America: Starting with the acquisition of MGM...

Chapter 210, page 209: This peculiar scene appears for the first time at the Golden Globe Awards.

Hilton Hotel, the venue for the Golden Globe Awards ceremony.

As usual, a long red carpet was laid out all the way to the edge of the asphalt road, surrounded by media reporters and super fans from all over the world.

Huaxia's entry for this year's competition was "Warriors of Heaven and Earth" directed by He Ping. Unfortunately, it did not win the association's favor and was not nominated for Best Foreign Language Film.

This cast a shadow over the Oscars a month later; if he couldn't even get a Golden Globe nomination, he would most likely go home empty-handed at the Oscars as well.

The result was worse than last year's "Hero," proving that adding the words "heaven and earth" was useless, and that co-production with Huamei was equally useless.

However, it's not that they're deliberately blocking you because of ideological hostility.

Firstly, China has not yet hosted the Olympics, so the world's attention has not yet been drawn to this region, and the West has not yet regarded this giant dragon as an opponent.

Secondly, looking at the other nominated films will give you an idea: Afghanistan's "Salma," Canada's "Savage Invasion," France's "Mr. Ibrahim and the Flower of the Quran," Russia's "The Return," and Germany's "Goodbye Lenin."

Russia can be included, Lenin can be included, what more could you ask for?

However, Eric did see the logos of Chinese media outlets, Sina and Sohu, but not official media.

"Look over here, Eric, smile. You look even more handsome when you smile."

Eric smiled slightly as he dealt with the reporters' cameras.

Spielberg, who was passing by, stopped and looked at him curiously.

"What's wrong, Steve? Are my clothes not fitting? Or is there something dirty on my face?"

Spielberg shook his head: "No, I'm just curious why you're standing here alone? I remember you were the director and writer of Transformers and Blues of Adele."

"He is the producer of 'Monster' and also the co-writer and producer of 'Get Out'."

"There are four production teams for you to choose from, but you're all alone, which seems strange."

Clint Eastwood happened to be passing by and overheard their conversation.

The even older man stopped and said jokingly, "In my experience, I'm afraid it's because he has too many choices that he has no choice at all."

Eric shrugged helplessly: "Did you hear that? This old gentleman has made a brilliant summary."

Clint Eastwood is right; he really shouldn't get involved in any group.

Gadot wanted him to be with her, since Eric had spent the most time and effort on Transformers.

The Olsen twins, however, felt that "Blue Is the Warmest Color" had received the most nominations and that they were the main characters tonight, and Eric should be with them.

Charlize Theron believed that Eric had promised to help her win the Best Actress award, so she hoped he could sit with her to boost her chances.

Although Nicole doesn't have any new projects, she knows her ex-husband Tom Cruise well and knows that he will definitely bring his girlfriend Penelope Cruz to the event.

So she hopes Eric can walk the red carpet with her, determined to outshine him.

The five women each had their own agendas and all wanted to possess him.

Eric had no choice; being with anyone would inevitably cause resentment among the other people.

Forget it, I'll just do it myself.

As the three were talking, they heard someone call out from behind, "Nicole, you look beautiful today, let's take a picture."

Eric turned around at the sound and saw Nicole walking towards him in a gold and white backless dress, high heels, and a Hermès bag in her hand.

Beside her was a well-off woman, half a head shorter than her, who looked to be in her fifties and wore a matching black and red dress.

The two bumped into each other quickly, and Nicole pulled the woman closer, saying, "Eric, you look really handsome tonight."

"You too, and who is this?" Eric asked casually.

"My mom, Jenny."

"Um?"

The woman smiled and said, "Hello Eric, Nicole has mentioned you. She said you are a very remarkable person."

Unexpectedly, the person opposite him turned out to be one of his future mothers-in-law. Driven by his Chinese heritage, Eric hurriedly shook hands with her.

"Hello Jenny, although this is our first meeting, I must say you are absolutely gorgeous. Now I know why Nico is born with such a beautiful face."

Jenny covered her mouth and laughed heartily: "No wonder she said you're a remarkable person; the things you say are so pleasant to hear."

"Come visit me sometime, I'm a great cook."

"Of course, I've eaten ostrich meat, and I think it must have been made by a top chef."

"Hahaha, you have such a sweet tongue."

Nicole winked at Eric secretly before pulling her mother to find her place.

Eric was still a little confused as he watched the two figures leave. He had unknowingly completed his first meeting with his mother-in-law.

"When did it become fashionable to bring mom to the red carpet?"

Hearing his mutterings, Spielberg said, "Not only did Kidman bring his family, but it seems like many people tonight share this sentiment."

"Jane Fonda with her son Troy Gretti, Jamie Lee: Curtis with her daughter Annie."

