After capturing the selfie, Lucas couldn't help but grin as he continued snapping a few more shots. Ellen, realizing she needed to regain control of the situation, playfully reached for the phone.
"Alright, Spielberg," she quipped, gently taking the device from Lucas. "I think we've got enough takes. Bradley, Lucas, I hope you two aren't planning a career change to photography."
The audience laughed as Ellen examined the photos, her eyes widening in mock surprise. "Wow, Lucas, you managed to fit everyone in! Maybe you have a chance for photography."
Lucas just chuckled at her response, noticing that Ellen seemed genuinely annoyed by his interruption.
Jokes aside, Ellen quickly posted the photo to Twitter, inwardly apprehensive about whether Lucas, unaware of the Samsung sponsorship, had managed to capture the moment properly. Ellen slipped the Samsung phone back into her pocket and continued with her hosting duties, pushing her worries aside.
During a commercial break, Ellen stepped backstage where a social media coordinator approached her. "Ellen, you might want to check the response to that selfie," they suggested.
With a mix of curiosity and trepidation, Ellen pulled out the phone and opened Twitter. Her eyes widened in disbelief as she saw the numbers.
"Oh my god," she muttered, a grin spreading across her face. The selfie, posted just minutes ago, had already garnered over a million retweets and was climbing rapidly. It was breaking records in real-time.
Within the hour, the tweet had surpassed 2 million retweets, smashing the previous record held by President Obama's re-election tweet. By the end of the night, it would exceed 3 million, becoming the most retweeted post in Twitter history at that time.
Ellen's relief was palpable. Not only had the sponsored moment been a success, but Lucas's impromptu involvement had added an element of genuine spontaneity that resonated with viewers worldwide.
Meanwhile, Lucas, still unaware of the social media storm his selfie had sparked, mingled with the celebrities around him during the commercial break.
As the ceremony resumed, the anticipation for the major awards grew. The Best Actress category came before Best Actor, as was tradition. When the presenter announced, "And the Oscar goes to... Jennifer Lawrence for 'Blue Jasmine'!" the audience erupted in applause.
Lucas genuinely clapped, a proud smile spreading across his face as he watched Jennifer make her way to the stage. She ascended the steps carefully, mindful of her flowing gown, determined not to repeat her famous stumble from a previous year.
Jennifer took a deep breath before beginning her speech. "Wow, I... I'm truly honored," she started, her voice trembling slightly with emotion. "I want to thank the Academy, of course, and the incredible cast and crew of 'Blue Jasmine'. Woody Allen, your vision and direction were inspiring."
She paused, her eyes scanning the audience before landing on Lucas. "And Lucas Knight, I can't thank you enough. Not just for writing and co-directing this beautiful film, but for believing in me and pushing me to be better every day."
Jennifer's voice softened, her eyes glistening as she looked directly at Lucas. "And Lucas... God, where do I even start? You're my rock, my partner in crime, my... everything." She let out a shaky laugh. "But let's be real for a second. This whole Hollywood power couple thing? It's not all red carpets and cute Instagram posts."
The audience held their breath, sensing the raw honesty in her words.
"We've got our fair share of drama," Jennifer continued, her voice cracking slightly. "I mean, try maintaining a relationship when you're shooting in different states or countries for months on end. Or when your boyfriend decides to starve himself for a role and you're left wondering if he's gonna keel over at any moment."
A few nervous chuckles rippled through the crowd.
Jennifer took a deep breath, running a hand through her hair. "It's messy, it's frustrating, and sometimes I want to throttle him." She paused, a small smile playing on her lips. "But you know what? It's also real. It's us. And I wouldn't have it any other way."
As Jennifer finished, the audience erupted into applause, many giving her a standing ovation for her candor. The camera panned to Lucas, who was blinking rapidly, clearly fighting back tears.
As the applause died down, Lucas couldn't help but ham it up a bit. He dramatically wiped an imaginary tear from his eye and pretended to blow his nose loudly into a handkerchief, drawing chuckles from those around him. The tension in the room dissipated, replaced by warm laughter.
Inwardly, Lucas felt a surge of pride for Jennifer. Her honesty was both touching and brave, and he admired her for it.
The ceremony rolled on, building up to the Best Actor award. The nominees were announced one by one: Chiwetel Ejiofor for "12 Years a Slave," Christian Bale for "American Hustle," Matthew McConaughey for "Dallas Buyers Club," Leonardo DiCaprio for "The Wolf of Wall Street," and finally, Lucas for "Gravity."
