The impact of 9/11 from the previous year continued to affect this year's Oscars, with many protesters around the red carpet, objecting to holding a gala during such a time of war. Some actors had initiated movements to boycott the Oscars before, but the results were not significant.
Soon it was time for the awards, and the first award that Laila's team welcomed was for Janet's Best Costume Design.
In Laila's opinion, her competitors weren't very strong, at least not in her eyes, as they didn't shine as much as Janet, whether it was "Moulin Rouge" or "The Affair of the Necklace," compared to "Pirates of the Caribbean." Perhaps it was because of the subject matter; commercial films had less room for artistic expression than others. In addition to Janet's talent, Laila believed she had at least an eighty percent chance of winning that award.
"The winner is Janet Moran, for 'Pirates of the Caribbean'!" the presenter announced with a smile.
When the presenter announced Janet Moran's name, Laila wasn't very surprised, but everyone from the "Pirates of the Caribbean" cast and crew applauded and cheered excitedly.
At this moment, on screens in thousands of households, Janet's exquisite and beautiful appearance, not inferior to big stars, appeared. Her simple and elegant noblewoman's demeanor set her apart from the other stars. People might not know exactly what made her different, but just looking at her, you could feel that distinction deeply.
"Wow!" "Congratulations!" "Well done!"
Appreciative voices, applause, and cheers made Janet cover her mouth in disbelief.
"Hurry up, Mom," Laila clapped her hands and urged her to go up on stage.
Janet slowly made her way to the stage and received the little golden man she had never dared to dream of from the presenter.
"Thank you, thank you, everyone," she said. "I'm really sorry; I never expected to win this award, not even to prepare an acceptance speech."
Her modesty elicited friendly laughter from the audience.
"Receiving this award is truly incredible for me. That day, my daughter said to me, 'Mom, I need you.' Well, she's got me."
This time, the laughter grew louder, mixed with many encouraging applause.
Janet looked in her daughter's direction, her voice choked up. "What I want to say is that as long as you need me, I will always be by your side. Thank you, thank you for this opportunity, Oscars. Thank you to everyone in the cast and crew for your help, and thank you to my daughter for needing me."
Although she hadn't prepared a speech, the sincerity in her words moved everyone. Even Laila, who considered herself more rational than emotional, felt a hint of warmth in her heart.
Coming to this world, besides being able to make her favorite movies, the deepest feeling she had was the unconditional support of her family. It was a kind of love that would help her find tools even if she wanted to poke a hole in the sky.
For Laila, seeing her mother, who was an outsider to the industry, receive the coveted little golden man before herself brought her not a shred of jealousy. It was well deserved!
"Dear, did I embarrass you?" Janet, after coming down from the stage, felt that she must have looked terrible up there.
Laila gave her a gentle hug. "Mom, you did great. You're the best."
"You're the best daughter too!" Janet sniffled and held her even tighter.
After losing the Best Sound Mixing award, the next award related to the cast was for Best Makeup. Laila felt that her team had a good chance of winning this award because Captain Jack's character was loved by so many, and his costume and appearance played a significant role.
As for the competition, apart from "A Beautiful Mind," there was "Moulin Rouge." The original winner, "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring," hadn't been filmed yet, thanks to Laila's influence, so however you looked at it, Xiao Ye had a slight advantage.
"Aren't you nervous at all?" someone in the cast asked Xiao Ye curiously.
Xiao Ye responded with a question, "Why should I be nervous?" He had faced life-and-death situations countless times; there was no way he would be nervous about an award.
"Don't you worry about not winning?"
Xiao Ye shrugged. "If it's mine, it's mine; I can't force it if it's not." He adopted a Zen-like approach.
"Okay." The cast members couldn't help but feel a bit ashamed of their pettiness. They looked at how composed Xiao Ye was, not caring whether they won or lost.
Hearing their words, Laila turned and smiled. "Our company is still very young, and you are all young as well. Being here is already a victory for us. As for that award, even if we're so young, can't we fulfill our dreams in the coming decades?"
"Yes!" Everyone turned around. They realized that in the history of the Oscars, how many young people like them had been nominated? Even if they didn't win, having a nomination added to their value. Why let the award, or lack thereof, ruin their mood?
Seeing that Laila's few words had changed their attitude, Xiao Ye secretly gave her a thumbs up. No wonder she was the boss; her persuasive skills were off the charts.
"The winner is Ian Shaw, for 'Pirates of the Caribbean'!" The presenter announced with a smile, reading the name from the envelope.
Applause filled the room, and Xiao Ye walked to the stage with a faint smile. Ian Shaw was the name he had chosen for himself as a makeup artist, never expecting it to appear in such a setting.
He used to think that he would spend his entire life living in the shadows with different faces, but after leaving his job as a secret agent, he unexpectedly found himself in such a brilliant and bright place. The wonders and mysteries of fate were truly remarkable.
As he accepted the award from the presenter, Xiao Ye's expression was somewhat complex, not the exuberance of an ordinary person who had won an award, nor indifference, but a kind of worldly-wise emotion that could be sensed.
"To be honest, I didn't prepare a speech for winning either. Like Janet, I never thought I would have a chance to receive this award," he said, holding the trophy delicately and tracing his fingers over it, showing his care and reverence for the award.
"I learned makeup on my own, and by chance, Laila Moran, our boss, noticed me and abducted me into her company. At that time, I just thought my makeup skills could be used in movies, and it was truly magical. But as I got deeper into the world of film, I realized it wasn't the simple world I had originally thought. This is another world, a world where I can be called a superhero."
He looked toward the audience, especially the location of his cast, and smiled. "What I want to say is, no matter where you saw my potential, boss, I have to say to you – well done."