451-455

*Chapter 451: Oscar Nominations*

“What’s wrong?”

In the garden, Lima asked.

“Damn it, a cooked duck just flew away.”

“How can a cooked duck fly?”

Lima asked curiously.

“It’s just a metaphor. I had the lead role in Becoming Jane Austen all but locked in, but someone sabotaged me.”

“Who did it?”

“Who else but Leonardo and Brad? Those two damn bastards messed up my chances. I won’t let them get away with it.”

Luca pursed his lips.

“Don’t get mad. If you lost the role and keep getting upset, won’t your opponents be even happier?”

Lima patted him on the back.

“You’re right, but I can’t not be angry.”

“Haha, the little one just kicked me. Feel it!”

Lima grabbed his hand and placed it on her belly.

Lima had been pregnant for over four months, and her belly was starting to show. However, the little one inside was just beginning to form, not developed enough to be kicking yet. Such advanced moves were still out of reach for the baby.

He placed his hand on her belly, feeling its roundness, and seemed to sense the baby’s heartbeat. His mood slowly calmed down.

After a while, once Lima was napping, he made a call to Scott Greenstein from Bra Company.

Scott had been an executive at Miramax Films.

The producers of Becoming Jane Austen were from Miramax, and it was the last film they made before the company dissolved.

Luca wanted to confirm whether it was indeed Leonardo and Brad who were responsible or if someone else was involved.

Half an hour later, Scott called back, confirming Luca’s suspicion. Leonardo and Brad had used Harvey Weinstein to pressure the company not to put Luca on the cast list.

Even though the Weinstein brothers had left Miramax, their influence was still strong.

Compared to just him, the weight of Weinstein, Leonardo, and Brad was too much, and the producers easily made their choice.

“Weinstein!”

Luca rubbed his forehead, picked up the phone, and made two calls. One was to Anne Hathaway, expressing regret that the audition didn’t work out and hoping they could collaborate in the future.

He then called Leonardo.

“Luca, why are you calling me?”

Leonardo was surprised to get the call.

“Oh, nothing much. Leo, are you in a good mood today?”

“Haha, no, not good at all!”

Leonardo laughed.

“Well, hearing you laugh puts me at ease. Let’s leave it at that then.”

“Wait, Luca, did you call just to ask about my mood?”

Leonardo chuckled.

“Yeah, I’m feeling bad, and you’re feeling good. I sense the gap between us, so now I’m motivated to work harder. Thanks, Leo!”

“You’re welcome! Just don’t feel too bad when, after decades of hard work, you realize the gap between us has only grown, haha.”

“Oh, thanks for the advice.”

Luca hung up.

Leonardo stared at his phone, frowning slightly. Why did he suddenly have a bad feeling?

---

The next morning, Luca went to the Writers Guild of America West, script in hand.

He spent three days there reading scripts and found a few promising ones—Revolutionary Road, Shutter Island, and Moneyball. He handed them over to his company’s production team, telling them to buy the rights as soon as possible.

At the same time, he copied three scripts—Body of Lies, Inglourious Basterds, and The Revenant.

He had planned to copy Inception too, but after chatting with director Christopher Nolan last time, where Nolan mentioned the concept and invited him to collaborate, it didn’t feel right to steal it.

Looking at the scripts he copied, Luca sighed, “I was a good person, but you all forced me into this!”

---

Knock, knock, knock!

“Luca, what have you been doing holed up in your study all day?”

Kate called from outside.

“I’m creating!”

Luca opened the door.

“Writing a book? What kind? The sequel to Fifty Shades of Grey?”

Kate asked curiously.

Luca rolled his eyes, “It’s your new book. Come take a look.” He walked over to his computer desk and opened a folder. “Here it is. What do you think?”

“The Hunger Games?”

Kate fluttered her eyelashes. “Is it about locking people in a house and starving them?”

“Stop guessing and just read it!”

“Fine, fine!”

Kate started reading and, after a few chapters, said, “Pretty cool. Katniss is brave, beautiful, and strong, just like me. But why is she saving her sister? Wouldn’t it be better if she were saving a brother?”

“A sister saving her sister resonates more. Saving a brother? That just makes the brother seem weak and useless. Why bother saving him?”

“Don’t say that!”

Kate gave him a playful smack on the head and continued reading.

Luca took his script to the Writers Guild again, registered it, and anonymously submitted it to Leonardo’s agency and Plan B.

If they didn’t see it, so be it. But if they did, that was another matter.

---

“Luca, where are you? I’ve got some good news for you.”

Ed called, his voice brimming with excitement.

“Good news? Forget it. I have this thing where I hate hearing good news.”

Last year, three consecutive pieces of good news had left Luca feeling overwhelmed.

“Luca, stop joking. This time, it’s really good news. The Oscar nominations just came out.”

“Oh?”

Luca paused, “Ed, are you saying I got a nomination for Best Actor?”

Ed was momentarily speechless. “You only acted in one movie last year—Match Point. Do you really think you’d get a nomination?”

“Why not? That movie had a $15 million budget and made nearly $90 million worldwide. Doesn’t that say something about my acting?”

“Okay, fine, you’re great. It’s just that the Oscar voters didn’t notice your brilliance. But they liked your screenwriting. You got a nomination for Best Original Screenplay. Isn’t that good news?”

