Chương 111: Chapter 111: Oscars
On March 24, 1991, the Oscars ceremony was held at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, located near the University of Southern California. At that time, the Oscars didn't have a designated venue; the Los Angeles Music Center, Shrine Auditorium, and Grauman's Chinese Theatre had all hosted the event.
"Get dressed, or I'll take another woman to the Oscars," Arthur said, laughing as he hugged Winona Ryder from behind in their suite at the Beverly Hills Four Seasons Hotel.
Feeling Arthur's hand on her chest, Winona smiled, "Who would you take?"
"Naomi Watts, Sandra Bullock, or Jennifer Aniston could all go. Scream is releasing in the second half of the year, and it's good for the actresses to get some exposure," Arthur explained, referring to one of Orion's major upcoming releases.
"The news of your outburst on The Addams Family set has been reported. Producer Scott Rudin expressed his dissatisfaction in an interview with Premiere magazine," Winona said. She was a key part of the promotion for Scream, making her a perfect Oscars date.
"Scott Rudin?" Arthur kissed Winona on the cheek dismissively. "He's just a minor producer; he can't stir up much trouble now. Besides, reports in the Los Angeles Times, The Hollywood Reporter, Empire, and Variety about The Addams Family are actually helping us with promotion!"
Winona pressed herself against Arthur, "But you fired him in front of the whole crew; he'll definitely hold a grudge."
"It doesn't matter. Once The Addams Family is released, people will only see its success and popularity," Arthur said, kissing Winona on the lips. "As for Scott Rudin, he's just a loser."
In the afternoon, Arthur took Winona Ryder to walk the Oscars red carpet. Annoyed by the reporters' questions, he quickly retreated to the backstage lounge at the Shrine Auditorium. At 22, Arthur had become the youngest nominee for the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for Sleepless in Seattle.
Moreover, the Oscar frontrunner Dances with Wolves was an Orion production. Although it had little to do with Arthur personally, as the owner of Orion, he could share in the glory.
"Good afternoon, Arthur!" Nora Ephron, director of Sleepless in Seattle, greeted him.
"Hey, Nora, good afternoon," Arthur responded, hugging her. Sleepless in Seattle had grossed over $100 million in North America and worldwide, making Nora Ephron's directorial debut a huge success.
Even though Sleepless in Seattle only had two Oscar nominations, both the director and the stars gained significant recognition.
"In just a year or two, you've become the boss of Orion. You're quite surprising, Arthur," Nora Ephron said. As one of the most successful female directors, with a debut film grossing over $100 million, she was very accomplished. However, compared to Arthur, she felt she was still a step behind. Both Sleepless in Seattle and Sleeping with the Enemy were his scripts, and he had produced them.
Arthur smiled, "Nobody else wanted to take over."
Nora Ephron shook her head, "I always believed in your abilities. I think Orion will shine brightly under your leadership!"
Arthur sighed, "Unfortunately, in last year's romance films, Ghost and Pretty Woman were insurmountable mountains. Compared to them, Sleepless in Seattle fell short."
Ghost was nominated for five Oscars, including Best Picture, and grossed $500 million worldwide. Pretty Woman, though nominated for only one Oscar (Best Actress), also had a massive $400 million global box office.
Nora Ephron smiled, "Arthur, your standards are too high. The two films you produced, Sleepless in Seattle and Sleeping with the Enemy, were among the top ten highest-grossing films in North America last year. That's already remarkable. Movies like Home Alone and Ghost, which gross over $200 million in North America, are rare and hard to come by."
Nora Ephron glanced at the Dances with Wolves team not far away. "The box office for Dances with Wolves has also surpassed $100 million, right?"
Arthur smiled, "Even higher overseas. The international box office has exceeded $200 million. Orion has recouped some funds from this film."
After chatting with Nora Ephron for a while, Winona Ryder joined them. "What are you looking at?" she asked Arthur.
Following his gaze, she saw the cast of The Godfather Part III, including director Francis Ford Coppola and actors Al Pacino, Diane Keaton, and Andy Garcia.
"The Godfather Part III wasn't very successful. It only grossed about $65 million in North America and $100 million worldwide," Arthur remarked, signaling Winona with his eyes. "That young girl over there is Sofia Coppola, who faced unanimous criticism from critics and audiences."
Winona Ryder shook her head and patted Arthur's arm. "The Godfather Part III is still nominated for Best Picture and Best Director. It can't be considered a failure."
Arthur nodded in agreement and looked at veteran actor Al Pacino. "For so many years, Al Pacino has never won the Oscar for Best Actor."
"Do you think he's desperate for the Best Actor Oscar?" Winona asked.
"Of course. Mr. Pacino has been nominated several times for Best Actor. He's a top-tier talent in both fame and skill," Nora said, following Arthur's lead.
"So, I plan to help him achieve that dream," Arthur said with a smile. "Galaxy has a project coming up that will involve him."
Winona Ryder was surprised. "Isn't Galaxy in talks to collaborate with Kevin Costner? Are you changing the lead?"
Winona knew Arthur was preparing the action romance film The Bodyguard but was unaware of another project, Scent of a Woman.
Arthur smiled, "Another film, a remake of the Italian movie Profumo di donna. And Galaxy's plans include more than just these two films."
As he spoke, Arthur noticed Tom Cruise walking in…
*****
https://www.patreon.com/Sayonara816.
Tình trạng nguồn điện hàng tuần
-- Xếp hạng
Quyền lực 
-- Đá
Quyền lực