Chapter 459: The Spinning Top in the Dream Never Stops (8000 words)

After Reed Hastings let out a hearty laugh, he picked up the phone on the table and found a number. He originally wanted to dial it, but changed his mind, edited a text message, and clicked send.

The other party replied quickly.

"Yes, Reed, we are all watching. The producers, directors, and several screenwriters here in Hong Kong."

"His commercial break, did you know about it before he did it?"

"No, I think this must have been his temporary decision. This is a good thing, isn't it?"

"Yes, this is very good. By the way, how is the progress of the set construction in Hong Kong recently?"

"Construction has already started, meeting expectations, and it should be completed around March."

"Have the actors and directors been selected?"

"No, the first round of screening has just begun."

"Are there any difficulties?"

"No, the actors here are very professional. Hong Kong actors can also speak English."

Reed Hastings pondered for a while and edited again: "You said before, how much will our budget eventually exceed expectations?"

"8 million to 10 million."

"In a few days, come back to California and report to the company's board of directors."

"OK, thank you."

Reed Hastings placed the phone on the sofa armrest, gently stroked his chin, and returned his gaze to the television.

At this moment, the three-hour Golden Globe Awards had entered the second half.

Unlike the Oscars, the frequency of the Golden Globe host's appearance wasn't that high. Many segments were guided by backstage broadcasts to lead the presenters onto the stage. So far, besides the opening monologue, Chen Nuo had only appeared twice.

But these two appearances, in Reed Hastings' view, were perfectly timed to break the gradually dull and tense atmosphere of the scene, making the mood relaxed and enthusiastic again.

Compared to Ricky Gervais, this person's roasting, while spicy, was also very well-measured. Those jokes created enough topicality, gave TV audiences a fresh feeling, and effectively maintained ratings, attracting new viewers who kept joining.

Although he couldn't see the real-time data received by NBC, just based on this point, as the helmsman of a streaming giant, Reed Hastings knew very clearly—

The ratings for this year's Golden Globes would definitely make the people at NBC and that group of old reporters from the Foreign Press Association grin from ear to ear.

And under such circumstances, the sudden appearance of his company's name from the host's mouth was definitely a surprise.

He didn't even say hello before doing it. If he still stuck to that little budget and didn't nod, it would make Reed Hastings look like a stingy guy.

So, let it be.

Anyway, from the current situation, his decision to invest in 'Eagle Catching Chicken', temporarily shelving 'House of Cards', and convincing the board of directors to sacrifice a large part of the benefits, all aimed at firmly binding the other party to Netflix's chariot, was not wrong at all. The project hadn't even started, and there were already some unexpected joys.

Thinking of this, Reed Hastings' mood became even more pleasant.

On the 60-inch high-definition TV screen in front of him, the glittering Golden Globe Awards continued.

When 'Inception' won Best Screenplay, its biggest competitor 'The Artist' also won Best Original Score. Harvey Weinstein's smiling face looked particularly eye-catching on TV.

In the end, everyone's eyes were focused on the remaining few heavy awards—Best Actor and Actress in a Drama, Best Director, and Best Motion Picture.

"Finally entered the second half." Chen Nuo stood on the stage again and said to the microphone, "Does anyone have the feeling? This show is really too long."

"Seriously, I found that you Americans have an ability to make many things long and stinky."

"Besides the Golden Globes or the Oscars, there is also war."

"I remember, the last time I heard the term Iraq War, I was still in elementary school. As a result, two months ago, I saw a news report saying that the last batch of US troops had left Iraq. I thought, WTF? What on earth are these Yankees doing?"

At this moment.

Laughter, applause, and whistles erupted throughout the venue and lasted for quite a while.

Chen Nuo waited for a while with a smile and shrugged. "Don't worry about me. Every joke I tell here, I have consulted with lawyers. No one can use this to deport me."

"Hahahahahaha."

Chen Nuo immediately added, "Actually, I'm not afraid either, because I don't spend more than four months here every year, and frankly speaking, it's all to make money."

"Alright, stop laughing, I'm just joking."

"Every time I get on a 15-hour flight and cross over a dozen time zones to come here, it's all for the charity work here."

"Next, let us welcome the Queen of England, who is as keen on charity as I am—"

"Helen Mirren!"

After this segment, Chen Nuo didn't return to the lounge after leaving the stage but stood in front of the backstage entrance with Allison.

Although all the staff backstage who were free came over one after another to congratulate him, and the awards ceremony clearly hadn't ended yet, it felt like he had returned in triumph.

In the end, Allison stepped forward to refuse the interruptions, allowing Chen Nuo to quietly watch the stage alone.

