She sticks her fingers back into herself and then slips them into J.Howard’s mouth.
He sucks on them.
“Merry Christmas sugar booger,” Anna says.
She draws her hand back.
“I love how you taste Vickie,” J.Howard tells her.
Anna licks his little mouth with her big tongue.
“Me too,” she giggles.
The next morning, a housekeeper serves Anna and J.Howard breakfast in bed.
“Are you excited Daniel’s coming to stay later?” J.Howard asks.
“Yes,” Anna says. “If I hadn’t spent every single day with him the first few years, I’d be worried he wouldn't recognize me now. I guess I am worried he’ll be mad at me for leaving but--.”
“I’m sure he’s so proud,” J.Howard says. “I can’t wait to see him. And I’ve arranged a little surprise for you before he gets here.”
Anna hops out of bed.
“What could it possibly be?” Anna exclaims. She jumps around like a little girl.
We cut to a mack track pulling up to J.Howard’s house.
Anna eyes it from the patio.
“A truck?” Anna asks J.Howard. He doesn’t reply.
The truck rounds the bend and reveals the logo on its side: NEIMAN MARCUS
The driver hops out and opens up the back.
“Go see what’s inside,” J.Howard tells her.
She finds a miniature Neiman Marcus boutique in the back of the truck -- stocked with the latest in clothing, shoes, purses and jewelry. Models sit in featured designs and answer her questions.
Unsurprisingly, Anna wants it all. A sales rep fills out purchase form after form.
“I don’t get to bring anything in now?” Anna asks, sad.
“No, we are going to send over everything gift wrapped for Christmas,” the sales rep says.
“Wow, that is so nice of you,” Anna says. “My mom always called your store Neiman Mark-up. Growing up I only wore her hand-me-downs. So I really appreciate this.”
“We love doing business with Mr. Marshall,” the sales rep says tautly.
When Anna’s aunt drops Daniel off, Anna showers him with attention and J.Howard showers him with gifts.
“Ok, ok,” Anna interjects. “It’s not even Christmas yet.”
“He deserves it all,” J.Howard says. “Don’t you buddy?”
Daniel shakes his head “yes.” As cute as pie.
On Christmas morning, Daniel wakes up to the holiday of his dreams. Toys everywhere. Stacks of movies on VHS. Nike box on top of Nike box. Not to mention the wrapped gifts under the tree.
“The unwrapped gifts are from Santa,” Anna tells Daniel. “The wrapped ones are from Mommy.”
Anna and J.Howard hold hands as they watch Daniel open gifts.
Daniel unwraps carefully, appreciating the ornate wrapping and folding it up nicely.
“You better hurry up buddy or else we’ll be sittin’ here ‘till dinner,” Anna tells him. “Rip into ‘em.”
“There’s so many,” Daniel says. “So many presents! I’m taking it all in!”
Anna looks at J.Howard and says, “He’s my little old man.”
J.Howard giggles.
“He’s an old soul,” J.Howard says. “Like you.”
“There’s like 100 Beanie Babies in here!” Daniel screams into a gift box.
“I love seeing both of you happy,” J.Howard tells Anna. “You know what would be the best gift..”
“If we could all be a family?” Anna asks.
J.Howard nods “yes.”
“Aren’t we already?” Vicki asks.
“A GAMEBOY!” Daniel roars.
He runs over to Anna and J.Howard and throws his arms around them both in a big hug.
J.Howard gazes at Anna knowingly as Daniel hugs them tight.
The holiday only becomes more idyllic. We see the playing, feasting and merriment between the three of them. By night, Daniel and J.Howard both nod off during “Miracle on 34th Street.”
Anna slips out of bed and wanders into the living room. Admires the fireplace and listens to the Christmas radio station still playing on the radio. She turns it down real low. Just for her.
Judy Garland’s “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” plays. “Have yourself a merry little Christmas / Let your heart be light / Next year all our troubles will be out of sight.”
Anna cries as she listens. She calls Sandi and hears her answer, but hangs up before saying anything.
But before the New Year, Anna asks J.Howard’s driver to drop her at a friend’s house.
Anna knocks on the door of a humble apartment. Sandi opens the door. Anna sees the mess inside.
She grabs Sandi and they kiss.
We see them lounge on Sandi’s bed next. They drink wine coolers and pop muscle relaxers from a prescription bottle.
