Chapter 55: The Artist Who Creates Destruction

The MTV Movie Awards was an international film award established last year, in 1992, by MTV Global Music Television. Because its trophy was designed in the shape of a popcorn bucket—a staple for moviegoers—the award was also known as the "Golden Popcorn Award."

Its defining feature—that the winners were ostensibly decided by audience vote—gave the MTV Movie Awards massive entertainment value, creating a lively, relaxed, and highly engaging atmosphere.

These were just some of the basic facts Duke had looked into after preparing to attend the ceremony.

In mid-January, the second MTV Movie Awards kicked off at the Los Angeles Music Hall. Although it was only in its second year, the nominees were all highly popular films and stars. With the backing of MTV Television and the push from Viacom Group and Time Warner, the ceremony commanded the full attention of the media and the public.

Just as Terminator 2 had been the biggest winner the previous year, this place was completely different from school faction awards like the Oscars. Here, character actors were always relegated to supporting roles. The most popular figures were idol-tier stars like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, the goofy Julia Roberts, and America's sweetheart Meg Ryan.

"Are you a little nervous?"

In the back seat of the rented luxury car, Duke looked at Naomi Watts beside him in her shiny silver slip dress. "Darling," he said with certainty, "you're nervous."

"This is my first red carpet!"

Naomi took two deep breaths in a row. "And it's the most important public appearance I've made to date."

"It's my first red carpet, too."

His calm voice had just faded when the car came to a stop. Duke pushed the door open and stepped out first. Ignoring the blinding flashbulbs, he turned back and led Naomi Watts out of the vehicle. The moment her hand rested on his arm, the flashing lights noticeably intensified.

"Keep your emotions in check."

Waving casually toward the press and audience areas, Duke quietly instructed the blonde beside him, who was stiff as a board from nerves. "If you trip and fall, you'll definitely make the front page of tomorrow's entertainment section."

Fortunately, Naomi Watts was a smart woman; she wasn't stupid enough to grab headlines that way.

"Should we go sign autographs for them?" Naomi asked, seeing quite a few people in the audience area holding up posters of Speed. "Do we head over?"

"If you don't mind signing your name on Keanu Reeves and Uma Thurman's posters..." Duke shrugged slightly, his footsteps never pausing. "We can."

Even though it was a newly established award, MTV's appeal was strong. As they walked briskly down the red carpet, Duke spotted quite a few major stars lingering briefly in front of Chandler Hall. There was Mel Gibson, who had been nominated for Best Actor for Lethal Weapon 3, Sharon Stone, who had skyrocketed to fame with Basic Instinct, and Sean Connery, the man known as the most handsome old man in history...

Walking all the way down the red carpet, Naomi Watts demonstrated a certain degree of psychological resilience. As they neared the interview area, Duke could clearly feel her breathing even out and her stiff smile soften.

For a woman who had struggled for years in the entertainment circles of Japan, Australia, and North America—dreaming of fame only to face repeated setbacks—managing this was actually no easy feat.

"Hello, Director Rosenberg."

The moment they entered the interview area, an MTV Television reporter approached them. The reporter glanced at Naomi Watts in surprise, clearly not recognizing her.

"This is Miss Naomi Watts," Duke introduced her. "An outstanding actress and the female lead of my new film."

The reporter immediately switched to an enthusiastically warm smile. "Hello, Miss Watts..."

He then rattled off a stream of praise about her appearance and dress.

"Director Rosenberg, when I shake hands with you..."

This MTV reporter perfectly embodied the entertainment spirit of the movie awards. His words during the interview were full of banter. "...I always think of the non-stop explosion scenes in Speed. I'm worried that the second my hand touches yours, it might detonate. I can already feel my adrenaline starting to spike."

"In this line of work, if a director wants to make a good name for himself," Duke said, deliberately adopting a very serious tone, "he has to have an abundance of adrenaline."

Beside him, Naomi Watts and the reporter burst into laughter.

"I hear you're shooting a new movie."

Warner's PR work had been flawless. "Could you give us a comment on yourself or your new film?"

"It can be summed up in one sentence..." Duke held up his right index finger. "Born belligerent, explosive at every turn."

After saying this, Duke glanced at Naomi Watts, who was shifting restlessly beside him, and took a slight half-step back. Since he had brought her to the awards ceremony, he needed to give her a chance to shine.

