Huayu: I'm reborn, but you still force me to be a scumbag?

Chapter 550 Xiao He Chases Han Xin Under the Moon

Tom Hanks' question caused Chen Nuo, who had been answering all sorts of difficult questions fluently all evening, to have a brief pause for the first time.

It took him a full two seconds to realize who Tom Hanks was talking about.

His mood suddenly became somewhat complicated, and he said, "She's filming a new movie in Hong Kong, so she couldn't come this time."

Tom Hanks said, "Okay, please tell her what I just said."

Chen Nuo said, "I will."

Tom Hanks didn't say anything more and sat down.

The host immediately announced loudly, "Thank you so much to the three creators for sharing their insights, and thank you all for coming tonight! This private screening of 'DROP' has now officially come to an end. Next, in the adjacent lounge, we have prepared a simple cocktail party and refreshments for you. You are welcome to move over and continue the conversation with the creators. Chen, James, and Darius will all be there, so you can chat with them more closely about the film, the acting, and the creative process."

Tom Hanks knew this was a routine event that followed every private Oscar screening, but he wasn't going to linger. He stood up and prepared to leave.

Just then, an excited voice called out to him, "Hey, Tom, wait a minute. Wow, I didn't expect you to come today."

Tom Hanks turned around, smiled, and said, "Tom, I didn't expect you to come today."

That's right, the person who called out to him was also named Tom, his full name is Tom Sherak, he is the president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and one of the most influential people at the Oscars.

After they approached, they shook hands, hugged with smiles, and then walked side by side with the noisy crowd dispersing from the event, talking in hushed tones as they went outside.

"Are you here to see your biggest competitor this awards season?"

Do you think he is?

Shelak laughed and said, "What, you don't think he is?"

The two then walked out of the theater. Hanks didn't answer. "Which way are you going? I'm going to the parking lot to drive home."

Sherak said, "I'm going to the cocktail party."

"Oh?" Tom Hanks chuckled, raising an eyebrow slightly. "You're going to a cocktail party again? That's really not like you. Or have you changed your tastes?"

Tom Sherlock sighed, pushed up his glasses, shook his head, and said, "I'm 70 years old, Tom. Do you think I can still change? Of course not."

His tone held a hint of helplessness: "Every awards season, when I walk into these private screenings and cocktail parties, I feel like a piece of meat being auctioned off. But this time, I have no choice."

Hanks laughed and asked, "Why?"

“Who told him that besides being an actor, he might also be the best host besides Billy Crystal? Last year’s Golden Globe ratings were almost 30% higher than usual, which gave the council a lot more voice, so I had to come and make an appearance. At least let them see that I’m trying to contribute to the Academy. Although…” Tom Sherak shrugged, “I don’t think the chances are high.”

Hanks nodded in agreement, saying, "Indeed, his acting career looks bright. It's impossible for him to switch to hosting. It might be okay once in a while, but if he does it all the time, it could affect his acting image. His PR manager wouldn't allow him to do that. Besides, I heard that he and Leo are preparing for a new Quentin Tarantino movie."

Tom Sherak sighed, “I’ve heard that too. That’s why I said there’s no hope this time. But, you know, sometimes you can’t reason with those old bastards who take advantage of their age.”

Hanks laughed and said, "That's right."

They had now fully emerged, and along the way, people kept greeting them, occasionally shaking hands and exchanging a few pleasantries. The two chatted intermittently until they reached the point where they should part ways.

Tom Hanks stopped and said, "But there are a lot of good movies this year, and I think the ratings will be very good."

Sherak said, "I hope so. To be honest, even if Chen can't host, his nomination would be a great help to our ratings."

Tom Hanks smiled and said, "Judging from your tone, you don't seem to think he'll make the cut."

Sherac laughed heartily, "Tom, please, didn't you mean the same thing just now? After all, this subject matter is really..."

He stopped mid-sentence.

Tom Hanks nodded.

Some things are not suitable to be said in public, but these two veterans who have spent their entire lives in Hollywood are all too familiar with the unspoken "rules" that are only understood implicitly.

He understood what Shelak was trying to say.

To be honest, that's exactly what he thought too.

The Chinese girl's performance surprised him, but why was it a surprise?

It's because nobody expected it.

To be honest, if the girl's performance was a "pleasant surprise," then the male lead's performance should perhaps be described as "meticulously crafted."

The problem is that the male lead is not an unknown actor; he is a celebrity who has won four European Best Actor awards and an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, and whose global fame is higher than that of most American actors.

Given this background, no matter how good the performance, people's expectations for a breakthrough will be automatically raised too high, thus eliminating the fertile ground for surprises. At least in this film, some sex scenes and suggestive shots, Tom Hanks believes, are unlikely to "surprise" these demanding Oscar judges.

Furthermore, the problems facing men seeking Oscar nominations this year extend beyond just acting.

