[Chapter 453: The Hype to Win the Oscar for Best Actress]
Linton hadn't planned to stay in New York for long, but he couldn't resist the enthusiasm of the Victoria's Secret Angels and the nonstop exciting parties every night.
Starting the second night, Helena Christensen and Laetitia Casta joined the gatherings, making the parties even more electrifying. In the end, Linton stayed in New York for a full three days.
However, the control over his essence was strict, mostly keeping things just enough for the angels to maintain their stamina without overdoing it.
---
By the time Linton returned to Los Angeles, it was already December 19.
That afternoon, Linton held a grand premiere for the film As Good as It Gets at the Universal Amphitheatre.
The lead actress role was Cristiana, while the two male leads remained the original Jack Nicholson and Greg Kinnear.
Just like with The Sixth Sense, Linton appeared as a co-producer and screenwriter, walking the red carpet arm in arm with Cristiana.
When they reached the center of the red carpet, for the sake of publicity, Linton even paused and shared a public kiss with Cristiana.
Though brief and not very passionate, the kiss sparked wild screams from their fans and the crowd, and it obliterated countless rolls of film in the hands of the paparazzi.
...
As Good as It Gets was essentially a heartwarming comedy, portraying kindness and warmth in human nature through humor and delicate storytelling. The movie presented a series of lively, touching scenarios that allowed the audience to feel the beauty and strength of humanity amid laughter.
The story followed Melvin, a grumpy, obsessive writer with no family or friends. He lived a clockwork life, locked away in his home, writing novels, and intolerant of interruptions.
Melvin's neighbor, Simon, was a young, openly gay artist who owned an adorable dog. Simon was lively and gentle, but often faced insults from Melvin.
Melvin only left his home once a day to eat at the same local diner, where the waitress, Carol Connolly, was the only person willing to serve him.
Carol was divorced and lived with her son Spencer, who suffered from severe asthma. Because of Spencer's illness, many men who were interested in Carol had given up pursuing her.
One day, Simon's apartment was robbed, leaving him seriously injured. Before being hospitalized, Simon entrusted his dog to Melvin's care.
Gradually, Melvin grew fond of the dog, and his outlook began to change. He started paying attention to the world around him, helped others proactively, and seriously examined his feelings toward Carol. Eventually, they came together.
To Linton, As Good as It Gets was a simple but artistic film. Yet the lively plot and stellar performances of the three leads helped the audience feel moved and nostalgic rather than bored.
Not only did the audience respond deeply, but all the guests were also highly engaged during the screening, sincerely praising the movie afterward -- a rarity for such a seemingly artsy film compared to the typical popcorn flick.
...
In this movie, Cristiana made a huge sacrifice. She played an ordinary diner waitress, and to fit the role, her usual striking beauty was completely hidden. The makeup artists deliberately made her look plain and rough -- from her appearance to her skin, attire, and posture, she was transformed into an ordinary girl.
Halfway through the film, Linton even heard nearby viewers whisper in surprise, followed by complaints about the director.
"That director is too cruel! How could he make our idol Cristiana look so plain?"
This indirectly proved that Cristiana had truly brought the waitress role to life.
What motivated her to make such a big sacrifice was a promise Linton made before filming: if she nailed this role, he would fully support her bid for the Best Actress Oscar.
It goes without saying that no actress can resist the temptation of an Oscar, even one as already accomplished as Cristiana.
Of course, compared to Charlize Theron eight years later in another life, Cristiana's sacrifice was modest.
Back then, Charlize was determined to win the Oscar for her role in Monster. She sacrificed her image completely, portraying a notorious serial female killer.
She didn't just rely on makeup to look ugly. The role required her to play an overweight, unattractive woman, so she gained over 30 pounds for authenticity. Then makeup made her look old, ugly, and heavyset.
Remember, Charlize was only 28 at that time, in her prime beauty years. Some women are more determined than we imagine.
Even though she later lost the weight through fitness and regained her figure, her looks inevitably suffered and never fully returned to her peak appearance.
Fortunately, she eventually achieved her goal and won the Oscar for Best Actress.
But this was still the 1990s. Actresses weren't as cutthroat for awards as they became later, and the judges hadn't become so demanding.
With Cristiana bringing depth and breaking her image in this film, the Oscar voters would likely give her plenty of credit.
Whether she would actually win the Oscar would depend on Harvey's next moves in lobbying and campaigning.
...
Judging by the audience's reactions during the screening, laughter filled the theater initially, then moved into emotion, with many quietly wiping tears.
The film's artistic value was unquestionable, and the media and critics' ratings would surely be high. Audience scores from the premiere wouldn't be bad either.
But to achieve great box office numbers, strategic promotion was essential.
Besides the usual intensive marketing, Linton specifically tasked the distribution department to promote As Good as It Gets as the most heartwarming, comforting comedy in cinema history, stirring up buzz and conversation.
Unlike typical indie films, this one featured Jack Nicholson and Cristiana -- two top-tier Hollywood stars with strong fan bases who could quickly boost the movie's momentum.
Additionally, Linton and Cristiana's public kiss on the red carpet was also a ploy to generate publicity and grab media and audience attention.
This movie had both artistic and commercial potential, and with proper promotion, the box office could be very promising, making awards within reach.
Thanks to the combined fanbase of Cristiana and Jack, the film's comprehensive publicity push, and the media frenzy sparked by the red carpet kiss, the movie's midnight screening on December 21st opened in 2,300 screens.
It earned $3.87 million at midnight, marking a strong start at the box office.
That morning, director Ryan flew with Cristiana, Jack Nicholson, and Greg Kinnear on a business jet arranged by the distribution team heading to Chicago, kicking off a two-week promotional tour across the top ten North American markets.
*****
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