"Miss Watts, as the female lead in Director Rosenberg's new film,"

Unfortunately, the reporter didn't indulge her much; his question still pertained to Duke. "What are your thoughts on working with the director?"

"This is our second time working together." Naomi Watts was no fool. Standing before the cameras, she showcased nothing but her best side. "With Speed, he gave everyone a pleasant surprise. I can hardly believe that my very first credited role in a film grossed over 130 million dollars at the North American box office and exceeded 350 million dollars globally. It's a tremendous honor for me, and working with Duke is a privilege."

She didn't overplay her hand, either. After saying a few words about herself, she quickly steered the topic back to Duke.

"Duke is the most amazing young director I've ever met. On set, his every move exudes a fearless momentum, and even his words project decisive confidence. He's an indomitable fighter. I'd say he's an artist who specializes in creating destruction!"

"An artist who specializes in creating destruction!"

Hearing her words, Duke felt his eyelid twitch. He figured that once his next film was released, plenty of people would probably view him as a destructive maniac.

"May I ask..."

Even the cool night breeze couldn't temper the reporter's burning gossip. "Are the two of you a couple?"

"We are good friends," Naomi Watts said with a sweet smile, "and mutually trusted partners."

Even though he was the director of a heavily nominated film, the interview couldn't last forever. After the brief exchange, Duke saw Naomi Watts rest her hand back in the crook of his arm, and they turned toward Chandler Hall.

The very front of the hall was restricted from the media and the public. Quite a few people chose to pause there to greet acquaintances. After all, connections in this circle could sometimes yield unexpected results.

"Hi, Duke."

Uma Thurman, arm-in-arm with a man, happened to spot them and walked straight over. Her gaze naturally fell on Naomi Watts as she teased, "You two make quite the match."

"She's the female lead of my new film," Duke replied casually, offering no further explanation.

Having not seen each other for a while, Uma Thurman's temporary partnership with Keanu Reeves had clearly come to an end. Duke still had an impression of the man on her arm because of a certain upcoming movie. If memory served, this man was also Uma Thurman's first husband.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Oldman."

After Uma Thurman made the introductions, Duke shook hands with the man. "Your performance in Bram Stoker's Dracula was impressive. I hope we'll have a chance to work together in the future."

"I hope so," Gary Oldman replied politely.

This was a distinct actor with true method-acting chops, and his future salary demands were never exceedingly high. Given the opportunity, Duke genuinely wanted to collaborate with him.

"The way you were looking at Gary Oldman..."

After those two had walked a little farther away, Naomi leaned close to his ear and whispered, "...was even more intense than the way you look at me."

"Darling, I guarantee..." Duke lowered his voice, "...that all eyes will be focused on you."

Inside Chandler Hall, there was still some time before the awards ceremony began. Guided by a staff member, Duke and Naomi walked into the side VIP lounge. The majority of the attending guests were gathered here, and the sheer star power among them was enough to eclipse the lights outside the music hall.

As with any industry, an overarching circle always contains countless smaller cliques. The VIP lounge was no different. Stars, directors, and producers from different backgrounds and various crews were scattered across several small groups. They spoke in low tones about industry gossip, upcoming releases, future projects, and so on. It was entirely possible for a film's initial proposal to reach a preliminary consensus during social encounters like this.

Having just stepped into Hollywood and focused entirely on his directing career, Duke recognized many faces, but few truly knew him. Most just exchanged nods. Without an introduction from a mutual acquaintance, he couldn't rashly force his way into those little cliques. Instead, he simply led Naomi Watts to a quieter spot.

In the crowd, over fifty feet away, two equally untamed and arrogant men were sitting together.

"Sean..." Mel Gibson said to the old man beside him. "Look who's over there! The punk kid who turned down your goodwill."

"An arrogant fool who doesn't know his place."

True to the rumors, history's most handsome old man—known for his heavy drinking, substance abuse, and hot temper—was absolutely not a magnanimous person. "Can you even count the number of directors in Hollywood who fell into the abyss right after one successful film?"

Because of their shared views on Scottish independence, the two of them had grown quite close lately. Mel Gibson nodded in agreement. "No matter how you look at it, he'll be one of them."

"Interested in going over and having a chat with him?" Sean Connery stroked his beard, his lips tugging into a smirk.

"A minor character like that." Mel Gibson curled his lip. "Even one of us going over is giving him too much credit."

Habitually tugging at the collar of his formal suit, Sean Connery put on a polite smile and strode toward Duke.