"We won! We won!"
In a hotel in Paris, Irene Lauder stood up from the sofa and vigorously waved her arm. At that moment, she was as excited as when her cosmetics brand surpassed one billion dollars in global sales. As someone who had been a fan of Duke's films since her university days, she knew very well the hardships, effort, and struggles her close friend had gone through to reach this point!
"Come on, Duke!" She said, watching the TV screen, unconsciously. "Just like you told me back then, we'll always stick together, always move forward!"
In an apartment in the outskirts of Los Angeles, Norman Shiller clenched his right fist and kept pounding the armrest of his computer chair in excitement, as though the award was for him.
"We won!" He quickly typed this message into his Instant Share feed.
"Yes, we won!"
Brad Miller, also sitting in front of a computer, just lifted his hands from the keyboard. He felt a sense of fulfillment. Was there anything happier than seeing the work and director he loved being recognized?
"Wow…"
"Duke is the best director!"
The moment Tom Cruise announced the award winner, a round of cheers erupted in countless bars across the U.S., with the clinking of glasses ringing out, followed by a brief silence as everyone awaited the director's walk to the stage.
In the ABC TV studio, Roger Ebert stared at the screen, wishing he could fly to the Kodak Theatre to shove the words Tom Cruise had just said back into his mouth!
But it was all set in stone. The result that he and all the professional critics feared had arrived.
All the years of effort since Saving Private Ryan seemed to have been reduced to a joke as the Best Director award was confirmed.
Roger Ebert felt the veins on his forehead pulse as the accumulated anger over the years began to burn fiercely. The flames were so intense, they seeped into every corner of his body, even reddening his face, which was quickly turning as red as his anger, frustration, and jealousy.
All the negative emotions of humanity seemed to flood his face in this moment.
Though still sitting in front of the camera, Roger Ebert's hands trembled, but he forced himself to remain calm.
No surprise, no hesitation, no waiting. The applause erupted as soon as Tom Cruise announced Duke's victory. It was as though everyone had been waiting for this moment, and as if everyone had anticipated it.
"There's no suspense at all!"
Clint Eastwood clapped his hands. If someone else had won, he would have felt bitter, but losing to Duke seemed entirely reasonable. How could it be any other way?
"There's no way around it. His advantage is just too great."
Not far in the back, Harvey Weinstein clapped while speaking to Bob Weinstein. "In business, only Spielberg and James Cameron can match him. He's also pushed Hollywood's international expansion. The Academy must acknowledge his achievements in these areas."
Bob Weinstein nodded. He and Harvey were not surprised by this outcome. Duke Rosenberg's achievements over the past twelve years were so dazzling that only James Cameron could compare. If the Academy didn't recognize him in such a situation, the entire world would doubt the fairness and justice the Academy claimed to uphold.
"It's okay." Harvey Weinstein said without bitterness. "Next year, we can come again. And with Duke Rosenberg's style, who knows how many years it will take before another Oscar comes around!"
At this moment, it would be impossible to say Duke wasn't excited or thrilled.
Though he was generally calm and determined, Duke let out a sigh, finally seizing what might be his only opportunity.
Beside him, Leah was filled with pride. She was proud of Duke!
Duke had always been her greatest pride. Tonight, even in front of the entire world, she could proudly declare that Duke Rosenberg was the most worthwhile thing in her life!
Unlike everyone else, who only saw Duke's glorious side, only she, his mother, knew how much effort Duke had put in to achieve success. Since he was ten years old, he had set his sights on a goal and had worked tirelessly toward it. Now, he was merely reaping the well-deserved praise!
Thinking back to the disagreements with Duke in the past, Leah couldn't help but feel a sense of relief. If Duke had followed her wishes and gone into business, he would have been just another ordinary businessman. But as a film director, he had reached the pinnacle of success in his field!
For those few seconds, all of America's eyes were fixed on the Kodak Theatre, focused on Duke!
After taking a deep breath, Duke didn't look at Ivanka Trump to his right, but turned left and embraced his mother deeply. He knew better than anyone that without his mother's support, guidance, and help, he wouldn't have made it this far!
"I'll always be proud of you!"
When they pulled apart, Duke heard his mother's words, then turned to Ivanka, who kissed him on the cheek without hesitation.
Duke stood up, followed by Ivanka and Leah. The rest of the crew members stood as well.
Soon after, everyone in the Kodak Theatre began to rise, giving a standing ovation.
