Chapter 142: Ang Lee

Chapter 142: Chapter 142: Ang Lee

The surrounding guests gradually gathered around, and the topic quickly shifted to Oscar acceptance thoughts and subsequent work plans.

Julia put on a bright smile again, chatting and laughing with everyone, occasionally looking at Irene, praising her talent and potential with an affectionate tone.

Irene also took the opportunity to blend into the crowd, exchanging pleasantries with those around her, a proper smile always hanging on her face.

She knew that in such a public setting, no matter how uncomfortable Julia felt inside, she would maintain superficial harmony and admiration. It was the survival rule of Hollywood, and no one would easily make enemies openly.

Halfway through the celebration banquet, Irene made an excuse to go to the restroom, temporarily escaping the noisy crowd.

The hallway was much quieter. She leaned against the window, watching the night view outside, her heart calm without much ripple.

She could feel Julia’s hostility, but for her, this was no longer anything new.

In this vanity fair of Hollywood, excellent people always attract jealousy and exclusion, and all she could do was use one successful work after another to prove her worth.

Not long after, Shelly came over and whispered, "Just now, Julia’s agent quietly asked me if you have any female lead projects coming up, wanting her to collaborate with you."

Irene was stunned for a moment, then smiled. "She certainly knows how to go with the flow. However, my energy is currently all on Pirates of the Caribbean, and I have no other plans for the time being."

Shelly nodded. "I know you wouldn’t agree. Actually, she knows deep down that you are no longer the newcomer who could be easily suppressed back then. With the Oscar nomination and Fox’s endorsement, your current influence is much heavier than she imagines."

Irene smiled without speaking.

Julia’s overture was merely based on considerations of interest. Now that she was in the ascendant, with The Italian Job about to be released and Pirates of the Caribbean highly anticipated, collaborating with her was also a profitable deal for Julia.

The champagne tower at the celebration banquet was still refracting brilliant light. Baird Fergus brought a refined-looking gentleman towards Irene, his tone full of solemnity. "Irene, this is Director Ang Lee. I think you must have many common topics to discuss."

Irene looked up and saw Ang Lee wearing a well-tailored dark suit, with a gentle smile on his face, his eyes calm and clear.

Unlike her calmness when facing Julia, her eyes instantly lit up with genuine radiance. She took a step forward and reached out her hand, her tone unable to hide her admiration. "Director Lee, I have always admired you very much. The narrative of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is too exquisite. Those spaces and artistic conceptions are realms I can never learn."

Her attitude was sincere and eager, without the slightest perfunctoriness.

Ang Lee held her hand with a gentle smile. "Irene, you’re too humble. I have also watched Mean Girls. The rhythm of the script and character portrayal are quite outstanding. It is not easy to make a youth comedy with such realistic resonance."

Irene’s cheeks warmed slightly, her tone still sincere. "You overpraise me. Although our narrative styles and filming techniques are worlds apart—you are good at using delicate lens language to dig into the emotions deep in human nature, while I focus more on the narrative rhythm and market resonance of commercial films—I have always felt that a truly good story can touch people’s hearts no matter how it is presented. Your works have always been a model for me to learn from."

She did not deliberately cater, nor did she hide the differences between them, just frankly expressing her admiration.

This sincerity made a flash of approval appear in Ang Lee’s eyes. The two chatted naturally, from the martial arts aesthetics of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon to the cultural conflicts in The Wedding Banquet, and then to the balance between commercial films and art films.

Irene listened very attentively, occasionally putting forward her own insights, neither humble nor arrogant, while carrying the respect of a junior for a senior.

After chatting for about ten minutes, Ang Lee was surrounded by other guests, and the two ended their conversation.

When parting, Ang Lee specifically said, "Irene, your talent and courage are very admirable. I look forward to the opportunity to see your Pirates of the Caribbean in the future, and I also hope to see you try works of different styles one day."

"Definitely!" Irene nodded vigorously, watching Ang Lee’s departing back, her heart unable to hide her excitement.

She suddenly thought of his later work, Brokeback Mountain, that work which caused major controversy and allowed Ang Lee to successfully win Best Director. It should be that no one is paying attention to it now.

Because in the current Hollywood, homosexuality is still a taboo topic, far from the political correctness of the future.

So at this stage, no one should dare to easily touch this subject matter until Brokeback Mountain bursts onto the scene.

When the celebration banquet ended, the night was already deep.

Irene sat in the car, and before Shelly could start the car, she immediately took out her phone and dialed Vera’s number. "Vera, help me do one thing. Immediately go and check for a novel called Brokeback Mountain. No matter what method you use, you must buy its film and television adaptation rights. The faster, the better. Budget is not an issue."

Vera on the other end of the phone was stunned for a moment, then agreed. "Received! I will go check it now and contact the copyright holder first thing tomorrow morning. However, why do you suddenly want the rights to this novel?"

Irene watched the street scene passing by outside the car window, her eyes determined. "Intuition. I just finished chatting with Director Ang Lee and suddenly thought of this novel. Its story core is too moving. That repressed and deep emotion has great value to be excavated. Although no one may be optimistic about this subject matter now, I believe that good stories will shine sooner or later."

She paused and added, "Besides, I want to save a good story for Director Ang Lee. His narrative style is too suitable for interpreting such delicate and profound emotions. Even if he doesn’t take it when the time comes, I can shoot it. In short, holding the copyright of this novel in hand is definitely not a loss."

After hanging up the phone, Shelly looked surprised. "You just thought of this suddenly? Brokeback Mountain? I seem to have heard of this novel. The subject matter is indeed quite sensitive, and the market risk is not small."

"Risk and opportunity coexist." Irene smiled, sharp light flashing in her eyes. "Just like how no one was optimistic that Mean Girls could get an Oscar nomination back then, some things only yield results if you do them. Although the subject matter of Brokeback Mountain is very sensitive, good stories are scarce resources, and you cannot miss them when you encounter them."

She leaned back in the seat, and the outline of the story of Brokeback Mountain involuntarily emerged in her mind—the meeting and entanglement of two cowboys on the western prairie, that deep affection crossing gender and secular boundaries, even more moving against the repressive historical background.

And Ang Lee once presented this story perfectly to the world. Honestly, if she were to shoot it, she really might not be able to fully capture that feeling, at least she didn’t have that level of control yet.