"Patricia Clarkson with her elderly father, and Kevin Costner with his 17-year-old daughter."

"It's like everyone agreed beforehand; many of them aren't even in the industry."

Eric joked, "Everyone says the entertainment industry is cold and ruthless, but I think the fact that everyone brought their families to the Golden Globes this year is a way of showing the world about family ties."

"Why not love?"

"Hehe. Because love is fleeting, Hollywood has a higher divorce and infidelity rate than the French! It's family that will always be with us."

After entering the hotel and finding my seat, I noticed that the layout was similar to the Emmy Awards, with round tables where film crews or familiar faces sat together.

The organizers clearly took Eric's actual situation into account, so the four film crews were arranged in a square.

Eric could sit inside the square, making it easier for him to switch between different film sets.

Eric could only curse at this arrangement, saying, "You guys are really meddling in other people's business."

Being so close together, aren't the women practically face-to-face?

I just don't want this to happen, and I've always tried to avoid it. Damn association!

Finally, Ashley and Mary took the initiative, pulling him to their sides and flanking him from either side.

Gal Gadot and Charlize Theron, who arrived a step too late, could only curse under their breath and sit down helplessly. It was all the reporters' fault for not letting them leave.

As the clock struck 8 p.m., the prime time slot, the 61st Golden Globe Awards for Television and Movies officially began.

The camera panned across the entire venue, then zoomed in for close-ups, showing Michael Douglas, Jack Nicholson, and Cate Blanchett in quick succession.

Eric waved to the camera, and many women watching the live stream exclaimed how handsome he was.

The key is that he's not only handsome, but also incredibly rich—he's practically my dream partner.

Since being featured on NBC News a few days ago, Eric's fame has skyrocketed across the United States, with his title as the youngest super-rich man far exceeding his reputation as a director.

Then host Ellen DeGeneres took the stage and gave a stand-up comedy routine that drew applause and laughter from the audience, after which the evening moved on to the awards ceremony.

The first award to be presented was for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Film, and Meryl Streep walked onto the stage in a black dress.

She wasn't good at telling jokes, so after a few opening remarks, she started going through the motions.

The nominees for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series are Peter Sarsgaard (The Cover-Up), Ken Watanabe (The Last Samurai), Alec Baldwin (The Cooler), Albert Finney (Big Fish), Tim Robbins (Mystic River), and William H. Macy (Seabiscuit).

Meryl Streep opened the envelope: "The winner is Tim Robbins' *Mystic River*!"

The camera pans to Tim Robbins, the 45-year-old screenwriter, director, and actor who needs no introduction; The Shawshank Redemption has already proven everything.

He walked onto the stage with a smile, accepted the trophy, and kissed Meryl Streep—a simple kiss, not the kind of excited kiss Nicole gave.

After thanking the association and the director and producer, he stepped off the stage.

Then, the four female leads from Sex and the City appeared together to present the award for Best Actor in a Drama Series.

The Walking Dead went home empty-handed at this year's Golden Globes, receiving not a single nomination, prompting many fans to cry foul and feel it was unfair.

Some people think that at least a Best Screenplay award should be given, since the script is so excellent that it won an Emmy.

However, the Golden Globe Awards do not actually have a Best Screenplay award for television series, perhaps because the association feels it is not professional enough to judge this award.

Although Daryl Norman did win Best Supporting Actor, he was nominated for Best Supporting Actor in three categories: Drama, Comedy, and Mini-Series, without separate awards for each.

Getting a nomination here is three times more difficult, which is why Norman Reedus was also eliminated.

But it doesn't matter, Darabont is currently filming the second season of The Walking Dead, which is the prison arc of the original third season, and the most exciting arc in the series is about to begin.

I refuse to believe I can't win over the audience and these judges.

Bill Murray subsequently won the Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy Film award for his outstanding performance in Lost in Translation.

"The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" won Best Original Song, receiving the first award of the evening.

On stage, Keanu Reeves, the savior, and Uma Thurman, the assassin bride, appeared to present the award for Best Original Film Score.

The Transformers crew immediately tensed up, all staring intently at the envelope in Uma Thurman's hand.

"Soundtrack is an important part of film. It makes the film more pleasing to the eye and allows the audience to enjoy both sensory and auditory stimulation."

"Uma, can you imagine what Pulp Fiction would be like without its soundtrack?"

Uma Thurman swayed her feet and her body moved slightly, mimicking the iconic swaying dance from Pulp Fiction.

She shook it a few times and then immediately stopped, covering her face with her hands and saying shyly, "This is simply the most shameful thing in the world!"

Hahahaha

The audience burst into laughter.

"So the next awards are to pay tribute to those masters of film scores: Howard Shaw for The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Hans Zimmer for The Last Samurai, Gabriel Yad for Cold Mountain, Danny Elfman for Big Fish, and Steve Jablonski for Transformers."