There's absolutely no problem with a Chinese-American actor being nominated for an Oscar for Best Actor based on an outstanding performance. For example, a Chinese-American actor did it decades ago.

However, if a Chinese actor wants to be nominated for the Oscar for Best Actor, that's not so easy.

Unless this Chinese actor possesses an extremely large fan base in North America, and even the influence accumulated over many years and numerous works, leading to the recognition and acceptance of tens of millions of American viewers, it would be unlikely that he would be nominated for an Oscar for Best Actor for a single film. This would be similar to the situation with *Inception* last year. The circumstances at that time were unprecedented in Oscar history.

And what about this year?

There's nothing wrong with an American director making a film that exposes the dark side of America's underclass. In fact, if it's good enough, it could easily be nominated for an Oscar.

But what if this Chinese actor starred in a film that exposes the dark side of America's underclass and wanted to be nominated for an Oscar for Best Actor for that film?
That's the problem.

Moreover, it's a big problem.

It contains far too many complex things.

Although the Oscars claim to be based on "art above all else," they have never been purely an art award.

Although the other party was also keenly aware of this.

Therefore, during the Q&A session at the screening, he tried his best to avoid directly linking any questions to "social criticism," repeatedly steer the film's theme back to safe topics such as "humanity," "emotions," and "loneliness."

But Tom Hanks believes that while it's not entirely ineffective, it's just... not very effective.

He and the other Tom didn't speak for a moment, so the sounds of conversations around them could be heard intermittently.

One of the older voices was quite loud and the clearest.

"...A brilliant performance. I loved every single scene he was in. This is my vote for him, no matter what Harvey says, I won't change my mind. God, the last time I felt this way in a movie theater was with his Joker. After all these years, he's back again..."

Then came a burst of laughter and meaningless agreement.

Shelack chuckled and said, "Old Joseph is still so eager to show off."

Tom Hanks smiled and said, "He just likes to receive small gifts at this time, but in the end, nobody really knows who he votes for."

"But this time it sounds like I'm being a little sincere."

"Is that so? I don't think so."

"Tom, how many of the people here tonight do you think will vote for him? This is just a conversation between the two of us."

Tom Hanks lowered his voice very much, "It's hard to estimate, I think...maybe no more than 10%."

Sherac nodded and said in a low voice, "I think it's about the same. Even if he invites all 1000 members of the Screen Actors Guild to hold a private screening, based on that ratio, he'll still be far from getting the required number of votes, at least 100. At this point, unless you and Meryl, and your friends mobilize yourselves to support him."

Tom Hanks extended his hand and smiled, "It's a pleasure to meet you today, Tom."

Shelack paused for a moment, then smiled and said, "Me too, Tom. I hope to see you at our college's awards ceremony this year."

Hanks said, "I hope so too. I'll do my best. Goodbye."

"Goodbye."

"Goodbye." The two then parted ways.

Tom Hanks walked alone to the parking lot; he didn't bring his assistant with him today, he was all alone.

By this time, it was already getting dark, and a full moon hung in the sky.

The parking lot at the Walter Reed Theatre was quite large, and he had somewhat forgotten where he parked his car, circling it several times without success. Just as he was starting to panic, he suddenly heard someone calling him.

Tom Hanks turned his head and saw a thin figure walking towards him in the darkness.

He was initially a little wary, but as the person drew closer and their face came into view in the moonlight, he immediately relaxed a bit, though he was still somewhat puzzled.

"List?"

“It’s me. Mr. Hanks, aren’t you going to the party? I’ve been looking for you in the venue for a long time.”

"Yes, I'll pass. Rita is still waiting for me at the hotel. She wasn't feeling well today, so she didn't come."

"Oh, I see. I thought we hadn't been hospitable enough."

The man walked up to him, his young and handsome face revealed under the streetlight.

Tom Hanks smiled at Chen Nuo and said, "No."

Chen Nuo extended his hand and said, "Thank you so much for coming to our preview screening. I thought I would have to wait for the next one in Los Angeles to see you."

Tom Hanks extended his hand to shake his and said, "That was what I was planning to do too, but I happened to be in New York for some business."

Chen Nuo said, "Oh, Mr. Hanks, I called you because Janice asked me to thank you. I just spoke to her on the phone, and she was very excited. She said she's been a huge fan of yours ever since Forrest Gump, and it's a great honor to receive your praise. She also invited you and Rita to Hong Kong; she wants to treat you well there. Are you free recently?"

Tom Hanks smiled and said, "Unfortunately, I don't have time right now."

Chen Nuo feigned a look of sudden realization and said, "I almost forgot, your new movie is about to be released, right? What's it called again?"

Tom Hanks was a little upset, but he maintained his composure and said, "It's called Cloud Atlas."

"That's right, Cloud Atlas. If I remember correctly, it's releasing on November 3rd, right?"

"Yes, November 3rd."

"Where will the premiere be held? I'm relatively free recently, and if there are seats available, I might be able to go and check it out," Chen Nuo said with a smile.

