Chapter 305: Endless Socializing

Chapter 305: Chapter 305: Endless Socializing

Stepping out of the secluded building at Warner Bros. Studios, the evening breeze carried the slight chill of a Los Angeles spring against her face. As Irene sat in the driver’s seat, her phone rang. The name "Shelly Ovitz" flashed on the screen.

She answered the call, sandwiching the phone between her ear and shoulder as she buckled her seatbelt.

"Was the set visit successful?" Shelly’s voice came through the receiver, with the faint sound of typing in the background, clearly still busy at the office.

"It was alright," Irene said, leaning against the seatback and watching the sky darken outside the window, her tone tinged with emotion. "James Wan’s progress is very fast. The movie will wrap in five days. It’s really quick."

"Low-budget horror films are always like that. The shooting cycle is short, and scenes are concentrated. If it weren’t fast, how could they strictly control costs and guarantee a profit?"

Shelly replied with a laugh, his tone then turning serious. "By the way, all your interviews and schedules for today are over. I suggest you go straight home, relax with a spa treatment, and stop worrying about work. Tomorrow at the Hilton Hotel, there’s a 75th Oscar Nominees Luncheon and Hollywood Senior Film Industry Social. This event is specifically held for this year’s Oscar-nominated films and filmmakers. Everyone there will be Academy voters, veteran film critics, and executives from major film companies. The core purpose is to campaign for votes. You must attend looking refreshed, without a hint of fatigue."

Hearing this, Irene couldn’t help but sigh softly, her tone carrying a bit of helplessness. "When will these PR activities ever end?" From the time the nominations were announced until now, she had been working almost non-stop, with interviews, parties, and filmmaker meetings filling her schedule to the brim.

"There are only a few left. After all, the moment of the final Oscar reveal is almost here. It’ll be easier once we get through this," Shelly reassured her patiently. "You’re already considered to have it easy, having turned down most of the meaningless social events. Look at the other actors competing for Best Actor and Best Actress, and the creators of other nominated films. They’re the ones truly running themselves ragged, fighting tooth and nail for votes."

He changed the subject, bringing good news with a hint of joy in his voice. "I also have some good news for you. Riding the wave of its seven Oscar nominations, the theater attendance for Million Dollar Baby has surged significantly. Many art-house and commercial theaters across the US have seen tickets sell out. Warner Bros. specifically asked me to ask you: do you plan to expand the screening range and increase the number of showings now, or wait until the Oscar results are out and do a large-scale re-release using the heat of winning?"

Irene tapped her fingers lightly on the steering wheel, making a decision after a moment of silence. "Don’t wait for the Oscar results. Notify Warner Bros. to expand the screening range now, but don’t expand it too much all at once."

She paused, giving her reasoning. "The nomination itself is already the best promotion. Adding screenings now can capture the audience’s enthusiasm, further increasing the film’s heat and word-of-mouth. It also allows more Academy voters to see the influence of this movie, which is actually more beneficial for the Oscar campaign. If we wait until after the awards to add screenings, we’ll miss the best opportunity. There’s no need to gamble on the outcome of winning."

After all, she still had some doubts about whether she could win the Oscar statuette. Her gender and age were factors. At this stage, the feminist movement hadn’t yet spread widely. In Hollywood, it was still a man’s world. It wasn’t impossible that the film would only end up with a few acting awards.

After hearing this, Shelly immediately agreed. "Alright, I’ll contact the Warner Bros. Distribution Department right away to arrange the expansion. You just focus on going back to rest now. I’ll have the styling team go to your apartment early tomorrow morning for the banquet to ensure you appear in your best state."

"Got it," Irene replied helplessly. She hung up the phone and started the car, driving toward her apartment.

---

Irene’s high heels clicked sharply on the polished marble floor of the Hilton Hotel’s ballroom.

She wore a simple but well-tailored white suit, her long hair loosely tied up to reveal her slender neck. She possessed both the steady aura of a director and a vibrancy appropriate for her age.

However, the crowd of flatterers that usually swarmed her upon entry did not appear. Instead, guests were gathered in small groups, everyone whispering in low voices with gossipy, inquisitive looks. Occasionally, a gaze would sweep over her, but only for a fleeting glance before turning back to their respective circles.

"Strange, what’s with the atmosphere today?" Irene instinctively stopped, her brow furrowing slightly.

She pulled out her phone, and the moment she unlocked the screen, a pushed entertainment headline popped up: "Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman Announce Divorce, Ten-Year Marriage Comes to an End."

The massive headline made her freeze for a moment, then she understood. This was earthquake-level news in Hollywood. No wonder no one was in the mood for socializing, only caring about discussing this matter.

She remembered that Nicole Kidman was nominated for Best Actress this year for The Hours, forming strong competition with Maggie, played by Hilary Swank in Million Dollar Baby. She couldn’t help but sigh softly, "That’s a pity. The marriage upheaval will likely affect her state. She might have to face regret again for this year’s Oscar Best Actress."

Standing beside her, Shelly shook his head upon hearing this, his tone carrying a hint of playful insight. "Not necessarily. Irene, you underestimate the determination of Hollywood stars for an Oscar statuette. Perhaps this divorce news was released by Nicole Kidman herself, specifically to garner sympathy points."

"Released by herself?" Irene’s eyes widened, her face full of disbelief. "But this is exposing her own shortcomings. A broken marriage will more or less affect an actress’s reputation. Why would she do that?"

"For the Best Actress crown," Shelly’s voice dropped even lower, his gaze sweeping over Nicole Kidman not far away, who was surrounded by a group of people, looking haggard yet still maintaining her elegance.

"At the last Oscars, she was full of confidence campaigning for awards with Moulin Rouge!, but she ran into Halle Berry. A once-in-a-century Black Best Actress in Hollywood, and she ultimately lost with regret. This time, to win the award, she almost destroyed her looks, playing a patient with schizophrenia in The Hours. The role is heavy and extremely challenging. She came with a must-win mentality. But as it happens, she ran into Maggie played by Hilary Swank—an underdog story of a woman’s counterattack with extremely strong emotional impact."

He paused and continued his analysis. "To be honest, both Nicole’s and Hilary’s performances are outstanding enough to be neck-and-neck. At this stage, it’s no longer about acting skills, but the personal preferences of the voters and off-field PR efforts. Nicole Kidman knows this very well, so she must create more ’bargaining chips’ outside of the film."

Irene was still puzzled, her brow furrowing tighter. "But I still don’t understand. How can a ’self-destructive’ move like exposing a broken marriage help her win? Doesn’t this just expose her private life problems instead?"