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Chapter 193: Best Bud, Leo
🕑 Added 2025-01-15 17:25:26 +0000 UTCMovies are a great invention, a dream-building endeavor.
Since the birth of cinema, figures like Chaplin, Hitchcock, Spielberg, George Lucas, Ridley Scott, James Cameron, and Gilbert have continued the legacy.
Generations of filmmakers have brought to life different yet equally classic films, allowing audiences not only to enjoy but also to reflect.
Hollywood is undoubtedly the center of the global film industry, and the Oscars are its highest stage.
Apart from the post-production of The Sixth Sense, Gilbert occasionally attends Hollywood's Jewish clubs, producers' alliances, directors' unions, the Italian mafia gatherings, and other circles to gather votes for himself.
The results have been remarkable, as nearly every Oscar voter Gilbert has spoken to has promised to vote for him.
On Sofia's side, she enlisted her father, director Francis Coppola, to help.
As an Italian-American, Coppola was willing to assist, speaking highly of Gilbert among the Italian-American voters.
Of course, words alone weren't enough.
Although it wasn't possible to buy off all the voters, key individuals were carefully approached. After understanding their preferences, Shina Boone personally arranged and delivered gifts.
In past years, this meticulous public relations strategy would have been highly effective.
However, the difficulty of winning the Oscar skyrocketed after the Weinstein brothers entered the scene.
Although there are more than 6,000 Oscar voters, sometimes, to balance the industry and distribute the rewards, even films with higher votes don't always win.
Voting is private and not transparent, and only Academy members know the exact votes.
After the voting deadline, the results are quickly sealed in envelopes and entrusted to an insurance company until the day of the awards ceremony.
It's a complicated process, and the only operable part is in the counting of votes.
For this year's Oscar red carpet, Gilbert attended with Charlize Theron.
Compared to Naomi Watts and Cameron Diaz, who were both highly successful, Charlize Theron, though having some fame, still needed more exposure.
Naomi Watts and Cameron Diaz were also busy, having been invited by the Academy to present awards.
On March 24th, the 69th Academy Awards took place at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.
Famous talk show host Billy Crystal hosted the ceremony for the fifth time.
Starting March 19th, fans began camping outside the venue to secure good spots to watch the stars. For these die-hard fans, it was an opportunity of a lifetime.
They would not only see their idols but also witness the latest fashion and hairstyles, enduring all the discomforts with joy.
In the following days, over a thousand fans spent the night outside, eager to catch a glimpse of the stars.
Unquestionably, the biggest stars in Hollywood were the center of attention. Gilbert, of course, was one of those stars.
"Are you nervous?" Gilbert asked Charlize Theron before they walked the red carpet.
Charlize placed her hand on her chest, feeling her heart beat, then replied, "I'm a little nervous. So many people are watching."
"Don't worry, Sally," Gilbert smiled. "You'll get used to it."
"I'm not nervous for myself," Charlize said, clinging to Gilbert's arm. "I'm nervous for you."
"Nervous for me?" Gilbert was taken aback. "Why?"
"You're nominated for Best Director. What if you don't win?"
"If I don't win, then I'll wait for next time!" Gilbert said nonchalantly, showing no sign of being nervous.
Charlize shook her head, exasperated. "You're so calm. This is one of the most important moments of your life."
"No," Gilbert shook his head. "For me, the most important moment was when I got my first chance to direct. Without that opportunity, I wouldn't be where I am now. Whatever happens after that is just a natural progression."
Charlize pondered Gilbert's words, but before she could fully process them, they arrived at the red carpet.
At the Oscars, it's usually the whole cast that walks the red carpet together. However, if a superstar like Tom Cruise is attending, he usually walks alone with a companion.
Tom Cruise, of course, had no choice but to walk with Nicole Kidman, while Gilbert had much more flexibility in his choices.
If he wanted, Gilbert could even have brought a starlet from San Fernando Valley.
But he chose to stick to tradition.
As a popular director, Gilbert's reception was just as enthusiastic as the other top stars, even perhaps more so.
The fact that Madonna had once shown interest in him was still fresh, and now he was walking with another beautiful woman, which sent fans into a frenzy.
Fans who knew Charlize Theron also knew about her ambiguous relationship with Gilbert.
After walking the red carpet and doing a quick interview, Gilbert and Charlize headed into the award ceremony hall.
As soon as they entered, Harvey Weinstein approached.
He glanced at Charlize Theron beside Gilbert, then turned to him and said, "You know, Gilbert, we're both big favorites for this year's awards. Do you know how the awards will turn out?"
"I'm not sure…" Gilbert replied.
Harvey said, "Best Picture will go to Saving Private Ryan, Best Director will go to The English Patient, and Best Actor and Actress will go to other films."
"Sounds like you already know the Oscar results, Harvey," Gilbert responded with his usual nonchalant tone.
"Do you believe that outcome? How about a bet?" Harvey suggested.
"A bet? What would we bet on?"
"If I'm right about all the results, how about you give me the rights to your next film?" Harvey proposed.
Gilbert wasn't interested in handing his next movie over to Harvey Weinstein. Not only did he find Harvey unpleasant, but Disney also wouldn't agree to it.
Robert Iger was a key figure at Disney, while Harvey was involved with independent films.
"Sorry, Harvey, I can't take that bet. You know why," Gilbert declined firmly.
Harvey wasn't disappointed, though.
He then turned to Charlize Theron. "Miss Theron, interested in the Oscars? How about working with Miramax?"
"Sorry, Mr. Weinstein," Charlize said, holding Gilbert's arm. "I'm very happy where I am and have no intention of venturing into the independent film scene."
"That's too bad," Harvey said, turning away.
