Huayu: Hard fight against Zhang Weiping at the beginning

Chapter 667 Oscar

82nd Academy Awards

The Dolby Theatre's dome, adorned with crystal chandeliers, reflected light like stars scattered across the night sky, illuminating the entire awards ceremony in a dazzling display.

The biggest favorite for this year's Oscars is "The Hurt Locker," with 9 nominations.

Second place went to "Ada" and "Pacific Rim 2", both with 8 nominations.

In most award ceremonies, the first awards presented are usually technical awards that receive less attention.

When the presenter announced in a slightly trembling voice, "Best Cinematography Award - Avatar," thunderous applause erupted from the audience.

Avatar won its first award before Ocean 2, and then it also won Best Visual Effects and Best Art Direction. Members of Cameron's team hugged and wept, and the Fox executives behind them also had smiles on their faces.

Just when everyone thought Avatar was about to sweep the awards, the pace of the awards ceremony suddenly took a turn.

"The winner of the Best Editing Award is—Pacific Rim 2!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the editing director next to Zhang Chen jumped up from his seat, excitedly waving his fist.

Subsequently, the award for Best Sound Editing also went to Pacific Rim 2. When the presenter announced "Best Original Score - Pacific Rim 2," the entire theater fell into a brief silence, which was then followed by an even more heated discussion.

Three against three.

Avatar and Pacific Rim 2, two blockbusters that were locked in fierce competition since their release, have now tied on the Oscar stage.

Reporters in the media area sped up their typing, and headlines quickly took shape on the screen: [Oscar Showdown: Avatar and Ocean 2 Share the Spotlight] [Zhang Chen Faces Cameron Head-on, Three Victories Establish His New Power Status]

As the hostess guided Zhang Chen onto the stage to accept the Best Original Score award, he could clearly feel countless eyes focused on him the moment he stood up.

There was admiration, curiosity, and also undisguised hostility.

Many people in the audience had a premonition that this Chinese director, who had dominated entertainment headlines for the past two weeks, would probably mention that taboo name on this highly anticipated stage—Harvey Weinstein.

Sure enough, Zhang Chen accepted the trophy, adjusted the microphone, and with a half-smile on his face, began, "Ladies, congratulations! You no longer have to pretend to be attracted to Harvey Weinstein."

These words were like a spark thrown into boiling oil, instantly igniting the entire theater.

The audience erupted in enthusiastic, almost boiling applause, with the female celebrities being the most enthusiastic clapping.

Meryl Streep clapped her hands vigorously, tears even welling in her eyes; Jennifer Lawrence simply stood up, waving her arms and cheering loudly.

Many of them had been forced to endure Harvey's power, and Zhang Chen's words at this moment undoubtedly expressed their long-suppressed feelings.

For the past two weeks, the feud between Zhang Chen and Harvey has been like a dramatic soap opera, frequently making headlines in the entertainment section.

The Los Angeles Times devoted an entire page to analyzing the entire process from the breakdown of their cooperation to their falling out.

The Hollywood Reporter, on the other hand, dug deep into Harvey's past misdeeds, exposing his years of domineering behavior to the public.

Domestic media outlets were in an uproar. Global Entertainment updated its series of reports daily on "Zhang Chen tearing apart Hollywood's evil forces," and netizens were in an uproar in the comments section. Some called him "the light of Chinese-language cinema," while others worried that he would be suppressed by Hollywood capital.

Countless media outlets have analyzed the feud between the two, with every detail being magnified and amplified, becoming fodder for public conversation.

After the applause subsided, Zhang Chen continued, "Three months ago, Harvey declared that he would make sure 'Universe 2' won nothing at the Oscars."

He said that a director from China does not deserve respect on the Hollywood stage.

At this moment, I really want to ask him how it feels to watch the live stream from prison, and whether his face hurts.

The audience burst into laughter, but most of the laughter came from women.

The male guests' reactions were much more complex; some awkwardly tugged at the corners of their mouths, while others lowered their heads and remained silent with serious expressions.

After all, although Harvey had fallen from grace, the capitalist logic and industry rules he represented remained deeply entrenched in Hollywood.

Zhang Chen's words were not only a mockery of Harvey, but also a challenge to the entire old order.

Zhang Chen's defeat of Harvey Weinstein has been interpreted by feminist organizations as a landmark event that gave women a voice.

His previous works, such as Pacific Rim, The Shallows, and The Descent, are all standard female-led films, relying entirely on the female lead to carry the show. This makes feminist organizations feel that Zhang Chen is naturally close to them.

Just yesterday, the National Women's Organization in the United States sent Zhang Chen a letter of thanks and invited him to serve as its annual Goodwill Ambassador.

However, some people believe that Zhang Chen and Harvey's conflict is just a normal business dispute. After all, in Hollywood, business competition, coupled with personal likes and dislikes, means that verbal abuse is not a big deal.

However, Zhang Chen directly collected evidence of Harvey's crimes and sent him to prison, which they considered to be going too far.