Sandi brings out her copy of Anna’s Playmate of the Year issue and they flip through together.
“It sold out in Mexia in five minutes, I swear to God,’ Sandi says. “Good thing I was first in line.”
“I can’t believe that,” Anna says. “I wish I could have seen all these bumkins looking at me.”
“You’re the prettiest woman I’ve ever seen in Playboy,” Sandi says.
“I get so lonely without you,” Anna says. “All alone, working all the time. I miss your mouth.”
“I miss you too,” Sandi says. “I want to show you something.”
She takes off her shirt and turns her back toward Anna. There it is…. A HUGE TATTOO OF ANNA’S FACE filling up Sandi’s entire right shoulder.
“Oh my gosh!” Anna squeals, eyes wide and thrilled about this dramatic gesture.
She takes her finger and traces the tattoo.
“It took dozens of hours and a couple of paychecks,” Sandi says. “But now you’re always with me.”
Something about Sandi’s romantic tone makes Anna flinch. She redirects her emotions.
“Why didn’t you get it bigger?” Anna asks.
“It’s huge,” Sandi says. “Any bigger and it would take up my whole back.”
Anna nods.
“Exactly,” Anna says. “That’s what I wanted.”
“What? I’m so confused,” Sandi says. Tears wet her eyes.
“I mean, it’s nice you tried,” Anna says. “But that’s not what I wanted.”
Now Sandi’s tears fall faster.
Anna pats Sandi’s shoulder half-heartedly.
“I’ve got to get back to Daniel,” Anna utters.
Sandi stands.
“And Paw-Paw,” Sandi snaps. “Why do you have to lie to me?”
“I’m not lying, you’re getting all crazy,” Anna says.
“Yeah I’m crazy enough to get your fucking face tattooed across my whole back!” Sandi yells. “And that isn’t even good enough for you! Who the fuck do you think you are Vicki Lynn?”
“Anna Nicole Smith,” Anna tells her curtly.
Anna gets up and gathers her things.
“I mean, if only I was a billionaire, right?” Sandi asks. “If only I had a dick, working or not.”
Anna hurries towards the door and Sandi follows her.
“Don’t you call me! And don’t just go showing up here out of nowhere ever again,” Sandi yells.
Anna flings open the door to her limo, still waiting there, and slams it on Sandi.
Out of Sandi’s sight, Anna lets herself sob.
On her porch, Sandi fires up a cig and ruins it with her falling tears. Stomps it out with her boot.
A couple weeks later, Anna enjoys a belated New Year’s BBQ with a couple of her aunts, uncles and cousins at her ranch. Camera crews for an entertainment news show film the reunion.
“It’s 65 degrees in Houston today which might as well be freezing to us,” Anna says. “Luckily I’ve been workin’ a lot in NYC so I’m gettin’ used to it.”
Anna’s uncle, a burly country type, mans the grill.
“We love to BBQ,” he tells the camera. “And we still call her Vicki!”
“That’s great, we’re gonna cut for just a minute,” the TV producer says. “Take five.”
Anna darts inside and finds her shady cousin Shelly eyeing the silver in the china cabinet.
“I don’t get it,” Shelly tells Anna. “If you’re so successful now, why do you need the old geezer?”
“Shhh,” Anna hushes her. “Shut your mouth. I love him, ok? He’s… he just loves me better than I ever could have dreamed. I finally know what it’s like to have a real family.”
“Aren’t we your real family?” Shelly asks. “Where is he anyway?”
Luckily, the producer interrupts them.
“We’re ready when you are, Anna,” the producer says.
“Ok, sure,” Anna says. “Just gonna pee real quick.”
“You got him hiding upstairs?” Shelly asks. “Can I go ask him for some money to fix my teeth?”
Anna flies into the restroom and slams the door.
“Anna, Anna, Anna,” Shelly says to the producer. “It just don’t sound right to me.”
Back outside, the cameraman picks up good ol’ country b-roll -- Anna kickin’ dirt in her boots, petting her dogs, chasing her chickens, brushing her horses, biting into a burger.
“At least I can say I had it once, if I lose everything tomorrow,” Anna says into the camera. “At least I can say I did something I wanted to do.”
“Great,” the producer says. “Cut.”
The film crew clears out. Anna’s staff rolls out her luggage. She squats down to face Daniel.