“Not really. The Golden Globes are a good predictor for the Oscars, and The Blind Side was already nominated for Best Screenplay there. Getting an Oscar nomination is just natural.”

“You’re such a buzzkill!”

Ed sighed.

“I’m not trying to kill the buzz, but if you had called to tell me I had a real shot at winning the Oscar, then I’d be excited. But just a nomination? What’s the point?”

“You never know. The screenplay awards are split into Original and Adapted Screenplay. Brokeback Mountain is in the Adapted category, so you won’t be competing directly against it. You’ve still got a good shot.”

Ed tried to cheer him up.

Luca thought for a moment. “Not likely. Crash is also in the Original category. I’m just a foreigner—my chances are slim.”

“Well, thanks for that. I was in a good mood, but after talking to you, now I’m down. Time to drown my sorrows in alcohol.”

“Is Nina even letting you drink?”

“...”

The call was cut off.

---

Luca smiled faintly and bought a copy of the Los Angeles Times, where the 78th Academy Award nominations were listed.

The Oscars have more than 20 different awards, far more comprehensive and professional than the Golden Globes.

This year's most nominated movie is Brokeback Mountain with a total of 8 nominations. Crash, Good Night, and Good Luck, and Memoirs of a Geisha each received 6 nominations, while Pride & Prejudice received 4.

Match Point only received a nomination for Best Original Screenplay, and North Country got two nominations, Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress.

The Upside only had two nominations, Best Actress and Original Screenplay, and the nominees are him and Aniston.

He doesn’t have much of a chance of winning, and what about Aniston?

Her chances aren’t any better.

“Hey, Jen, congratulations on your Best Actress Oscar nomination! I’m so jealous!”

“Haha, no need to be jealous, dear Kelly the screenwriter! You got a nomination for Best Screenplay, that’s pretty good too! I’m having a little get-together at my place this afternoon, you want to come?”

“Sure!”

“Do Kate and Lima have time? I’d love to invite them too!”

“Yeah, I’ll bring them along!”

“OK, see you this afternoon!”

“See you!”

After hanging up, Luca called Woody Allen, Li An, Heath, Charlize, Keira Knightley, Ms. Frances, Michelle, and others.

“Luca, I heard your role got cut? Haha~”

Charlize asked with a laugh.

“Yeah, why are you laughing so hard? Is that good news?”

“Haha, okay, I’ll stop laughing. Don’t you have any films to work on? I could recommend a role for you?”

“No, thanks for your kind offer. Last time you gave me that role, people started saying I only got it because you slept with me.”

“Isn’t that true? Hahaha~”

“...”

Luca felt depressed.

“Hey Keira, good afternoon!”

After a while, he called Keira Knightley.

“You idiot, I’m in London, it’s the middle of the night here!!!”

“Uh~~ sorry, I was calling to congratulate you on your Best Actress Oscar nomination.”

“Hmph, I was nominated for a Golden Globe last time too, but it still ended up going to Aniston!”

“...An Oscar nomination is an honor too. Many actors never get one in their whole lives.”

“Like…you?”

“...”

Luca was utterly depressed.

“Hey Heath, congratulations on your Best Actor Oscar nomination!”

After taking a break to catch his breath, he called Heath Ledger.

“Thanks, Luca, and congrats on your Best Original Screenplay nomination!”

Hearing that from Heath, Luca felt relieved. Finally, a normal person.

“Thanks! Heath, you know I’m an actor. I’d love to win an Oscar for acting too. Do you have any secrets for winning?”

“Uh… no secrets really. I just did my thing, and somehow ended up with a nomination. I’m as confused as you are!”

“...”

I’m reporting this — someone here is definitely showing off!

(End of chapter)

*Chapter 452: You're My Lover, a Man Like a Rose*

After the Oscar nominations were announced, Luca left Los Angeles and went to Paris, France, to begin filming The Blind Tuner.

The Tuner tells the story of a pianist defined as a genius who, after losing in a major competition, says goodbye to his performance career and falls into endless despair. To escape this pain, he disguises himself as a blind tuner, donning sunglasses and fake stubble to get close to clients and secretly observe their lives. One day, he witnesses a murder, and things get complicated.

The total budget of the film was less than $50,000, and Luca took on multiple roles: producer, director, screenwriter, and lead actor.

With his persuasion, director Billy, who had been in a slump for some time, came on board as his assistant director, and Luca brought in a few veteran employees from his company to help out.

With Billy and the old crew’s assistance, filming went smoothly. In less than seven days, the movie wrapped up.

After finishing the movie, Luca made a trip to Munich, Germany, but unfortunately, he didn’t get to see Britney.

In early February, the Grammy nominations were announced. Britney’s fifth album Greatest Hits received four nominations: Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Pop Female Artist, and Best Pop Vocal Album.

In the end, she only won Best Pop Vocal Album, but didn’t get Album of the Year or Best Pop Female Artist, so the bet didn’t stand.

By mid-February, Luca had returned to Los Angeles. Under the guidance of director Woody Allen, he began post-production, focusing mainly on editing, voiceovers, music, and color correction.

