Chapter 26: The Benefits of Success

Chapter 26: Chapter 26: The Benefits of Success

"Irene, this is Adelaide Griffin, head of distribution management at 20th Century Fox."

"Mr. Griffin, it’s a pleasure to meet you." Irene stepped forward and shook his hand.

"Mr. Griffin was in the area and asked specifically to meet you."

"Miss Coppola, I’ve heard a lot about you. Please, call me Adelaide. May I call you Irene? Seeing you in person, the word ’talented’ feels appropriate.

If I’d married earlier, my granddaughter would be your age." Adelaide Griffin laughed warmly, his tone sincere.

"Of course, Adelaide. I imagine your granddaughter is at a charming age."

"No, she’s quite spirited. Just yesterday she declared she wants to attend Harvard. Irene, you made an excellent film. It’s had a positive influence, even on younger audiences."

Receiving such praise from a major studio distribution head was meaningful. It felt more substantial than generic press coverage.

"I appreciate that," Irene said.

"This isn’t flattery. It’s based on market experience." Adelaide leaned forward, his expression focused.

"If we had handled distribution, with our channels and resources, I think the results could have been even stronger."

Hindsight was easy. If MGM hadn’t been in transition, they might not have committed to a wide release without tests. She was grateful for MGM’s support.

Under normal circumstances, if MGM maintained its approach, she would work with them again.

But she wouldn’t say that directly to Fox.

"Perhaps the timing wasn’t right, Adelaide. Thank you for your interest. Some decisions involve other parties. But I do think we’ll have a chance to work together in the future." Irene’s tone conveyed professional regret, as if she wished the collaboration had happened.

Standing nearby, Shelly Ovitz raised an eyebrow. If he hadn’t watched Irene choose MGM without hesitation, he might have believed she had no say in distribution.

"I understand. Young directors face these situations. It’s not your fault. So, let’s discuss ’next time.’ Shelly mentioned you’re developing a new project?" Adelaide looked at Irene intently, lowering his voice.

Shelly stepped in. "Yes, Irene has new ideas. I think it could be a good starting point for cooperation."

"I look forward to it," Adelaide said, smiling again.

"Irene, please consider Fox first. Missing one collaboration is unfortunate; missing two would be my failure. I hope next time we can bring a strong project to audiences together."

"I will, Adelaide. I look forward to working together."

Back in the lounge, Irene rubbed her face, stiff from smiling, and said to Shelly Ovitz, more seriously:

"I thought you’d give me notice before bringing Fox in. Were you testing me?"

Shelly replied with his usual grin.

"It was sudden, but you handled it well. From the side, I couldn’t detect any performance. Soon, people will say Irene Coppola is earnest but controlled by her father."

"Why make it seem like my father and I disagree?" Irene didn’t see the benefit.

"You know, most people prefer gossip to good news. good news stays home, bad news travels. You shouldn’t seem flawless right now. Some perceived weakness draws attention from decision-makers."

"That’s complicated."

"It is. Managing perception is a skill. Don’t worry about it; I’ll handle that part. Your focus should be the next film. Build on this momentum."

"Fine. For that, I won’t hold this against you. But tell me in advance next time. No surprises."

With the wide release of Runaway Bride, its first-week gross was $28.61 million, drawing attention.

Legally Blonde’s growth had slowed, but it still earned $22.06 million over the new weekend, staying close behind.

By early August, Legally Blonde had reached $84.49 million in North America, a figure many directors never achieve.

Irene had reached it quickly, and the total would continue to climb past $100 million.

Reactions varied: some were thrilled, some envious, others resentful.

But external opinions didn’t concern Irene. She had a more immediate task: choosing a dress for the MTV Awards.

The MTV Awards are fan-voted, centered on popularity and pop culture. They function more as a celebration than a formal industry evaluation.

The awards cover two main categories: the MTV Video Music Awards and the MTV Movie & TV Awards.

She was invited to this year’s MTV Video Music Awards. The nominated work was the music video she directed for Britney.

The MV was originally meant to strengthen her résumé, so she wouldn’t appear unproven when seeking film financing.

Once her father decided to fund her film, the MV became less critical, and she had nearly forgotten it.

When she got the call saying she was nominated for Best Director, she thought it was a scam—like those messages claiming you’ve won a prize but must pay a fee. Her film was still in theaters; how could it win?

The caller then contacted her agent, Shelly Ovitz, and she learned the nomination was real. It was an unexpected development.