Chapter 566 Timing and Circumstances
Joshua Hayes was puzzled, not because he didn't know that Lu Yanhe was currently very popular, but because even an Asian actor, not an Asian who grew up in the United States, was still loved by many American audiences.
However, Hollywood produces a new batch of such actors every year; Hollywood is a place where fresh blood is never lacking.
People from all over the world are flocking to this place.
Top agents like Darren might have their eyes on Lu Yanhe, but when it comes to everyone vying for him—
Why?
Darren smiled mysteriously and said, "Hollywood is arrogant and conceited, but the more arrogant and conceited a person is, the more they care about what others think of them. Lu Yanhe controls a huge force in the critical world. Just like this nomination you received this year, we spent millions of dollars on public relations to get it. What were we doing? Were we trying every means to get these influential critics to talk about your performance?"
People often equate Hollywood's Oscars season public relations with the Chinese concept of "public relations." In reality, their public relations is essentially lobbying: first, getting many people who might not have seen the film to watch it (some might even send the projector along with it); and second, constantly promoting and emphasizing its merits. It has very strict and detailed prohibitions against bribery—at least nominally—but what actually happens behind the scenes is pretty much the same in every industry.
What Darren was referring to was public relations in name only.
Joshua was shocked and asked, "He looks only a few years older than me, how can he possess such great power?"
“Because he’s an actor promoted by international film festivals, he also has the support of the media and the Chinese community behind him,” Darren said. “You should know very well that the Oscars are now being squeezed out by these three factions, with more and more films coming from international film festivals, the media, and Asian influence.”
Joshua pouted, somewhat displeased.
“Joshua, if you want to get your second Oscar nomination before you turn thirty, don’t make that face again,” Darren said.
"Do I need to be beholden to him if I want to get a second Oscar nomination before I turn thirty?" Joshua's tone became somewhat sharp, the kind of sharpness unique to teenagers.
Darren said, "If you have his support, I assure you, your chances will be much greater."
"Then why didn't he get a nomination this year? When 'The Mist' was released, weren't there some people who said he deserved a nomination?"
Darren said, "The Mist was released too late and didn't participate in the awards season in the early stages. Of course, the most important thing is that it's a commercial horror movie, even though it's very personal in style. You should ask how an actor from a commercial horror movie suddenly received an invitation to the Oscars to be a presenter. This signal means more than whether he was nominated this time."
"Wasn't it his PR manager who got him the award presenter position?"
"As far as I know, he doesn't have any agents or public relations managers working with him in Europe or America yet." Darren's eyes shone with a confident, gentle light. "Now do you understand why I said everyone wants to fight over him?"
Joshua looked on in disbelief.
"Actually, he had another film that also tried to get through awards season. He had an independent film called 'Path of Glory.' That time, he relied entirely on the momentum and praise from critics to get a lot of award nominations. Compared to the public relations resources invested by his competitors, his investment was negligible." Darren said confidently, "Joshua, you were able to get an Oscar nomination at the age of 21, which is something you can be proud of for the rest of your life. But if you want to reach the top, don't forget what I said."
-
"I don't know much about Chinese films."
Meanwhile, during their conversation, Olivia turned out to be quite genuine, not insincerely becoming part of the praise squad.
Lu Yanhe: "I hope to have the opportunity to introduce Chinese films to you in the future."
Olivia nodded and said, "Actually, I'll be seeing your movie soon."
She smiled slightly at Lu Yanhe and winked meaningfully.
Lu Yanhe asked, somewhat puzzled, "Hmm?"
Olivia said, "At the Jose Film Festival this May, if there are no other scheduling conflicts, I will be a jury member for the main competition. They have already told me that one of your films is among the entries in the main competition this year."
"Oh?!" Lu Yanhe's face lit up with surprise. "I haven't received any official notification yet."
Olivia: "Will you go to Jose?"
Yes, it will.
“Then we’ll see you in Jose,” Olivia said.
Lu Yanhe: "Okay."
He added, "I wish you success in winning the prize tonight."
"Thanks."
-
Olivia Tuman is a strong contender for this year's Best Actress award. In this year's competition, she and Jane Coster were neck and neck, evenly matched.
Of the two actresses, Lu Yanhe admires Olivia Tuman more.
