Chapter 56: Golden Popcorn

It was an older man with grizzled hair combed neatly back. His gaze was fixed in this direction, sharp as an eagle's. Duke met his eyes without the slightest fear, calm and indifferent, as if the man across from him was nothing more than a wooden piling on a pier.

"Young man," Sean Connery said, taking a few steps closer. "Confidence must be matched with talent, otherwise it simply becomes arrogance. This is Hollywood. It's very easy to remember someone, but even easier to forget them."

His tone carried a distinct, condescending edge. "Many people achieve success through a stroke of luck, but their subsequent failures will send them plummeting from the peak to the valley, smashing them to pieces and ruining their reputations!"

"I like collisions, I like thrills, and I like danger."

Smiling faintly, Duke said mildly, "This is a path for the young. It's not something outdated people can understand."

"A path to failure!" Sean Connery said dismissively.

"Is it?"

Facing the domineering old man, Duke shifted to a slightly sarcastic tone. "If you think I'm going to fail, why insist on investing ten million dollars in my movie? It only shows that you recognize my project's value, but you're too hypocritical to admit it."

"You think I care about that bit of money?" Sean Connery's demeanor looked exactly like a gentleman treating money like dirt.

"If I remember correctly, you weren't nominated, nor are you a guest presenter." Duke deliberately put on a puzzled expression. "I wonder how many figures MTV had to write on the check to invite the famous Mr. Sean Connery!"

Sean Connery's eyes widened, his shoulders hitching up slightly. "You..."

"Mr. Connery, we're in public."

Duke cut him off. Even if the other man didn't care, Duke had no desire to embarrass himself alongside this old ruffian. "I imagine CAA spent a lot of effort molding you into the perfect gentleman. Are you really going to abandon that image? Just to remind you, I was the quarterback for my school's football team through high school and college. If you want to get physical, I'd be happy to oblige."

Taking a slight step back, Sean Connery's throat bobbed, as if he were swallowing something back down. Under Duke's indifferent gaze, he said coldly, "Someone like you—uncultured and disrespectful—is actually valued by Warner?"

"This is Hollywood." Duke shrugged carelessly. "If a rude, short-tempered, foul-mouthed drug and alcohol addict can be turned into the most elegant of old gentlemen, what isn't possible?"

"You..." Sean Connery squeezed the words through his teeth. "You will not succeed, I swear it!"

With that, not giving Duke another chance to speak, he turned and quickly walked away.

Watching that slightly trembling back, Duke wondered just how much strength the notoriously hot-tempered Sean Connery had used to hold himself back. He shook his head. CAA's packaging was truly formidable. For such a man to become synonymous with an elegant gentleman was proof enough of the agency's capabilities.

As for the man's final words, Duke paid them no mind. He wasn't an independent filmmaker; he had a massive backer like Warner behind him. Even if CAA wanted to try something, Warner would bear the brunt of it.

Independent filmmaking was never part of Duke's early-stage plans anyway. The risk tolerance was simply too weak. This was Hollywood, a slaughterhouse of money and fame, not some pure and innocent land where shooting one good movie meant you could conquer all of America.

"That man's temper and personality are absolutely terrible."

Naomi Watts, who had been holding his arm the entire time, suddenly spoke up. "Once, at a party at Tom Cruise's mansion, he berated a young director so badly the guy couldn't say a single word."

"Alright, let's stop talking about him."

Duke felt a little more fondness for Naomi Watts. She had stood firmly by his side from beginning to end, which was a statement in itself. He checked his watch and led her out of the lounge. "It's about time. The awards ceremony is starting soon."

Because Speed was one of the films with the most MTV Award nominations, Duke's seat was fairly close to the front. He was surrounded by cast and crew members like Uma Thurman and Keanu Reeves. On the other side of Reeves sat an unfamiliar woman, who appeared to be his new girlfriend.

"Do you think you'll win?" Naomi Watts asked in a low voice.

"Since the organizing committee sent me an invitation, and I explicitly stated I would attend..."

Duke had heard Nancy explain a few things about these heavily entertainment-focused awards. "I imagine they won't let me go home empty-handed."

The awards ceremony soon drew back its curtains. Lacking the seriousness and formality of the Oscars, it was filled with a joyful atmosphere from beginning to end. For instance, in the opening performance, Whitney Houston rearranged I Will Always Love You—the song that had become a massive hit because of The Bodyguard—into an up-tempo R&B track.

