Chapter 253: Controversy

The 61st Academy Awards ceremony has ended, and the 'Gucci Night' after-party hosted by Daenerys Entertainment has become the most grandiose celebration of the evening.

In terms of the sheer number of awards, Daenerys Entertainment's performance at this year's Oscars does not seem particularly outstanding. However, with key wins in major categories like Best Picture, Best Director, and two out of the four acting awards, Daenerys Entertainment has already garnered enough attention to become the media's focus for the foreseeable future.

Moreover, for many insiders familiar with the behind-the-scenes power struggles at the awards, Daenerys Entertainment's triumph tonight is seen as a complete victory.

In Hollywood, a place driven by fame and profit, everyone seeks these two things above all else.

Over the past year, Daenerys Entertainment has left other Hollywood studios in the dust, both in box office and award circles. This rapidly rising film company is undoubtedly seen as the best ladder to climb in the world of fame and fortune.

It's noteworthy that Daenerys Entertainment has already publicly announced no less than 10 film projects in the works, and nobody doubts the plethora of opportunities these projects offer for furthering their own careers.

Thus, to build direct relationships with the top brass of Daenerys Entertainment, not just the invited guests, but many other Hollywood stars and celebrities are also seeking to attend this party.

Of course, Daenerys Entertainment's party is not something anyone can just attend.

The stars don't want to risk being turned away and becoming a laughingstock in the media. They make contact through various channels beforehand, but only a few manage to secure additional invitations.

At the Beverly Hills Hilton.

Famke Janssen, dressed in a deep red Gucci gown with broad shoulders, has just arrived at the hotel. She is led by her agent to the media wall outside the 'Gucci Night' party hall.

Not just her dress, but also Famke Janssen's clutch and shoes are from Gucci. To put it aptly, tonight she is a 'poster girl' for the Gucci brand.

Of course, being this 'poster girl' is something Famke Janssen is completely willing to do, as it also enhances her own fame.

Speaking of which, as a model-turned-actress, all three candidates for Wonder Woman are arranged similarly. They aren't big stars yet, and Daenerys Entertainment isn't worried about brand endorsement conflicts. None of them have any endorsement deals yet.

Over the months, Famke Janssen has gradually come to understand that she is likely the top choice among the three candidates for Wonder Woman. As long as she doesn't make any mistakes, the role of Diana Prince could soon be hers.

After posing for over two minutes in front of the media wall, as arranged by Daenerys Entertainment and Gucci, Famke Janssen finally enters the party. As soon as she arrives, Marvin Josephson, CEO of ICM, warmly greets her and personally escorts her around the party.

To catch up with the giants CAA and WMA, ICM has established partnerships with several famous modeling agencies in North America in recent years. Many top models, like Cindy Crawford, Paulina Porizkova, and Elle Macpherson, have acting contracts under ICM.

Famke Janssen was originally not very noticeable among them.

Now, although still not a big star, Famke Janssen has become a key figure for ICM. Not only does Daenerys Entertainment offer her opportunities, but ICM also starts investing considerable resources in her. This treatment is even beyond what another Wonder Woman candidate under ICM, Helena Christensen, receives.

As for the third candidate, Erica Anderson, she is a client of WMA.

Although Daenerys Entertainment shows a clear preference for Famke Janssen, ICM takes this matter very seriously due to Simon's relationship with WMA.

At the party, while Marvin Josephson is mingling with Famke Janssen, Jonathan Friedman is also discussing the three Wonder Woman candidates with Amy.

Erica Anderson is not Jonathan's own client, but her agent is part of the Friedman faction, just like Valerie Golino's agent Eileen Borman and Adam Baldwin's agent Matthew Stilt. After what happened before, Friedman no longer has any illusions about WMA's internal unity. In the last two years, he has been rallying more allies to support himself.

Responding to Friedman's inquiry, Amy says directly, "Jonathan, you should see Simon's inclination. But since he chose these three girls, they must have certain special qualities. Even if they don't get the role of Wonder Woman, they should have a good development in Hollywood."

"Then, Amy, how about letting Erica try for the role of April O'Neil in 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'?"

April O'Neil is the female lead in the 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' series. In the original timeline, the role was played by Megan Fox in the live-action film produced by Michael Bay. Though the character is often seen as a mere decorative figure, she offers a lot of room for performance.

Jonathan's suggestion is essentially asking Erica Anderson to voluntarily withdraw from the race for Wonder Woman.

However, since the chances of landing the Wonder Woman role are slim, this step back could actually be the most advantageous move for Erica.

After the fainting incident, Simon delegated more authority to Amy.

Now, except for a few core films, projects like 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' are under Amy's control. The film is scheduled to start shooting in the second half of the year and is set for release next summer. The casting process is just about to start.

After considering Jonathan's words, Amy agrees, "Okay, Jonathan, I will include Erica in the final candidate list, but whether she gets the role will depend on her audition performance."

Knowing Amy has many people to entertain and having achieved his goal, Jonathan Friedman leaves after a few casual words. Bruce Willis and his wife Demi Moore, who are nearby, quickly fill Jonathan's spot, starting a conversation with Amy.

After 'Die Hard', television actor Bruce Willis has become a Hollywood superstar. The reason the couple is so proactive lately is because Demi Moore is very eager to land the lead role in 'Ghost'.

Jonathan leaves Amy and mingles in the crowd, briefly hesitating when he spots Nicole Kidman.

Dressed in a splendid Dior gown, Nicole is engaging in a warm conversation with Richard Gere and Cindy Crawford, who are a couple.

After a moment of hesitation, Jonathan decides not to approach.