It wasn't for any other reason than that he didn't know much about Jane Coster, but he had seen "Inspector Grace," a British drama series starring Olivia Tuman, which ran for three seasons. At the time, Lu Yanhe was amazed by Olivia Tuman's performance; her acting reminded him of an actress he admired, Yan Ni.
They all have a solid foundation in acting, yet their performances are original and unique, each with its own style and rhythm. They manage to retain their own style while bringing the characters to life.
Watching her act, you can only feel two words: skill.
A performance skill that is consummate.
-
On the corridor leading from backstage to the venue, Lu Yanhe ran into Jane Coster.
He took the initiative to greet him.
Jane Coster glanced at him with a smile, paused slightly, then smiled again in greeting, but immediately resumed chatting and laughing with the people next to her.
With just one glance, Lu Yanhe realized that she was deliberately distancing herself from him. Although he didn't know why, Lu Yanhe quickly adjusted and put the matter out of his mind.
His seat was in the sixth row.
Sitting next to him was Scott Harris, CEO of D19 Films.
This is the first time the two of them have met tonight.
"Hey Lu, long time no see." Scott Harris was all smiles when he saw Lu Yanhe, even though Lu Yanhe's team had just received a sequel contract from him that made his heart ache.
When Lu Yanhe saw him, he laughed and said, "Scott, have you read the script I gave you? It's been almost a month. If you're not interested, give me a straight answer. I still need to contact other people."
He was referring to the script he had previously written, "Buried Alive".
Scott Harris immediately replied, “We are certainly very interested, but your request is somewhat unusual, and we need to discuss it. If you agree to sell the script directly to us, we can sign a contract tomorrow.”
Lu Yanhe: "If it were just about making a movie, I could make it all by myself. It would have a very low budget. Scott, you know why I wanted to work with you."
Scott Harris said, "Lu, we all know that it's a completely different story when you direct this movie yourself versus when we, D19, direct it."
"Of course, otherwise I wouldn't have come to you to cooperate."
As the two were talking, a familiar voice rang out behind Lu Yanhe.
"Yanhe!"
Lu Yanhe turned around in surprise, not expecting to run into Hua Ruzhen here.
"Sister!" Lu Yanhe stood up excitedly.
Hua Ruzhen was in the row behind him, dressed in a formal gown, her eyes sparkling.
"So you came too? Why didn't you tell me beforehand?" Lu Yanhe asked in surprise.
Hua Ruzhen said, "I only decided to come at the last minute."
She held Lu Yanhe's hand warmly and said, "I've been looking for you."
Lu Yanhe explained, "I was backstage the whole time."
Hua Ruzhen nodded.
"Will you go to the Vanity Fair party after the awards ceremony?" Hua Ruzhen said. "If you go, there are a few people I'd like to introduce you to."
Lu Yanhe nodded and said okay.
At that moment, he caught a glimpse of another familiar figure out of the corner of his eye.
"Sister Yuqian." Lu Yanhe saw Jiang Yuqian dressed in gorgeous clothes, chatting and laughing with the person next to her. Lu Yanhe asked Hua Ruzhen, "Sister, do you know Jiang Yuqian?"
"Oh, we've met twice." Hua Ruzhen followed Lu Yanhe's gaze and asked, "Are you two close?"
“Yes.” Lu Yanhe nodded. “She recommended me to the director for my first film.”
“Oh, right, you wrote the script for ‘The Squid Game’.” Hua Ruzhen laughed. “Because you didn’t act in the play, I always tend to forget that.”
At this moment, Lu Yanhe noticed that Jiang Yuqian's gaze was also directed towards him.
She saw him too.
Lu Yanhe waved to her.
Jiang Yuqian said something to the person next to her, then lifted her skirt and came over.
Lu Yanhe introduced Jiang Yuqian to Hua Ruzhen and Scott Harris.
Although Jiang Yuqian has become very popular over the past six months, Scott Harris does not recognize her.
I only found out who she was after I learned that she starred in "The Squid Game".
Of course, Scott Harris hadn't actually watched "The Squid Game," but he knew about it because it was a popular show.
When Lu Yanhe introduced Jiang Yuqian, he specifically mentioned that she had been nominated for Best Actress at this year's Golden Globe Awards.
Sure enough, Scott Harris didn't know either. He even attended the Golden Globe Awards ceremony. However, there were so many people receiving awards that night, not only divided into movies and TV series, but also further subdivided into several categories within TV series. Unless you've actually watched all those popular shows, who could remember so many people in one night?