Editing wasn’t difficult for him since he already had the story and images in mind, and it only took him three days to complete it. The hard part was the soundtrack. A good suspense film relies heavily on its background music.

He spent a week on this part, bringing in several people from the music industry, including the up-and-coming Fanny Gaga.

Once the movie was finished, he uploaded it to the YouTube microfilm contest section.

The competition required entries to be under 20 minutes, never before shown in public, and live-action films—no documentaries, animations, or adult content.

The top prize was $1 million, with other rewards ranging from $50,000 to $100,000 for the top ten entries.

The judges included professionals like Woody Allen, Ang Lee, Tom Hanks, Jennifer Aniston, and Charlize Theron, along with 100 non-professional judges, who were selected from thousands of outstanding video bloggers. Even Miranda joined in the fun.

Since October last year, 103 microfilms have been submitted to the competition.

The top three films so far—Supermarket Nights, The Nose, and The Replacement—had all garnered over 5 million views and more than 500,000 comments and reviews. Other entries were also impressive.

Six of these films had received nominations for Best Short Film at various film festivals, and Supermarket Nights was even nominated for an Oscar for Best Short Film.

The first-ever microfilm contest caused a sensation in the entertainment and internet circles, highlighting the potential of online films.

After uploading his film, Luca shifted his focus to preparing for movie auditions, as acting was his primary job. This year, he only had three films in the works: The Proposal, My Blueberry Nights, and Juno.

The Proposal, a collaboration between Echo Films and Bra Films, was still in pre-production and wouldn’t begin shooting until June.

The script for My Blueberry Nights had been rejected by director Wang six times and was still in development. Whenever Luca asked about it, Wang would say it was almost ready, but even he wasn’t sure when filming would start.

Juno was an independent production by Bra Films. However, the company was focused on shooting Step Up 2 and The Proposal and didn’t have the resources to run more than two projects simultaneously, so Juno wouldn’t be ready until August or later.

This left Luca with nothing to do before June.

In his free time, he auditioned for over 20 films. Whether it was a good film or a bad one, as long as they offered a salary of over $2 million, he was willing to consider it.

Unfortunately, it seemed he was back to the struggles he faced at the end of 2004.

Big production companies politely told him "No," while small productions didn’t reject him outright but couldn’t offer him the salary he wanted, and their scripts weren’t appealing.

Good roles were out of reach, and he didn’t want bad ones, leaving him without any acting gigs.

A few newspapers even jumped in to stir the pot, claiming he was unemployed again.

"Hollywood has completely closed its doors to Luca," reported The Austin Chronicle.

"Why did Luca’s meteoric rise fall so quickly?" asked The Chicago Tribune.

"After 22 failed auditions, will Luca keep trying?" speculated The Hollywood Reporter.

"Here’s a riddle: Why is famous Hollywood screenwriter Luca Kelly not getting any acting roles? Answer: Because he’s a writer," joked The San Francisco Chronicle.

These newspapers loved to poke fun, not caring how much it hurt.

Luca decided to stop reading the papers altogether, spending his days at home working out, writing, and reading, ignoring the world outside.

Ring~ Ring~

At noon, the phone rang.

“Haha, Luca, I heard you failed another audition?”

Charlize Theron’s voice was cheerful.

Luca’s face darkened. “Are you happy to see me down?”

“Haha, no, no, I was just watching Mr. Bad Luck. It’s a hilarious comedy. I didn’t mean to laugh at you, haha~.”

"..."

Luca rubbed his forehead. He listened to her laugh for 13 seconds before he couldn’t take it anymore. Suppressing his frustration, he said, "Ms. Theron, if you don’t have anything important to say, I’m going to hang up. I’m very busy!"

“Busy? You don’t even have any movies to shoot. What are you busy with?”

“..."

Luca’s face darkened further. “Charlize, let me make this clear. I’m not just an actor; I’m also a screenwriter, producer, model, composer, dancer, athlete, amateur magician, and a video blogger, among other things.

When I add it all up, I have 32 side jobs, and I’m very busy every day. For example, saving the world!”

“Haha, okay, okay, stop pretending. I told you before, if you want to act, I can introduce you to a few roles, but you didn’t want them. My offer still stands; there are two roles still casting. Want to try?”

“Thanks!” Luca said sincerely, “But no. Ever since we worked together on North Country, there have been rumors. If I take a role through you again, there will be even more. It wouldn’t be good for either of us.”

Recently, not just Theron but also Aniston and a few others had offered to help him with roles, but he didn’t accept.

A lot of people were watching him, and if he took any favors from women, it would be all over the papers, accusing him of sleeping his way to roles. As a straight guy, he couldn’t allow that to happen.

“Alright, you stubborn little man!”

“Little man? What do you mean little?” Luca was unhappy.

“Well, you are younger than me, aren’t you?”

“No, Charlize, actually, I always think of you as my little sister.”

“Little sister? Fuck, I see you as my son!”

"... You win!”

Luca shyly touched his face.

“Fuck you, Luca, you jerk!”

Realizing what he had said, Charlize was furious.

“My dear Charlize, I’m sorry, it’s my fault, okay?”

“Hmph!”

Theron was still upset, and coldly said, “I called you for a reason.”

“Okay, what is it?”