“I’m gonna miss you so much, pumpkinhead,” Anna tells Daniel. “I’ll call you everyday.”
“You better,” Daniel jokes. “I’ll miss you.”
“I love you more than anything in this world,” Anna tells him, squeezes him.
“I love you too mommy,” Daniel tells her, hugs her.
“Be a good boy for your Auntie and Uncle, ok? Like always,” Anna says.
Daniel nods.
Anna lets go and walks over to her limo.
Once inside, she rolls the window down and waves at Daniel.
As the driver starts the car, Anna calls out to Daniel:
“Who loves you baby?!”
Daniel smiles. Retracts. Embarrassed. Anna’s eyes widen like, “Hurry!”
Anna’s car begins to peel away.
“Mommy loves me!” Daniel shouts. “Mommy loves me!”
In Los Angeles, Anna checks into a suite at a West Hollywood hotel. Her phone rings.
“Light of my life?” J.Howard asks. He’s in bed at home.
“Hi, my love,” Anna says.
“I need to talk to my sleeping pill,” J.Howard says. “Or else I’ll be up all night.”
“Of course, Paw Paw. The flight was nice. I want to work nonstop while I’m here. Tomorrow’s the big signing meeting with William Morris,” Anna says.
“The oldest, biggest talent company we have in the U.S,” J.Howard says. “I’m so proud of you.”
“I’m just happy I didn’t have to dye my hair or starve myself like all the agents in Texas told me to,” Anna says.
“You’re too big for Texas,” J.Howard says.
“Isn’t Texas one of the biggest states?” Anna asks.
“Aren’t you one of the biggest stars in the world?” J.Howard asks. “The biggest star to me.”
“I love you baby,” Anna says. “Thank you for making me feel like I deserve all of this.”
“You do,” J.Howard says.
“I’m not always so sure,” Vicki admits.
“All this and more,” J.Howard says.
“I can’t wait for the day Daniel and I live together full time again,” Vicki says.
Before she can say anymore, she hears J.Howard snoring on the other line. She hangs up.
In LA, Vickie Lynn is nowhere to be found. But Anna Nicole Smith is everywhere….
Anna enjoys the swankiest and sexiest options the city offers her -- champagne at the Beverly Hilton, cocaine at the Chateau Marmont, burgers by the pool at the Roosevelt, and tequila shots in Beachwood Canyon, cheers-ing to the Hollywood sign and gazing at the big, pink sky.
She enjoys the spa and high tea at the Beverly Hills Hotel.
“I feel like Pretty Woman,” she tells the server there.
Anna lives it up. Dinner at Spago. Dancefloors in WeHo. Hot tubs in the hills. She goes all night.
At the Viper Room, she crushes painkillers with her thumbs and snorts the powder off her nails.
Makes out with one guy. Goes home with another. Wakes up all alone. Rinse and repeat!
She stands out everywhere she goes and paparazzi greet her every time she arrives or leaves.
“Anna Nicole!” the photographers yell. “Anna Nicole!”
“Are you sick of that yet?” some guy she’s out with asks Anna about the paparazzi.
“Are you kidding?” It’s a dream come true,” Anna tells him. They find seats at a hotel bar.
“Those guys are creeps,” he says. “They’re stalkers.”
“They’re just photographers,” Anna says. “Some of the nicest people I’ve met in Los Angeles have been paparazzi. Really, they’re just guys who know what people want to see.”
“Of course they’re nice to you,” he chuckles. “You’re just a Playmate to them.”
Anna smiles.
“Excuse me,” she says and heads toward the ladies room. But she keeps going, out the lobby.
Anna finds the cutest paparazzo and whispers something into his ear. Arm-in-arm, they strut down Sunset.
At sunrise one morning, Anna wakes up naked in a room she’s never been in before.
She looks for her clothes but sees nothing. No sign of what she wore or whose room this is.
She brings her palm to her forehead in worry and feels her hair.
“Why is my hair wet?” she whines to herself.
She stumbles out of the room, sheets around her. Finds a hot couple in suits drinking coffee.
“Who are you?” Anna asks them. “Why am I wet?”
“We gave you a bath after you, you know...” the wife says.
“Screwed you?” Anna asks.
“No, after that, when you vomited,” the husband replies. “I’m not gonna bill you for the rug.”
Anna pours sugar into one of their coffee cups and takes a sip. Sighs. Like it’s her house...
