Lord of Entertainment

Chapter 157: Winners

"Lewis Light - who could forget this superstar? His role in \'Serial Mage\' was unforgettable. Playing that deranged mage experimenting on children... he traumatized kids worldwide!" Selina\'s delivery drew appreciative laughter. "Surely he\'s a frontrunner for tonight\'s Golden Laurel."

Lewis took the joke gracefully, chuckling as fellow actors elbowed him playfully, whispering comments.

"Lewis was brilliant, true - but let\'s not forget Michael Corleone," Dylan interjected.

The mention of "Michael Corleone" drew every eye to Arthur\'s table.

"Now there\'s a chilling villain - one who\'d even kill his own brother. Not exactly less disturbing than Lewis\'s role," Selina noted, casting a glance toward Arthur. "Perhaps Arthur was just channeling his demonic nature."

Fresh laughter rippled through the audience.

Arthur smiled, impressed by both hosts\' natural chemistry. His mind already working on ways to bring them to Hellfire Got Talent.

"Now," Selina transitioned smoothly, "let\'s begin with our first category - Best Supporting Actor."

The category raised eyebrows - dominated by three actors from "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly."

Clint, Benny, and Lei had all positioned themselves as supporting actors, creating an unprecedented situation that drew curious looks to their table.

"Hope there\'s no hard feelings when I win," Lei announced with theatrical arrogance.

"Don\'t get cocky, Elf. That award\'s coming home with me," Benny shot back.

"Hehe, when\'s the last time a dwarf actor won anything prestigious? Dream on," Lei chuckled smugly.

"Don\'t count me out just yet," Clint reminded them both.

On stage, Selina and Dylan built the tension before announcing in unison, "Best Supporting Actor goes to - Benny Cave!"

Applause erupted while Benny sat frozen in disbelief. His earlier bravado with Lei had been just that - he\'d actually been pulling for Clint to win.

"Mr. Cave? We\'re waiting," Selina called again warmly.

Clint broke Benny\'s stupor with a friendly nudge.

Benny swallowed hard, momentarily struggling with his chair height before making his way through the focused gazes of the audience.

Once on stage, Selina thoughtfully adjusted the microphone to his level.

"First of all, I am very grateful to win this award..." Benny\'s voice wavered, eyes glistening. "I\'m very proud of this moment... I know my family back home will burst with pride seeing their son holding a Golden Laurel Award!"

Thunderous applause filled the theater.

"Who would you like to thank for this achievement?" Dylan prompted gently.

Benny\'s smile carried deep emotion as he looked toward Clint. "I thank my friend Clint for always being there-" his gaze shifted to Arthur, "And I\'m eternally grateful to Boss Arthur for the opportunity. None of this would\'ve been possible without him."

Fresh applause greeted Benny\'s win. Arthur felt genuine joy for the dwarf actor - after decades in the industry, Benny had finally claimed a prestigious award at age sixty. A well-deserved recognition.

The ceremony moved to Best Supporting Actress. Firfel\'s nomination for Demonfather Part 2 highlighted her powerful scene rejecting Michael, but victory eluded her.

Noting her disappointment, Arthur leaned close. "There\'s always next time." He offered an encouraging smile. "Who knows? Next year\'s Golden Laurel might see you winning Best Actress."

"I hope so." Firfel managed a gentle smile. "Though I try not to expect too much. Being part of such an amazing film, just having the chance to act - that\'s already a blessing."

Vivienne actually claimed Best Supporting Actress for her role in "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon."

During her heartfelt acceptance speech, she made sure to acknowledge both Arthur and Firfel\'s impact on her career. Upon returning to their table, Firfel embraced her with genuine warmth.

As the categories progressed, tension mounted for the moment Arthur had been anticipating - Best Director.

Both "Demonfather Part 2" and "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly" represented what he considered his finest directorial achievements.

The announcement sent ripples of surprise through the entire audience.

"And the Golden Laurel for Best Director goes to... Stuart Barker for \'Cold Blooded\' - an Atlas Entertainment production!"

Stuart ascended the stage with barely contained smugness, his gaze sweeping across the nominated directors before fixing on Arthur with unconcealed arrogance.

"My thanks to Atlas Entertainment and Titan Pictures for funding Cold Blooded." His acceptance speech was as brief as it was pointed.

Arthur maintained his composure with a slight smile.

"Are you alright?" Firfel whispered, concern evident in her voice.

"I\'m fine," Arthur assured her with a genuine nod. "To be honest, I wasn\'t really expecting to win."

Firfel admired Arthur\'s graceful acceptance, while Vivienne extended her award with a playful smile. "If you want a Golden Laurel, you can have mine."

"Keep it - you earned that one," Arthur declined without hesitation.

As the evening progressed, the Best Actor category brought an unexpected turn - Arthur\'s name echoed through the theater.

He approached the podium with measured steps. "Funny - I was expecting Best Director, but life has other plans," he quipped.

Soft laughter rippled through the audience. The unspoken truth hung heavy - Arthur deserved the directing award, but the academy\'s ties to Titan Pictures and other major studios ran deep.

"Still, I\'m grateful for this recognition," he continued smoothly. "Another trophy for the collection. Perhaps I should consider switching careers entirely."

More appreciative chuckles followed.

"I have only myself and my helpful assistant to thank-" Arthur said, his "assistant" actually being his system. Then, with a grin, he added, "And since we\'re on TV, I\'d suggest everyone pick up a copy of Demonfather from your local film store. Enjoy my films, and thank you!"

His casual departure from the stage, award in hand, spoke volumes.

The Best Picture announcement proved anticlimactic - both "Demonfather Part 2" and "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly" lost to "Cold Blooded."

Industry veterans exchanged knowing glances. Arthur\'s films clearly deserved the honor, but some truths remained better left unspoken.

The politics were transparent - Atlas, Titan, and other major studios had clearly influenced the Academy\'s voting.

They\'d thrown Arthur the Best Actor award despite Lewis Light\'s superior performance in "Serial Mage" as consolation - or perhaps mockery, forcing a director to accept recognition as an actor instead.

After all, true filmmakers took greatest pride in their craft behind the camera.

***

The next day, the Golden Laurel Award Ceremony broadcast across Empirica\'s states on television.

Public dissatisfaction erupted when the beloved "Demonfather Part 2" lost to "Cold Blooded," a relatively unknown film. However, Arthur\'s Best Actor win as Michael Corleone sparked renewed interest in Demonfather, driving tourists back to Horn Kingdom to visit the sequel\'s filming locations.

News channels and newspapers stoked public interest with rumors that Titan Pictures, still bitter over their losses to Hellfire Studio, had orchestrated the outcome to diminish Arthur\'s potential awards. The television coverage painted Titan Pictures as unprofessional, damaging their reputation with these apparent machinations.

Though Demonfather and The Good, The Bad and The Ugly missed the prestigious Best Picture trophy, they\'d achieved something more valuable - capturing audiences\' hearts.

***

Arthur brushed aside the award politics, focusing instead on recruiting rising talents Selina Taylor and Dylan Smith.

Their agency\'s excessive demands complicated negotiations. After careful consideration, Arthur secured only Selina Taylor for seventy thousand dollars.

Morris Golden Agency celebrated what they saw as an outrageous overpayment.

Who would invest such money in a rising actress from a faltering telenovela with increasingly inconsistent plotting?

The industry watched in surprise as Arthur immediately pulled Selina from the show, forcing writers to kill off her character. Though he paid additional penalties for breaking her contract with the network, Arthur considered it a worthwhile investment.

He had extensive plans for Selina\'s future.