It was only at this moment that Lu Yanhe truly understood why everyone was so enthusiastic about attending parties, gatherings, and such activities.
Because you can meet the most helpful people in your career here.
Attending an Oscar ceremony means people will see you in person. If they need someone with your image for a role in the future, they'll definitely have a greater advantage than if they were chosen from resumes and audition videos.
Jiang Yuqian has been flying overseas for the past six months, frequenting various high-profile events, all to gain exposure.
-
However, no one expected that the opening remarks of the host at this year's Oscars would include such an expression—
"Ten years ago when I hosted the Oscars, there weren't as many people with yellow skin and black hair in the audience as there are now. Since when did we Black people not only have to fight for our rights from white people, but also have to protect our survival resources that have been eroded by Asian people?"
Lu Yanhe almost thought he had misheard, and showed an incredulous expression.
There were more than just a few people of Asian descent at the scene.
Even though it was a rap with music, it still caused an uproar at the scene.
Lu Yanhe heard Scott Harris sigh, shake his head, and say, "Poor Harvey."
Harvey's opening performance consisted of nearly half an angry rap performance. The atmosphere was very enthusiastic, but it also frequently drew gasps and surprised reactions. There was even a part where he listed the beautiful figures of nominated actresses, which almost came across as blatant lewdness.
Jane Coster, who was mentioned, immediately turned pale and gave him the middle finger.
This was also captured by the live stream camera.
Lu Yanhe didn't even need to think that this opening performance would definitely cause a huge controversy online.
He was also very dissatisfied at that moment.
This is the person who was chosen to host the Oscars—even though he is extremely famous. Yes, Harvey is one of the most famous hosts in the United States.
-
The awards presented by Lu Yanhe were given in the first half of the presentation.
So, he was quickly called away to go backstage to prepare.
Backstage, he met another award presenter who was about to appear, Spanish actress Juliana Pedraza.
"Hi, I'm Julieta." This young and beautiful actress has a charm that is different from most European and American actresses, with a gentle and affectionate glint in her eyes.
She is also one of the most popular Spanish actresses in Hollywood in recent years.
"Hello, I am Lu Yanhe."
“I know you,” Julieta said with a smile. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’ve wanted to get to know you ever since I read ‘Late Spring’.”
"Thanks."
“What Harvey said on stage just now was too much for you,” Julieta said sternly. “He’s a really nasty guy, isn’t he?”
“He will pay the price for what he said,” Lu Yanhe said. “In this era, no matter how famous you are, you have to keep your mouth shut and not talk nonsense.”
Julieta seemed surprised that Lu Yanhe would say such strong words.
She glanced at Lu Yanhe in surprise and nodded.
"Of course, I believe that after the awards ceremony, there will definitely be many people protesting and expressing dissatisfaction with the organizing committee. He must apologize for today's performance."
-
As Lu Yanhe walked onto the stage to the accompaniment of music, he stood in front of the microphone, smiling as he looked at everyone in the audience.
"I hope I'm here not because I stole someone else's opportunity," Lu Yanhe said with a smile in perfect American accent.
He is handsome and knows how to smile in a way that is not offensive but rather kind and humorous.
So when he said it in a relaxed, joking tone, everyone knew he was responding to Harvey's discriminatory remarks about Asians during the opening performance, and they all laughed.
"Luckily, I'm not here to receive an award, I'm here to present one, which clears up any suspicion." After everyone's laughter subsided, Lu Yanhe added, which once again caused the entire audience to burst into laughter.
Lu Yanhe spread his hands, indicating his helplessness. Suddenly, as if he had thought of something, he looked enlightened and said, "Oh, so that's why there isn't a single person of Asian descent on this year's acting award nominations, is that right?"
He looked at the crowd below the stage with a curious and humble expression.
This time, the joke he threw out didn't elicit as much laughter as the previous two times, which is somewhat sensitive.
Lu Yanhe waved his hand with a smile, "Please, everyone, don't be so serious. I was just joking. I know, like everyone here tonight, that movies are diverse. They tell different stories from different countries, cultural backgrounds, and people of different races and skin colors, and they can express a wide range of themes. Good costume design can help actors better embody their characters. Excellent costume art is also indispensable for an excellent film. The films and designers nominated for this year's Academy Award for Best Costume Design include—"
The VCR has started playing.