Hungover in a taxi on the way home, Anna spots the Rock and Roll Ralphs on Sunset and demands the driver pull over.
“I cannot,” he says.
“Please, please, pretty please,” Anna begs. “Keep the timer going I don’t care, drive around the parking lot if you want. I need to get something very, very, very important.”
The driver shrugs a sign of agreement and she runs inside.
She comes back out with a large cake in her hands. Gets in the car and removes its plastic top.
“It’s coconut-lemon,” she tells the driver. “Want some?”
He nods “no” and lights a cig.
Anna proceeds to eat the cake with her hands the whole way home. There’s no cake left when she gets to her hotel, but there are cake crumbs all over the backseat.
“Sorry ‘bout my mess,” Anna says. “I really love coconut cake.”
She hands him a $100 bill.
“I’ve seen you in the magazines,” the driver says. “But you’re even sexier in person.”
“Thank you,” Anna beams. Suddenly feeling a little less hungover…
Meanwhile in Sweden, a team of guys installs a gigantic, vertical billboard of Anna in H&M lingerie.
“You’re gonna do press for the H&M campaign,” one of Anna’s William Morris agents tells her in his sleek office. “With a focus on European markets.”
“Sure,” Anna says. “Where is an H&M?”
“Sweden,” he says.
Anna’s billboard hangs tall above a bustling intersection in Sweden. Billboard Anna looks down at them, her body stretched long for all to gawk at. And they do!
(This sequence is an ode to Fellini’s “Le tentazioni del dottor Antonio” portion of Boccacio ‘70. Anna as the larger-than-life Anita Ekberg character.)
Car after car slows down to get their fill of Anna. Goddess-like. Heaven-sent. These drivers, mostly men, go from bored and irritable to downright ecstatic once they lay eyes on Anna.
But one driver fails to recognize the slowdown. CRASH. Smacks into the car in front of him. CRASH. A gruesome pile-up forms as cars ricochet against one another. Blood seeps from wounds. CRASH.
The billboard from heaven creates a hellish scene. Blood splattered everywhere.
We cut to Anna’s bloody insides. She’s back on the operating table. This time in Beverly Hills. We see the doctor remove her breast implants and replace them with even larger silicone blobs.
Anna recovers alone in her hotel room, about a week after surgery. Prescription bottles everywhere. She grabs one and scans the label:
“ONE PILL EVERY SIX HOURS”
Anna pours six in her hand, swallows them dry then eyes the clock.
She grabs the room phone and dials a number by heart.
“I’ve got a lot,” Anna says. “If you want to come over. It’s my treat this time. 555.”
We cut to this hot, sketchy drug-dealer-lover of hers pounding on her door. No answer.
He keeps beating on the door.
“Shut up!” another guest yells from his room. “It’s too fuckin’ early.”
Finally, a hotel manager approaches.
“What’s going on here sir?” the manager asks.
“I’m visiting my friend,” he says. “She’s in there recovering from surgery.”
“I’ve been asked to check on her,” the manager says. “A man’s been calling. Paw Paw?”
The manager knocks. No answer.
“Are you sure she’s inside?” the manager asks. “I called from the lobby but no one answered.”
“She’s definitely in there,” the visitor says. “She’s all laid up in pain. Can’t move. Tits hurt.”
The manager uses his keycard to access the room.
He sees Anna in bed, eyes closed.
“Ma’am?” the manager asks.
He gets close enough to see her blue lips and the prescriptions. She’s passed out cold.
He rushes to her phone. Dials 911. Watches them put Anna into an ambulance.
Paramedics attend to her as they speed toward Cedars Sinai.
In the emergency room, a doctor administers a huge shot into her vein.
“Keep an eye on her,” he tells a nurse. “If her tolerance is as high it seems, she may require multiple doses to reverse the overdose.”
Anna lays in her hospital bed, all alone, nobody at her side.
Worried sick in Texas, J.Howard calls the hospital.
“I’m calling for Vickie Lynn, Anna Nicole,” J.Howard says.
“Hi again,” the nurse says. “She’s still not up. Are you family? If you are family, I can just call you when she wakes up.”
“Yeah…” J.Howard says. “I’m her --”
“Sir?” the nurse asks. “What is your relation to her?”
“I’m her grandfather,” J.Howard lies.
“Ok, sir,” the nurse says. “Just give me your number and I’ll keep you updated.