“The Tuner on YouTube—did you make that?”

“Yes, is there a problem?”

“You did everything? Directed, wrote, starred, produced?”

“Yeah. So, Charlize, what do you think of the movie?”

Theron was one of the professional judges for the first microfilm contest.

“... It’s alright,” she said, giving a frustratingly neutral answer.

“Alright?”

“Yes, alright. I do have a question, though. Did the main character die at the end?

At 57 seconds in, there’s a bang—is that a nail gun sound or a door slamming? He must’ve died, right? The old lady figured out he was faking, and lured him in to kill him, didn’t she?”

She rattled off her questions.

Luca smirked. Many people who watched the short film had similar questions—did the main character die or not? People debated endlessly, with some saying yes and others saying no. It was an open-ended conclusion, so even Luca couldn’t give a definitive answer.

“Charlize, if you think he died, then he did. You have your reasons. If you think he didn’t, that’s fine too. There’s no single answer.”

“You’re the writer. Don’t you know whether he died or not?”

Theron wasn’t satisfied with his response.

"I don't know. This movie is like a mirror. What you see is a familiar version of yourself, but other people see something different.

And the old lady in the movie is a person too. She's a complicated person. Can you really figure out her thoughts? If you could, you'd know why she made her choice. So, asking me won't help."

"You're just being cryptic!"

"Alright, my bad. So, Miss Theron, let me ask you again, what do you think of the movie?"

"It was average."

"Thanks for the compliment!"

Luca smiled.

"Hmph. When do you have some free time?"

"Why, is there something going on?"

"You know what I mean. You're my lover, I want to sleep with you. Is that a problem?"

"…"

Luca shyly lowered his head.

"Not at all."

(End of the chapter)

*Chapter 453: I Love Not Your Body, But Your Soul*

Sigh~

Women, once they get seductive, men are completely out of the picture!

Holding his phone, Luca shook his head.

Ring, ring~

Just as the blush on his face hadn't faded, the phone rang again.

Seeing the caller ID, he was slightly surprised. It was Keira Knightley. It was rare for her to call him first.

"Keira, is that you?"

"Of course, it's me! Whose phone would it be?"

"Oh, that's great. Hearing your voice, I'll be smiling all day."

"Smiling all day? Are you an idiot?"

Keira laughed on the phone. "Alright, enough nonsense. I called because I need to ask you something."

"Oh, what is it?"

"Did you direct The Tuner?"

"You saw it? What did you think?"

"Was it really you?"

"Yes, the video has credits, right? Director, actor, producer, writer—it's all me, me, me!"

"You're a newbie. How could you make something like this?"

"Uh, what's wrong with the film? Is there a problem?"

"No problem, it’s quite good!"

"Thanks!"

Luca laughed as he replied.

"No need to thank me. What I really want to ask is: Did the male lead die at the end? He didn’t, right? If that old lady wanted to kill him, she would’ve done it earlier. Why wait until he was leaving?"

"And the neighbor saw him entering the house. If she killed him, it would’ve been exposed. So she didn’t kill him, right? Am I right?"

Luca rubbed his forehead, feeling a little helpless. Why was everyone trying to solve the mystery?

"Keira, here's how I think about it."

He repeated what he said earlier—whether the male lead died or not was up to the audience to decide; he couldn’t give a definitive answer.

"Fine, let’s drop that. I have another question."

"I think you’ve already asked two."

"One more, okay? This is the important one!"

"Okay, okay!"

Luca had no choice but to give in. "What do you want to ask?"

"When are you joining the crew?"

"The crew? Which crew?"

Luca was puzzled.

"Of course, Atonement. You’re the male lead, I’m the female lead, and we need to rehearse in advance."

"Atonement? I didn’t pass the audition; I can’t work with you."

"How is that possible? I just heard from director Joe Wright that you’re confirmed as the male lead."

"Impossible! I’ve been blacklisted. How could they choose me?"

Luca shook his head, his mind filled with curses for Leonardo and Pitt. Because of those two, he had missed out on so many great films.

"Wait, let me double-check!"

Keira hung up.

Luca shrugged, still holding his phone.

Ring, ring~

Without even blinking, the phone rang again.

"Ed?"

"Ed, what bad news do you have this time?"

He answered the call, lazily lying on the sofa.

"Haha, Luca, this time it’s not bad news, but great news. Really great news. You’ll be thrilled!"

Ed’s excitement came through the phone.

"Hmm?"

Luca lazily hummed in response. He was naturally allergic to good news.

"Come on, Luca. Cheer up! You’ve been through a lot lately, but you’re a strong and brave man. Even that car accident couldn’t defeat you. What’s a little setback now?"

"Okay, Ed, enough with the motivational speeches. I ate too much braised pork for lunch, and I’m feeling a bit greasy."

Luca sipped his tea.

"Alright, this really is good news. Remember the audition for Atonement last week? They called me this morning. You’re confirmed as the male lead."

"Really?"

Luca sat up.

"Of course! To avoid any mistakes, I even went to Universal Studios and talked with the producer. I can confidently say, it’s a done deal!"

Luca was happy for a moment but then fell into deep confusion. "Why would they give the role to me? Didn’t Leonardo and Pitt lobby them?"