The winners weren't overly emotional, and the losers weren't depressed. Those who went up to accept their awards always played along with the hosts and guest presenters with a bit of self-deprecating humor.

Although Duke was still empty-handed more than halfway through the ceremony, Speed still took home a few awards. Keanu Reeves won Best Male Performance, and his kissing scene with Uma Thurman after escaping the bus beat out Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner's airport scene to win the trophy for Best Kiss.

Unfortunately, Uma Thurman lost Best Female Performance to Whitney Houston and Most Desirable Female to Sharon Stone, though she and Keanu Reeves subsequently picked up the popcorn bucket for Best On-Screen Duo.

"The next award is for Best Action Sequence..." the host announced from the stage in a very exaggerated tone. "And the winner is the bus that destroyed half of Santa Monica, Speed! Please welcome Duke Rosenberg."

As the people around him applauded, Duke stood up, accepted a hug from Naomi Watts, and walked onto the stage, taking a large Golden Popcorn bucket from the female host's hands.

"Oh, this is heavier than I imagined."

Given the occasion and atmosphere, even though he wasn't great at joking, Duke bantered a little. "I just don't know how it tastes."

"It explodes!" the host chimed in. "With enough power to blow an airplane and a bus to pieces!"

"Then it'll come in handy very soon." Duke held it up and took a look. "I'll use it to blow up half of San Francisco."

"So the rumors are true then?"

Unsure whether Warner had pulled strings behind the scenes, Duke found the host to be very cooperative. "Your new film is going to destroy San Francisco and Alcatraz Island?"

"Only half of them," Duke emphasized.

"Will there be more explosions?" the host asked with great interest. "Explosions even more spectacular than in Speed?"

"Yes, explosions even crazier and more impactful than Speed, and you'll be able to see them this summer." Duke shifted to a mysterious tone. "I recommend that action movie fans take non-drowsy motion sickness pills before going to see my new movie, The Rock."

Bursts of laughter erupted throughout the hall, followed by enthusiastic applause.

Sensing it was about time, Duke knew he should step down from the stage. Before leaving, he said with feigned seriousness, "Explosions are a highly technical sensory art. Inferior explosions cause aesthetic fatigue, quality explosions make the blood boil, and top-tier explosions force people to think."

A tidal wave of applause rang out. Someone led the way, and soon many people were standing up to clap. Distinct cheers could be heard, especially from the audience section in the back. The audience present was bound to be lovers of popcorn flicks, and Duke's words suited their tastes perfectly.

Naomi Watts in the front row had already stood up. Seeing the camera pan over, she clapped vigorously while mouthing words that seemed to be "I.LOVE.YOU". No matter how you looked at it, she was a very competent date.

"Do you believe his new movie will succeed?"

From a seat not far from the stage, a gloomy-faced Mel Gibson asked Sean Connery. The old man let out a heavy snort. "As long as someone stops him, he definitely will not succeed!"

Sean Connery wore an elegant smile, clapping along with everyone else, but a sinister gleam flickered in his eyes.

"Congratulations, Duke."

The moment he stepped off the stage, Naomi Watts gave him a big hug. Catching sight of the camera turning toward them out of the corner of his eye, Duke played along by patting her on the back and murmuring, "Don't get too excited."

The awards ceremony continued. Naomi took the Golden Popcorn from his hands, her fingers lightly stroking it. "If only this were a Golden Statuette."

"There will be, just not right now." Duke looked indifferent, as if a Golden Statuette wasn't much better than this Golden Popcorn trophy in his eyes. "A Golden Statuette isn't necessarily more noble than popcorn."

"But it's an authoritative certification." Naomi clearly disagreed with his point of view.

Shrugging, Duke said nothing more. The Golden Popcorn Award was supposedly generated by audience votes but was definitely filled with insider manipulation, yet how much better were the Oscars? He had fragmented memories of the internet age and knew exactly how most future Oscar winners would be minted.

Art? Could only art films or independent movies truly represent cinematic art?

In truth, everyone knew that there was only one purpose behind the birth of every movie in Hollywood: commercial profit!

"Batman 2 winning Best Movie is well-deserved."

After the ceremony ended, there was a brief interview session. Facing the MTV Television cameras, Duke said, "The award for Best Action Sequence is the greatest encouragement to me. I've always worked hard to design plots and shots that the audience enjoys. Thank you to everyone who voted for me, and thank you for liking my movie."

"When you produce a movie," the reporter asked again, "do you take the audience's preferences into account?"