Los Angeles in January still bore no hint of winter's chill. The gentle warmth of the ocean breeze caressed the city, and the tall palm trees swayed beneath the cloudless sky. Golden sunlight cascaded onto the vibrant red carpet, casting a radiant halo, as if shrouded in mist, turning the entire Hollywood Hilton Hotel into a realm of enchantment.
Today marked the imminent commencement of the 68th Golden Globe Awards ceremony at this very venue. Following closely would be the announcement of the Oscar nominations, officially propelling the awards season into its final sprint.
Workers bustled fervently on the red carpet, giving the live broadcasting stations and cameras their last-minute checks. Inside the glass-walled structure at the end of the red carpet, the hosts made final preparations. On the left entrance, staff members opened the gates, welcoming the enthusiastic fans who could hardly contain their excitement as they streamed in.
Meanwhile, guests arrived one after another, getting ready for the busy night ahead.
Gavin Hunter raised his head to glance at the audience seats behind him, his expression revealing puzzlement. "Is it just me, or does the audience seem particularly noisy tonight? The red carpet appears to be much livelier compared to previous years."
This year's Golden Globe Awards had quite a few highlights. Brad Pitt, Johnny Depp, Robert Downey Jr., Tom Hanks, Jake Gyllenhaal, and others would grace the red carpet. However, Leonardo DiCaprio, who had delivered a remarkable performance in "Inception", Tom Cruise, who had a lackluster year, and Will Smith, who hadn't released a film for two consecutive years, were conspicuously absent. These three were undoubtedly some of the most talked-about and highly anticipated actors of the time, enough to overshadow the brilliance of the red carpet.
"Want a reason? I can give you two." Cornell McGregor, who followed behind Gavin, said with a cheerful smile. This left Gavin in surprise. Cornell extended his right hand and started counting on his fingers, "Justin Bieber. Robert Pattinson."
Such was the answer.
Gavin looked at Cornell speechlessly, but Cornell remained nonchalant, staring back resolutely. Gavin felt powerless to retort.
Tonight's Golden Globe Awards ceremony would be attended by both Justin Bieber and Robert Pattinson, the kings of popularity, as presenters.
The former, being the first to transition from the online world to reality in the era of social media, had achieved enormous success. His fanbase was incredibly formidable. The latter had swept the world with the "Twilight" series, not only initiating a golden age for young adult adaptations but also carving out a realm for idol actors within Hollywood.
The fanaticism, audacity, and fierceness of their respective fanbases rivaled even Asia's idol culture.
Although Hollywood had witnessed countless A-list stars throughout its history, and the fervor surrounding rock bands in the '80s was insane, on the whole, Western music and movie fans were generally more rational. Even in their most ardent pursuits, their ultimate goal was to "bed" their idols, rather than placing them on a "sacred" pedestal for worship.
In contrast, in Asia's idol culture, fans might even believe their idols never ate, drank, or excreted, surviving solely on dew, akin to saints. During the peak of H.O.T. and Shinhwa's popularity, fans had even physically clashed to support their idols, leading to the formation of rival factions.
This is something unimaginable in the Western world. However, the rise of Justin and Robert changed this situation, forming a new and distinct culture. The fanaticism of their fans was no less than that in Asia.
Therefore, the Golden Globe Awards invited both of them to the ceremony. Even though their works and the awards season weren't closely related, as long as they appeared, there was no need to worry about the level of attention and discussion. This was what truly mattered to the Golden Globe Awards.
Purely in terms of the intensity of their fan following, Brad Pitt, Johnny Depp, and Robert Downey Jr. combined couldn't match up to Robert Pattinson alone.
The audience seats for today were opened up to a total of eight hundred, yet Justin and Robert's fans already occupied ninety percent of the space. With an hour left until the red carpet event, the atmosphere at the venue was already heated.
"Who's your assignment for tonight?" Gavin casually inquired. He was from Us Weekly, while Cornell was from Entertainment Weekly. For them, the importance of the Golden Globe Awards exceeded that of the Oscars. Under the motto of "Entertainment Above All", the attendees' state of relaxation was more crucial than the awards themselves. Enjoying the festive atmosphere took precedence over presenting awards.
"Natalie Portman." Cornell promptly provided an answer, without hesitation. Throughout the entire saga of the "Black Swan" scandal, Entertainment Weekly had played a significant role. During the Toronto period, Cornell had forsaken Renly to choose Natalie. Now he was finally reaping the rewards. "What about you?"