"They did, but the studio didn’t accept it!"

"Why not? They’d ignore Leonardo and Pitt for my sake?"

"I’m not sure, but I heard Universal is discussing a big project with you. You should know more about that."

"A big project?"

Luca thought for a moment, and his eyes lit up. He understood—it must be the Twilight project, which was nearing the final stages of negotiation.

"Alright, I get it. It’s about the film rights for Twilight. Whether I get the role or not doesn’t affect the collaboration."

"Oh, I see. That project has been in the works for almost a year. It’s finally going through. It’s worth several billion, so giving you some face makes sense."

"No need to give me face. I’ve always believed that respect is earned. Even if Hollywood shuts its doors on me, I’ll carve a window in the wall. I have that confidence and skill!"

Luca pounded his chest.

"Enough, enough. Don’t get too full of yourself!"

"Ahem."

Luca coughed, taken aback by his friend’s blunt words.

"Alright, I know what’s going on. Leonardo and Pitt are probably still trying to block me. They’re building walls, hoping I don’t find a crack. But you shouldn’t be here wasting time. You should be at Universal negotiating my salary. I won’t lower my price!"

"I know. As your agent, I wouldn’t make that mistake."

"Heh, isn’t it foolish to still be chatting here during such a critical moment?"

"Of course not, because I’ve already secured the contract!"

"What?"

Luca was stunned.

"The moment I got the call, I went to the studio, had a friendly negotiation, and signed the contract. Your salary remains 2 million!"

Ed said proudly.

". Why so fast this time?"

"It’s simple. A big production involves a lot of tedious work. Any changes could waste all the previous efforts. No one likes surprises. To avoid them, they decided to wrap things up quickly."

"A quick resolution? I like that! But why didn’t you say so earlier? Were you messing with me?"

"Did I? I told you at the beginning that I had good news. But you were being so down that I lost the mood to share. Can you blame me?"

"Alright, alright, it’s my fault. Got time for a drink?"

"Drinks? Not now—Nina’s here."

"OK, I get it!"

Luca smiled and hung up.

Ding~

His phone showed over a dozen missed calls.

One from Keira Knightley, another from Aniston, and then from Scarlett, Rachel, Miranda, Amanda, Anne Hathaway, Matthew Goode, Heath Ledger, and Ziyi Zhang. Seeing all the missed calls gave him a headache. Why were they all suddenly calling?

He called Keira back first and confirmed the audition success. Once the crew was ready, he’d join and look forward to seeing her.

Just after hanging up, Scarlett called.

"Luca, did you direct The Tuner?"

"Yeah!"

Why was this question popping up again?

"Was it really you?"

". Who else?"

"Haha, darling, it’s amazing. You’re so talented! You’re great at everything—writing, directing, modeling, sports. I think I’ve fallen for you. I love not your body, but your interesting soul."

Luca smirked. "Scarlett, didn’t you forget something?"

"Huh? Did I? What?"

"You mentioned writer, director, model, and athlete. But what about actor? Are you saying my acting is bad? Is my Berlin Best Actor award a joke?"

Luca reminded her loudly.

"I heard you’re retiring. Do you even count as an actor?"

"I—"

Feeling stifled, Luca forced a smile. "Of course I do. Even if Hollywood shuts down, I’ll continue acting. Don’t forget our deal—I’ll become an A-list actor before you!"

"Haha, great! I was worried you’d back out. I’m so happy to hear that. When are we going on a date? I miss you!"

". I’m a bit busy lately. I just took on a role, Universal’s big production, Atonement. What do you think? Feel the pressure?"

"Really? Congratulations! Don’t worry, I won’t be outdone. Let’s see who gets there first!"

"OK!"

After hanging up, Luca stretched his back. If not for her sake, he would’ve agreed to the date right away.

Ring, ring~

The phone rang again.

"Luca, did you direct The Tuner?"

Rachel asked curiously.

"..."

Luca was speechless. How had everyone heard about it? "Yeah, I’ve already answered this six times. Where did you all see the short film?"

"The Los Angeles Times. There are several reviews. Didn’t you know?"

"Well... with all the negative news about me lately, I stopped reading the papers."

"Haha, you should check it out. People are talking about The Tuner everywhere. It’s becoming a hot topic."

"Really?"

"Yes! The papers say that even though you were blacklisted, your immense talent helped you find a breakthrough and shine again. Congrats, Luca!"

Rachel laughed out loud, her laughter still as hearty as ever.

Luca curled his lips, "Rachel, I missed you!"

"I missed you too!"

The phone went quiet for a moment, where silence spoke louder than words.

After a brief pause, he hung up and called some other people back, but…

"Luca, was The Tuner really directed by you?"

"Luca, the papers say The Tuner was your work, is that true?"

"Luca, did the main character really die in the end?"

"Luca, how did you come up with such a genius plot twist? You're amazing!"

The questions over the phone started to feel repetitive, and eventually, his answers did too.

"Yes, I directed it!"

"It’s alright, it was my first time directing, so I’m not that experienced. There are a lot of things that could’ve been better, honestly."

He chuckled.

The last call was to Aniston.

"Luca, come over for dinner. I'm cooking tonight!"

"OK, I’ll be right there!"