"We're all in the same industry, we'll run into each other all the time. If he does things this ruthlessly, who will dare to cooperate with him in the future?"

A veteran producer said this in a private interview.

In the entertainment industry, there are many people who don't get along.

Producers and distributors openly and secretly compete for box office revenue sharing, actors sabotage each other to win roles, and directors secretly vie for quality scripts.

Everyone competes in various ways, resorting to underhanded tactics and even badmouthing each other in the media, but Zhang Chen is the only one who has gone so far as to send someone to prison.

Therefore, in many people's eyes, Zhang Chen is an oddball.

Unlike other directors who know how to "play it safe," he doesn't follow the "unwritten rules" that have been established in Hollywood for many years. He always tries to change things with the fearlessness of a newborn calf.

Just recently, Zhang Chen also publicly criticized the MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America).

At the time, Pacific Rim 2 was rated R by the MPAA due to its excessive "violent scenes," which meant that the film would lose a large number of teenage viewers.

Zhang Chen held a press conference to publicly question the MPAA's rating standards and presented multiple sets of data to prove that similar scenes were rated PG-13 in other films.

Ultimately, under pressure from public opinion, the MPAA had to re-evaluate the film and adjust its rating for "Ring 2" to PG-13.

This incident brought Zhang Chen back into the spotlight, leaving everyone with two completely different impressions.

Some people believe that Zhang Chen is a rule-breaker and naturally dislike him.

In their view, Zhang Chen disregarded all authority, and this foreigner had been challenging Hollywood's bottom line ever since he entered the city.

Another group of people believe that Zhang Chen is not afraid of powerful figures and dares to fight for the rights of creators. In particular, women's rights organizations have a very good impression of Zhang Chen.

They felt that Zhang Chen's presence brought a breath of fresh air to Hollywood, a circle dominated by capital and male power.

Many young directors and screenwriters regard Zhang Chen as their idol, hoping to emulate his independence and courage in their creative work.

Ignoring the complex gazes from the audience, Zhang Chen continued, "This trophy proves that Hollywood is not a lawless place; here, strength is the hardest currency."

It also proves that the best stories can come from anywhere—the Americas, Europe, or Asia. The best imagination belongs to all humanity, regardless of skin color or nationality.

Upon hearing this, the entire audience applauded.

The male guests who had previously looked somber began to applaud, and even executives from Fox and Universal had to give a token clap.

The organizers, sitting backstage, all breathed a sigh of relief. They were afraid that Zhang Chen would say something even more radical on stage and cause a scene at the awards ceremony, which would not only damage the reputation of the Oscars but could also trigger a series of chain reactions.

Zhang Chen's words expressed his stance without excessively provoking certain forces, thus giving everyone a way out.

But Fox and Universal still looked extremely grim.

Before Harvey fell from power, he had reached an agreement with the two film studios to jointly suppress "Pacific Rim 2".

They originally thought that with Harvey's influence behind the scenes, "Ring 2" would never get an Oscar nomination, let alone win one.

Unexpectedly, Zhang Chen not only won three awards with the film's solid quality, but also sent Harvey to prison.

This backfired on Fox and Universal, damaging their reputation within the industry and costing them a significant amount of potential revenue.

In order to quell public opinion, they had to temporarily restrain their underhanded actions, but that does not mean they will give up.

Reconciliation is impossible.

Zhang Chen had already touched their core interests, and the conflict between the two sides was already irreconcilable. However, after this incident, Fox and Universal realized that Zhang Chen was not a pushover, so their struggle shifted from overt to covert.

At the same time, through this battle, Zhang Chen gained unprecedented respect and real influence in Hollywood.

Previously, although he gained some fame with the first Pacific Rim film, in the eyes of Hollywood bigwigs, he was ultimately just a "promising Chinese director" and someone they chose to work with.

Now, with the success of "Planet 2" at the Oscars and his victory over Harvey and the MPAA, more and more production companies are actively seeking to work with him.

He is no longer a director who is "chosen," but a creator who is "demanded."

Several streaming platforms have even offered Zhang Chen lucrative contracts to become their exclusive content producer.

The awards ceremony continued, and soon it was time for the Best Actress segment.

When Jackie Chan walked onto the stage as an award presenter, enthusiastic cheers erupted from the audience.

Jackie Chan's status in Hollywood is beyond question, and his presence added an international dimension to the event.

Many people are speculating whether Fan Bingbing will win Best Actress.

Fan Xiaopang was nominated for her role as a female astronaut in "Gravity". Her performance in the film was remarkable, and she brought out the character's resilience to the fullest.

Moreover, the Oscars have been working to increase diversity in recent years, and choosing a Chinese actress as Best Actress seems to be in line with this trend.

Even Jackie Chan himself is full of anticipation.

He worked with Fan Xiaopang on "2012" and has witnessed her acting skills and hard work.

Earlier backstage, he even patted Fan Xiaopang on the shoulder and encouraged her, saying, "Keep it up, I believe in you."

Zhang Chen sat in the audience, but felt it was unlikely.