"Johnny Depp." Gavin shrugged. "But I'm still aiming for Renly Hall. I think tonight's Gen Y actors might make a breakthrough." Assigning Johnny was the chief editor's directive, but on the red carpet scene, everything changed in the blink of an eye, and the specifics were ultimately up to the reporters.
"One Jennifer Lawrence and him. These two newcomers are indeed worthy of attention," Cornell also nodded in agreement.
Amidst the light-hearted banter, the red carpet slowly began its opening act. Compared to other award ceremonies, the Golden Globe Awards were where true star power converged. Prominent figures from various domains such as television, film, and music would all appear one after another, rendering the red carpet unique and captivating, whether in the first half or the latter.
At other award ceremonies, A-list celebrities might be concentrated in the latter half, as the broadcasters would prefer it that way. However, for the Golden Globe Awards, managers must coordinate in advance, avoiding overlapping times. This was to ensure that their artists gained as much exposure as possible by appearing separately throughout the red carpet.
Tonight, Olivia Wilde took the lead to appear. In less than five minutes, the strong contender for Best Newcomer of the Year, Jennifer Lawrence, shone on the stage. Less than two minutes later, the figure of Jim Parsons appeared at the beginning of the red carpet. Before the on-site reporters could catch their breath, Nicole Kidman and her husband, Keith Urban, graced the scene, immediately causing the first peak of excitement on the red carpet.
...
"Heir! Heir! Heir!"
Suddenly, from the previously lackluster audience seats, came a synchronized and thunderous cry. It echoed like lightning out of the blue, instantly capturing everyone's attention.
Before this, although the audience seats were in constant commotion, every time an actor appeared, there would be hushed discussions. Nicole's appearance even prompted quite a few cheers. However, overall, the audience resembled spectators watching a spectacle, never really participating. Their enthusiasm wasn't enough to ignite the atmosphere. This was not surprising; these fans had a very clear goal in mind. Before Justin and Robert appeared, they were indeed just onlookers.
"Heir!"
This resolute and fervent shout shattered the silence and oppression in the atmosphere, instantly setting it ablaze. Truthfully, the crowd shouting wasn't large; they seemed to be around twenty people, just a small fraction of the massive audience. Yet, they held their hands high, mimicking the gestures of cheerleaders, shouting hoarsely. One could even faintly see popping veins and reddened faces. Their voices combined into a wave, unexpectedly creating quite a substantial momentum that spread across the sky above the red carpet.
Cornell turned to look at the boisterous crowd, his face full of confusion. "Who's that?" He nudged Gavin's shoulder and asked. But to his surprise, Gavin paid him no attention, aligning his camera directly towards the entrance of the red carpet and swiftly pressing the shutter.
Cornell noticed Gavin's abnormal behavior and quickly turned around. "Damn!" An expletive burst out, and he promptly raised his hand and pressed the shutter. The flashbulbs were like a summer downpour. One second the sky was clear, and the next it was pouring.
Diana Underwood, looking at Christina Aguilera's black lace mermaid dress, was from the world's largest and most authoritative fashion magazine, Vogue. Her sole task for today was to record all the commendable and critiquable outfits on the red carpet and swiftly create a special issue.
Honestly, Christina had gained a little weight recently. This outfit failed to showcase her advantages and exposed the flaws in her arms and waist. It wasn't the best choice.
Then she heard a clamorous and excited cry, "Heir!"
Diana reflexively looked towards the beginning of the red carpet again, where a tall and graceful figure appeared.
A jet-black polo shirt, meticulously buttoned up with three buttons at the collar. There were no superfluous designs, not even a layering of colors. The entire piece was black, simple and neat, yet exuding elegance and luxury. The well-fitted lines of the upper garment outlined a symmetrical and strong body curve. From the neck, shoulders, chest, to the waist, the lines were sharp but flowed smoothly, revealing a touch of sharpness amidst the simplicity. It was evident that this was a handcrafted masterpiece.
A sky-blue linen suit jacket appeared casual and laid-back. Without padded shoulders, the suit became more approachable. The single-breasted collar and the waist design showcased the upright and symmetrical upper body most fittingly. The same-color suit trousers continued the same style. On his feet were a pair of light brown leather shoes, and he'd rolled up the cuffs a bit, maximizing the sense of carefree youth. There was even a hint of leisure by the Mediterranean coast vacation vibe.
Amidst this carefree nonchalance, a black leather belt, a silver quartz watch, a vintage black pair of sunglasses, and then systematically buttoning up the suit's buttons, his short, golden-brown curls combed into an eight-to-two partition—such restraint compressed the nobility's forbidden desires and introversion. It collided with the unmatched youthful style, igniting an explosive and fatal charm.
In an instant, it was suffocating!