Chapter 117: Submitting to the Golden Globe Awards

Chapter 117: Chapter 117: Submitting to the Golden Globe Awards

The topic quickly turned to her new work. A reporter asked,

"I hear you are currently filming the new movie The Italian Job. Could you reveal the latest progress? How does it feel to collaborate with Matt Damon, Charlize Theron, and Johnny Depp?"

"So far, the filming of the movie has been very smooth, and I am very happy to be able to work with actors like Matt, Charlize, and Johnny."

"Matt Damon’s professionalism goes without saying. He always does his homework before every shoot and has a very deep understanding of his character.

Charlize Theron has great explosive power, especially in scenes together. She always manages to surprise me.

Johnny Depp carries a unique charm and portrays the complexity of his character to the fullest."

"They are not only outstanding actors but also very humble. They take the initiative to discuss script details with me and even offer many valuable suggestions for revisions. We have a great rapport."

"Then, compared to Mean Girls, what are the differences in style for The Italian Job? What are your expectations for this new film?" another reporter pressed.

"The stylistic differences are significant. Mean Girls is a teen comedy, leaning more towards a relaxed, authentic quality of life.

The Italian Job is a crime thriller, with a faster pace and more intense conflicts. It has both exciting action scenes and mind-bending intellectual battles."

She paused, her tone firm. "I hope to use this film to showcase a different creative style, and I also hope to let the audience see a different side of the actors. The atmosphere on set is currently very good, and I believe this work will not disappoint everyone."

The interview lasted nearly twenty minutes. The reporters’ questions ranged from personal life to career, from old works to new ones. Irene handled them with composure throughout.

Although many questions had been rehearsed beforehand, the long Q&A still left her feeling exhausted.

Shelly noticed Irene’s discomfort and immediately shouted, "One last question. It’s very late and we need to leave!"

The last question was: "After the MTV Movie Awards conclude this time, what are your upcoming work plans? Will you continue to delve into teen-themed projects, or will you try more genres?"

Irene replied with a smile, "Next, I will try more works of different styles—thriller, romance, or even sci-fi. As long as it’s a good script, I’m willing to take on the challenge."

After the interview ended, Irene and Loren left the media area under the escort of staff.

Once in the car, Irene couldn’t wait to kick off her high heels. Loren quickly twisted open a bottle of mineral water and handed it to her.

"Next time there’s an interview, I hope we’re sitting comfortably in a conference room, okay, my great agent?"

Shelly quickly apologized, "It was my poor planning. I didn’t expect it to take so long. The next interview will probably be at the Golden Globe Awards ceremony."

"Our movie was submitted to the Golden Globe Awards? I didn’t hear you mention it." This was the first time Irene had heard this news, and she was a bit surprised.

"It was submitted a long time ago. I didn’t tell you because I was worried that if it wasn’t nominated, it might affect you."

"Then does the fact that you’re saying it now mean we will definitely be nominated?" Irene pressed.

"Ninety percent certainty, I’d say. We submitted for five categories: Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy, Best Supporting Actress, Best Screenplay, and Best Original Score. I don’t know how many we’ll win."

Irene changed her position, leaning into Loren’s arms before saying, "Not bad. Just being nominated is a victory. The more nominations, the better. If we win, the crew gets a bonus!"

"Even in the worst-case scenario, we expect at least 2 nominations, so you’ll be busy at the end of the year," Shelly said with a smile, offering congratulations.

Irene shook her head. "Better not. The dean of academic affairs at USC called Francis, saying my leave requests are too frequent. If I still can’t complete my studies normally next semester, they suggest I take a leave of absence."

"But you know, my movie schedule is already planned out for the next 2 years, and it will only get busier in the future. I don’t want to be old and still coming back to study. So this semester, apart from filming the remaining scenes for The Italian Job in September, I will be honestly and methodically attending school the rest of the time. Nobody is allowed to disturb me."

After hearing this, Shelly expressed deep regret. "Even the glitz and glamour of Hollywood can’t stop your pursuit of education."

"Yes, and it gives me a perfect reason to stay away from you party animals."

...

Perhaps it was because Irene said filming was going very smoothly during the backstage interview at the MTV Movie Awards, which annoyed the heavens.

In September, on a closed section of a highway in the suburbs of Los Angeles, the core car chase scenes for The Italian Job officially began filming, and trouble followed one after another.

At six in the morning on set, the fog had not yet dispersed. Five modified Mini Coopers were neatly lined up on the lane. Matt Damon and Charlize Theron were already sitting in the lead cars, familiarizing themselves with the vehicles.

The camera crew had set up eight sets of cameras on the roofs, sides, and the ground, ready to capture the thrilling shots of the high-speed chase.

Irene, wearing a walkie-talkie, stood in front of the monitor. She had just said to the assistant director, Jack, "Let’s try to get it in one take," when an accident happened first.

"All departments ready, Action!"

The lead car driven by Matt rushed out first, followed closely by Charlize. The roar of the engines pierced through the morning fog.

According to the script, the two cars needed to perform a "side-by-side drift" and "reverse overtaking" maneuver at a speed of 120 km/h.

But just as the two cars were about to complete the intersection, the driver playing the villain’s henchman suddenly made an operational error, jerked the steering wheel, and the rear of the car slammed directly into the side of Charlize’s car.

With a dull "bang," the paint on both cars was scratched. Charlize’s car even lost control, veering off the planned route and stopping as it scraped against the guardrail.

"Cut! Cut! Check on the people quickly!" Irene’s voice sounded urgently over the walkie-talkie, and she immediately rushed forward.

Fortunately, both cars had been reinforced for collision protection, so the actors were not seriously hurt, but Charlize’s forehead was still reddened from the impact of inertia.

"Sorry, sorry, the fog was too thick and I couldn’t see the distance clearly!" The driver apologized with a pale face, his hands still trembling slightly on the steering wheel.

Irene rubbed her temples, looking at the damaged vehicles and scattered props, and helplessly waved her hand. "Take care of the vehicle conditions first. We’ll reshoot in twenty minutes." But she didn’t expect that this was just the beginning of the trouble.

The second take finally avoided a collision, but when reviewing the footage, new problems emerged.

The resolution of the micro-cameras installed inside the cars was insufficient. The close-up shots of Matt and Charlize exchanging glances and passing codes during the chase were all blurry, and the fixed cameras outside the cars showed severe motion blur due to the high speed.

"This image quality is completely unusable! The audience needs to see their expressions clearly to feel the tension." Irene stared at the screen, her tone grave.