Chapter 669: Best Supporting Actor

The Oscar Awards Ceremony was a grand event, but it was also a massive stage for pageantry and performance.

No matter how hostile they might be in private, once co-presenters stepped onto this stage, they transformed into perfectly coordinated companions.

On stage, Amber Heard and Andrew Garfield were delivering the banter carefully prepared by the writers.

"Andrew, I hear you've started your own animated feature film career?" Heard asked.

Garfield picked up her cue and replied, "Yes, I've been voice acting in DreamWorks animated features for the last few years, and then I place my bets on Pixar Studio to win Best Animated Feature."

The audience erupted into roars of laughter, and the camera opportunely cut to a close-up of Jeffrey Katzenberg.

Amber Heard hugged Andrew Garfield, looking like the closest of friends sharing a joke.

"We're very sorry, Mr. Katzenberg," she said. "We have no idea where he came from."

"I don't think Mr. Katzenberg will mind," Andrew Garfield added.

"Let's turn our attention to the nominees," Amber Heard said.

She turned toward the large screen, which began playing a highlight reel for the Best Animated Feature nominees.

Passing through a sky choked with trash, the camera zoomed in on the ground. WALL-E sliced through a pile of garbage and discovered two items that made him very curious—a Videotape and an Oscar Golden Statuette!

Picking up the Golden Statuette in his left hand and the Videotape in his right, WALL-E hesitated for a moment before choosing the Videotape, tossing the Golden Statuette away like garbage.

Returning home, WALL-E played the Videotape, which showed a rat cooking soup. Then a dog jumped out. This rapid, sharp montage introduced the three animated features nominated this year: Robot WALL-E, Ratatouille, and Bolt.

There was no suspense regarding the winner. Pixar Studio once again took home the Best Animated Feature Golden Statuette with Robot WALL-E.

Although the merchandise market's response had been lukewarm, this kind of high-minded, reflective subject matter was exactly what the Oscars loved most.

The awards were presented one after another. The seating area for Duke and The Dark Knight crew was undoubtedly the biggest group of also-rans; despite their slew of technical nominations, they had only managed to take home the relatively minor Golden Statuette for Best Sound Editing.

Even though this ceremony's heavy favorite, The Departed, had only secured two Golden Statuettes so far—falling far behind its main competitor, No Country for Old Men—the awards it did win were Best Film Editing and Best Adapted Screenplay. Anyone who had studied the Oscars even slightly could easily understand what that meant. Martin Scorsese had already pulled far ahead.

After John Travolta presented the award for Best Costume Design, Duke checked the time, stood up, and left the auditorium. He walked through a side corridor into the backstage area, where the ceremony's director was already waiting. The director gave him a few brief instructions, then handed him an envelope and a slip of paper filled with his presenter banter.

Briefly adjusting his black tuxedo, Duke stood by the corridor entrance and waited for about five minutes. Then, he walked onto the stage.

Warm applause echoed through the Kodak Theater. Duke was there to present the award for Best Supporting Actor.

According to convention, this award was usually presented by the previous year's Best Supporting Actress. Therefore, when Duke stepped onto the stage, quite a few people in the audience were taken aback for a moment before they figured it out.

Standing on the stage, Duke did not offer any superfluous remarks. He waited for the large screen to play the nominees' clips, then unhurriedly recited the banter the organizers had written out in advance.

"An actor's actor—these titles are used to describe those who constantly surpass themselves, the unsung artists of continuous exploration, and the people who hold fast to truth. Or simply put, in Michael Clayton, Tom Wilkinson provoked constant questioning from the audience about what is false and what is real. Fortunately, Tom Wilkinson held fast to the truth. Therefore, this year, we praise you once again."

After the clips for Michael Clayton finished playing, a face wearing Joker makeup appeared on the large screen.

"Among the many outstanding film characters of the past year, perhaps the most unforgettable is this man. With Joker makeup painted on his face, he smugly stuck his head out of a speeding car, enjoying the comfort of the night breeze. Reveling in chaos, he vented his madness with wild abandon on the streets of Gotham City. Dangerous and volatile, eccentric and vicious. Heath Ledger, as the Joker in The Dark Knight, left us anxiously waiting to see what shocking, malicious prank he would pull next. His bold and magnificent performance, along with the other roles he created, were all infused with his unique style. Heath Ledger has left us a distinct and enduring legacy..."

After delivering the remaining three prepared remarks, Duke didn't hesitate at all. He tore open the envelope, looked up, and announced the result.

"The Oscar for Best Supporting Actor goes to Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight."

This was an outcome without any suspense. From the moment Duke stepped onto the stage, the winner had practically been announced.

