Chapter 49： Oscar's balancing act

On the evening of March 23, 1998, the 70th Academy Awards ceremony will be held here tonight at the Shrine Theater in Los Angeles.

In front of the splendid Temple Theater, there are four huge models of the Academy Awards, the Walk of Fame in front of the door, and the 280-foot red carpet, like a flying red dragon.

The crew of "Titanic", which won the Golden Globes, was still the focus of the audience.

But before walking into the theater, a staff member of the awards party secretly stopped Dunn, "Director Walker, the organizing committee has a small matter that needs your cooperation."

Tang En smiled and said, "Okay, what can I do for you?"

The staff lowered their voices, "After the award for best sound editing, please leave and go to the bathroom."

"Um?"

Tang En was surprised. It was the first time he participated in the Oscar ceremony, and he still couldn't figure out the other party's routine.

"This is not a request from the producer, it's a proposal from the academy." Seeing Tang En stunned, the staff quickly explained.

This sentence dispelled Tang En's hidden worries, as long as the broadcaster ABC didn't hype it up for the sake of ratings.

Even after he entered the theater and sat down, he was still worried, what exactly is the academy going to do?

Kate Winslet sat next to Dunn as always, smiling happily, seeing Dunn's worried look, she said with relief: "Don, you have to understand, this is the Oscar, and the Golden Globes... There is still a lot to do. difference."

It is almost impossible for Dunn to win the Oscar for Best Director.

"What about you? Are you willing?" Dunn teased her with a smile, "Your performance has been unanimously recognized by the media and won the New York Times Association Award."

Kate pouted and lowered her voice, "I'm not deaf!"

She is only 22 years old this year, the best actress in Oscar history, and only one younger than her - Mary Matlin, a deaf person.

Dunn sighed, age is the biggest obstacle before him and Kate Winslet.

"Anyway, it's better than Leon." Kate couldn't help snickering.

Leonardo Ricaprio didn't get an Oscar nomination, so angry he didn't attend tonight's ceremony.

Soon, the awards ceremony began, and with the gag of host Billy Crystal, the first award was soon awarded - the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.

For this award, "Titanic" has little hope. The elderly "Ruth" is the oldest nominated actor in history, but the role is too small and the performance is quite satisfactory, so it is impossible to win the award.

Sure enough, Kim Basinger of "L.A. Confidential" was elected.

However, after a series of technical awards and art awards, "Titanic" became the biggest winner. Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On", on this night, is obviously more eye-catching than the theme song "Oscar Prelude", which was solemnly launched by Oscar this year.

Until the Best Sound Editing Award was taken away by "Titanic", Dunn got up and walked out of the ceremony quietly.

Sure enough, as soon as they entered the aisle, two staff members who were closely observing them greeted them with bright eyes, "Director Walker, please come this way!"

Tang En followed them, "Can I ask, what's the matter?"

"They didn't say anything about the specific situation. But according to the practice of previous years, you should be the guest of honor."

"The guest of honor?" Tang En was even more surprised, "Isn't this all pre-ordered?"

"There are always exceptions."

Soon, Dunn met a middle-aged woman and a very good actor - Frances McDormand.

And she has another identity, last year's Oscar for Best Actress!

Is it...

Dunn suddenly understood something.

Sure enough, when she saw Dunn coming, Frances McDormand smiled and greeted her, "It's a pleasure to work with you, Mr. Walker."

Dunn asked hesitantly, "Is it the Best Actress Award?"

Frances McDormand was taken aback, "Didn't the organizing committee inform you before?"

Dunn showed a bit of bitterness.

Frances McDormand also immediately understood the reason, looking at Dunn, she couldn't help but sympathize, "Mr. Walker, you are still young and talented, it doesn't matter if you miss the Oscar this time, there will be many opportunities in the future. ."

Having said that, Dunn was still quite disappointed.

He finally understood the idea of ​​the Oscar organizing committee.

Let Dunn Walker award the Oscar heroine, which is equivalent to a compensation for him. The Oscars can't have a twenty-year-old best director, nor can such a talented director be too frustrated.

Just balance.

Frances McDormand sighed, holding the envelope in her hand with a half-smile, "Looks like you already know the name inside."

Dunn shrugged, "Before opening the envelope, anything can happen!"