Lu Yanhe turned around to watch the video that had been prepared in advance.
At this moment, he remained calm and composed, showing no signs of tension, unease, or even lingering fear due to the few words he had just spoken.
He saw Harvey from the side of the platform.
His face was stern, and he looked at him with an unfriendly expression.
Lu Yanhe ignored him completely and waited for the VCR to finish playing before opening the envelope.
The winner of this year's Academy Award for Best Costume Design is—
"Louis Welden, The Golden Compass!"
The entire audience erupted in applause and cheers.
Lu Yanhe handed the trophy to him to express his congratulations, then stepped aside and gave up his seat.
Louis Weldon nodded to him; he was also a Black man.
He said somewhat excitedly, "Thank you, Yan He. It's a pleasure to meet you here. I'm a fan of yours, and I hope we'll have the opportunity to work together in the future."
Lu Yanhe smiled with some surprise, nodded to him, and gestured for him to give his acceptance speech.
He looked at Louis Weldon with admiration, though at that moment there was a slight element of performance involved.
He will extend even greater kindness to those who are full of goodwill.
After Louis Weldon finished his acceptance speech and said thank you three times, Lu Yanhe and he left the stage together.
Louis Weldon was still excited and thrilled.
“That’s great, congratulations,” Lu Yanhe said to him.
Louis Weldon whispered to Lu Yanhe, "I voted for you among this year's Best Actor nominees."
Lu Yanhe looked surprised, completely unexpected that Louis Weldon would say that.
“I’m serious. I hope we can have the opportunity to work together in the future.” Louis Weldon said to Lu Yanhe with a smile, “I really enjoy your acting.”
Lu Yanhe thanked him, and after stepping down from the stage, they exchanged contact information.
-
Chen Ziyan sat in the audience, her phone still ringing incessantly.
Lu Yanhe's speech during the award ceremony just now, needless to say, is going to be a huge hit.
A few very sharp sarcastic remarks—
Everyone laughed heartily, but when an awkward silence spread, it was indeed a bit embarrassing.
Of course, no matter what, what Lu Yanhe said was very satisfying.
Especially as an Asian who attended this year's Oscars ceremony and heard Harvey say this in person, his words will surely receive support from Asians.
If he hadn't said, "That's why there isn't a single Asian person on this year's acting awards nomination list," his statement would certainly have received support from most Europeans and Americans—this statement undoubtedly sounded ironic, even if Lu Yanhe didn't mean it that way when he said it.
After all the awards were presented, the awards ceremony drew to a close.
When Olivia won Best Actress this year, Lu Yanhe stood up and applauded to congratulate her.
Many people stood up.
This actress, with her superb acting skills, was already a well-known and respected actress in Hollywood.
After the awards ceremony, Chen Ziyan and Jiang Yuqian came to his side.
"You're quite bold," Chen Ziyan whispered to Lu Yanhe. "You're already trending on various international platforms. Your statement is incredibly popular overseas, not to mention domestically. I bet a lot of people will be talking to you about it later."
Lu Yanhe: "Go ahead and say it. I didn't say anything wrong. I've already been speaking in a very restrained manner."
"I know." Chen Ziyan nodded. "I didn't mean to blame you for doing something wrong. I'm just reminding you that you'll be in a lot of trouble later."
Jiang Yuqian patted Lu Yanhe on the shoulder and said, "This is to express my respect to you."
Lu Yanhe smiled.
“Let’s go, we need to rest a bit, there’s a Vanity Fair party later.” Chen Ziyan asked, “Yuqian, will you be going?”
Jiang Yuqian nodded, "Yes."
She said, "I also need to change into a dress and get a new look. I have to go now. See you later."
"Um."
Lu Yanhe and Chen Ziyan walked out together.
He noticed that many people passing by him cast questioning, curious, and inquisitive glances at him.
Undoubtedly, his words on stage just now made him memorable to everyone.
Undoubtedly, this matter has both advantages and disadvantages.
Fortunately, this wasn't Lu Yanhe's stronghold, so he didn't need to worry about messing things up.
-
Just as Chen Ziyan had warned, as soon as Lu Yanhe left the venue and appeared outside, many media reporters and fans who had been waiting outside rushed up to him, surrounded him, and asked him questions.
"Lu, were you accusing the Oscars of discriminating against Asians?"