The night's ceremony had reached its climax!
As Duke hugged the crew members one by one, preparing to walk to the stage, Nielsen reported that the viewership had reached 65.7 million!
Striding toward the stage, Duke received countless congratulations, some of which were quite enthusiastic.
Charlize Theron, who had won Best Actress, was in high spirits. After hugging Duke, she didn't hesitate to plant a kiss on his cheek.
As Duke passed by the Lost in Translation crew, Sofia Coppola had already opened her arms waiting for him...
The biggest surprise came after Duke and Sofia's embrace, when Scarlett Johansson stepped out from behind Sofia. Duke also hugged her briefly.
"Congratulations, Duke."
It was like a hunter who had waited long for its prey. Finally, Scarlett Johansson swiftly planted a kiss on Duke's lips.
Duke was slightly stunned, but his reaction was quick. He stepped back from Scarlett and hurried toward the stage.
From an angle where he couldn't see, the main camera suddenly switched direction, focusing on Ivanka, giving her a big close-up.
Ivanka stood there, smiling and clapping, her expression unchanged.
Strictly speaking, this kiss meant nothing. Last year, Adrien Brody had kissed Halle Berry after winning Best Actor, and just moments ago, Charlize Theron had kissed presenter Adrien Brody after receiving her Best Actress award.
But behind Ivanka's smile, there was a deep sense of vigilance, and a hint of anger flashed in her eyes as she looked past Leah. The brief flicker of displeasure vanished instantly. She knew well that Duke's mother was very fond of that actress.
Suppressing her thoughts, Ivanka focused all her attention on the stage, as Duke had now walked to Tom Cruise's side.
The applause was already deafening, cascading like waves onto the stage as Duke took the Best Director Oscar from Tom Cruise's hands. They shared a brief hug.
Once bitter rivals, they had gradually become close due to their collaboration, and now they were considered good friends by outsiders...
Holding the Oscar, Duke approached the microphone, and the applause gradually subsided.
"Wow! A huge thank you to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for giving me such a wonderful night."
After the usual remarks, Duke took two deep breaths. The excitement from winning the award gradually settled. "First, I'd like to thank all the members of my team. Without you, there wouldn't be The Lord of the Rings trilogy!"
Compared to his earlier formal speech, Duke's words here were heartfelt. Such a massive project like The Lord of the Rings couldn't have been completed successfully without a mature and harmonious team.
Film had never been a product of individual heroism.
"Tina Fey and Charles Roven, you were with me on this most adventurous journey. You took on unimaginable pressure, but today, we've finally reaped the rewards, and I'm thrilled about that!"
"Mike Dawson, Hannah Selina, Zack Snyder, Anna Prince, John Schwartzman, Joss William, and Wallace Lee, thank you for your cooperation. Your support has given me the most incredible career experience. Also, Nancy Josephson and Panny Kallis, my agent and PR consultant, thank you. Every single day, you have provided unwavering support. And to the fantastic cast and the team at Weta Workshop in New Zealand, you've all been amazing. Your work made my every day fly by. It's thanks to that work that I'm standing here!"
"I also want to thank someone special. When I was just ten years old, I started making video clips with my Super-8 camera at home, and it was my mother who bought it for me. She has supported me in pursuing my film career all these years…"
The applause erupted again as Duke moved backstage with the host. However, instead of going in like Tom Cruise, he paused at the backstage entrance, waiting for the next award.
The final award of the night was the most prestigious of all—the Best Picture!
Now that he had won Best Director, and also received Best Editing, Best Cinematography, and Best Adapted Screenplay, there was essentially no suspense left in Best Picture.
"Before the final award arrives, The Return of the King has already taken home all eleven of its nominations!"
In ABC's live broadcast room, Host quickly spoke during the stage change. "Currently, the win rate is one hundred percent, tying Titanic's record for eleven Oscars. As long as they win Best Picture, Duke Rosenberg and his team will make Oscar history…"
On the other side, Roger Ebert's face looked very grim!
.....
Hi For access to additional chapters of
Director in Hollywood (20 chpaters)
MV Director (30 chapters)....
Made In Hollywood (50 Chapters)
Pokemon:Bounty Hunter(30 Chapters)
Douluo Dalu: Reincarnated as Yan(30 Chapters)
Hollywood:From Razzie to Legend(30 Chapters)
Join pateron.com/Translaterappu