Tom Hanks was surprised to hear this and asked with emotion, "Really? Chen?"

Chen Nuo's smile remained unchanged as he said, "Yes, Tom. As long as you send me an invitation, I will definitely be there on time."

Tom Hanks was about to agree immediately, but then he realized what he was doing, frowned slightly, and said, "Chen, you should know that I'm not going to vote for you this awards season, right?"

Chen Nuo said, "Of course, Tom, I know very well. I heard that the premiere of your new film at the Toronto International Film Festival was met with a very enthusiastic response. Perhaps this time, you have a chance to win your third Oscar. How could I possibly let you vote for me?"

Tom Hanks cheered up and smiled, saying, "Actually, there has been a lot of criticism of this film. I think my chances are slim this time, but I will try my best."

Chen Nuo said, "I've seen those film reviews saying they don't understand it. But it's the same with 'DROP.' It's such a simple movie, and not many people can understand it. Some even say it's an adult film. Haha, those film critics, what do they know? I believe in the Wachowski brothers...siblings, their talent. 'Cloud Atlas' will definitely be a wonderful movie."

Hearing Chen Nuo say this, regardless of whether what he said was true or false, Tom Hanks' mood improved uncontrollably.

This is perhaps the fate of every filmmaker. No matter who they are or how much they have achieved before, they will still feel nervous and apprehensive when each film is released.

At this moment, what if a word of affirmation came from a colleague, even if it was just a polite gesture?
No one is unhappy or joyful.

This applies to Chen Nuo, and Tom Hanks is no exception.

"Thank you for your well wishes." Tom smiled sincerely and said, "DROP is also a great movie, and it left a very deep impression on me. I think you will also have some success in this year's awards season."

Chen Nuo laughed and said, "Haha, thank you. Alright, I won't bother you any longer. Have a pleasant night, Mr. Hanks."

"Have a good day... Well, you can actually call me Tom or Hank."

“Okay, then I’ll call you Hank.” Chen Nuo smiled and said, “I know quite a few of Tom’s people, and I don’t want to get them mixed up.”

Tom Hanks, recalling the Oscar chairman from earlier, chuckled, "No problem. By the way, could you help me find my car? Damn it, I forgot where I parked it. I've been looking for it for ages."

"Haha, you do that too? I often do that when I'm driving."

"Yes, yes, oh."

"Then let's look together, don't rush."

Five minutes later, the two men stood in front of a yellow Ferrari classic car.

Chen Nuo clicked his tongue in admiration, "It's so beautiful! I really want to buy one for my dad too. He also likes classic cars, and he'll definitely love this one."

Tom Hanks laughed and said, "It wasn't like this when I bought it; it was just refurbished."

"For this baby, I'd be willing to travel all the way from Los Angeles to New York. Hank, can you do me a favor?"

"what?"

"Next time your acquaintance gets the goods, could you please give me a call? My dad's birthday is coming up, and I'd like to buy him one as a birthday present."

Although it seemed a bit troublesome, Tom Hanks smiled and said, "Okay, I'll tell him."

"Thank you. Goodbye then. Please give my regards to your wife, and I hope to have the opportunity to see her again next time."

"I will, thank you, Chen. Goodbye."

"Goodbye."

Tom Hanks is gone.

Chen Nuo stood in the parking lot, watching the Ferrari's taillights disappear into the distance until it vanished at the parking lot entrance.

Just then, Allison appeared behind him and asked, "Did it work?"

He seemed to be in a good mood.

Allison said helplessly, "I know, Chen. I wasn't far from you just now. If it were a woman across from you, I believe she might have agreed to your proposal tonight. But he's not. He's Tom Hanks, one of the most cunning people in Hollywood. He may be in a good mood now, but that's probably a whole galaxy away from him and his friends getting their votes for you. You should know that, right?"

Under the cover of night, Chen Nuo turned around, revealing a smile, and said, "Of course I know. But, Alison, don't rush, there's an old Chinese saying that goes..."

He didn't say his name before his cell phone in his pocket suddenly rang.

Chen Nuo took it out, looked at the number, and then answered it.

A girl's nervous voice came from the other end: "Is it over yet? How was the broadcast? Did they say anything?"

Chen Nuo winked at Alison, then headed back toward the Walter Reed Theatre.

The red-haired woman followed behind him.

He walked and talked on the phone, feigning a good mood, completely unlike someone who had just tested several people at the party only to find the preview screening fell far short of his expectations. Thus, he was forced to quickly stage another act after his "debate with the scholars," called—

Xiao He chased after Han Xin under the moon.

"It's finished, and the effect was great. Let me tell you, a big star just praised you, saying you acted well."

"Hahaha, don't lie to me, how could anyone praise me?"

"I'm not lying to you, let me tell you..."

Chen Nuo's words carried far in the night breeze, but Tom Hanks was driving too fast to hear them.

(End of this chapter)