The camera focuses on everyone; although they are behind-the-scenes personnel, they are an important part of Hollywood and movies.

Uma Thurman opened the envelope and read aloud with Keanu Reeves: "The winner is Howard Shaw of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King."

The hotel erupted in applause, and the Transformers crew immediately deflated, having lost their only nomination.

Everyone quietly comforted Steve Jablonski, who smiled with relief. He hadn't had high hopes anyway, and losing to The Lord of the Rings wasn't shameful.

The awards ceremony continued, and several television awards were presented.

To Eric's disappointment, his favorite show, Friends, still didn't get any ratings.

Matt LeBlanc, who plays Chandler, was nominated for Best Actor in a Comedy Series, but unfortunately lost to Ricky Gervais for The Office.

These award ceremonies seem to have made a pact to not give awards to anyone.

I wonder if it's because of the widespread rumors that this year will be the tenth season of "Friends," which is also the final season.

The six old friends were exhausted after filming for ten years, and each of them had received a salary of $120 million.

It wasn't $1.2 million per season, it was $1.2 million per episode. With six people per episode, that's $7.2 million. Add to that the fees for other actors, as well as the cost of locations, salaries, equipment, and so on. The production cost for one episode was close to $10 million, which was the main reason the show ended.

But don't assume that high costs mean losses. NBC has calculated it very clearly; they just earn less.

Moreover, the conflict with the six main actors was already quite deep, and continuing to film would probably cause even more trouble. Terminating the project in time is a good choice so that everyone can save face.

They probably knew that Friends was coming to an end, so they planned to save all the awards for the next season, just like Lord of the Rings.

Then it was time to present the award for Best Actor in a Drama Film. Anthony Mikan, the future Marvel Falcon, was nominated, and the Get Out crew got nervous.

James Wan and Leigh Whannell cheered him on, and Eric was also staring at the stage. This was the only male character award nominated for four MGM films, and he really wanted it too.

However, the competition is fierce, with Sean Penn, Ben Kingsley, Elijah Wood, Jude Law, and Tom Cruise all formidable opponents!

"The award for Best Actor in a Drama Series goes to Elijah Wood for *The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King*!"

After Jennifer Lopez announced the results, Elijah Wood stared in astonishment, his eyes wide with disbelief.

Big Beard, Hugo Mortenson, and others hurriedly hugged him and began to celebrate by giving him a hard rub.

This result was somewhat unexpected, as Sean Penn was the frontrunner for the award, but what can you do when it's "The Lord of the Rings"?

Anthony McCann first sighed, then laughed and clapped. He was indeed too young and lacked experience in Hollywood.

Eric turned and patted him on the shoulder to comfort him. Anthony McCann smiled and said, "It's nothing, Mr. Cooper. If I don't win, your and Whannell's chances of winning Best Screenplay will increase."

Eric thought to himself that the young man was quite tactful, and that he was still keeping the falcon for him.

Amid applause, the Golden Globe Awards began with a song and dance performance, featuring Kelly Clarkson, the winner of the first season of "American Idol".

When Eric saw and heard her voice at the scene, he remembered that the famous song "Stronger" was hers.

I'm sorry, it's mine now.

After watching the show, a beautiful figure walked from backstage to the microphone; it was none other than the radiant Nicole.

She held the envelope in her hand, glancing over with her eyes that seemed to be there almost imperceptibly.

"Next up is the Best Screenplay Award, whose winners are all top-notch writers who have painted vivid and beautiful stories on page after page."

"It is these excellent stories that give birth to excellent films."

"The nominees for Best Screenplay are Eric Cooper and Rey Whannell for Get Out, Sofia Coppola for Lost in Translation, Patty Jenkins for Monster, and Brian Helgeland for Mystic River."

With each passing shot, applause erupted in the audience, until Nicole announced the last nominee: "Eric Cooper for *Blue Is the Warmest Color*!"

Splash!

The applause suddenly intensified.

This is the first time the Golden Globes have seen two films nominated for Best Screenplay at the same time.

Let alone the Golden Globe, there's the Oscars, the European Three Kingdoms, San Bastian, Tokyo, and the Golden Horse Awards.

This is the first time such an event has occurred, among all the world's most influential film festivals.

Eric is especially young; theoretically, his birthday hasn't arrived yet, so he's not even 24 years old.

At the age of 24, he achieved this feat, becoming the youngest person to receive a Golden Globe nomination for screenwriting and the youngest person to receive two nominations for Best Screenplay. He has already broken many records.

It would be extremely difficult for future generations to attempt this; perhaps only sending humans to Pluto would make it possible.

On stage, Nicole opened the envelope and announced with a beaming smile, "The winner of Best Screenplay is..."

(End of this chapter)