America gains both fame and fortune

Chapter 398 Art Exchange
In the business club in Beverly Hills, many people from the academy were having an internal gathering. In addition to the old men like Warren Beatty who worked in the academy, some senior members also came.

These people all have one thing in common.

White, male, over 60 years old.

Warren Beatty approached Nicholson and asked, "I hear you've been doing some shit lately?"

Annette Bell deliberately squeezed him: "Jack, you have led the two most promising young people in the circle astray."

"That's not right, it wasn't me who led them astray." Nicholson didn't want to take the blame: "It was those two bastards who led me astray, okay!"

Warren Beatty thought of his youth: "Remember you, me, and Malone, turning Sunset Boulevard into a nightlife, and in the blink of an eye we've grown old."

Nicholson shrugged: "Mallon went to meet the Almighty, you returned to your family, and I am in semi-retirement. Our time has passed, and people are almost forgetting us."

Annette Bening asked: "So, you want to make a presence?"

Nicholson denied: "Of course not, I really like Blanchett, especially her hard-lined face, which is so recognizable."

Annette Bening laughed: "Your way of showing love is really special, it makes people angry and embarrassed."

William Fichtner came over and said, "You caused us to be scolded by an Australian woman together."

Nicholson was helpless: "I didn't expect that she would be like this..." He shrugged: "Blanchett publicly apologized. I think she realized her mistake and cried very sadly at the press conference."

Warren Beatty shook his head: "Women's tears."

Nicholson spread his hands: "She is free to speak."

"Yes, she can say whatever she wants. God has given her freedom of speech." Sidney Ganis, president of the academy, was nearby. Hearing what they said, he couldn't help but interrupt: "But everyone should be responsible for their own words."

Warren Beatty and William Fichtner, two old white men, fully agreed with Sidney Ganis: "That's absolutely right."

The authority of the academy is authority. How can we tolerate casual questioning?
Nicholson defended himself: "Blanchett didn't do it on purpose. Maybe she has been doing too well these years, so she..."

Sidney Ganis couldn't help but shake his head: "A person like this should go through more trials and tribulations. This will be good for her life."

Although the president of the academy is more of a symbolic honorary position and does not have particularly great power, who can ignore his words during the awards season?

This is the representative chosen by the old white men in the college.

Not only this small circle, but people around were nodding their heads.

They have seen the video of Cate Blanchett angrily scolding Nicholson, and they have also seen the video of her tearfully apologizing at the press conference.

But most people automatically ignore the latter and remember the former instead.

They are old, have poor memory, are a little willful, a little petty and have bad tempers, which is understandable.

As for not being able to understand, it doesn’t really matter. Running as an accompaniment like Leonardo is a test, and some people don’t even have the chance to run as an accompaniment.

That afternoon, many old white men declined invitations to previews and screenings of "Queen Elizabeth 2".

The entertainment media, with their keen sense of smell, noticed the sudden change in the wind direction, and many critics in Los Angeles also refused to attend the screening of the film.

…………

In a screening room at Warner Studios, the internal preview of "The Reader" has just ended.

As the thick curtains were drawn open, warm applause broke out.

Martin and Kate Winslet stood up one after another and bowed slightly to the people around them.

"Kate, Martin." Daniel praised: "You have created two distinct and layered characters. This is a wonderful performance."

Martin did not need to be modest, saying, "I also think this is the best performance I have ever given in my career."

Kate said directly: "Martin is really outstanding. During the filming, he led me into the role in many scenes."

Another person said: "This film will be screened next month. I believe it will be a hot favorite during the awards season, especially for the leading actors and actresses."

This is a standard award-winning film, with the priority of awards being Best Actress and then Best Actor.

The preview ended here. Daniel took Martin and Kate aside to talk for a while, then returned to the office and asked the team to further refine the public relations and marketing plan for the awards season.

After he left, Kate called Martin: "Let's find a place to chat for a while?"

"Okay, where to?" Martin asked.

Kate didn't hesitate at all, she pulled him up and left: "I'm staying at the Burbank Hotel."

Martin certainly understood what she meant and stuck to his usual principles: “Wait a minute, I’ll borrow an inconspicuous car.”

Kate nodded: "You are very thoughtful."

Martin borrowed a Volkswagen, took Kate with him, and drove directly from the underground parking lot of Warner Studios to the underground parking lot of the Burbank Hotel.

Kate, who was in her early thirties, was in her prime, and she devoured Martin as soon as she came upstairs. Martin didn't even need to do anything special.

The two artists, through their passionate communication, quickly reached a state of unity.