The next morning, Anna realizes where she is and calls for a nurse.
“Is anyone here for me?” Anna asks.
“No, but your grandpa keeps calling,” the nurse says.
Anna grabs the phone on her nightstand and calls J. Howard.
“What happened to you my love?” J.Howard asks. “Are you alright?”
“I’m sorry Paw-Paw,” Anna says. “I didn’t mean it. It was an accident.”
“I worry about you when you’re away from home.” J.Howard says. “I wish I could be there.”
“No, no, you need to worry about your own health,” Anna says. “You can’t just be flying around.”
“I wish I could go everywhere with you,” J.Howard says. “Just to protect you.”
“I love you,” Anna says. Tears beginning to fall.
“My boobs hurt too bad so I took too many pills,” Anna says. “I don’t want to die.”
She sobs.
“I really don’t want to die,” Anna says. “I need to be with Daniel. I love my son.”
“You’re a great mom,” J.Howard says. “What do you need?”
“I don’t know,” Anna cries. “I should be happy! I thought my life would be perfect once my dreams came true. But they did. And I’m still me,” Anna says. “Same old, fucked up me.”
“Fame doesn’t fix anything,” Anna says.
“Neither does money,” Marshall says.
“Tell that to my family,” Anna says.
“You tell it to mine,” Marshall says.
They both laugh.
“I’m so glad you’re ok,” J.Howard says.
“Me too,” Anna says.
The next day, Anna prepares to leave the hospital. A man in a business suit awaits her.
“Hi Anna,” she says. “I’m your new publicist.”
“What happened to my old publicist?” Anna asks.
“She doesn’t handle crisis management as well as me,” he says. “And you deserve the best.”
He leads Anna out into their limo and briefs her.
“I don’t even know you,” Anna says.
“I got you Marilyn’s old house in Brentwood,” the publicist says. “Not just for the interview, for the month. Maybe more. It’s perfect. You can swim. Get some sun. Hotels are too public.”
“Marilyn’s old house? Really? That’s amazing,” Anna says. “I thought I was gonna get punished, not rewarded.”
“Your punishment is going right into this interview. They flew here from Sweden and can’t keep pushing their trip back,” the publicist says. “She’s huge in Sweden. We love Sweden.”
Anna nods.
They arrive at the house in Brentwood, a small Spanish bungalow.
“Is this the one she bought after The Misfits?” Anna asks.
“Yes, exactly what the rental agent told me,” the publicist says.
“Her psychoanalyst told her it would be good for her to have her own space,” Anna tells him. “Instead of just living with guys all the time.”
Anna wanders in alone and feels a gust of wind rush over her. Goosebumps.
“Hi,” Anna says to the house. To Marilyn really…at least her spirit. She touches the cold walls.
Anna makes her way to the bathroom where her makeup artist Alexis prepares to get her ready.
Anna sits down in a director’s chair and closes her eyes. Alexis conceals Anna’s dark circles and defines her eyes. She detangles and curls her hair.
“You’re back, babe,” Alexis tells Anna.
Anna opens her eyes.
She looks better but feels the same.
“Thank you,” Anna tells Alexis.
“What do you need?” Alexis asks. “Can I get you some water? Chocolate?”
“I don’t need anything,” Anna assures her. “Except maybe the toilet.”
Alexis understands her cue to leave. Anna locks the door behind her. She takes a bottle of Xanax out of her purse and swallows one with sink water. Slips into a stunning red dress.
“Dear God, please go easy on me,” Anna prays into the mirror. “Dear Marilyn, please guide me.”
Anna struts into the living room, her head held high. Gorgeous and guarded. In celebrity mode.
She finds journalist Stina Dabrowski (think the Swedish Barbara Walters) waiting for her.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Anna says. “Thank you for being so nice about everything.”
They shake hands and Anna finds her seat.
“I’m happy we’re doing the interview,” Stina says. “Everyone in Sweden knows you these days.”
Cameras start rolling.
“Ever since the car crashes,” Stina continues. “Your body is all over.”
“Is my microphone showing,” Anna asks. She poses her body sexily for the crew.
The sound guy stares at her body and shakes his head “no.”
Cameras start rolling.
“Hi Anna Nicole,” Stina starts. “When you were little and lived in Mexia, do you remember what kind of dreams did you have at the time?”