After filming George Miller's 'Beyond the Horizon', Nicole realizes that she has no part in Daenerys Entertainment's upcoming projects, and starts considering other options. After Daenerys Entertainment reconciled with Meg Ryan, Nicole even probed the possibility of dissolving her remaining two-option contract with Daenerys.

Then there's the gown incident.

Impatient, unable to read the situation, and overthinking things.

Shaking his head, Jonathan moves away. He doesn't lack top actresses, and Nicole Kidman is just barely touching the threshold of top-tier status. Since she has too many of her own ideas, he decides to let her be. Jonathan doesn't have the energy to teach non-priority clients what to do, and perhaps she wouldn't want to listen anyway.

Nicole Kidman, talking with Richard Gere and Cindy Crawford, also notices Jonathan passing by, but only hesitates for a moment before looking away.

Lately, Nicole has some regrets.

If she had not left CAA, perhaps things would be different. She feels that even then, the role in 'Pulp Fiction' should have been hers.

Now, the remaining two-option contract with Daenerys Entertainment is a major concern. Though these contracts might not mean much, the lead role in 'Ghost' is a perfect fit for her. She tried to probe for it, but didn't get a definite response, leading to even more disappointment and regret.

She also feels that Daenerys Entertainment's practice of signing long contracts with actors may be beneficial for the company, but clearly undermines the interests of the stars themselves. In contrast, CAA seems to fight for their clients' interests as much as possible, no wonder there's such a rift between them.

As an actress, she feels she shouldn't have too many illusions about film companies.

If only she could switch agencies.

Returning to CAA would definitely infuriate Daenerys Entertainment; she's not that foolish, but moving to ICM might be a good choice.

Richard Gere and Cindy Crawford are both ICM clients. After talking for a while, Richard Gere warmly offers to introduce her to ICM's CEO, Marvin Josephson.

Nicole has already seen Marvin Josephson at the party, but approaching him right now doesn't seem appropriate.

Feeling Richard Gere's eagerness when talking to Nicole, Cindy Crawford becomes somewhat displeased. Although she doesn't show it, after a few more moments of conversation, she finds an excuse to leave upon spotting Helena Christensen nearby.

Even a top model like Cindy Crawford ultimately can't compare with Hollywood stars.

Catching this once-prominent star is just a way to stabilize her own fame. Cindy Crawford has no illusions about the future with Richard Gere.

Helena Christensen is feeling a bit down.

Among the three Wonder Woman candidates, Famke Janssen, also from ICM, is the most likely to land the role. Erica Anderson has WMA backing her, making Helena the least likely candidate.

For the sake of Wonder Woman, she has missed many opportunities in modeling. At only 21, the youngest of the three, she still has time before retiring from modeling to seek other opportunities. Perhaps she should refocus on her modeling career.

When Cindy approaches, Helena just raises her glass, "Hi, Cindy."

Cindy asks, "Why are you alone?"

Helena jokes, "Trying to catch some rich guys, but unfortunately, the biggest fish didn't come."

Cindy smiles and says, "Speaking of that, Helena, do you remember last year's incident?"

Helena, puzzled, asks, "What?"

"Last year at Simon Westeros's birthday, he made a promise to each of us."

Helena pauses, then rolls her eyes at Cindy, "You take that kind of promise seriously?"

"There's no harm in trying."

"What do you want?"

"I haven't decided yet, but we definitely shouldn't let him off easy. What about you?"

"Me? Nothing, I've forgotten about it."

As they talk, Angela Ahrents is also thriving at tonight's party.

Not only because of some prior arrangements, but perhaps also inspired by the name 'Gucci Night', many quite 'honest' Hollywood stars attending the party have added some Gucci elements to their attire, whether it be gowns, clutches, or shoes.

This makes the party brim with Gucci style.

With media photography arranged before entering the party, Daenerys Entertainment invited over twenty mainstream media outlets from North America and abroad.

The abundance of Gucci elements can be seen, and it's evident that this will greatly boost Gucci's exposure in the coming days.

Even high-end luxury brands need advertising.

Usually, luxury brands don't opt for large-scale TV ad campaigns, as it can greatly diminish the brand's style. However, through high-end party sponsorships like this, not only does it not detract from the brand, but it also elevates it.

Angela Ahrents doesn't even stay until the end of the party, leaving early to communicate with the pre-arranged media.

Everything that needed to be done has been done, and even exceeded expectations. If the final media step goes wrong, it would be a pity.

With such meticulous planning, the next morning, alongside discussions about the Oscars, many mainstream media outlets feature Gucci-related information.

Although some media sarcastically comment on the connection between Daenerys Entertainment and Gucci, the media and Hollywood are interdependent. You give others face, and later you get more news opportunities, and vice versa. Most media reports are still positive.

Mainstream fashion magazines like 'Vanity Fair' and 'Vogue' even start preparing new columns on Daenerys Entertainment's 'Gucci Night'.

Such a massive increase in exposure is obviously beneficial.

Stars are always the easiest group to lead trends.

A large number of reports on Gucci gowns, clutches, and shoes in newspapers and magazines immediately boost Gucci's sales. In just the following week, Gucci stores in the U.S. see a significant 13% increase in sales, and even Gucci stores in Europe see a boost.

Influenced by this successful marketing event, Sophia Fesi from Gucci in Europe, after several communications with Angela Ahrents and Daenerys Entertainment, quickly decides to replicate the 'Gucci Night' marketing event at the Cannes Film Festival in May.

On the other hand.

With the Oscars concluded, 'Rain Man' has fulfilled expectations and spurred a rebound in box office sales for the new week. As always, however, the awards results spark controversy. 'Dead Poets Society' winning only the Best Director award and Simon's Best Original Score Oscar inevitably become the focus of media debate.

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