Chapter 297: Chapter 298: The Oscars (Part 3)
[Chapter 298: The Oscars (Part 3)]
Despite having no expectations for the award, Eric's expression held a hint of anxiety. He reassured himself internally, somewhat like a character from a literary work, that he was still young -- a premature win might not be good for him anyway.
On stage, Jane Fonda wrapped up her introduction for the Best Original Screenplay nominees and scanned the audience. Whether intentional or not, Eric noticed her gaze linger on him for a moment. Before he could come to any conclusion, she lowered her head, opened the envelope, and briefly glanced at the winner's card. A look of surprise flashed across her face before she smiled and glanced back at Eric.
He was sure this time it wasn't just his imagination. If that earlier glance could have been accidental, then this one -- was it a sign...?
His heart raced, and without realizing it, Eric tightened his fist, his gaze sharp as he focused on Jane Fonda.
Sensing the anticipation of the audience, Jane didn't prolong the moment and leaned into the microphone, announcing, "The Oscar for Best Original Screenplay goes to... The Others"
The most unexpected thing happened. In the Los Angeles Music Hall, most people had long been entrenched in Hollywood, and upon hearing that title, many displayed looks of shock.
Though he had received hints beforehand, Eric still widened his eyes in disbelief. It wasn't until someone nearby stood that he followed suit.
Thunderous applause erupted.
At the same time, a surprising moment unfolded in the award hall. With Eric's rise, more people began to stand, including the nominees for The Others, Sleepless in Seattle, Running Out of Time, and Pretty Woman. Those associated with Firefly Films multiplied, with Eric noticing that the number of standers reached five rows around him.
Although some immediately realized this was somewhat improper, sitting back down felt even worse, so they remained as they were.
After briefly hugging a few nearby individuals, Eric, pressured by time, rushed to shake hands with others, sometimes only touching fingertips due to distance.
Even with this whirlwind, it took nearly a minute for Eric to approach the stage.
By now, in the audience, the expressions of doubt, shock, and resignation had largely morphed into envy. Just a minor award for Best Original Screenplay had created such a stir; after this event, no one would dare overlook Eric's status in Hollywood.
Eric delivered his acceptance speech smoothly, as he had prepared ahead of time, making it feel easier than his earlier remarks after winning Best Song. As he spoke, a part of his mind wandered, pondering why he won this award.
Undoubtedly, it was the result of Oscar politics.
He realized he had perhaps underestimated the complexities of the Oscars. Given his influence in Hollywood, not walking away with at least one award after two nominations would surely raise questions regarding the Oscars' fairness.
Indeed, such skepticism wouldn't only come from the media; it could also arise from the general public. The prior incident he faced had already subjected him to malicious scrutiny. His public relations battles for a substantial award without garnering recognition could lead the audience to form negative associations, resulting in disappointment towards the Oscars.
He contemplated why he didn't win the seemingly more attainable Best Adapted Screenplay for Scent of a Woman but instead secured the Original Screenplay for The Others. Eric understood this was likely the product of backdoor dealings. While he found the underlying motives intriguing, he knew he hadn't reached a status whereby he could penetrate the Oscars' inner workings.
Thinking this, he followed Jane Fonda and the award presenters backstage, where staff eagerly took the unengraved little golden statue from him, pinning the engraved plate in place.
...
Next up was the award for Best Director, and as Scent of a Woman received a nomination in this category, Eric found himself a bit anxious while waiting for the staff to finish.
Jane Fonda approached him. "Mr. Williams, congratulations," she said, smiling and extending her hand.
"Thank you for the hint earlier, Ms. Fonda," he replied, attempting to remain composed. "I've seen many of your films; Coming Home and The Electric Horseman are fantastic, but my favorite remains On Golden Pond. The portrayal of familial love in that film is so moving."
"Thank you for appreciating that," she replied, still smiling. "Mr. Williams, I assume you'll be holding a celebration party next?"
Eric felt a slight shift in his demeanor. He quickly recognized that this wasn't a mere casual greeting. He didn't understand her intentions, but forming connections with someone from Hollywood's famous acting legacy could only benefit him.
Thus, he readily responded, "Yes, Ms. Fonda. If you're free, you're welcome to join our celebration party afterward at the Beverly Hills Hotel on the third floor."
"I'll be there," she nodded, aware that Eric was eager to return to the hall, and she quickly departed.
...
With that, when Eric returned to the award hall, he disappointingly found Oliver Stone delivering his acceptance speech for Born on the Fourth of July, while nearby, Al Pacino from the Scent of a Woman crew shot Eric a resigned glance. As for Martin Brest, Eric couldn't read his expression, but he could guess it was likely one of disappointment.
Speaking of Born on the Fourth of July, Eric recalled the unfortunate Tom Cruise. He remembered that Cruise was originally set to receive his first Oscar nomination for Best Actor with that film.
Unfortunately, because of his role in Running Out of Time, Cruise had to miss out on this opportunity.
Both Firefly Films and Cruise had tried to secure a nomination for Best Actor, but without success. Though he secured a nomination for Best Actor in a Drama at the Golden Globes, he didn't receive an Oscar nod. Eric noted that when he met Cruise days ago, the latter hadn't shown any goodwill.
Cruise had received ample remuneration for his role in Running Out of Time, so while Eric felt a little sympathy that Cruise didn't secure an Oscar nomination, he didn't feel indebted to him. After all, Cruise's earnings greatly exceeded those of Tom Hanks.
Lost in thought, Eric noticed previous Best Actress winner Jodie Foster starting to announce the nominees for Best Actor. Listening to her introductions, Eric considered that had The Silence of the Lambs been produced and released the previous year, Jodie Foster might have secured a second Oscar for Best Actress.
That felt like a regret.
"And the nominees for Best Actor are: Morgan Freeman for Driving Miss Daisy; Al Pacino for Scent of a Woman; Daniel Day-Lewis for My Left Foot; Kenneth Branagh for Henry V; and Robin Williams for Dead Poets Society."
With each name introduced, a clip of their performances played on the large screen behind Jodie Foster.
Eric glanced at Al Pacino, who was slightly tensed a few seats away. He could empathize with Pacino's feelings. For 17 years, Pacino had amassed five Oscar nominations, all of which had been in vain, leading many to assert, "Oscar owes him a little golden statue."
As for the original winner for Best Actor, Daniel Day-Lewis, while his performance also shone, he had clear disadvantages.
First, being British, he was likely to face discrimination from the Academy, and there was no question about that.
Secondly, Daniel Day-Lewis was still in his early thirties, just reaching the average age for Best Actor nominees, making him significantly younger compared to the fifty-year-old Pacino.
Finally, in terms of experience and connections, Daniel Day-Lewis couldn't compete with Pacino, who had nearly two decades of industry experience.
In Eric's previous life, Day-Lewis's win was partly due to it being a relatively lean year for Oscar contenders. Though influenced by the butterfly effect, Eric inferred from the current list that most of the nominated films would likely match those from his previous life. Besides Born on the Fourth of July, which gained some attention because of Tom Cruise, the other films had little impact.
This time, things unfolded according to Eric's expectations, as Jodie Foster opened the envelope and quickly called out Al Pacino's name.
To an enthusiastic ovation, Al Pacino acknowledged his castmates from Scent of a Woman, but instead of immediately proceeding to the stage, he headed towards Eric in the back. Realizing what was about to happen, Eric smiled and stood up, while Jonathan Demme, who had been sitting next to him, cleverly vacated the space.
*****
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