The new Oscars ceremony was held as scheduled, and Ethan attended the entire event.
This year's Oscars saw many changes. For the first time, they moved away from traditional comedian hosts and instead chose younger presenters—
32-year-old James Franco and 28-year-old Anne Hathaway stood on stage to host the ceremony.
Additionally, the Oscars adopted many virtual stage concepts, incorporating virtual reality technology.
However, in Ethan's eyes, these innovations were nothing special.
What he cared about was who would take home the awards.
And indeed, this year's Oscars had some unusual shifts in the results—perhaps influenced by the exposure of the Weinstein scandal, which caused deviations in the voting patterns of the Academy judges.
First, Norton's Eye productions made a strong showing—
Lucy was nominated for Best Picture and won Best Visual Effects.
Despicable Me received a nomination for Best Animated Feature.
The Conjuring won Best Sound Editing and Best Sound Mixing.
Next was The King's Speech, which won Best Picture, Best Actor, and Best Supporting Actress.
Anne Hathaway won her award. When her category was announced, she, as the host, accepted it directly on stage.
However, the Best Director award, which was supposed to go to The King's Speech, was taken by The Social Network.
As for Best Actress, it still went to Natalie Portman for Black Swan.
From these awards, it was clear that the Academy's judging mindset remained stuck in the old era of polished, traditional films.
But that was a topic for media discussion. It had nothing to do with Ethan.
He only cared about one thing—Anne Hathaway winning an Oscar.
After the ceremony, Ethan and Anne Hathaway got into a car and returned to their villa in Los Angeles.
Click! Ethan turned on the living room lights, filling the space with a warm amber glow.
"Have a drink."
Ethan took a bottle of champagne from the wine cabinet. Looking at the label, he suddenly thought of Henry.
Back when he worked at Heinz Group, he had tasted Henry's private collection of champagne.
Now, he had built a collection of his own. No matter how expensive it was, it no longer meant anything to him.
Watching the bubbles rise in the glass, Ethan gently picked it up and handed it to Anne Hathaway, who had just changed her clothes.
She wore a white nightgown with a loose neckline, revealing her delicate collarbone and a faint cleavage.
Taking the champagne, she quickly downed the whole glass.
Then, she poured herself another.
"Drink slower," Ethan advised.
But Anne Hathaway shook her head.
"I want to get drunk… just once."
"…Alright."
Ethan wrapped an arm around her, and the two of them sat on the sofa.
He turned off the lights, leaving only the soft moonlight shining through the floor-to-ceiling windows.
Because their villa was at the top of a hill, when they looked up, they could see a breathtaking starry sky.
Anne Hathaway stared at the view, mesmerized.
Taking a sip of her champagne, she whispered, "Thank you, Ethan."
"Why thank me?" Ethan shrugged. "I didn't do anything."
"You think I don't know?"
Anne Hathaway turned her head and smiled at him.
"Bernay PR. If it weren't for them, I wouldn't have won this award."
"Every winner needs PR. If your performance wasn't good, PR alone wouldn't have helped."
"I know… but still, I'm grateful. You helped me fulfill my dream."
Anne Hathaway took another sip.
"This is just the beginning. It's only Best Supporting Actress. You still have Best Actress waiting for you."
Ethan drank as well, feeling the fine bubbles on his tongue.
"Really? Best Actress? I don't believe it."
Anne Hathaway shook her head.
"There's almost no chance in the next ten years."
"Charlize Theron did it."
"But Monster was a one-time film…"
"There's also Natalie Portman."
"Black Swan was also a one-time film."
Ethan chuckled.
"But that means there's a chance, doesn't it? One day, a movie like that will come your way. Anne, you just need to seize the opportunity."
In fact, Ethan knew Anne Hathaway had once had that opportunity.
But she gave it up.
The film Silver Linings Playbook, which made Jennifer Lawrence a household name and won her an Oscar for Best Actress, had also won the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy.
That role was originally meant for Anne Hathaway.
But due to scheduling conflicts, she had to drop out.
Now that Ethan knew about this missed opportunity, he wouldn't let it slip away again.
