Chapter 216: A New Discovery

Chapter 216: Chapter 216: A New Discovery

As Shelly finished speaking, Irene tapped her fingertips lightly against her knee, her mind instantly flashing to the two blockbuster novel copyrights she had in her possession.

Ever since Pirates of the Caribbean started filming, she had already laid out her long-term path clearly.

This fantasy adventure blockbuster would at least be a trilogy. Once all three were finished, her commercial box office appeal, industry status, and global influence would inevitably skyrocket to the absolute peak of the new generation of Hollywood directors.

But relying solely on commercial films was far from enough.

To gain a firm foothold, receive true recognition from the Academy, and possess the power of speech not swayed by capital, she had to launch works with depth, themes, and artistic weight at the right time after her commercial value reached its peak.

And she happened to hold two future legendary masterpieces in her hands.

One was the classic LGBTQ+ film Brokeback Mountain, which she had suddenly thought of while talking to Ang Lee, and the other was Million Dollar Baby, which struck directly at the heart and was destined to sweep the awards season.

In these two works, there was no shortage of young male characters with distinct personalities and rich layers. Finding a suitable spot for Henry Cavill would not be difficult.

Thinking of this, Irene looked up at Shelly and Henry. "There are indeed roles suitable for young male actors in two projects. If your acting skills are up to par, I can save a spot for you. But I cannot guarantee it’s a lead role."

Henry immediately straightened his posture, his eyes filled with gratitude and admiration. "Thank you, Irene. I am willing to try any role."

Shelly was even more overjoyed. "Of course! Being able to learn from you and refine acting skills is more important than any lead role!"

He knew better than anyone that Irene’s next film would inevitably be a subject the Oscar liked. Her ambition was never just to be a director.

And what it meant for a newcomer actor to appear in an Oscar-contending film by Irene Coppola—that was a golden opportunity to step directly into the sights of the awards season and be seen by all of Hollywood. He had such blind confidence in Irene.

As soon as the three finished speaking, the lights in the entire Dolby Theatre slowly dimmed.

The big screen lit up, and the passionate opening music instantly resonated throughout the venue.

The noisy banquet hall and the audience seats quieted down simultaneously, and everyone’s gaze focused on the center of the stage.

The awards ceremony officially kicked off. The stage lights were dazzling, opening short films and performances took turns, and the atmosphere of the entire venue was enthusiastic and solemn.

Irene, Shelly, and Henry sat quietly in their seats, watching the little golden statues being handed out one by one, observing the subtle direction of the entire ceremony with calm eyes.

Starting from technical, fringe awards like Best Sound and Best Editing, Irene keenly noticed an exceptionally clear trend.

In the list of winners, the frequency of Black creators and artists appearing was far higher than in any previous year.

Without any public explanation, it was like a silent yet orderly layout, unfolding bit by bit from behind the scenes to the front of the stage.

Shelly also frowned slightly and lowered his voice to say to Irene, "The Academy is determined to settle the score."

Irene nodded lightly without speaking.

She knew better than anyone that this was no coincidence, but a gesture and wooing of the entire Black community that had long been decided.

The calmer it was on stage, the clearer the maneuvering behind the scenes became.

Henry didn’t quite understand the deep rules of the Hollywood awards season yet. He just watched the stage quietly, occasionally applauding lightly for wonderful moments, his eyes filled with awe and longing for the top hall of fame.

When the ceremony reached the halfway point, Irene stood up to go to the restroom.

While passing through the dim lights of the side corridor, she happened to brush shoulders with Nicole Kidman, who was waiting for her assistant.

The other party was still wearing that gorgeous haute couture, her makeup was impeccably perfect, and when she saw Irene, she immediately raised that iconic, elegant, and appropriate smile.

But this time, Irene clearly captured that in that smile, the confident brightness from before the opening was gone, leaving only a thin layer of forced decency. Deep in her eyes hid a trace of hard-to-conceal gloom and unease.

A slight movement stirred in Irene’s heart.

It seemed that without anyone needing to remind her, this actress who had been grinding in Hollywood for many years had already sensed the shift in the wind direction tonight with her own keen sense of smell.

She might not know the final result, but she must have already understood: this year’s Best Actress award did not belong to her from the beginning, nor did it belong to Renée Zellweger.

People who could climb to such heights in Hollywood were truly no simple characters.

Even without speaking it out or questioning it, just by a subtle breath in the air, one could read all the unspoken truths.

Irene nodded slightly to acknowledge, said nothing more, and walked straight past her.

There was not a single word exchanged between the two, yet they had completed a silent eye contact that only top insiders could understand.

When she returned to her seat, the awards on stage had advanced to the more significant acting categories.

Shelly glanced at her and asked in a low voice, "Is everything clear?"

Irene gave a faint "Hmm," and her gaze fell back onto the stage.

The good show was just about to truly begin.

As the Best Supporting Actress award was officially announced, the audience erupted in applause. Irene also stood up quietly and walked slowly along the side aisle of the seats toward the backstage waiting area.

The gilded backstage was quiet and tense. Staff members walked in a hurry. The lights were brighter and colder than in the venue, and a feeling of tension like a countdown floated in the air.

A ceremonial staff member in a black uniform walked gently to her side, bowed slightly, and signaled, "Director Coppola, you are next, please prepare."

Irene nodded and stood alone behind the curtain.

Before her was the heavy velvet curtain. Outside the curtain was the bated breath of the entire Dolby Theatre, the eyes of hundreds of millions of viewers worldwide, and the highest honor moment in Hollywood.

The host’s high-pitched and infectious voice penetrated the curtain and clearly fell into her ears:

"Next, what is about to be revealed is—the Oscar for Best Actress!"

The moment she heard this sentence, Irene closed her eyes gently and took a deep breath.

When she opened them again, all emotions in her eyes had been reined in, leaving only a calm, gentle, and highly graceful smile.

She straightened her back, adjusted the hem of her light golden gown, and in the second before the spotlights of the entire venue followed her, she stepped steadily onto the stage under the gaze of everyone.

Standing in front of the microphone, her gaze slowly swept across the five nominees in the audience. Her voice was clear, steady, and full of power. Word by word, she read the award speech elegantly and solemnly:

"Every performance is a surrender of the soul. Every character is a rebirth of a life. The Best Actress award represents not only the pinnacle of acting skills, but also an actor’s deepest awe and love for the story.

Next, let us get to know the five outstanding actresses who interpret characters with their lives. With her delicate, fragile, yet powerful performance in Moulin Rouge!, letting us see the struggle and light in the depths of the female soul—Nicole Kidman!"

"With her vivid and natural interpretation in Bridget Jones’s Diary, perfectly combining with the character herself, blooming with dazzling light—Renée Zellweger!"

"In In the Bedroom, with a restrained, controlled, and layered performance, moving every audience member—Sissy Spacek!"

"In Iris, with sincere and natural performance, moving hearts in silence—Judi Dench!"

"And, in Monster’s Ball, tearing apart all labels and prejudices, with the most naked, realistic, and heart-shaking performance, illuminating the entire screen—Halle Berry!"