Inside the Shrine Auditorium, the three-hour-long Oscars ceremony finally reached its conclusion. The penultimate award was for Best Director.
When Robert De Niro, the presenter for the category, announced the name of The English Patient director Anthony Minghella after a brief introduction, the ceremony essentially lost all suspense.
Up to the Best Director announcement, The English Patient, a poignant World War II drama set in North Africa, had already secured eight wins from its twelve nominations. Under such circumstances, the final award for Best Picture was practically guaranteed.
By this point in the ceremony, many attendees had a shared sense lingering in their minds: even though a certain young billionaire had not appeared in person, his presence loomed over this Hollywood spectacle in every conceivable way.
First, the broadcast network—ABC—was a subsidiary of Danelys Entertainment.
Second, many of the presenters, from the two Species actresses to Sylvester Stallone, who had revitalized his career with Jumanji: The Brave One, to the Charlie's Angels trio, to Mission: Impossible 2 star Nicolas Cage—most were directly tied to Danelys Entertainment.
Third, there was the Mélisandre Party, an officially recognized Oscars afterparty now firmly established as the most coveted event of the evening. Even though it only happened once a year, this gathering was a key part of Mélisandre's brand-building and marketing strategy, effectively elevating the luxury brand in the global market.
Finally, and most importantly, there were the awards themselves.
While The English Patient's dominance appeared unrelated to Danelys Entertainment on the surface, the industry insiders all knew better. The film's distributor, MGM, was largely controlled by Johnstone Holdings and other investors, all of which ultimately fell under the sphere of Simon Westeros' influence.
Additionally, Good Will Hunting, which had won Best Original Screenplay and was enjoying both critical acclaim and box office success, and the Coen brothers' Fargo, which won Best Actress and Best Supporting Actor, were both products of Danelys Entertainment.
Even Evita, starring Madonna, didn't leave empty-handed, winning Best Original Song. This film, too, had significant ties to Simon Westeros.
In summary, Danelys Entertainment had managed to extract value from nearly every aspect of the Oscars, leaving only scraps for the other studios to pick at.
What made this even more unsettling for some was the realization that this dominance wasn't ending anytime soon.
Simon Westeros was only 29 years old.
Inside the Shrine Auditorium
The Best Picture award was presented by Roland Emmerich—a fitting choice. The German director had achieved unprecedented box office success two years ago with Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and had another film, Independence Day, slated for release this summer. Recently, Danelys Entertainment had also announced that Emmerich would direct the upcoming comet-disaster film Deep Impact.
In short, yet another Westeros loyalist.
The final award was quickly announced, and as expected, The English Patient won Best Picture.
Saul Zaentz, Anthony Minghella, Ralph Fiennes, and other members of the film's production team all took the stage, while many A-list celebrities in the audience, having sat through the three-hour ceremony, began to perk up. After all, there was still one crucial event left for the evening: the Mélisandre Party.
Attendance wasn't mandatory, of course. But missing an opportunity to potentially meet Simon Westeros in person and make an impression? That would mean waiting another year for such a chance. A simple conversation or handshake might ensure being remembered for future projects or opportunities.
Once again, a zero-sum game.
At the Sunset Tower Hotel
As guests began making their way to the hotel for the afterparty, Simon was already on the rooftop terrace of the hotel bar, casually chatting with Jonathan Friedman and others.
Jonathan had come to the party with a specific goal in mind: to introduce George Miller to Simon.
The Australian director, best known for creating the Mad Max series, had faced significant career challenges in recent years. Or, more accurately, his career had always been marked by obstacles. For instance, the George Miller-directed Justice League film from a previous timeline had collapsed right before shooting began. Similarly, Mad Max: Fury Road, his magnum opus, took two decades of persistent effort to finally make it to the big screen.
It seemed that George Miller's streak of bad luck had already begun during this period.
Since entering the 1990s, Miller had directed only one film: 1992's Lorenzo's Oil, a drama starring Nick Nolte and Susan Sarandon about a couple's struggle to save their terminally ill son. Though based on a true story and critically acclaimed, the film's $30 million budget was not matched by its modest box office returns.