"Here, take a look at this."
Ethan pulled a business card from his pocket and handed it to Anne Hathaway.
"What's this?"
Anne Hathaway was puzzled.
She lowered her head, using the moonlight to read the card.
For a long moment, she didn't move, as if time had frozen.
After ten seconds, she suddenly laughed.
"Sorry, my eyes must be playing tricks on me. I can't see clearly."
"Haha, I thought you were deep in thought."
Ethan chuckled and read out loud—
"David O. Russell. Norton's Eye is investing in his new film, Silver Linings Playbook."
"So, you think this film can win an Oscar?"
"Absolutely, sweetheart. It was supposed to belong to Weinstein, but I took it."
Ethan answered honestly.
This film had indeed been one of Weinstein's projects. Everything had already been negotiated, but after the Weinstein brothers' scandals broke out, the director hesitated and eventually took the project to Norton's Eye instead.
Ethan hadn't expected this bonus opportunity.
He couldn't help but think—if he could completely take down Weinstein, then in the coming years, Norton's Eye might become a regular at the Oscars.
"How ruthless. But I like it."
Anne Hathaway had been following the Weinstein case closely.
She just didn't know that the mastermind behind everything was sitting right in front of her.
She took the business card back and nodded.
"Alright, since the great Ethan Captain says so, I'll take this seriously. If I don't win Best Actress, you owe me compensation."
"The great Ethan Captain? Where did that come from?"
Ethan found the nickname amusing.
Anne Hathaway's face was slightly flushed from the alcohol as she explained—
"Haven't you been watching Friends lately? They mentioned you. That line describes your foresight as being as sharp as a ship captain's."
That quote had come from the Lucy production team.
Actor Rob Sari had said it in an interview, and because it was so exaggerated, it became a Hollywood inside joke.
"I see."
Ethan hadn't expected to become the subject of Friends' jokes one day.
He couldn't help but smirk.
"Looks like the great Ethan Captain is pleased."
Anne Hathaway took another sip of champagne.
Then, she suddenly frowned.
"So why does David O. Russell's name have an 'O' in it?"
"No idea. Maybe his parents thought it sounded cool?"
"Really? Then how about Ethan O. Norton?"
"Anne O. Hathaway?"
"Hahaha." Anne Hathaway was amused by the odd names, laughing so hard that she collapsed into Ethan's arms.
As she calmed down, Ethan silently gazed into her eyes. At that moment, the moonlight seemed to flow into them, forming a clear spring, exceptionally pure and deep.
Ethan lowered his head slightly, and their lips met, never to part again.
"Ethan, right here…"
"Alright, no problem."
The moonlight cast a soft glow on her fair skin, making it look like warm jade. Ethan gently leaned down, wrapped his arms around Anne Hathaway's shoulders, and lay on the floor with her.
Soon, faint sounds blended into a rhythm, accompanied by the subtle tremor of the floor. There were even tiny droplets of moisture scattered around…
The Next Day, New York
Rob Sari was watering the flowers in his yard.
His younger sister, Lottie Sari, ran out of her room, holding their family dog, and called out to him, "Good morning, brother!"
"Good morning." Rob fondly rubbed his sister's cheek and then said, "You're up so early today."
"Yeah! I made plans to go out with friends." Lottie looked at the flowers and plants in the yard. "It's so pretty. Brother, the new house is so much better than the old one."
"Of course." Thinking about this, Rob felt a deep sense of accomplishment.
Ever since he played the villain in Lucy and gained recognition, this short guy had become a hot commodity in Hollywood. Many movies had extended invitations to him, his pay had skyrocketed, and he even landed several endorsement deals.
With the money he earned, Rob bought a bigger house for his family. It was still in the suburbs of New York, but it was a huge upgrade from their old place.
Now, he spent his days tending to his garden, acting when he had a project, and resting when he didn't. It was quite a good life.
However, just as Rob was immersed in caring for his garden, his younger brother suddenly ran out and shouted, "Brother, it's a call for you!"
"Who is it?" Rob didn't turn around, carefully trimming his favorite potted plant with a pair of scissors.
