Chapter 130: Golden Globe Awards Nominations

Chapter 130: Chapter 130: Golden Globe Awards Nominations

Irene felt a warmth in her heart. "Thanks, Dad. It’s not necessary for now. I want to see the feedback from Fox and Disney first."

She knew her father’s good intentions and understood that as a veteran filmmaker, Francis’s connections in the industry could indeed be of great help.

However, the three-way collaboration was still just her own wishful thinking. Even though Baird Fergus seemed moved by her proposal, as long as the results of The Italian Job were not yet out, no matter how perfect the picture she painted was, they would not launch such a large-investment project.

Eleanor added with a smile from the side, "Regardless, don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Who knows how many projects get stuck in Hollywood every year? Your project has such a large investment. They are bound to be cautious."

She stood up and headed to the kitchen. "I’ll have someone prepare your favorite roasted lamb chops and cream of mushroom soup. Sophia will be over later, and your dad specially brought a bottle of good wine from Napa Valley. Let’s have a nice family celebration tonight."

Irene nodded.

Speaking of her sister Sophia, she usually lived in Manhattan and didn’t come to Los Angeles often, so she was rarely seen.

Recently, she had been traveling to find inspiration. Come to think of it, Irene felt a faint sense of envy. Both were well-known female directors in Hollywood now, but Sophia’s life was clearly much more relaxed than hers.

But since Irene had chosen this path, she could only work hard and keep moving forward.

Two days later, the family sat together after finishing dinner.

Sophia sat down next to Irene, affectionately draping her arm over her shoulder. "My great director, are you nervous? How about we make a bet on how many nominations Mean Girls will get? I bet two. If I win, you lend me your new car for a few days."

Irene unconsciously rubbed the armrest of the sofa with her fingertips, knowing that Sophia was trying to liven up the atmosphere. "It’s just a teen comedy. Having box office success is enough. Nominations are just an unexpected bonus. I’ll bet on one."

Francis sat at the head of the table, flipping through a film magazine without really reading it, glancing at the TV from time to time.

"Don’t be modest. The quality of your work is quite good in this year’s film market, and the box office is also very high. They often select hot projects for nominations. So I bet three. If I win, you must honestly attend classes next semester until your project officially starts."

Irene pouted at this. She had had enough of her classmates’ strange and overly attentive gazes this semester.

Eleanor walked in with a freshly baked apple pie and placed it on the coffee table. "Try it, it’s fresh out of the oven. It’s sweeter with some cream. I’ll add one to Francis’s number as encouragement."

At eight o’clock in the evening, the live broadcast of the Golden Globe Awards nominations began on time.

The host opened with an enthusiastic tone, revealing the nomination lists for each award one by one. Irene was infected by the atmosphere and began to feel nervous unconsciously.

The host’s voice came through the speakers. "First, the nominations for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy! The nominees are: Almost Famous, Chicken Run, Chocolat, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, and Mean Girls!"

Sophia jumped up first and hugged Irene excitedly. "You’re nominated! I knew your movie would make it!"

Francis also put down the magazine, a gratified smile on his face, and picked up the wine bottle to pour red wine for everyone. "Come, let’s toast to the first nomination!"

Irene was stunned, the corners of her mouth curling upward uncontrollably.

She had always felt that Mean Girls was a lighthearted campus comedy, and in terms of depth, it really couldn’t compare to those Oscar-bait films. Being nominated for Best Motion Picture already exceeded her expectations.

Before her emotions could settle, the host continued to reveal, "Nominations for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy: Renée Zellweger for Nurse Betty, Juliette Binoche for Chocolat, Sandra Bullock for Miss Congeniality, Reese Witherspoon for Mean Girls, and Brenda Blethyn for Saving Grace!"

"Reese is nominated too! She played Katie vividly. The nomination is well-deserved!" Sophia clapped excitedly.

Immediately after, the list of nominations for Best Supporting Actress was announced. "The nominees for Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture are: Kate Hudson for Almost Famous, Julie Walters for Billy Elliot, Rachel McAdams for Mean Girls, Judi Dench for Chocolat, and Catherine Zeta-Jones for Traffic!"

"Another one! That’s three nominations now. Irene, you’re amazing!" Sophia was even more excited than Irene.

For a long time after that, Irene didn’t hear the name Mean Girls again. Just as she thought it was over and was about to put the apple pie into her mouth, she heard the host slowly read out:

"Nominations for Best Screenplay – Motion Picture: Stephen Gaghan for Traffic, Cameron Crowe for Almost Famous, Steve Kloves for Wonder Boys, Irene Coppola for Mean Girls, and Kenneth Lonergan for You Can Count on Me!"

"Four nominations!" Francis stood up abruptly, his voice filled with irrepressible excitement. "Irene, four important nominations, not a single minor award. This is very rare for a teen comedy!"

Cheers erupted in the living room. Sophia hugged Irene and spun her around, while Eleanor smiled and refilled everyone’s wine glasses.

Irene slumped onto the sofa, an expression of disbelief on her face, her heart filled with mixed emotions.

"I really didn’t expect to get so many nominations. When I was filming, I just thought that as long as the audience enjoyed it and the box office was good, that would be enough. After all, it really doesn’t have the depth of those classic films." Irene raised her glass, her tone filled with unconcealable joy.

Francis clinked his glass against hers, his eyes full of pride. "Depth has the value of depth, and resonance has the power of resonance. Mean Girls struck a chord with young people. The lines are classic, and the plot is realistic. That is its charm. Moreover, these four nominations are the best endorsement for your upcoming Pirates of the Caribbean project."

Mentioning Pirates of the Caribbean, Irene’s eyes instantly became determined.

Yes, the recognition from the Golden Globe Awards was not just an honor, but also concrete industry leverage. With these four nominations, the negotiations with Fox and Disney would undoubtedly go much smoother.

Sophia took a sip of red wine and said with envy, "You’ll have to prepare for the Golden Globe Awards ceremony next, right? You must dress up well then, so that all of Hollywood remembers the name of our Irene Coppola."

Just then, Irene’s phone suddenly rang, and the name "Shelly" appeared on the screen.