In front of the Kodak Theatre, no celebrities had arrived yet, but the atmosphere was already heating up.
In addition to the numerous journalists lined up on both sides of the red carpet, the organizers had also arranged for outside hosts and their assistants. Unlike the hosts responsible for the on-stage ceremony, these two handled interviews outside the venue. After all, simply walking down the red carpet without saying a word or cracking a joke wouldn't help boost the ratings.
Although excessive entertainment might be inappropriate during wartime, the ceremony still needed to be lively—after all, not all viewers were concerned about the war. Many simply wanted to see their favorite stars.
The hosts' assistants also served as backup hosts in case the main host couldn't make it on stage.
As a long Ford limousine pulled up and the door opened, the team from the film "Adaptation," nominated for four awards, arrived.
While the number of nominations wasn't large, they were all significant: Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Supporting Actress, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Actor. None of the nominations were by chance.
Director Spike Jonze was the first to step out, and then he opened the door, helping an elegant Meryl Streep out of the car.
Following them were Nicolas Cage and Chris Cooper, all four dressed in black tuxedos, wearing anti-war pins shaped like Picasso's dove. They looked very solemn.
The journalists began taking pictures, and within minutes, the first news stories would be online.
Unfortunately, the seating in the Kodak Theatre was limited, so not all actors from each film could be invited. For example, Tilda Swinton, who played in "Constantine" and as the Ancient One in the MCU, was not invited, despite also participating in this film.
After the "Adaptation" team arrived, other teams began arriving one after another, like boiling water.
The team from "The Pianist," nominated for seven awards, including Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Actor, and Best Director, arrived next.
However, only three people got out of the car: Adrien Brody, Ronald Harwood, and Pawel Edelman.
This film's crew sparked the most controversy due to the personality of director Roman Polanski.
Roman Polanski's career is acknowledged by all; he is undoubtedly a master of cinema, but his personality raises questions.
In 1978, he was charged by the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office with sexual assault on a 13-year-old girl, and Polanski pleaded guilty.
However, upon learning that he faced no less than 50 years in prison, he fled to France. This scandal led to his fall from the pedestal of a cinema master and made him a target of public scorn.
Therefore, he could not attend the Oscars—as soon as he appeared in the U.S., he would be arrested.
The "Pianist" team understood the situation, so they answered questions very cautiously, mostly just smiling and greeting the crowd before quickly entering the theater.
Then came the teams from "The Hours," "About Schmidt," "Chicago," "Gangs of New York," "Road to Perdition," "The Lord of the Rings," and others. Many members of the jury and heads of major film studios, like Eric, were also invited.
This year's red carpet was shorter, so when so many people stepped onto it, it got a bit crowded.
"Hey, Tobey! Look over here, Tobey!"
"Smile, please!"
Although "Spider-Man" received only two nominations for technical awards, its box office success had made Tobey Maguire a new star.
When he appeared, the journalists immediately began snapping photos.
After smiling for a few minutes, Tobey felt his smile becoming strained and wanted to change his pose when suddenly someone covered his eyes with their hands.
He didn't panic—it was a common joke on the red carpet that organizers and journalists loved.
"Guess who?"
"James Franco, is that you?"
"No, guess again."
Tobey suddenly remembered that James Franco hadn't been invited and said, "Elijah Wood, it's definitely you—I recognize your voice."
Before him stood Elijah Wood, who played Frodo in "The Lord of the Rings."
Behind him were the bearded Peter Jackson, Viggo Mortensen, who played Aragorn, and screenwriter Fran Walsh.
Fran Walsh was also Peter Jackson's wife.
That's why she was attending the ceremony, despite "The Lord of the Rings" not receiving a nomination for Best Screenplay—she was invited thanks to her husband.
"Tobey, where's Sam Raimi? I don't see him," Jackson asked.
"Director Sam decided to stay home with his family, so he won't be attending," Tobey explained.
Peter Jackson laughed out loud, "He's just afraid of losing, isn't he? After all, he's only nominated for Best Sound and Best Visual Effects. I guess he doesn't want to face defeat from me."
"And is family really an excuse? Look at me—I brought my wife," Jackson continued, winking.
Tobey Maguire just shrugged—he had nothing to say. After all, both directors were big figures in the film industry, and any careless word could offend them.
Luckily, at that moment, Kirsten Dunst, who played Mary Jane in "Spider-Man," approached.
Her hair was dyed a dark red, and her expertly applied makeup made her even more attractive than in the movie.
"What are you guys talking about, Tobey? I see everyone laughing. Hello, Mr. Jackson, it's a pleasure to see you at the Oscars. I love 'The Lord of the Rings!'"
Kirsten's greeting instantly established a connection, demonstrating high emotional intelligence.
Tobey immediately made room for her in the center of the group, whispering in her ear, "Thanks, you saved me."
"This is payback for saving me on screen," Kirsten replied with a smile.
Meanwhile, the outside host, who had just finished interviewing Renée Zellweger and Catherine Zeta-Jones from the "Chicago" team, noticed the meeting between the "Lord of the Rings" and "Spider-Man" teams and hurried over.
"Though 'Chicago' is good, its box office is nowhere near as high as these two films," he thought.
"High box office means popularity among viewers, which means good ratings."
"Right now, we have Tobey Maguire and Elijah Wood, though hardly anyone doesn't know who these people are," the host smiled.
Everyone smiled back.
The microphone was directed toward Kirsten Dunst.
"Kirsten, you look stunning tonight! Who designed your dress?"
"It's Yves Saint Laurent, and so are the shoes," she replied, giving the brand a little plug.
"Incredible! Seeing you makes me want a Saint Laurent dress too. What's the most important thing for you tonight?"
Kirsten glanced at the sky. She was about to say something about the war but remembered that the organizers had asked them to avoid war and political topics. She quickly changed her mind:
"I think the scariest thing is tripping. Our dresses often have long trains, and we can't always be careful. One wrong move, and you fall. It's every actress's nightmare."
Tobey immediately chimed in, "If you need, I can carry your train."
With only two nominations for technical awards, "Spider-Man" didn't have much to discuss in terms of awards or the war, so they decided to talk about funny stories on the red carpet.
------
You can read up to 10+ advanced chapters and support me at patreon.com/raaaaven