After Lorenzo's Oil, Miller began working on Mad Max 4. However, the project was continually delayed. When Miller finally presented a complete proposal to Warner Bros., the studio rejected it. This was partly due to the failure of Waterworld, another post-apocalyptic film, and partly because the budget Miller proposed was deemed excessive.
Between 1992 and 1997, Miller's only major work was producing and co-writing Babe, a 1995 fantasy comedy about a pig. Based on a British novel by Dick King-Smith, Babe had been a passion project of Miller's for over a decade. With Mad Max 4 stalled, Miller handed directing duties for Babe to a fellow Australian filmmaker. The result? The $30 million film earned $60 million domestically and $190 million internationally, for a total box office gross of $250 million—a massive success.
Despite this success, Warner Bros. still refused to greenlight Mad Max 4. Instead, they urged Miller to work on a Babe sequel.
Miller, feeling that he had exhausted all creative possibilities with Babe, was initially reluctant to make a sequel. But under pressure from Warner Bros., he eventually agreed. Titled Babe: Pig in the City, the sequel was officially greenlit late last year with an $80 million budget. This time, Miller himself would direct.
Simon, of course, knew how this story would end. Babe: Pig in the City would flop disastrously, earning less than $70 million globally against its $80 million budget. This failure would derail Miller's career for years until he made a triumphant comeback in 2006 with the animated film Happy Feet. It would then take another decade before Mad Max: Fury Road finally hit theaters.
The meeting tonight was prompted by recent changes.
George Miller, who had been signed with ICM alongside his longtime collaborator Mel Gibson, had grown disillusioned with his career stagnation. Around this time, WMA, another Hollywood talent agency, began courting him aggressively. Miller eventually decided to jump ship, signing with Jonathan Friedman just recently.
Jonathan, knowing Simon's influence, hoped to use this connection to secure better opportunities for Miller through Danelys Entertainment.
Simon was well aware of George Miller's potential. Just Mad Max: Fury Road alone made Miller a filmmaker worth paying attention to.
However, during their brief meeting before the Mélisandre Party officially began, Simon only discussed Babe: Pig in the City with Miller. He had no intention of warning Miller about the impending disaster. After all, a filmmaker at rock bottom is often easier to collaborate with in the future.
Besides, the financial loss would fall on Warner Bros., not Simon.
Simon also couldn't help but think about the not-so-distant Marvel Cinematic Universe. Given Miller's versatility—adept in science fiction, animation, comedy, and action—he could become a valuable addition to the MCU's creative team.
The group chatted amicably until Angela Ahrendts approached Simon to inform him that the The English Patient cast and crew had arrived. Wrapping up his conversation with Jonathan and Miller, Simon prepared to leave. Noticing Courtney Cox's hopeful expression nearby, Simon paused and said, "For the lead role in Deep Impact, I think you're a great fit. The decision will be announced soon—expect good news."
Before Courtney could respond, Simon waved briefly and left with his entourage.
Left behind, Courtney felt a wave of complicated emotions. A strange mixture of regret and frustration welled up inside her, almost bringing tears to her eyes.
To be fair, Simon had already treated her more generously than most. She had wanted the role of the female lead in Superman, and he had made it happen. Now, without her even asking, he had just assured her the lead role in Deep Impact. This was the kind of privilege most actresses in Hollywood could only dream of.
And yet, despite everything, Courtney couldn't feel happy.
Elsewhere at the Party
Simon soon greeted the triumphant The English Patient team, congratulating Saul Zaentz warmly. "Congratulations, Saul. Another Best Picture win. I'm already looking forward to your next project."
"Thank you, Simon. I know how much support you provided during the production of this film," Saul replied, before asking, "By the way, I heard The Lord of the Rings is finally moving into production?"
"Yes," Simon confirmed.
Saul seemed eager to continue the conversation but caught himself, smiling instead. "Oh, apologies, Simon. I should let others have a chance to talk. Perhaps we can discuss this later—I'm probably more excited than anyone about seeing The Lord of the Rings on the big screen."
"Of course," Simon said with a nod.
After Zaentz moved on, Simon turned to congratulate Anthony Minghella and the other members of the The English Patient team.
