I am Hollywood

Chapter 71: Golden Globe Awards



[Chapter 71: A Special Golden Globe Awards]

The live broadcast of the Golden Globe Awards was handled by ABC, and the entrance time for the Home Alone crew was scheduled right after the group for the highly anticipated Rain Man. After receiving the cue, Eric linked arms with Drew and walked toward the red carpet.

Since some media outlets had playfully dubbed it the most business-savvy award ceremony, the Golden Globe's red carpet felt rather lacking, stretching only about ten meters compared to the over 200 meters of the Oscar's red carpet -- there was really no comparison.

When they reached the media photo area, Drew, who had initially only lightly grasped Eric's arm, changed her pose, leaning against him as if she were a little bird. She let the reporters snap away. The carefully chosen Versace gown made them look every bit like a couple.

The journalists in the media area appeared excited, with the frequency of flashes increasing significantly. If they hadn't been at the Golden Globes, they probably would have started probing about the nature of the couple's relationship. Eric was already quite numb to Drew's mischievous antics; the girl always managed to seize every opportunity to stir things up without ever crossing his lines.

After the photos, the two intended to head straight into the venue but were stopped by an ABC reporter for a rather bland interview, inquiring about how it felt to attend the Golden Globes for the first time, among other light topics.

Once the interview wrapped up and they entered the venue, Eric casually glanced back and saw the Ronkel couple lingering in the media area, having been reminded by staff to leave because they were running over time. Eric couldn't help but feel a flicker of disdain; the couple seemed destined not to make much of an impact. He resolved to find time to chat with Stuart. Stuart's maturity far exceeded that of the former Macaulay Culkin in Eric's past life, and he was hopeful that the boy might take his advice and avoid falling into a trap set by his parents.

...

The Golden Globe Awards followed a formal banquet style; the Home Alone crew was seated at a table in the second row near the stage.

"Stuart, come sit by me," Eric called to Stuart after seated.

The boy looked at his mother before getting up and moving to Eric's side. The Ronkel couple displayed faint looks of displeasure, realizing their son's departure meant they wouldn't get the close-up shot anymore.

At precisely five o'clock, the awards ceremony officially kicked off. Host Morgan Fairchild took the stage.

"Good evening, you poor souls spun around by a seven-year-old!"

Her opening line jokingly jabbed at Home Alone, prompting laughter from the audience. The live camera quickly shifted to Eric's table, where he smiled and waved at the lens, while Stuart stared innocently with wide eyes, curiously looking at the camera. This expression seemed to 'irk' Morgan: "Hey, little Stu! Look at my pathetic little dress! I prepared three long gowns, but the first got buttered, the second turned black, and the last one was covered in feathers. Don't you want to say something about that?"

More laughter erupted, with some faces in the crowd expressing a feeling of camaraderie; many celebrity parents were indeed victims of Home Alone. In every region where the movie screened, children imitating Kevin's pranks had become a trend.

Morgan quickly moved on from waiting for Stuart's reply and shifted gears: "Okay, just a joke! Let's see which stars made it out tonight..."

For the next five minutes, Morgan humorously critiqued each of the nominated films but barely mentioned any television shows. Even though the Golden Globes had begun awarding TV categories since 1956, actors of the time certainly didn't possess the same confidence as their counterparts would later, who would loudly proclaim "we are better!" at the ceremony. They were even seated in corners where the cameras rarely panned.

As with many award shows, the Golden Globes began with less significant categories. Yet, Eric paid little attention to the stage, only adjusting his smile and posture when the camera turned in his direction. Most of the time, he conversed quietly with Stuart.

Stuart was someone he had discovered himself; the boy's fate had already become intertwined with the glitzy chaos of Hollywood.

Eric hoped this smart boy would carve out a healthier career in the industry, unlike Drew or the former Macaulay Culkin, who had found themselves on undesirable paths.

Thus, he patiently explained the ins and outs of the entertainment world to Stuart. Although the boy occasionally displayed a look of confusion, he listened earnestly. With his intelligence, understanding might take time, but remembering was something he could certainly do.

...

As time marched on, Eric finally heard a nomination related to a movie he had worked on, stopping his conversation to focus on the stage.

Susan Sarandon received a nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her role in 17 Again, competing against Sigourney Weaver in Working Girl, Lena Olin in The Unbearable Lightness of Being, Barbara Hershey in The Last Temptation of Christ, and Diane Venora in Bird.

Eric recalled that in his past life, Sigourney Weaver had won this very award. He remembered it well because the 46th Golden Globe Awards had been particularly remarkable. It not only resulted in three Best Actress winners simultaneously but also made Sigourney the first actress in Golden Globe history to win both Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress.

As the presenter introduced the nominees, the audience sat in eager anticipation as they opened the envelope: "And the winner is Sigourney Weaver, Working Girl."

Applause erupted as Sigourney stood up excitedly, embracing her fellow cast members before making her way to the podium. Nearby, Susan Sarandon showed signs of disappointment, yet she wore a smile as she accepted the comforting words of others.

Eric had already anticipated this outcome. While 17 Again and Working Girl were both distributed by Fox, 17 Again had been out for nearly two months, while Working Girl had only premiered three weeks prior. For box office reasons, Fox surely would prioritize the publicity for Working Girl's nomination.

As for Sigourney Weaver's performance, who cared, right?

During Eric's visit to New York, Working Girl had just premiered, and he and Jennifer Aniston had specifically gone to see it. It was a standard chick flick, quite similar to the future movie The Devil Wears Prada, revolving around a newcomer navigating her entry into the workforce under a demanding female boss, progressing through a journey of self-discovery and transformation.

Compared to Meryl Streep's brilliant portrayal of the harsh, arrogant Miranda, editor-in- chief of Runway magazine in The Devil Wears Prada, Sigourney's boss in Working Girl was hardly memorable. If anything, viewers likely only thought of her as "the Alien Queen."

With this clarity, Eric grew less hopeful for the nominations tied to Home Alone. It was evident that the outcomes at the Golden Globes were heavily influenced by public relations efforts. The fact that supporting roles in masterpieces like The Last Temptation of Christ and Bird couldn't outshine a commercial film was nothing short of ironic.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Plus, Eric hadn't done any publicity for Home Alone. On one hand, he lacked the right connections, and Columbia and CAA weren't likely to jump at the chance to help. On the other hand, even if a considerable effort was made to snag an award, it would have little impact on Home Alone's box office. Seven or eight-year-old kids didn't care about awards when they went to the movies; it was mainly adults who were swayed by accolades to check out a film.

*****

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