"This is ABC television, and the much-anticipated 76th Academy Awards ceremony is about tocommence, with the red carpet event starting soon..."
It was just past 5 p.m. Pacific Time when Brian Lister settled in front of the TV, turning it to ABC. The Oscars broadcast had already begun.
His timing was perfect, and within a few minutes, celebrities began to grace the red carpet. Although his favorite stars had yet to appear, the sight of each handsome man and beautiful woman striding across the red carpet still thrilled him.
As Australian actress Naomi Watts and her boyfriend Heath Ledger walked onto the Oscars red carpet, Brian's father, Mr. Lister, arrived home from work.
"Has it started already?" Mr. Lister asked.
Pointing at the TV screen, Brian replied, "The red carpet has started." Then he added with a peculiar tone, "Another couple with a significant age difference."
Mr. Lister hung up his coat, poured himself a glass of water, and settled into an armchair, asking, "Didn't you say Matthew was attending this year's ceremony? Has he shown up yet?"
Brian shook his head, "Not yet."
"Hmm," Mr. Lister nodded and muttered, "I underestimated him, making it to the Oscars so quickly."
"Is it so surprising to make it to the Oscars?" Brian caught his father's remark and responded, "You might not realize it, but Matthew is really impressive now."
Formerly a subordinate and now a client, Mr. Lister's curiosity was piqued, "Oh? Do tell."
"Haven't you seen the news recently?"
Seeing his father shake his head, Brian elaborated, "Just over a week ago, TMZ and 'Entertainment Weekly' both reported that Matthew won the lead role in 'National Treasure' over Jude Law, James Franco, Colin Farrell, and Nicolas Cage!"
He seemed excited, "Those guys are all on the same level as Matthew, second-tier stars, but Matthew beat Nicolas Cage! That's an Oscar winner and a top-tier star!"
With a sense of pride, Brian asked, "Dad, impressive, right?"
Mr. Lister just smiled, saying nothing. Given his work connected to Hollywood, he knew such claims were often promotional, but he didn't burst Brian's bubble.
It was normal for teenagers to idolize celebrities, and compared to other messy star fascinations, Mr. Lister found nothing wrong with Brian's admiration for Matthew Horner. The former subordinate's success story could serve as a good example for young people.
Not everyone can rise from a chauffeur to a Hollywood star, a trajectory even Mr. Lister admired.
On the TV, Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon passed by on the red carpet.
"Dad, look!" Brian pointed excitedly at the TV, "Matthew! Matthew is here!"
Mr. Lister focused on the screen and indeed saw Matthew Horner stepping out of a black luxury car onto the Oscars red carpet.
"He's so manly!" Brian gushed.
Matthew wore a perfectly tailored black tuxedo, exuding a noble and formidable aura as if naturally possessing a wolf-like wild charisma.
The ABC host introduced him, "Many of you will recognize this man, Matthew Horner, one of last year's hottest male actors in America. He starred alongside Johnny Depp in 'Pirates of the Caribbean' as Will Turner and Jack Sparrow, forming a classic cinematic duo. He's one of the fastest rising stars in Hollywood today and reliable sources have confirmed his signing with Jerry Bruckheimer's 'National Treasure' as the lead actor…"
Hearing this, Mr. Lister could only marvel at how even an Oscars broadcast by Disney-owned ABC didn't miss a chance to plug a major film project.
"Did you hear that, Dad?" Brian chimed in, "Did you hear what they said on TV? Matthew is going to be a mega-star!"
Mr. Lister hummed, "A future mega-star, indeed."
As Matthew moved halfway down the red carpet, the camera shifted to other arriving stars.
"Is that it?" Brian complained, "That was too quick, wasn't it?"
He stretched and stood up, heading towards the kitchen, "I'll check if Mom's ready with dinner."
"Go ahead," Mr. Lister waved him off and continued watching the Oscars red carpet.
For him, the red carpet was also a barometer for potential clients. Anyone new to the Oscars red carpet was a prospective customer for his company.
Like Matthew Horner, whose parties and domestic services he managed, bringing in nearly ten thousand dollars last year. While household expenses were one thing, the costs of a star's parties could be significant, and given the trends, Matthew's spending on parties was expected to increase, potentially requiring high-end models.
As a direct business manager, he stood to earn a substantial commission.
Though Matthew had left the TV screen, Mr. Lister pondered matters related to him. He knew from Brian that Matthew's salaries for 'National Treasure' and 'Dawn of the Dead' were over five million dollars, plus the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' sequels made him a millionaire many times over.
Such a client was much bigger than his previous ones, like Johnny Lee Miller!
The problem was Matthew's house was too small, inconvenient for parties or other events, and required little maintenance—less expenditure on domestic services.
Mr. Lister considered that it might be time for Matthew to upgrade to a larger house. Such a small residence hardly matched his status. Matthew had previously expressed interest in moving; perhaps it was time to gently push him in that direction?
A larger house would make party hosting easier. In his current home, how many models could he fit? But in a Beverly Hills or Malibu estate, accommodating a dozen models would be no issue.
For Matthew Horner's future happiness, it was high time he considered moving.
As night fell, the Kodak Theatre lit up brightly. Due to heightened security measures triggered by global events, the Oscars had an unusual level of protection.
Helicopters circled above Hollywood, security lines were drawn along the Walk of Fame, and the Kodak Theatre was fortified with the latest technology and manpower to ensure order. Surveillance cameras, metal detectors, and police were omnipresent, even among the 500 fans watching the red carpet from open-air stands.
Matthew reached the interview area, posing professionally for the photographers and charming the reporters with his smile.
Given that the broadcaster was Disney's ABC, he was interviewed after the photoshoot.
The interview didn't stray into unexpected territory, focusing on the upcoming 'Pirates of the Caribbean' sequel and 'National Treasure.' The routine predictions followed.
"I personally think 'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King' is most likely to win Best Picture, and its director Peter Jackson has the best shot at Best Director," Matthew said confidently to the ABC camera.
"For Best Actor, I obviously hope Johnny Depp wins; his performance in 'Pirates of the Caribbean' deserves it! Charlize Theron is the favorite for Best Actress; she's a good friend of mine, and I think she will definitely win!"
Apart from supporting Johnny Depp, Matthew's predictions were in line with popular opinion.
Once the Oscar nominations were announced, speculation about the winners was always intense.
This year's media predictions for the main awards were remarkably uniform—'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King'
and its director Peter Jackson for Best Picture and Director, with Sean Penn and Charlize Theron almost guaranteed Best Actor and Actress. Tim Robbins and Renée Zellweger were expected to take home the supporting actor awards.
Some media even claimed this was the least suspenseful Oscars ever, potentially dulling the excitement.
Only two people knew the final results at this moment—Greg Garrison and Rick Rosas from PricewaterhouseCoopers, who had departed from separate locations in Los Angeles to ensure they reached the Kodak Theatre on time, each carrying a copy of the final results to avoid delays due to traffic or other incidents.
After his interview, Matthew entered the Kodak Theatre alone, following a path specially set out by the organizers to a seat in the fifth row of the guest area, a spot easily captured by the cameras.
Johnny Depp hadn't arrived yet, so Matthew greeted a few crew members already seated and settled down, his eyes roaming curiously, especially over the young and beautiful actresses, particularly those who could spark conversations.
He remembered he had a job to do.
Matthew's gaze lingered on the 'Whale Rider' crew, where Keisha Castle-Hughes, nominated for Best Actress at just thirteen, was undeniably one of the most eye-catching actresses present.
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