“My dreams ummm,” Anna says. “Well I always wanted to be a model. I wanted to be an actress. I wanted to be in the movies.”
“You weren’t that lazy kind of girl who didn’t want to do homework and just wanted to go out and fool around?” Stina asks.
“No, I was not lazy. Sometimes I couldn’t do my homework, I didn’t know how. They didn’t explain things to me,” Anna says.
“Did you think that you were pretty?” Stina asks.
“Eh, I don’t think so. Um,” Anna says.
“Did other people think so?” Stina asks.
“I think when I got in ninth grade. Men started noticing me. Women hated me. The girls hated me. They fought with me all the time. But men started noticing me. Lookin’. I used to be really anorexic. I used to weigh 125 pounds. I had bones sticking out of my jeans. Looking back at pictures now, I was awful looking.”
“You had the big bosom even though you were so thin?” Stina asks.
“No, I didn’t have my bosom. I didn’t have my body until I got pregnant with my son,” Anna says. “Then I got to 211 pounds with double-Fs... Now I have a big chest. It’s never gonna go down like it was.”
“You mean it, you were actually flat chested before?” Stina asks. “It’s normal the bosom grows during pregnancy but then normally it goes down.”
“I don’t know. Yeah, I mean mine did go down a lot, down to double-Ds. I’m glad they didn’t go down,” Anna laughs. “Except sometimes when they’re swollen to Es and I’m in pain. Sometimes I wish I could just get them down a little bit, but--.”
“But?” Stina asks.
“But men like it. And this is my body now. This is what America likes, so I think I’ll keep it,” Anna says.
“I love my fans, I love the paparazzi, I love the attention,” Anna says. “Not the kind they’re giving me now, but...I really love attention. And it’s nice to have things.
“And the bad part of being a celebrity?” Stina asks.
“When people talk about you, like they’re doing now,” Anna says. “Bad publicity.”
“Do you have a boyfriend?” Stina asks.
“The man in my life right now is my son,” Anna says.
“How would you describe the man you want to marry one day?” Stina asks.
“Someone nice, someone understanding, someone who falls in love with my kid,” Anna says.
“So do you have silicone in your breasts?” Stina asks.
“No ma’am,” Anna says.
“When we meant last week to do the interview, and you were rushed to the hospital...you were very pale and sick with needles in your arms, what had happened?” Stina asks.
“I was in my hotel room and my friend came knocking at six in the morning, acting really weird. He got on the phone. And I had a migraine, because he woke me up from sleeping, and I had had a couple drinks that night,” Anna explains. “Next thing I know, there’s cops there. They take me to the hospital and found Vicodin and Xanax in my system. I take Vicodin for my migraines and Xanax because I have insomnia. They made this big story up saying overdose, which is not true. I’m fine, I’m well, I’m here. I’m not overdosed. I’m not dead. I think they’re trying to make it look like a Marilyn Monroe remake. It was very stupid.”
“So what happened to your friend then?” Stina asks.
“Uh, they took him to the hospital also. Because he was… I don’t know what he was doing,” Anna says. “Uh, they took him to Century City and he stayed in for four days. He’s not my stepbrother, he’s not my boyfriend, he’s not in a coma. That’s all lies.”
“It’s common to use drugs in modeling, have you used drugs?” Stina asks.
“I’ve never used drugs. I don’t use drugs. They were trying to compare me to River Phoenix. I’ve never done cocaine. This is hard drugs, that they’re trying to say. I don’t do drugs. I had Vicodin and Xanax. That’s prescription drugs that I have to take,” Anna says. “It doesn’t make me high. I’ve been taking it for years. I don’t pop pills. I’m not like that. I’m a very good person.”
““Do you want to be a role model for other girls?” Stina asks.
“Yes, that’s why I want them to stop this publicity saying that I’m a druggie because it’s not true,” Anna says. “It really hurts me.”
“Marilyn was on booze and pills,” Stina asks. “This is the house where Marilyn Monroe died?”
“Yes,” Anna nods proudly.
“Why do you like her so much?” Stina asks.
“I used to wish she was my mom,” Anna says. “I felt like I needed to come here.”
Later, the publicist leads Stina’s crew out the driveway. Anna watches from the door.
We see the Latin inscription on the tiles in front of the house, left by Marilyn:
“Cursum Perficio”
We see the translation in the lower-third: "My journey is over"
OUTRAGEOUS