At this moment, many movie clips were flashing like a slideshow on the big screen at the scene. A black man with a long face, in various roles, visibly had his hair change from black to white, slowly aging from youth.

In one segment, a face with clown makeup flashed by.

Finally, the introduction video finished playing, and the screen froze on the face of an elderly black man with freckles.

At this time, the whole venue stood up and applauded, and he followed suit.

Helen Mirren stood on the stage and said loudly, "Ladies and gentlemen, let us welcome the winner of the 69th Golden Globe Lifetime Achievement Award—Morgan Freeman."

Subsequently, an old black man with graying hair walked onto the stage with a vigorous pace amidst the applause.

Morgan Freeman stood in front of the microphone and said with a smile, "Thank you, thank you, thank you everyone."

After a long while, the applause slowly died down, and then the old black man smiled and said, "Thanks to the Golden Globes, I originally thought I would hear my name from Chen's mouth..."

"Hahahahahaha."

Morgan Freeman's smiling sentence immediately resonated with the stars off-stage and all the viewers in front of the TV, and they burst into laughter.

Chen Nuo couldn't help but laugh along.

"I have to say, he is a bit different tonight from the humble, kind, and amiable young man in my impression. I'm a little afraid of him." Morgan Freeman added with a smile, "In the end, they let me listen to the praise of the woman I love deeply while sitting off-stage. That feeling was truly indescribable... OK, I will try to keep it brief."

"In my long film career, I have saved the world, solved some cases, committed some crimes, driven for Miss Daisy, been Nelson Mandela, and also been a president, and even God."

"Seeing clips of these movies of mine over the years, I deeply realize two points: how many excellent people I have worked with, and how lucky I am."

Morgan Freeman said with deep emotion, "People often say that if you are doing what you like, it can't be considered work. Then, I think in these 45 years, I have never worked, because the greatest passion of my life is—acting."

Chen Nuo was listening intently when a voice suddenly came from the side: "Chen, one day in the future, you will also stand in his position. I firmly believe in this."

He turned his head in surprise and saw it was an assistant director at the scene. This person had a very large beard and was very recognizable at the scene. At this time, he blinked his green eyes and looked at him in a friendly way.

Chen Nuo nodded politely. "Thank you."

After Morgan Freeman, Robert Downey Jr. introduced the last Best Motion Picture nominee of the night: 'Inception'.

Backstage, Chen Nuo saw himself on the big screen appearing in various dangerous and strange realms.

Fighting, shooting, speeding, racing, hugging, and crying.

He couldn't help but think of Morgan Freeman's words again.

I don't know who wrote the old black man's lines, but they were written really well.

Afterward, it was one of the last big highlights of the night: Best Director.

Undoubtedly, the competition for Best Director this year was the most intense in recent years.

Woody Allen for 'Midnight in Paris', George Clooney for 'The Ides of March', Michel Hazanavicius for 'The Artist', Christopher Nolan for 'Inception', and Martin Scorsese for 'Hugo'.

The art films in it were artistic to the extreme, and the commercial films were the peak since 'Avatar'.

Who the judges of the Foreign Press Association favored more, only God knows.

Everyone attached great importance to the ownership of Best Director, because in this award, the Golden Globes were the bellwether for the Oscars. The last four awards were also about the same; the winners of each Golden Globe would gain great momentum and become hot favorites for the Oscars. And in such matters, as everyone knows, there is no such thing as making a fortune in silence.

The presenter was Angelina Jolie.

The woman was dressed very beautifully today, in a white satin long dress that was shining, but there were two bright red color blocks at the neckline and hem, which complemented her flaming red lips.

"Five first-class directors participated in the competition for Best Director at this year's Golden Globes. They are..."

Following Angelina Jolie's speech, although it had nothing to do with him, Chen Nuo still felt a little nervous.

Until finally, "Christopher Nolan, 'Inception'" was spat out from Angelina's red lips.

"Hahaha!"

Amidst the applause of the whole venue, the laughter this time wasn't from the audience, but from Chen Nuo himself.

His feelings were truly indescribable.

History had changed at this moment.

In his memory, the day Christopher Nolan won his first Golden Globe for Best Director had to wait until 'Oppenheimer' in 2024.

And this time, 'Inception', in which he starred, had advanced this timeline by a full 12 years!

12 years.

In the Chinese concept, it was exactly a cycle.

He wasn't the only one who realized this.

After collaborating with him twice, Nolan had become a China hand. After thanking the Foreign Press Association on stage, the first paragraph he mentioned was this.

He first looked at the Golden Globe in his hand frequently, unable to put it down, his voice trembling uncontrollably.