"Lu, are you publicly expressing your dissatisfaction with Oscar?"
"The Oscars invited you to be a presenter, yet you said something like that on a global live broadcast. Aren't you worried that people will think you're a sharp and arrogant person?"
Can you talk about what you said?
...
Lu Yanhe knew that he couldn't just leave at this moment, lest he appear guilty or leave a bad impression that would be over-interpreted.
He smiled very seriously and said, "I have great respect for the Oscars. They are a very influential award worldwide. As for what you're saying, I don't think so. The few words I said on stage weren't directed at the Oscars, but at tonight's host, Harvey. He openly said hurtful things about us Asians on such an influential stage. I just casually retorted a few times. Don't overinterpret it."
"As for my statement that there were no Asian nominees in tonight's Oscar acting categories, that was indeed inappropriate, and I apologize in advance. In the current context, many people would obviously misunderstand this statement as an accusation—in fact, I was just joking about Harvey's comment about competing for survival resources. What I wanted to say was that, at least at tonight's awards ceremony, we Asians were not competing. Moreover, I am well aware that the Oscars invited me to present an award because they are trying to expand its scope. They have been working hard to include the best filmmakers in the world, which is something I greatly respect."
Lu Yanhe has basically explained the matter in a very appropriate way.
"Would you like to win an Oscar in the future?"
"Of course I want to," Lu Yanhe admitted without hesitation. "I want to win any film award with prestige in this world, but I must also say that I don't believe Asians winning Oscars is competing for other people's livelihood resources—on the contrary, it's our dreams and ambitions for the Oscars, our desire to compete for this award, that gives the Oscars even greater value. I especially want to ask Harvey, if in the future we Asians no longer care about the Oscars, will the Oscars be more valuable than they are now, or will they lose a lot of value?"
Lu Yanhe's answer shocked a group of media outlets.
Every year, countless actors and stars pass through the Oscars, but actors like Lu Yanhe who dare to directly discuss the value of the Oscars are few and far between.
In Europe and America, those who dare to disregard the Oscars are usually big names who no longer need the Oscars to prove themselves.
Of course, Lu Yanhe's words were not meant to show disdain for the Oscars.
He kept saying he wanted to win an award, that the Oscar was his dream.
But the tone with which he said those words was completely different from that of actors who dream of winning an Oscar.
He gives the impression that an Oscar is just an award he wants to win, nothing more.
-
"That's really arrogant, so arrogant that it leaves you speechless."
Domestically, many viewers who watched the live broadcast of this year's Oscars ceremony have already joined the heated discussions on social media.
The Oscars are the biggest film awards in Europe and America (especially the United States and the United Kingdom). Everyone knows that Asians and Asian films are basically just a side project for this award. However, because Hollywood, which is closely associated with the Oscars, is the world's largest film industry center, its influence is significant.
Lu Yanhe's attendance and solo presentation of the award this year has led to an unprecedented surge in public attention to this year's Oscars due to his influence.
After all, Chinese actors rarely appear on the Oscar stage—rarity increases value, especially since this particular actor is their "mascot."
in the country, many people actually have mixed feelings about the Oscars.
On the one hand, everyone knows that the Oscars are a regional award, not very fair, and don't really favor Asians. But on the other hand, their films are undeniably superior, and their influence is far greater than that of domestic films. This contradictory mindset leads many to both disdain the Oscars and find it impossible to truly ignore them.
Just as many people are happy to see Lu Yanhe become a big star with the movie "The Mist" and be invited to the Oscars to present an award—which makes them feel honored—on the other hand, they don't want to see their country's top actor suddenly become inferior or become a supporting role at the Oscars.
Lu Yanhe's performance tonight acted like a reassurance, suddenly calming everyone's hearts.
Especially his remarks during the later interviews.
He neither denied his ambition for the Oscars, but he always put his confidence and strength as an actor first, without any obsession that not winning an Oscar would be a lifelong regret.
"It's really not easy for someone like Yan He to emerge in our Chinese film and television industry." Even Wang Zhong sighed, "Perhaps someone will achieve even greater success in the future, but it's hard to imagine someone like him, who started his career at such a young age on the world's top stage and developed such a mindset and confidence."
Lu Yanhe's composure was due to both the timing and the circumstances.
I'll try my best to update another chapter tonight. If I haven't updated by midnight, that's it.
(End of this chapter)
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