After a brief exchange, the two began to discuss real issues.

Martin took two bottles of water from the refrigerator and handed Kate one.

"Thank you." Kate took it, sat opposite Martin, and asked, "I heard that you only plan to attend some of the promotional meetings and screenings for The Reader?"

Martin said directly: "I will be leaving Los Angeles soon to participate in the filming of a new film, so I don't have much time."

He also pointed out a key point: "Aren't you going to win the Best Actress award? I just need a nomination. There will be a professional team to handle it. If I show up too often, it might split your votes."

"You really care about me. Should I thank you?" Kate stared at Martin deliberately.

Martin was so shameless that he met Kate's gaze and looked at her carefully: "I don't mind if you thank me. You should thank me for more than just this."

Kate was confused: "What else did you do?"

"I helped you get one of the most competitive opponents in advance." Shamelessly, Martin directly pulled Nicholson's banner and carried it on his shoulders: "Cate Blanchett specifically said that she won the award, and she has no chance of being nominated this year."

If you find a boss, doesn't it mean that the boss will take responsibility when things go wrong, and the younger brothers will be responsible for collecting the profits from the good deeds done by the boss?
He lowered his voice: "I called Jack to Paramount Studios."

Kate had thought of what Martin had said and knew what he meant.

She has been friends with Leonardo for more than ten years and knows what kind of people the old white men in Hollywood are.

"'Queen Elizabeth 2' has been screened." Kate said slowly, "It is said that many critics and industry insiders have rejected the invitation to the preview and screening."

Martin said: "The old men in the academy are spreading rumors, and the direction of the rumors is very clear."

Kate scanned the room with her eyes. “I’m full and tired today. I’ll thank you properly next time.”

Martin took a sip of water, sat opposite her, looked at her carefully, and said, "You are not doing a good job of body management."

"It's not bad." Kate didn't mind it, and even said directly: "I don't do much to manage my body."

She shook her body: "Don't you think this is just right?"

Martin thought of a horrible experience in his previous life: "Indeed, if you have a skinny body, your pelvis will hurt if you hit it."

Kate laughed, touched Martin's water bottle with hers, and said, "I feel great now, too."

Martin said: “The academy and the critics love nothing more than to see exquisite beauty destroyed.”

Kate nodded slightly, and changed the subject: "You have always been able to deal with the media and public opinion. For an actress like me, after destroying her appearance and inherent image, is there any other way to increase her chances of winning?"

The conventional method is there: spend money on word of mouth, public relations and publicity. Kate knows this without Martin saying it.

All Martin could think of were crooked ways: "In fact, female stars have an advantage when competing for an Oscar, which male stars don't have, a huge innate advantage."

"Sleep with every male judge?" Kate obviously had the wrong idea.

Martin was furious: "You pervert, do you have anything else in your mind besides sleeping?" He emphasized: "I'm talking about the natural advantages of women."

Kate deliberately held up her chest: "Could it be this?"

Martin was too lazy to ask her to guess and said directly, "Public opinion and public psychology will tend to favor pregnant women. When one of the top candidates for the Oscar for Best Actress frequently appears in the media with her pregnant belly, will the judges be affected psychologically?"

Kate immediately thought it made sense. She had been a mother before, and she could still vividly remember the tangible and intangible treatment she had received when she was pregnant.

Society as a whole, from high to low, treats pregnant women very favorably.

Kate's eyes immediately fell on Martin, and she seemed to be thinking about something important.

Martin realized that something was wrong and warned, "Kate, don't think of hitting on me."

"Sam is old after all." Kate has always had artistic pursuits. She devotes a lot to art during filming and doesn't mind paying more.

Martin was startled, feeling like a lion facing a lioness in heat, and quickly added, "Kate, you don't have to be like this. As long as you do fair public relations and publicity, your chances of winning are very high. I have asked Warren Beatty and Annette Bening, who are the core members of the academy. This group's impression and evaluation of you is a hundred times better than Leo's."

Martin suddenly thought of something, stood up and rushed to the trash can, took out the condom inside, ran into the bathroom and flushed it down the toilet.

It seems that this thing will need to be dealt with separately in the future.

Kate sat on the sofa and smiled at Martin: "I didn't say to use this method."

For safety reasons, Martin specifically said: "It's late October now, and there are less than three months until the vote in January. Three months is not enough to show that you are pregnant. It's too late."

This time Kate listened carefully. She had had children before and knew her own characteristics. Three months was indeed not very obvious.

Martin got dressed and said, "Let's stop here today and go back early to prepare for the preview."

(End of this chapter)