"I didn't expect that I could really stand on this stage."

"Thank you Foreign Press Association, thank you."

"There is one thing in my mind now that I must say. When filming this movie, Chen was 24 years old. He told me that in the Chinese concept, this means he has spent two complete cycles in the world, and it also means he has completely grown up. However, in this year, some bad things might happen."

"On the set, he actually also said some annoying nonsense, just like the Golden Globes today."

Laughter came from the venue, and Chen Nuo also laughed.

However, Christopher Nolan didn't laugh. The emotional blonde man continued, "But in fact, he wasn't troubled by this traditional Chinese concept, but threw himself into the preparation and production of the film with a passion that left me stunned. I am the director, but without him, there would be no such movie. Although Jonathan has said it, I have to say it again."

"He is the soul of this movie."

"Thank you, Chen."

"Besides this, I also want to thank my wife, dear, if it weren't for you, I absolutely couldn't..."

"Jonathan, you are my best partner, your talent is unparalleled."

"And Warner Bros..."

"And..."

"Thank you, thank you!"

After Nolan bowed slightly, he walked to the other side of the backstage with Angelina Jolie amidst the music.

They hadn't completely gone down yet when Chen Nuo walked onto the stage quickly.

The applause that hadn't completely stopped exploded again.

But Chen Nuo didn't pause, leaned directly to the microphone and said, "42-year-old Golden Globe Best Director, can you believe it? Next, please welcome the model of the film industry, excellent actors, Salma Hayek and Antonio Banderas. That's it, I have something to do."

After speaking, amidst the laughter at the scene and the music of the guests' appearance, he followed Nolan's footsteps and walked off the stage.

Nolan didn't go to accept an interview but was waiting for him. As soon as Chen Nuo came down, he hugged the British director tightly. "Congratulations, Christopher!"

The British director was obviously very excited, but he wasn't as mushy as on stage. He smiled a little shyly, "This award also has a share of yours."

"Haha, forget it. Remember to tell Michael Slane to help you go all out for the Oscars. Any amount of money can come from our dividends."

Nolan grinned, "Thanks. The competition is very fierce this year. I actually don't have any hope for the Oscars."

"How do you know without trying?"

The two said a few more words, and Nolan took his freshly baked trophy to the press interview area to take pictures.

Chen Nuo turned his face and saw Angelina Jolie looking at him from the side.

"Have time to chat for a few words?"

Chen Nuo looked left and right. "Not very appropriate, right?"

Angelina Jolie kept smiling and said, "Just chatting."

From the first acquaintance to now, several years had passed.

In Chen Nuo's eyes, Jolie was becoming more and more like her later self, with prominent cheekbones, and she was getting thinner and thinner, and her exposed shoulders felt like all bones.

The world's most famous female star didn't notice that her young fuck buddy had started to dislike her a little. In a corner backstage, Allison replaced the original Qi Yuntian, ensuring on the periphery that no one could disturb these two extremely famous male and female stars.

Of course, to passersby, they had always been friends with a good relationship, and this was just a short conversation during the break of the awards ceremony.

"Congratulations, your hosting today was great."

"Thank you." Chen Nuo signaled with his eyes to say whatever she had to say quickly. In ten minutes, he had to go on stage for the last time, and the time now wasn't very abundant.

Angelina Jolie didn't mean to delay either. After hesitating for a while, she said, "I want you to help me bring a word to Luo Rui..."

Hearing this, Chen Nuo reached out and made a stop gesture. "Wait, do you know that Brad came to me before? He also wants me to bring a word to Luo Rui. I want to know if you know about this, and if you are clear about what he wants me to say."

Angelina was silent for a while, then nodded and said, "I know, he told me later. What I want to say is, Luo Rui and I, indeed, I was young at that time, and I am now a mother of five children. I can't continue..."

"OK, I understand. I will tell her." Chen Nuo interrupted. "Anything else?"

Angelina Jolie took a deep breath and said, "No. Hmm, I hope we can chat again when the dance party starts. Chen, I sincerely hope that the relationship between the two of us won't change because of this."

Chen Nuo said flatly, "I won't attend the dance party. That's it. I'm going on stage. Bye."

After speaking, he didn't wait for Angelina Jolie to say more and walked toward the backstage.

Allison saw his expression and didn't ask, silently following behind him.

The next two highlights of the Golden Globes.

One was Best Actress in a Drama, which was eventually won by Meryl Streep.

This was Meryl's 13th nomination and 4th award, so the atmosphere in the entire awards hall was particularly enthusiastic, and the applause lasted for more than 2 minutes, longer than Morgan Freeman's Lifetime Achievement Award.