Next came the Good Will Hunting and Fargo teams.
Speaking to the Coen brothers, Simon said, "Fargo is an incredible film. Joel, Ethan—keep up the great work. I'm confident you'll win Best Picture one day."
"Thank you, Simon," Joel Coen replied, before hesitating slightly and then adding, "If I'm not mistaken, this young lady is the lead actress in Zhang's new film Keep Cool, correct?"
Throughout the evening, Zhu Momo had remained quietly by Simon's side, serving as little more than eye candy. While she didn't have much to contribute to the conversations, she couldn't deny the boost to her ego when some of the industry's biggest names stole glances at her. However, she hadn't expected to be recognized in this setting.
Simon was also slightly surprised but nodded. "Yes," he confirmed, before introducing her. "Momo, this is Joel and Ethan Coen."
Zhu Momo quickly stepped forward, politely shaking hands with both brothers. She wanted to offer a few words of praise but quickly realized she hadn't seen any of their films, leaving her at a loss for what to say.
Sensing her awkwardness, Joel Coen kindly stepped in. "Ethan and I caught Zhang's film at the Berlin Film Festival. What stood out to us most was your performance, Miss Zhu. Zhang's framing of your height was particularly memorable."
Joel's comment prompted Simon to recall the specifics of Keep Cool.
The film, which had been released as a Lunar New Year feature in China, had also been screened at the Berlin Film Festival in February. While it had been included in the main competition, it was clear from the outset that it wasn't aiming for any awards—its participation was mostly symbolic.
Still, Simon hadn't realized the Coen brothers had attended the Berlin screening.
As for Zhu Momo's role, her height had indeed been a focal point. Standing just one centimeter shorter than Jiang Wen, her co-star, she had been given 12-centimeter heels during filming to emphasize the comedic and dramatic tension between their characters. The addition of clever dialogue only heightened this dynamic, resulting in a performance that left a strong impression.
Their brief exchange highlighted the unique challenges Zhu Momo faced. Standing at a height that bordered on "specialized roles" within the Chinese film industry, her opportunities in cinema were inherently limited. A career as a model seemed like a more sustainable path, with occasional film roles serving as supplementary exposure.
After greeting the major film crews, Simon settled into a nearby booth with the Coen brothers, where they discussed their next project, The Big Lebowski. The film, which had just finished shooting, was a darkly comedic neo-noir that Simon personally enjoyed. While it had divided audiences upon release, it had since become a cult classic, with its protagonist's laid-back philosophy inspiring an entire "Dudeism" subculture.
Simon had actively pushed for this project after the success of Fargo. He had also influenced the casting, giving the role of Bunny Lebowski, the millionaire's young wife, to Charlize Theron. Over the past few years, Simon had been quietly nurturing Theron's career, believing it was time for the South African actress to shine.
Given her versatility, Simon also saw Theron as a strong candidate for the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the future.
As the party progressed, Madonna, accompanied by her new boyfriend Guy Ritchie, approached Simon. Recently, Ritchie had gained widespread attention for his breakout film Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels. Their relationship seemed to align with Madonna's well-known preference for gritty, cult-style crime films.
The Coen brothers graciously made room for Madonna, who quickly engaged Simon in conversation. Other guests soon followed, creating a steady stream of introductions and small talk.
However, as the party continued, Simon gradually found himself surrounded by familiar faces—Kate Beckinsale, Rachel Weisz, and a growing number of actresses and models, including the Species actresses, newly minted movie star Krissy Gough, and supermodels like Fernanda Lima and Eva Herzigová, who had traveled to Los Angeles for the Oscars buzz.
Soon, the bar scene transformed, with Simon encircled by an ever-growing group of stunning women. While other guests looked on with envy, admiration, or jealousy, the sight of Simon Westeros surrounded by beautiful women had become so commonplace that it was no longer surprising.
Still, a gathering of this nature was bound to spark competition and jealousy among the women. The resulting tension grew so palpable that even Simon eventually felt overwhelmed.
Finally, with a knowing smile, he decided to make his exit. Ignoring the looks of disappointment and reproach from the crowd of women, Simon left the bar—taking only Zhu Momo with him.
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