Although Fan Xiaopang's performance was indeed good, the Oscar selection criteria have always been complex, taking into account not only acting skills, but also the subject matter of the film, the preferences of the judges, and many other factors.

Moreover, "Planet 2" has already won three awards, and according to the Oscars' "balance principle," it is unlikely that the Best Actress award will be given to this film.

But no one can guarantee that this year's Oscar committee won't suddenly have a lapse in judgment and create a surprise.

This year's Oscars were broadcast live by domestic online media, and netizens are speculating that Fan Bingbing might become the biggest dark horse of this year's Oscars.

Fan Xiaopang himself was also very excited.

She sat in the candidate area wearing a tailor-made gold dress, her hands clasped tightly together, her palms sweating.

The camera panned across the candidates one by one, with Sandra Bullock smiling and appearing calm and composed.

Meryl Streep nodded slightly, a hint of confidence in her eyes.

Although Fan Xiaopang tried her best to appear calm, her slightly trembling lips betrayed her inner nervousness.

They all tried to remain calm, after all, this was the Oscars, a stage that every actor dreamed of.

Cheng Long opened the envelope, glanced at the card inside, his smile faltered for a moment, then returned to normal.

He cleared his throat and announced the winner's name: "Best Actress, the winner is—Sandra Bullock, for *The Blind Side*!"

Sandra Bullock covered her mouth in excitement and then hugged the people around her.

Fan Xiaopang's smile froze instantly, his eyes filled with disappointment.

Although she quickly composed herself and gave a forced smile to the camera, the astute media still managed to capture her moment of disappointment.

The image quickly spread to China, and netizens left messages to comfort her: "It's okay, just getting a nomination is already amazing!" "Keep going, Little Fatty, there will be other opportunities in the future!"

Looking at Fan Xiaopang's dejected figure, Zhang Chen felt a pang of sadness.

He always felt that it was fake for celebrities to still be smiling after losing at award ceremonies; it's normal to have expectations, and it's also normal to be disappointed.

After all, they put in so much effort for this award.

Moreover, as a public figure, you have to provide topics for discussion. He actually thinks that Xiao Gangpao's personality is quite good.

When Xu Fan failed to win the Golden Horse Award, Xiao Gangpao immediately started criticizing her. Although it caused a lot of controversy, it at least provided emotional value for the public, which is good.

In contrast, those celebrities who force a smile even when they are clearly disappointed seem rather hypocritical.

Next up was the announcement of the Best Director award, one of the most anticipated awards of the night.

The Oscar camera intentionally lingered on several nominees: Zhang Chen, Kathryn Bigelow, James Cameron, Guo Fan… Each name represents an excellent film.

This time, Zhang Chen, as the person involved, actually felt relieved.

He has already won three awards, which is a satisfactory result for both himself and his team.

Whether or not he wins the Best Director award is no longer the most important thing to him.

Guo Fan sat next to Zhang Chen, and it would be a lie to say he wasn't excited.

He is the director of "Gravity," and it was his first time directing a film independently. To receive an Oscar nomination for Best Director is already a great honor for him.

He pursed his lips tightly, his fingers unconsciously tapping his knees, his eyes fixed on the shortlist on the screen.

The presenter opened the envelope and slowly read out: "Best Director, the winner is—Katharine Bigelow, *The Hurt Locker*!"

Award winner Kathryn Bigelow stood up, tears welling in her eyes.

She is one of the few female directors in Hollywood, and her film "The Hurt Locker" won unanimous recognition from the judges for its realistic war scenes and profound reflections on human nature.

The smile on Guo Fan's face slowly faded, replaced by a hint of disappointment.

The moment the announcement was made, he felt completely drained. Although it was expected, he couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.

But he quickly adjusted his mindset and clapped in the direction of Kathryn Bigelow.

History has returned to its original place here.

Just like in her previous life, Kathryn Bigelow won the Academy Award for Best Director for "The Hurt Locker," beating James Cameron's "Avatar."

Zhang Chen looked at Kathryn Bigelow on stage receiving her award and was filled with emotion.

He knew that although he had changed some things, some historical trajectories seemed difficult to shake.

After the awards ceremony, the media area became extremely crowded.

When Fan Xiaopang was interviewed by domestic media, his eyes were still a little red.

She admitted that she was a little disappointed: "It would be a lie to say I wasn't disappointed, after all, I put a lot of effort into this role."

But I'm already very happy to have received the nomination.

This is an affirmation and an encouragement to me.

I will continue to work hard in the future to bring you more and better works.

Guo Fan was also surrounded by reporters. He also expressed his happiness at receiving the nomination: "Being nominated with so many outstanding directors is an honor in itself."

I didn't really expect to win an award, after all, Kathryn Bigelow's "The Hurt Locker" is truly outstanding.

This Oscar trip taught me a lot, and I will apply these experiences to my own creative work in the future.

Zhang Chen stood not far away, watching Fan Xiaopang and Guo Fan surrounded by reporters, a slight smile appearing on his face.

Although they didn't win Best Actress and Best Director, this year's Oscars were already a huge success for them.

(End of this chapter)