Enthusiastic applause rang out through the Kodak Theater. In the seating area for The Dark Knight crew, Heath Ledger's family stood up. Accompanied by his sister, Kate Ledger, Kim Ledger and his wife walked onto the stage.

Duke gave the three of them gentle hugs, then handed the Oscar Golden Statuette to Kim Ledger and proactively stepped aside.

Heath Ledger's three relatives each said a few words in turn.

"To accept this honor among such outstanding actors and in such an incredible industry leaves me truly flattered."

It was obvious that someone had carefully prepared a speech for Kim Ledger.

"I want to thank the Film Academy for recognizing Heath Ledger's outstanding performance," he continued. "Thank you to Warner Bros. Pictures and Director Rosenberg. You gave Ledger a tremendous amount of creative freedom to shape this crazy Joker character. Thank you to Steve Alexander for standing by him these past ten years. We love you."

Heath Ledger's mother stepped up to the microphone next.

"Heath Ledger had a passionate and generous soul," she said. "He brought so much excitement and inspiration to our lives. We are deeply moved that he is being granted this honor, and tonight, we will all celebrate the achievements he accomplished."

Finally, it was his sister, Kate Ledger's turn.

"Heath, we all know you created such an extraordinary Joker," she said. "We are so proud of you, and we accept this award on behalf of your lovely daughter."

Following their acceptance speeches, the music played by the orchestra turned somber, as if sorrow had spread to every corner of the Kodak Theater.

Led by the staff, Duke returned to the backstage area. He didn't linger for long, merely greeting the Ledger couple as they were being interviewed before heading back into the auditorium.

This was the Oscars. There were many different ways to win an award, and this could certainly be considered a very unorthodox one.

If he hadn't gone to see God ahead of time, there was a ninety percent chance Heath Ledger wouldn't have won Best Supporting Actor. The reason was incredibly simple: not only was he starring in a massive commercial blockbuster, but it was also a comic book superhero movie...

For the majority of the Film Academy's voters, prejudice against this genre of film and characters was deep-rooted. But while they might hold grudges against the living, they, like the rest of the public, were exceptionally forgiving of the dead.

Duke tossed all of these thoughts to the back of his mind. This was a page that could now be turned.

Not long after, he cast a sympathetic gaze over toward Leonardo DiCaprio. On stage, the Film Academy's darling, Daniel Day-Lewis, had already hoisted the Golden Statuette for Best Actor. Leonardo would just have to keep trudging forward with the title of professional seat-filler hanging over his head.

Seeming to notice, Leonardo DiCaprio turned his head and returned the exact same look, as if telling Duke that his own fate tonight wasn't going to be much better.

And indeed, that was the truth, because there were three guest presenters walking onto the stage for Best Director—George Lucas, Francis Ford Coppola, and Steven Spielberg!

With three of the four great directors appearing all at once, it was completely obvious whose head this award was going to land on.

In truth, there were only two major highlights to tonight's ceremony. Heath Ledger's award had already settled into the dust, leaving only Martin Scorsese as the final mystery.

Would he remain an uncrowned king on this night, or would he finally cement a legend?

Perhaps the Film Academy had realized that a single presenter was no longer enough to hand an award to Martin Scorsese, so they invited Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, and Francis Ford Coppola as a trio.

Back in the day, Martin Scorsese and these three men had been collectively known as the "Four Great Young Directors," and they were later grouped together as the four major directors of the 1980s. If they were to reunite here on the stage of the Kodak Theater in Los Angeles...

The Film Academy had truly poured a massive amount of effort into boosting the appeal of the Oscar Awards Ceremony and shaking off the predicament of declining viewership ratings year after year.

Of course, this felt more like a lifetime achievement award.

Last year, when Martin Scorsese was in Europe promoting The Departed, the European media, led by France's Le Figaro, openly questioned him during a press conference: Had the director who shot Mean Streets, Taxi Driver, and Raging Bull truly sold himself out to Hollywood?

And Old Martin replied in an absolute tone.

"I am an American director. I am a Hollywood director!"

Even when the European press questioned the Oscars on the spot, he fired back.

"I've watched every Oscar Awards Ceremony on television since I was a kid. It grew up with me. This thing really holds an indescribable magic over me!"

His words were full of defense for Hollywood, the Oscars, and American cinema. For him to say such things with his current standing in the film industry, the Film Academy was naturally going to give him a grand coronation ceremony.

The European film industry rejected Hollywood, but didn't the North American film circle reject European cinema just the same? The North American film market was absolutely one of the most exclusionary in the world. Instances of European films, or even British dark comedies, achieving massive success in the North American market were incredibly rare.

The three great directors stood before the microphone. A coronation ceremony was about to begin.