(The end of this chapter)

*Chapter 454: I'm Not Some Guy Living Off a Woman's Money*

On the way to the Aniston household, Luca stopped by to buy a few newspapers: The Los Angeles Times, The California News, and The San Francisco Evening Post. These papers contained reviews of The Tuner.

"The Tuner is the best short film I’ve ever seen, bar none. The film’s narrative structure and pacing are genius. It uses a flashback storytelling technique, with clues planted in the beginning that lead to a sudden twist at the end, leaving the audience with plenty of room for interpretation. What was that sound? Did the main character die or not? These questions can only be answered by the film’s director, Mr. Luca Kelly."

—Porter Elliot, Film Editor, The Los Angeles Times.

"No doubt, this is an outstanding short film. Luca Kelly’s directorial debut is nothing short of amazing. In just 13 minutes, he delivers a suspense film as gripping as a two-hour feature. The plot is complete, and what’s truly impressive is the film’s profound symbolism. It points to a fundamental weakness in human nature: Who is the real weakling? After watching the film, it’s hard to believe this was made by a first-time director."

—Film Review, The California News Film Forum.

*"The incredible Mr. Luca Kelly! As we all know, Luca used to be a soccer player. He won Brazil's Best Newcomer award and was the top scorer in the South American League. He was also a model, topping the world’s highest-paid male models list in 2003. He’s even an actor, having won the Best Actor award at the Berlin Film Festival. And he's also a screenwriter, nominated for both a Golden Globe for Best Screenplay and an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. But is that where Luca's craziness ends? No! Now, he's switched to directing.

When I first heard the news, I scoffed—young people just love to try everything. But after seeing his work, I was like ‘Wow! Unbelievable.’

Yes, his new film The Tuner is an exceptional short film. It’s only 13 minutes long, but it leaves us with hours of conversation afterward. My friends and I are still discussing whether the protagonist died. You could say that Luca Kelly is a very talented but incredibly fickle person. Wait, I think I know why he’s so unfaithful—he loves side gigs."

—Colt Director, Guest Commentator, The San Francisco Evening Post.

Luca couldn’t help but smile at the humor in the reviews. These critics were acting like stand-up comedians. He skimmed a few more reviews, which were mostly positive.

The reviews focused primarily on the film’s ending—whether or not the protagonist died—and on Luca himself. Some praised his directing skills, others his screenwriting, and still others teased his lack of focus, pointing out how he had already ventured into so many different fields by the age of 25.

After finishing the newspapers, something felt off to him.

Why were there suddenly so many reviews? And why were they mostly positive?

As a controversial public figure, Luca knew that his media image was terrible. It was practically impossible for American media to speak positively of him on their own. Had the sun risen in the west today?

He pondered it for a moment and then called Ed, asking if the company had been handling PR for him.

Ed’s response was negative.

It wasn’t the company’s doing. A PR campaign of this magnitude would have cost over a million dollars, and the company wouldn’t have spent that kind of money.

Luca was puzzled. If it wasn’t the company, then who could it be? Who stood to gain from this?

He was the first beneficiary, no doubt about it. The second? YouTube?

After thinking for a moment, he called Cecil Melotra, the chief planner for the microfilm contest website.

The answer was clear.

Their goal was simple: Luca was a controversial figure, generating a lot of buzz. News about him would attract more attention. Plus, The Tuner was of high quality and sparked discussion.

By promoting both the film and Luca as a new director, they could raise the profile of the first-ever microfilm competition.

After over two years of development, YouTube now had more than 1.5 billion monthly video views, generating $5-6 million per month in ad revenue. The site was already capable of sustaining growth and promotion, so this time they were going all out.

“Mr. Kelly, thanks to the promotion, the traffic to our microfilm contest section has skyrocketed. Daily page views have jumped from 500,000 to over 3 million, and the momentum hasn’t stopped. This has also boosted traffic to other sections. Right now, we’re averaging over 50 million daily views, with more than 100 hours of video content uploaded every hour.”

Cecil Melotra was clearly excited on the phone.

“Not bad, Mr. Melotra. What’s the current view count for The Tuner?” Luca asked.

“Well, Mr. Kelly, let me check... In the 8 days since it was uploaded, The Tuner has been viewed by 1,456,308 users. It currently ranks 12th in total views but should break into the top 10 today. The film has a rating of 9.3, putting it in first place.”

“Alright, those are some great numbers. But doesn’t YouTube’s heavy promotion of The Tuner seem a little unfair to the other participants?” Luca asked.

“It doesn’t affect them. When the film was uploaded, the contract stated that the platform would handle all promotion and marketing. Mr. Kelly, your film’s quality is clearly higher and generates more buzz, making it more promotable—it’s not because of your personal influence. Promoting The Tuner also brings traffic to other short films. It’s a win-win situation.

Moreover, the final ranking is determined by six professional filmmakers and 100 top YouTube creators. View count isn’t the key factor,” explained Melotra.

“That’s true on the surface, but the exposure could have a big negative impact on both the competition and my personal reputation. Hmm… I have a suggestion. Want to hear it?” Luca asked after a moment of thought.

“Mr. Kelly, I’m all ears!”

“Well, how about we do this, then this, and then that, to boost the microfilm contest’s visibility even further. What do you think?” Luca asked.