As clips of each performance played, Lucas found himself particularly captivated by Matthew McConaughey's portrayal in "Dallas Buyers Club." The raw emotion and physical transformation were undeniably impressive.
When Cate Blanchett opened the envelope and announced, "And the Oscar goes to... Matthew McConaughey for 'Dallas Buyers Club'!"
Lucas broke into genuine applause.
As Matthew made his way to the stage, Lucas settled back in his seat, a contented smile on his face.
He didn't mind not winning; he knew there would be other chances. Instead, he focused on Matthew's powerful acceptance speech, nodding along as the actor spoke about his journey and inspirations.
***
After the ceremony wrapped up, Lucas found himself at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party, mingling with fellow celebrities and industry bigwigs. He was nursing a glass of champagne when Ellen sidled up to him, a mischievous grin on her face.
"So, Lucas," she said, nudging him with her elbow, "have you checked your phone lately?"
Lucas raised an eyebrow. "Uh, no. Should I have?"
Ellen's grin widened. "Oh, you might want to. That little selfie stunt of ours? It kind of broke the internet."
Confused, Lucas pulled out his phone and his eyes widened as he saw the notifications flooding in. "Holy sh- I mean, wow," he corrected himself, remembering where he was. "This is insane!"
Ellen laughed. "Yeah, and that whole thing was supposed to be a scripted bit. I was meant to take the photo myself."
"Did I mess up some sponsorship deal or something?"
"For a minute there, I thought you might have," Ellen admitted. "I was sweating bullets when you grabbed that phone. But hey, it worked out even better than we planned!"
Lucas couldn't help but burst out laughing. "So you're telling me I accidentally hijacked a sponsored moment and made it go viral? That's hilarious..."
Ellen joined in his laughter. "Only you, Lucas. Only you could pull something like that off without even trying."
They clinked glasses, both amused by the unexpected turn of events.
"Next time," Lucas joked, "maybe give a guy a heads up before he becomes an accidental social media sensation."
Ellen smirked. "Where's the fun in that? Besides, your cluelessness made it all the more authentic."
Lucas smiled as he chatted with Ellen before excusing himself to approach Jennifer. She greeted him with a nod and a warm smile.
"Hey, congratulations on your win," Lucas said, his voice sincere. "You were incredible up there."
Jennifer's smile widened. "Thanks, Lucas. That means a lot coming from you."
There was a brief pause, the air between them thick with unspoken words. Finally, Jennifer broke the silence.
"You know," she began, her voice soft, "winning this award... it made me realize something. I wouldn't be here without you. Your support, your guidance... it's been everything."
Lucas nodded, encouraging her to continue.
"But," Jennifer hesitated, choosing her words carefully, "I think we both know our careers are demanding right now. We're both at critical points, and..."
"We need to focus," Lucas finished for her, understanding in his eyes.
"Yeah," Jennifer agreed, relieved he understood. "Maybe we need some time to really throw ourselves into our work. Not a breakup, just..."
"A pause," Lucas supplied. "A chance to grow individually."
Jennifer nodded, her eyes glistening. "Yes. I love you, Lucas, but I think this might be what we need right now."
Lucas took a deep breath, processing her words. After a moment, he gave her a soft smile. "I get it. And I think you're right. We've got some incredible opportunities ahead of us, and we should embrace them fully. It doesn't change how I feel about you, though."
Jennifer reached out, squeezing his hand. "Same here. This isn't goodbye, it's just... see you later."
Lucas smiled, nodding in understanding. "So, tell me more about what you've got coming up," he said, smoothly shifting the conversation.
Jennifer's eyes lit up. "I'm gonna be pretty swamped. I've got 'Serena' coming up with Bradley Cooper. Should be a blast."
Lucas nodded, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Oh, Bradley, huh? Should I be jealous?"
Jennifer chuckled, playfully swatting his arm. "As if. What about you, Mr. Bigshot? What's next on your agenda?"
Lucas grinned. "Well, remember that film 'Whiplash' I mentioned? I'm starting work on that in a few weeks. Been in touch with the director since Sundance last year."
Jennifer's eyebrows shot up. "Oh right, isn't that the one where you had to go disguise yourself just to talk to the director? The one you wouldn't shut up about?"
Lucas nodded, a proud smile on his face.
Jennifer's expression turned slightly skeptical. "I don't know, Lucas. A small indie about jazz drumming? Are you sure that's the best move right now? I mean, you're hot off 'Gravity'. Shouldn't you be looking at bigger projects?"