In fact, Dunn and her thoughts are similar. This is a balancing act played by the Oscar organizing committee. The name in this envelope can only be Kate Winslet!

Otherwise, letting Dunn present the award at this time would not be compensation, but irony.

Soon, the staff waved to the two of them. Frances McDormand smiled and took Dunn's arm as she walked to the splendid awards stage.

When Dunn Walker appeared, the crew of "Titanic" was amazed. What was the situation? Why didn't they know beforehand?

Kate Winslet also angrily thought to herself, "This Dunn, even hiding it from me, is too much!"

On the other hand, many old guys looked at each other, a faint smile flashed across their faces, obviously already anticipating what was going to happen next.

The presenters usually have to make a few jokes. It is not easy to make fun of Frances because of Tang En's age, so she chose to focus on the attack, "Tang En, I heard that you have been in a lot of relationships in the past two years? Do you still have the energy to make a good movie? ?"

There was laughter all over the place.

Dunn's affair is a joke in Hollywood.

But everyone doesn't care. It would be abnormal for a 20-year-old boy to be old-fashioned and die.

This is Hollywood, not a country town.

Tang En said with a smile, "Because my new movie is a romance, I have to experience it myself."

The VIPs off the court laughed happily, the young man who responded quickly.

Frances McDormand said solemnly: "Young people, you should still focus on work."

"Work?" Dunn's face turned pale and he sighed, "Since Ms. McDormand has taught me earnestly, if I don't obey, I will be ignorant of praise. I just hope that the broadcaster and the organizing committee can forgive my recklessness."

More than 5,000 VIPs in the theater were all confused by what Tang En said.

You work hard, what does it have to do with the broadcaster and the organizing committee?

But what Tang En said next made everyone laugh or cry, and the old guys shook their heads one after another without laughing.

"My new movie "My Grand Greek Wedding" will be released in the summer on August 20th. I hope the friends at the scene and the audience in front of the TV can witness a romantic, warm, tender love and Fun wedding."

Tang En talked about his work seriously, which shocked the broadcaster ABC!

This is Oscar!

A major program with the ratings second only to the Super Bowl in the United States, Dunn advertised for free and took a big advantage!

Sure enough, Frances McDormand quickly heard the admonition from the program team in her ears, and the topic changed, "Okay, let's take a look at the outstanding actresses in the past year, Giving us a wonderful performance, leading to an Oscar nomination for Best Actress."

Five nominees for Best Actress are Helen Hunt for "As Perfect", Helena Carter for "Wings of the Dove", Julie Christie for "The Wife Swap", and Judi Dench for "Mrs. Brown" , and Kate Winslet from Titanic.

The live broadcast footage flashed through the faces of these five candidates, and it was found that the smiles of the three relatively young actresses, Kate Winslet, Helen Hunt, and Helena Carter, could not be concealed. expectations.

The smiles of Judi Dench and Julie Christie who have been in Hollywood for decades are very unnatural.

The organizing committee even invited Dunn Walker. Who is the next best actress? Needless to say?

She is only 22 years old!

After the short video on the big screen was played, Frances McDormand slowly opened the envelope in her hand, smiled at Dunn, and said, "Best Actress is..."

Frances McDormand understands that this award is the compensation to Dunn by the Oscar organizing committee, so she knowingly gave up the leading role to the other party.

Dunn glanced at the name written on the envelope, his face was a little red, and his voice couldn't help but rippling, "Congratulations, my good friend, Kate Winslet!"

"what!"

Kate Winslet, who was in the audience, lost her soul and was in a daze, with moving tears flashing in her beautiful eyes.

In the theater, there was thunderous applause.

And the wonderful performance of Kate Winslet in "Titanic" played on the big screen added a lot of tears to the warm atmosphere.

The crew of "Titanic" all stood up, smiled and grinned, as excited as they had won the award.

With an empty mind, Kate Winslet stood up stupidly and hugged her friends mechanically. Until this moment, she couldn't believe it was true.

"Old Ruth" Gloria Stuart hugged her lovingly, "Silly girl, don't be in a daze, Dunn is still waiting on it."

"Yes, Dunn!"

Kate Winslet seemed to have reacted just now, turned her head to look at the podium, and looked at a handsome smiling face through crystal tears.

She laughed.

Tears with a smile, as bright as peach blossoms.