“Mr. Kelly, that’s an excellent idea! There are a few details we need to iron out internally, but once we have an answer, I’ll get back to you as soon as possible!”

“I’ll leave it to you guys!”

These days, Luca rarely got involved in company matters. After two or three years of development, YouTube was no longer a small startup. In addition to its original three founders—Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim—many talented professionals from other major internet companies and top universities around the world had joined the leadership team.

In terms of management decisions, these people had a much more comprehensive and professional perspective than Luca, who considered himself a bit of an amateur. He might get something right occasionally, but getting it wrong could have serious consequences.

Plus, as a major shareholder, he didn’t need to roll up his sleeves and get involved. That would be far beneath his billionaire status.

Luca drove to Aniston’s villa, where her mother Nancy, brother John, sister-in-law Belle, and their nieces and nephews were all present.

Luca felt a little awkward seeing Aniston’s family. He’d met them twice before but hadn’t talked much, so they weren’t exactly close.

Thankfully, people in America are pretty casual with greetings. He called Nancy, John, and Belle by their first names.

They called him by his name too, keeping a polite but distant tone.

Everyone hung out in the living room, playing with the kids. Little George and Catherine were having a great time with the other little ones, and Luca felt completely out of place.

He wasn’t sure what role he should play with the family. Was he George and Catherine’s father? Aniston’s good friend? Or maybe her lover—a guy living off a woman?

Judging by Nancy’s strange look, the latter two options seemed most likely.

That thought made Luca feel a bit shy.

“Luca, you’re here. Come help me in the kitchen!”

“OK!”

Luca rolled up his sleeves and headed to the kitchen. Now he knew his role—Chef Luca.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 455: Annual Income Successfully Surpasses 100 Million

On February 28, the last day of the month, Luca's new movie Little Miss Sunshine was released, distributed by Fox Searchlight.

In the first three days of limited release, Little Miss Sunshine was shown in 18 theaters, earning $370,998, with an average of nearly $7,000 per theater per day, which was an exciting number.

By the fourth day of its release, Little Miss Sunshine expanded to 2,156 theaters, earning $18.26 million in its first week, placing it fourth at the box office that week.

With an investment of only $8 million, the fact that it made $18.26 million in the first week is incredible. Little Miss Sunshine became the first box office dark horse of 2006.

And who unleashed this dark horse?

Mr. Luca Kelly!

Once again, this name caused a stir in the film industry.

Last May, a box office dark horse surged ahead, leaving several hundred-million-dollar productions far behind, shocking everyone.

Many still remember that scene vividly.

No one expected that just at the start of 2006, Luca had released another box office dark horse.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, this dark horse originally belonged to Summit Entertainment but was abandoned by them and eventually ended up in Luca's hands.

After getting the script, Luca ignored external ridicule and decisively invested $8 million, producing and starring in the movie. His calm, decisive, and courageous approach during the investment process was admirable.

Now that the movie has succeeded, making over $18 million in its first week, and with good word-of-mouth, the final box office results are expected to be strong.

According to insider reports, the distribution deal Luca signed with Fox Searchlight was not a buyout but a profit-sharing model.

With the film's success, the investors stand to receive 26% of domestic box office revenue, 12% of international box office revenue, and a share of the merchandising.

From these figures, it appears that Little Miss Sunshine will bring Luca profits not much less than Step Up.

With such impressive box office results, Luca has once again proven his sharp investment acumen.

Could Hollywood really reject someone like Luca?

Bam!

In the office of Plan B’s president, Pete slammed the newspaper down heavily, leaning back in his chair with a cold gaze.

“Boss! You called for me?”

Chief assistant Wilson walked into the office.

Pete remained silent for a moment, tapping his desk. “Have you read the paper?”

“Yes, I have.”

Wilson nodded.

“That bastard. I thought I could finally bury him this time, but now more good news about him keeps popping up. Is God playing tricks on me?” Pete said angrily.

“God is forgiving and never targets anyone,” Wilson, a believer, said devoutly.

“If that's the case, why does He always favor that damned Luca? Why?!” Pete demanded loudly.

“Pete, I believe God favors you more than Luca. After all, you're one of Hollywood’s most successful filmmakers,” Wilson said.

“Hmph!”

Pete sat back in his chair.

“Wilson, I told you before, spare no expense to suppress any positive news about Luca. So why do I keep seeing things I don’t want to see? What exactly have you been doing?”

“Pete, in January and February, we worked with Leon to nearly suppress all positive reports about Luca. Even his Golden Globe nomination for Best Screenplay barely got any coverage. But in mid-February, when The Tuner hit YouTube, the positive news about Luca started spreading again.”

“That’s what I’m talking about! Why didn’t you stop those reports? Seeing all that praise makes me want to vomit. Just because he made a short film doesn’t mean he’s a director!” Pete grumbled.

“Pete, I couldn’t stop the reports. The news about The Tuner came from YouTube itself. They were trying to promote the first-ever online short film competition, and The Tuner was chosen as their flagship entry.

“They spent millions of dollars promoting the short film contest. Their campaign was too strong; we couldn’t suppress it with just connections and favors.”

Pete frowned, staying silent.