"It's Norton's Eye, brother!" his brother called out again.
"Director Ethan!"
Hearing his brother's answer, Rob's hand trembled, and he accidentally snipped off the only flower on the plant.
But he couldn't care about that now. He threw down the scissors and rushed into the house to answer the call.
"Yes, yes, no problem. I'll be there on time in a week."
His brother watched as Rob smiled and nodded repeatedly. Curious, he asked after the call ended, "Is it something important?"
"Of course!" Rob checked himself in the mirror. "Director Ethan's new film is in the preparation stage, and he invited me to audition!"
"Huh? Can't you just act in it directly?" His brother was a bit disappointed. In his mind, Rob was already a Hollywood star, so he didn't understand why he still needed to audition.
Rob shook his head. "Are you kidding? This is an Ethan film. If the casting call were made public, the line for auditions would stretch from New York to Mexico. The fact that I got the news in advance is already a great advantage."
After saying that, he muttered to himself in the mirror, "I have to seize this opportunity, Rob. This might be an important supporting role!"
"Mr. Sari, long time no see!"
"Long time no see, Charles."
"Rob, nice to see you again."
"Oh, Jackson, you've gained weight."
Rob Sari made his way from the entrance of Norton's Eye to the audition room, meeting several crew members from his previous film. Naturally outgoing, he had blended in with the Lucy crew during filming and had even become friends with some members, often hanging out for drinks afterward.
Upon entering the audition room, he looked around and realized that almost all the other actors were unfamiliar. He didn't recognize a single one, so he had no one to chat with.
He had no choice but to sit down in the front row and wait alone.
Meanwhile, the other actors in the room started whispering.
"Hey, look, it's Sari! He's auditioning too?" A curly-haired actor was surprised.
The brown-haired actor beside him followed his gaze and asked, "Who's Sari?"
"You don't know? Rob Sari—he played the villain in Lucy. I heard he was just a small-time actor before, but after being chosen by Director Ethan, he became famous overnight." The curly-haired actor spoke with envy.
The brown-haired actor nodded. "I see. But if he's so close to Director Ethan, why does he still need to audition?"
"No idea. Maybe it's just Ethan's way of doing things?"
"Got it…" The brown-haired actor clenched his fists. "I'm getting a little nervous now. If I get the part, does that mean I'll become famous too?"
The curly-haired actor blinked and then sized him up. "Dude, what have you acted in before?"
"Me?" The brown-haired actor replied, "School theater plays. Do those count?"
"What the hell?" The curly-haired actor was stunned. "You've never been in a film?"
"Nope. Uh… is that a problem?" The brown-haired actor didn't understand his concern.
"Not really. Just means you got lucky. But if you think you can beat professional actors…" The curly-haired actor smirked. "Don't get your hopes up too much."
"Don't be so pessimistic, buddy. Maybe the director likes fresh talent like me!"
Aside from their conversation, other actors in the room also noticed Rob Sari. After the initial surprise, some even approached him for autographs.
"This feels pretty good." Rob Sari pursed his lips, feeling a little nervous.
He started worrying—if he didn't land this role, would people see him as a joke?
Would the headlines read something like:
"Lucy Villain Rob Sari Auditions for Ethan's New Film—Fails Miserably, Loses Role to an Unknown Newcomer"
He knew these thoughts were unnecessary, but he couldn't shake the fear that the audience's attention might shift away from him to the next rising star. That idea made him feel embarrassed, like a fool.
More importantly, Ethan was the one who made him famous. If he couldn't even secure a role in Ethan's new film, did that mean Ethan didn't value him that much after all?
Thinking about this, Rob Sari's palms started sweating.
Just then, a staff member walked over and said, "Mr. Sari, Director Norton is calling you in."
.....
Hi For access to additional chapters of
Director in Hollywood (20 chpaters)
MV Director (30 chapters)....
Douluo Dalu:Breaking Clan(30 chapters)
Made In Hollywood (50 Chapters)
Pokemon:Bounty Hunter(30 Chapters)
Douluo Dalu: Reincarnated as Yan(10 Chapters)
Join pateron.com/Translaterappu