Chen Nuo saw Harvey Weinstein also sweep away the failure of Best Director and stand up and applaud with joy.

But the following Best Actor in a Drama didn't go according to the script.

George Clooney!

Who could imagine that this idol actor, who accompanied the run every year and was regarded as the older generation's Leonardo, actually won the Golden Globe Best Actor with 'The Descendants' after losing Best Director for his own directed 'The Ides of March'!

Making Leonardo DiCaprio, Ryan Gosling, Brad Pitt, and the hot favorite Jean Dujardin of 'The Artist' all become his foils!

When George Clooney was full of spring breeze on the awards stage, Chen Nuo saw on the backstage monitor that Leonardo's smile was almost disappearing, and Brad Pitt had almost no smile at all.

Of course, Chen Nuo didn't have much of a funny mood now either.

He was a bit like someone who received news of someone's death and had to notify their family. He didn't know what to say when he saw Luo Rui in Hong Kong.

Thinking about it made his head big.

Therefore, when he walked onto the stage for the last time, he was truly a bit relieved.

He just wanted to end it quickly and catch a flight back home.

He would rather be a mascot at the Spring Festival Gala rehearsal than force a smile here again.

"The last of the last."

"Does anyone want to say thank God with me?"

"There are many people satisfied tonight, but at the same time, many people returned disappointed, one of whom is Harvey Weinstein."

"Hahahahahaha."

Everyone laughed. Not forgetting to curse the nemesis Harvey at this time, it really made people not know what to say. It seems that it is exactly the same as the legend, this person's mind is not broad.

Chen Nuo smiled and said, "Finally, the most important award, of course, must be presented by the biggest star."

"When I embarked on the path of an actor, my teacher asked me, do I want to become him, or Sean Penn. My answer is... I want both."

He said with a smiling face, "Let us welcome the idol of every actor in the world, the winner of the Golden Globe Lifetime Achievement Award, Harrison Ford." After speaking, he turned and left the stage. But this time he stood at the exit, arms crossed, staring tightly at the stage a few feet away.

Harrison Ford, with graying hair and high spirits, walked onto the stage, waved to the audience with great style, and then said, "Don't think that kid was just joking."

Without pausing, Harrison Ford added, "Now let us watch the Golden Globe Best Motion Picture nominations."

The big screen lit up. 'The Descendants', 'Hugo', 'The Ides of March', 'The Artist', 'War Horse', and—'Inception' flashed by in turn.

At the end of the picture, it stopped at the moment when the character played by Chen Nuo in 'Inception' fell from the cliff. The screen went black, and the picture returned to the scene.

Harrison Ford tore open the envelope steadily, without any hesitation, and read directly:

"Best Motion Picture - Drama—'Inception'!"

"Wow—!"

"OMG—!"

The whole venue boiled instantly, and applause, screams, and cheers intertwined into one.

Chen Nuo, standing at the backstage entrance, jumped up suddenly, making a series of strange noises in his mouth. It was as if he had been penetrated by a high-voltage current, exploding from his scalp to his toes.

The tension, anxiety, and heaviness of a moment ago were all transformed into a hot current at this moment, as if every pore was cheering and every drop of blood was boiling.

He covered his face but couldn't help laughing.

He rushed onto the stage in two or three steps and performed a moonwalk on the spot again, causing the whole venue to burst into laughter.

At the same time, those actors of 'Inception' who couldn't come to the scene were also celebrating this exciting moment in their own ways all over the world:

—In London, Keira Knightley cheered and bounced off the bed;

—In Toronto, Ellen Page hugged Nina Dobrev beside her and shouted excitedly;

—And in a hotel in Hawaii, Ryan Lei Nuozi took another sip of the whiskey in his hand, raised his hand, and muttered to himself with a smile on his face, not knowing whether he was chanting or praying;

—Cillian Murphy, Ken Watanabe, and Michael Caine were also raising their glasses in their own ways all over the world to celebrate the victory of this movie.

Even in the Xu family's old house in Zhejiang, China, the Xu family, who gathered early in the morning to watch the Golden Globe broadcast, were also beaming in front of the TV. As the first international film and television project funded and operated by the family, it won the Golden Globe crown in one fell swoop, which made Chairman Xu Yongan of Hengdian Group grin from ear to ear, even happier than when the rare earth refining technology of his rare earth permanent magnet company improved by a generation.

The old man of the Xu family patted his hand and said, "Not bad, good eye."

Xu Yongan chuckled and then asked, "Dad, do you think when he returns to China, should I..."

"Yes, of course." The old man said decisively, "I tell you, when the time comes, you should do this and that, so as not to let outsiders say that our Xu family doesn't understand the rules. Do you know?"