“And this time, the positive buzz about Little Miss Sunshine is largely due to Fox Searchlight and the Ford Modeling Agency spending big on PR.

“If we want to stop these news stories, it’ll take more than just influence and favors. We’d need to invest significant money, and that wouldn’t be worth it.”

Wilson explained.

Pete furrowed his brow even deeper, thinking for a while. “I’ll decide if it’s worth it. As long as we can kick that bastard out of Hollywood, Leon and I are willing to pay. How much do you think it would cost?”

Wilson shook his head. “That’s just one aspect. Luca’s a genius. Everything he touches turns to gold—modeling, acting, writing, directing.

“Even if he fails as an actor, he can still write scripts or direct films. As long as his work generates profit, more and more companies will want to work with him. For example, Touchstone, Universal, Anchor Bay, and Fox Searchlight all have a good impression of Luca and are willing to collaborate with him.

“So trying to completely shut him out would be very difficult.”

“Hmph, you say these companies have a good impression of him, but can they compare to the influence Leon and I have?” Pete said, displeased.

“There’s no comparison. Your and Leon’s value far exceeds Luca’s. He can’t compete with you two.

“But there are only two of you. Your energy and resources are limited. You can’t create infinite value or opportunities, and your collaborations are few.

“So they won’t help you target Luca. It wouldn’t be in their best interest.”

Wilson replied.

Pete’s expression turned grim. “So you’re saying that even with me and Leon teaming up, we can’t suppress some insignificant bug that’s just broken into Hollywood?”

“.Yes,” Wilson hesitated before responding.

“What, you think Leon and I can’t crush a small insect?” Pete roared, bracing himself against the desk like a furious lion.

“.Maybe in the past, but not anymore,” Wilson replied, pulling a document from his bag and laying it on the desk.

“This document details Luca’s income last year.

“His three films made a killing. The Brazilian version of Infernal Affairs brought in about $6 million in profit, Step Up around $18 million, and The Man from Earth earned roughly $23 million in its first phase of distribution. His acting fees amounted to about $5.6 million.

“Add to that his scriptwriting income, music royalties, and a bonus from The Blind Side, and his scattered income totals around $6 million.”

“So last year alone, he made nearly $60 million?” Pete clenched his fists, staring coldly at the document as if trying to burn a hole through it.

“Yes.”

Bang!

Pete slammed the desk in rage. “How is this possible? How can that damned country bumpkin make so much money in our country?”

“There’s more,” Wilson turned the page of the report.

“This is Ms. Kate Kelly’s income. Last year, Ms. Kelly made $18 million in modeling endorsements, $8 million from her fashion brand, and $21 million in royalties.

“Additionally, Universal recently purchased the rights to her Twilight series for $50 million, plus 5% of the global box office revenue for the first film. This deal is worth hundreds of millions of dollars.”

“$18 million, $8 million, $21 million, and now $50 million. Are you saying these siblings made $150 million in just one year?!” Pete shouted, eyes bloodshot.

“No, actually—” Wilson started, thinking about rumors that the siblings had also made over $100 million investing in Google stock last year. But seeing Pete’s state, he chose not to say more.

“Pete, spending money to go after Luca isn’t worth it right now, at least not yet. I think we need to plan for the long term,” Wilson advised.

“Hmph, everyone in the industry knows I’ve been after Luca. It’s been two years since 2004, and that bastard is still in Hollywood. What do you think people are saying about me?” Pete fumed.

Wilson remained silent, thinking the whole situation seemed foolish, all for a woman.

“How’s the poison pill plan we discussed coming along?” Pete asked coldly.

“No progress,” Wilson admitted.

“What?! Why not?”

“Because Luca won’t take the bait. We initially tried to involve Summit Entertainment to lure Bra Entertainment into a deal.

“But a conflict arose during the Step Up project, and Luca refused to collaborate with Summit. After that, we planted someone internally to propose a new investment project.

“That project was approved by Bra’s production department and higher-ups, but Luca rejected it outright.

“Luca has an extraordinary judgment for movies and incredible confidence. He only invests in projects he writes or believes in. Other films don’t interest him.

“It’s said some people tried to oppose him, but it didn’t matter. Luca’s past successes have already proven his eye for projects, and no one can argue against him.

“So the poison pill plan is ineffective.”

Bang!

Pete’s voice was cold. “So you’re saying we have no way to deal with him?”

“.Maybe Leonardo has an idea,” Wilson hesitated.

“Leon? You’re saying I’m not as good as Leonardo?” Pete growled.

“No, I just think we don’t need to be the ones leading the charge.”

“.Fine, you can leave

"Got it!"

Wilson left.

Pete sat quietly in his seat, his face cold. After a moment, he took out his phone.

"Haha, Leon, what are you up to? Got time? How about we play some golf?"

"Okay, it’s a plan!"

After hanging up, Pete glanced toward the distant white Hollywood sign and squinted.

Ring ring~

"Mr. Pete, are you attending tomorrow’s Oscars ceremony?"

It was a call from his assistant.

"Oscars? I’m not even nominated, why would I go?"

Pete slammed the phone down. Thinking about Roca getting an Oscar nomination made his anger flare up again.

"That damn guy, why is he everywhere?!"

Bang

(End of Chapter)