Charlize frowned. "Was he serious? Did he really invite me in front of you?"
"He was serious," Gilbert smiled. "Maybe he saw potential in you, Sally."
Charlize quickly made her position clear, "I don't want anything to do with him. The Oscars aren't everything."
In Gilbert's memory, Charlize Theron had won an Oscar, but he couldn't recall the name of the film.
However, her performance was shocking, much like the sacrifices made by Leonardo DiCaprio in The Revenant.
It highlighted the difficulty of winning an Oscar, especially for actors. Some roles required extreme measures.
This also explained why Tom Cruise never won an Oscar. His concern for his image meant he couldn't take on the more abnormal roles.
But there were exceptions—sometimes, even an Oscar-winning role could still be surprisingly normal.
The ceremony soon began, with Billy Crystal's excellent hosting and witty commentary making the crowd laugh uncontrollably.
Gilbert was called up, and Billy joked, "If you want to know who the most talented director in Hollywood is, it's hard to say. But if you want to know who's young, talented, and has lots of beautiful women around him, that's definitely Gilbert."
The audience laughed, knowing that the women accompanying Gilbert were there by choice. It was their freedom, and no one could interfere.
Madonna was also at the ceremony, ready to perform. When she saw Gilbert in the front row, she decided to make a bold move to get back at him.
Having recently had a feud with Naomi Watts and Nicole Kidman, Madonna couldn't resist getting back at Gilbert.
After some banter, the award ceremony officially began.
Usually in order to attract the audience's attention, the first award presented is also a highlight, usually the Best Supporting Actor.
This award was not won by The English Patient, nor was Saving Private Ryan nominated. Instead, the award went to Cuba Gooding Jr. from Jerry Maguire.
This is a Black actor, and although the trend of ZZ correctness had not yet fully taken off, there had been significant dissatisfaction within the Hollywood Black community in recent years. Awarding this to a Black actor was seen as a form of appeasement.
Next, the technical awards were mostly divided between The English Patient and Saving Private Ryan, with each film winning in one category.
Dour Randolph and John Schwartzman jointly took home the Best Cinematography award, while The English Patient won Best Art Direction.
Following that, Saving Private Ryan claimed Best Costume Design, while The English Patient again won Best Sound Editing.
The two films engaged in a chaotic competition, with occasional contributions from other films, but soon overshadowed by the two main contenders.
After Evita won Best Original Song, Madonna took the stage to perform. As she walked up, she checked Gilbert's position, preparing for a bold move.
As Madonna sang and strutted her sensual catwalk down the stage, Gilbert felt an ominous premonition.
Just then, Leonardo DiCaprio was standing nearby, and Gilbert whispered something to him. DiCaprio nodded in agreement.
Sure enough, as Madonna approached Gilbert, she began to dance provocatively around him, completely ignoring Charlize Theron who was standing beside him.
The hot dance moves caused the entire audience to erupt in cheers and whistles.
Madonna, repeating her usual antics, grabbed Gilbert's hand and placed it on her waist, leaning against him.
Despite wearing high heels for her performance, Madonna still had to look up to meet Gilbert's face. After singing a line, she leaned in to kiss him on the lips.
Had she finally succeeded in capturing those lips she had been fantasizing about for so long?
Just then, an unexpected event occurred. DiCaprio quickly intervened, pulling Madonna into his arms and kissing her passionately.
"Wow," Charlize Theron was stunned. She had been instructed by Gilbert not to act rashly, as DiCaprio had already been asked to block Madonna's advances.
But what she didn't expect was that DiCaprio's method of blocking was so... special.
The passionate kiss went on for a while, and while DiCaprio's kissing technique was strong, it still couldn't quite compare to Madonna's. He almost lost his breath.
Madonna was caught off guard by the kiss and no longer had the strength to continue pursuing Gilbert, so she retreated back to the stage to finish her performance.
DiCaprio's kiss left the entire room in shock, boosting the Oscars' viewership, and it was clear the next day's news would be buzzing with the story.
After Madonna went offstage, Theron remarked, "Leo, you're incredible, even kissing Madonna."
DiCaprio exaggerated, "She's a legend. Gilbert told me to do it, and I agreed. It's such an honor to kiss a legend."
Seeing DiCaprio so smug, Theron couldn't help but feel speechless.
At this point, Gilbert thanked him, "Thanks, Leo. If it weren't for you, tonight would have been a disaster."
"No problem," DiCaprio said, still savoring the kiss. "Madonna really lives up to her reputation. I need to practice with her more often."
"You better be careful, or she might drain you dry."
"Don't worry. I'm young and strong. I can handle her," DiCaprio said, then added with curiosity, "Why are you so unwilling to sleep with Madonna? It's such a great opportunity."
"Personal preferences are different, Leo."
DiCaprio suddenly understood, "I get it now. You like younger women and not ones too old. But wait, Sophie Marceau is already in her thirties, and you've been with her…"
Gilbert, feeling helpless with DiCaprio's chatter, could only remind him, "Leo, this is an awards ceremony. Be mindful."
"Oh!" DiCaprio quickly realized that he almost revealed Gilbert's past romantic escapades. Meanwhile, Tom Hanks had been listening attentively with great interest.
Although DiCaprio was young, he didn't know the whole story. Gilbert wasn't one to brag about his past relationships. He wasn't the type to flaunt his affairs with women.
In contrast, DiCaprio had no hesitation in boasting about his wonderful moments with women, and he even liked showing off to Gilbert. From this aspect, DiCaprio and Madonna were quite alike.
Despite their different personalities and lifestyles, it didn't stop Gilbert and DiCaprio from being good friends. After all, this solid friendship meant DiCaprio would really step up when needed!