"I know, Dad."

The picture cut back to Los Angeles on the other side of the ocean, the Golden Globe awards scene.

Christopher Nolan and Michael Slane had already accepted congratulations from various crews and peers off-stage and walked onto the stage amidst the applause of the whole venue standing up.

Seeing Michael Slane, the big fat man, walking up the steps, Chen Nuo felt a warmth in his heart, and suddenly let go of all the previous unhappiness. Grudges and hatred were no longer important at this moment.

Warner Bros, hahahahahaha, fuck your mother, you really have some skills.

"Well done." Chen Nuo hugged Michael Slane tightly and patted his back heavily.

Michael Slane was also beaming: "This is our joint credit."

Chen Nuo turned and hugged Nolan.

"'Inception' didn't become the second 'Dark Knight' after all. We did it."

"Yes. Now it depends on the Oscars."

"That's right, alright, go give your speech."

Chen Nuo was stunned. "Me?"

"Yes, Michael and I both mean that."

Chen Nuo turned his head again and saw Michael Slane holding the Golden Globe he received from Harrison Ford, also nodding at him.

Alright, time was limited, and the whole venue and even the whole world were watching the three of them. This wasn't the time for modesty, and he really happened to have something to say, so he stood in front of the microphone without hesitation.

Applause erupted again, surging like a wave.

Chen Nuo smiled and opened his mouth: "Thank you, thank you, everyone can stop now. I can responsibly say—we are already overtime. And I want to say a few more thoughts, and I don't really want to hear you applaud."

"Hahahahahaha..."

There was laughter in the audience, and then they sat down one after another.

"First of all, thank the Golden Globes and the Hollywood Foreign Press Association for holding such a grand ceremony, allowing us to get the honor we deserve under the spotlight."

He said this very quickly, but the meaning in his words made Michael Slane and Christopher Nolan standing on his left and right, including Harrison Ford, couldn't help but smile.

The applause off-stage also sounded like thunder, but Chen Nuo didn't pause and continued at a fast speed: "Thank all the employees of our three production companies, including Warner Bros in the US, Hengdian in China, and Huanxin in China. Especially Michael Slane standing beside me, and my agent Chris Qi, it is your outstanding work that allowed us to complete such an outstanding work."

"Thank director Christopher Nolan. He is the true soul of this movie and the key to integrating everything. Without him and Jonathan, there would be no 'Inception'."

"Thank the actors who couldn't be here today. Keira Knightley, I will always remember the way we walked together in the snow in Xinjiang. You made me truly realize what professionalism is."

"Thank Ellen Page, you injected infinite energy into this movie. Cillian Murphy, you are a genius. Ryan Lei Nuozi, without you, our filming journey wouldn't have been so pleasant. And Ken Watanabe, your humility and steadiness influenced the entire crew."

"If this movie has become an eternal classic, it is because every one of us has poured our lives into it."

"Finally, I also want to thank one person, and that is James Cameron."

Chen Nuo's heart beat fast. This inner demon had stayed in his heart for many years. At this moment, he was truly extremely excited.

He looked at the No. 1 camera and said seriously: "I know you must be watching TV now. I believe that the achievement we have won tonight should make you feel that those two cameras of yours were not lent to us in vain. Thank you very much."

Amidst the gradually rising background music, Chen Nuo raised his hands and shouted loudly:

"Finally, I want to tell all the fans and audiences who love this movie—no matter where you come from, no matter your age or skin color, please remember: every one of you is a part of our movie."

"As long as you exist, the spinning top in the dream will never stop."

"May all of us be able to make our dreams come true."

"Thank you!"

Finally, at this moment, the background music sounded. Chen Nuo waved the Golden Globe to the sky and subconsciously followed Nolan and the others to walk backstage, but halfway through, he realized something was wrong, hurriedly stuffed the Golden Globe into Michael Slane's hand, and returned to the stage.

His hurried appearance caused another burst of laughter at the scene.

Chen Nuo smiled: "Sorry, this is like you hosting your own wedding, the probability of you falling into a dizzying predicament is 100%."

"Tonight's awards ceremony ends here. Congratulations to all the nominees and winners. Thank you for coming, I hope you are satisfied with the small gifts and champagne we provided, and I hope they can fill your wounded hearts."

"Especially you, Harvey Weinstein, I advise you to drink less tonight."

"Hahahahahaha—" The whole venue erupted into the warmest laughter and cheers of the night.

"Thank you, good night." Chen Nuo made a salute gesture with his right hand to his forehead and turned to leave the stage.

(End of this chapter) ===== CHAPTER 460 =====