Chapter 390: The Unreliable Academy Awards

Chapter 390: Chapter 390: The Unreliable Academy Awards

Echo Pictures’ various projects were moving forward methodically like well-oiled gears.

The script polishing for Saw 2 was nearing its end, and James Wan had already begun location scouting.

The Facebook fan-voting campaign for Twilight had been coordinated with Chen Shiyu and was ready to go, with the operations team currently selecting the first batch of candidates.

Casting for Brokeback Mountain was proceeding smoothly under Ang Lee’s direction, and screen tests for several preferred actors were being scheduled.

Taken was officially handed over to CAA for management, with pre-production fully underway.

Taking advantage of the lull as all projects got on track, Irene finally found time to thoroughly refine the story outline for Gossip Girl.

She sat in her study in Santa Monica, her fingertips dancing rapidly across the keyboard as she laid out the glitz and undercurrents of Manhattan’s Upper East Side from her mind.

The story outline was approached from the perspective of the "secret anonymous blogger, Gossip Girl," centered on the love-hate relationship between best friends Blair Waldorf and Serena van der Woodsen, interspersed with Nate Archibald’s aristocratic confusion and Dan Humphrey’s intrusion as an outsider.

These four threads intertwined to weave the youthful entanglements, power games, and emotional struggles of the wealthy elite.

The outline clarified the core setting: Gossip Girl’s anonymous identity was the suspense that ran through the entire series, with each episode opening with her gossip scoops to drive the plot forward.

The luxurious life of the Upper East Side served as an important background, showcasing class differences from fashion parties to elite private schools.

And "secrets and lies" were the core theme, with every character carrying unknown pasts, experiencing the pains and joys of growing up beneath their polished exteriors.

Irene also specifically noted key plot points, such as Serena’s sudden return, Blair’s drunken intimate encounter with Chuck after her emotional breakdown with Nate, the cross-class romance between Dan and Serena, and the multiple twists regarding Gossip Girl’s identity, establishing a clear framework for subsequent scriptwriting.

After completing the outline, Irene did not hesitate to send the document directly to her mother, Eleanor, with a text message.

"Mother, this is the story outline for Gossip Girl. Could you please help me find someone to complete the scriptwriting for the first season? You are much more skilled than I am at controlling the pacing and details of television scripts, and I really cannot spare much time for it right now. You can also help me keep an eye on the casting and the assembly of the production team, and we can finalize everything together later."

As a veteran Hollywood producer, Eleanor was not just an editor; she had also participated in the production of many hit television series and was well-versed in the processes of scriptwriting and market demands.

Upon receiving the message, she replied immediately.

"No problem, honey. This story has a lot of potential. Wealthy Upper East Side gossip plus youth coming-of-age is bound to attract young viewers. I will contact the screenwriters I know to form a creative team and get the first season’s outline and the scripts for the first two episodes as soon as possible. I will also follow up on the casting and production team. You just focus on your film projects."

With her mother’s reply, Irene completely let go of the burden of Gossip Girl and refocused on her film projects.

However, the peaceful days did not last long.

As the 76th Academy Awards ceremony approached, her agent, Shelly Ohvitz, paid her a personal visit.

Shelly was now a senior agent in Hollywood, second only to Ella Walker in status at CAA.

He held resources for numerous A-list actors and directors and had collaborated with Irene for many years, having already soared to success on the coattails of Irene’s achievements.

The two sat down in the living room.

After the servant brought them coffee and left, they were left with space to talk privately.

"Irene, I am here today mainly to discuss two things with you." Shelly picked up his coffee, took a sip, and got straight to the point. "The first thing is that the Academy Awards program team has officially sent you an invitation, hoping you can attend the 76th Academy Awards ceremony as a presenter for the Best Director award."

"What?" Irene almost thought she had misheard, an expression of disbelief on her face. "Let me present the Best Director award? Has the Academy Awards program team lost their minds? Whose idea was this?"

She put down her coffee cup, her tone full of confusion and resistance.

She had not even won a Best Director award yet; asking her to present it seemed like a joke.

Besides, attending the Academy Awards meant wearing a gown, sitting in the auditorium all night, listening to those long-winded speeches, and dealing with all the media photos and interviews.

Just thinking about it felt agonizing.

Whoever wanted to go could go; she certainly would not.

Shelly had long anticipated her reaction.

There was no surprise on his face as he calmly said, "I knew you would say that. Actually, I was a bit surprised when I received the invitation, too. But the head of the program team said that they invited you because your achievements as a director in recent years are obvious to all. Works like Million Dollar Baby and Pirates of the Caribbean have been successes in both reputation and box office. Moreover, you are a representative of Hollywood’s new generation of directors, and inviting you to present an award can attract more young viewers to pay attention to the Academy Awards."

"If they want to attract young viewers, they have plenty of ways to do it. There is no need to drag me in to make up the numbers." Irene refused without hesitation. "Help me reply to them and say that I have an important film project to push forward during this time, so I really cannot spare the time to attend. I am sorry."

"Alright, I will reply according to your wishes." Shelly did not try to persuade her further; he knew that once Irene made a decision, it was very difficult to change.

Afterward, he took out the folder he had brought with him, turned to the relevant page, and said, "The second thing is about the preparation for Taken. Since it has been decided that this film will be fully handed over to CAA for operation, I came here to ask if you have any special requirements, such as preferences for certain actors or expectations for the production team."

Upon hearing about Taken, Irene’s expression immediately became serious.

"Regarding the actors, I have a clear requirement. I want Liam Neeson to play the male lead, Bryan Mills."

She explained in detail, "Liam Neeson is a powerful actor whose acting skills are beyond doubt. Moreover, his image and temperament are highly compatible with Bryan Mills—he has both the calm and capable nature of a special agent and the warmth and perseverance of a father. He has appeared in many classic films before, but has never truly carried a film on his own; he lacks a representative work that can prove his box office appeal. Taken is an excellent opportunity for him, and I believe he can interpret this role very well."

Shelly nodded and noted it down in his notebook.

"Liam Neeson. I will immediately have the CAA casting department contact him, send the script over, and strive to finalize the cooperation intention as soon as possible."