The Best Director

On January 21st, at the Beverly Hills Hilton Hotel, Los Angeles, the annual Golden Globe Awards ceremony was underway.

This year’s Golden Globes were particularly eye-catching, not only because of the fierce competition with many popular contenders, but also because of the gathering of mega-stars such as Tom Hanks, Russell Crowe, Will Smith, Julia Roberts, and Sandra Bullock, as well as new generation idols sweeping across America like Natalie Portman, and the popular “idol-style director” Magical Yang.

This was also the reason why the Chinese-American community and the greater China region paid special attention to this year’s Golden Globes. With Wang Yang and “Juno,” as well as Ang Lee and “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” there was an unprecedented event where out of the five Best Director nominees, one was of Chinese descent and another was a Chinese director.

However, this grand event has always been the focus of movie fans and audiences. This year, it was expected that the awards ceremony’s broadcast would be watched by hundreds of millions of viewers from over 130 countries and regions, with the live broadcast in the United States being on NBC.

On the red carpet, there was a buzz of voices. Stars and celebrities in handsome suits and beautiful evening gowns moved about, striking elegant poses for photographers, being interviewed by the media, or chatting and laughing in small groups. Behind the surrounding barriers, the platforms were packed with busy photographers, the dazzling flashes constantly lighting up from their cameras, with the clicking sounds even drowning out the chaotic noise.

Yang, Jessica, over here… Natalie, Natalie!

Wang Yang, in a black suit, white shirt, and black tie, looked particularly charming after the make-up artist’s work had enhanced his natural features. Jessica, who was arm-in-arm with him, was wearing a white evening gown, while the solitary Natalie was in a beige lace pleated dress. Both women sported stunning, beautiful smiles that shone through the camera flashes, capturing their radiant youth.

Another exhausting day ahead,” Wang Yang sighed as they finished their entrance, expressing his sentiment to Jessica, intimating that the event had just begun and soon they would be dealing with interviews from media including NBC and the evening’s awards ceremony. Although probably not as tiring as the Oscars, the proceedings were still quite involved. Jessica smiled, and the nearby Natalie, who had overheard, patted him on the shoulder, encouragingly saying, “Buddy, you won’t feel tired once you get the award tonight!”

What award? Best Director?” Wang Yang was saying with a laugh when he suddenly spotted Ang Lee not far ahead, looking impeccably suited. He glanced at the two girls and said, “Ang Lee is over there, I’m going to introduce myself.” Jessica responded, “I’ll join you,” while Natalie followed them with an indifferent expression.

Hello, Mr. Lee,” the three approached Ang Lee, and Wang Yang took the initiative to greet him, shaking hands with the elegantly smiling Ang Lee, who warmly replied, “Hello, Mr. Wang.” After the greetings, Ang Lee introduced his two companions, the producer of “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” Xu Ligong, and Zhang Ziyi, who wore a shinily outdated brown glittering gown.

The organizers of the Golden Globes had invited Zhou Runfa to be a presenter, but with the lunar New Year just a few days away, he chose to spend time with his family and declined the invitation, causing his and Michelle Yeoh’s absence. Thus, the hot favorite “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” was only attended by Ang Lee and his two companions.

After getting acquainted, Wang Yang looked at Ang Lee and asked, “I really loved the bamboo forest in ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.’ Where was that shot?” Ang Lee replied with a smile, “It was in Anji, Zhejiang, China, a very beautiful and peaceful place.” Wang Yang nodded and turned to Jessica with a smile, “Jessie, we should travel to China when we have time, I’ve never been there.” Jessica readily hummed in agreement, and Natalie also asked Ang Lee, “Mr. Lee, I have a question…”

While they chatted and laughed, Zhang Ziyi felt rather gloomy, wanting to say something to get to know this magical director Wang Yang, a young billionaire with a promising future, who was a year younger than her. But unable to speak English, she hesitated and could only maintain what she thought was her most beautiful smile.

Magic Yang!” Suddenly, a voice filled with laughter came from nearby, and Wang Yang and his group turned to see Will Smith coming over with his family, all smiles. Wang Yang waved at him, then turned back to Ang Lee and the others with a grin, “Ang, if you have plans for your next film, you know, Fire Films would be glad to make that investment. See you later!”

After saying that, he headed towards Will Smith and his family with Jessica and Natalie, laughing, “Hi Will, Jada! Oh, Trey, Jaden, you guys have grown so much…”

Ladies and gentlemen, we can now see the guests are starting to arrive,” said the Black female reporter on the NBC screen, looking back at the stars and celebrities entering the hotel banquet hall. She turned to face the camera, smiling, and said into the microphone, “The awards dinner is about to begin, who will be tonight’s winners? Don’t go away! This is reporting from Beverly Hills.”

The Golden Globe Awards dinner was held in the style of a formal banquet. In the crowded hall, people sat around various round dining tables, which were laden with sumptuous and delicious food. Wang Yang was at a table with Jessica, Natalie, Will Smith’s family, and Jan Kaczmarek; nearby were members from the film crews of “Chocolat,” “Wonder Boys,” and others. Even though it was a formal dinner, the hall was filled with laughter and cheerful voices, as if it were a party.

Hello everyone, welcome to the 58th Golden Globe Awards!” Amidst applause and cheers, Conan O’Brien in a silver suit stepped out from the side of the stage. He went to the microphone in the center of the stage and joked, “Look at you all, so enviable! I’m really hungry, but I have to stand here and host.” Soft laughter came from the audience, and Conan continued with a smile, “I still prefer the Eminys, where I can sit down…” And the crowd laughed again.

Listening to Conan’s opening ramble, Wang Yang smiled, picked up a fork, and placed a small piece of steak in his mouth, chewing and saying, “I’m pretty hungry too.” Trey and Jaden on the other side were starting to eat, Will Smith and Jan were sipping red wine; whereas Natalie was quite displeased. It seemed that the organizers hadn’t considered vegetarians, as the main courses were all meaty dishes that made her nauseous, including some that… were they for little kids?

Jessica took a napkin and wiped the corner of Wang Yang’s mouth, saying with a smile, “Yang, you’ve got some grease.” Wang Yang licked it off with his tongue and replied smiling, “Oh, thanks!” Across from them, Jada was wiping Jaden’s mouth with a napkin and said, “Little rascal, eat politely. Don’t rush.”

Our first award of the evening is for Best Supporting Actor.” On stage, Conan O’Brien paused and said, “Welcome Heather Locklear to present this award.” After that, he clapped his hands and walked to the right side of the stage; Heather Locklear came out from the left amidst applause, waving and holding a golden envelope with the result inside.

There also was a star-studded lineup of presenters at the Golden Globe Awards, including Tom Cruise, Angelina Jolie, Julia Roberts, Charlize Theron, Denzel Washington, and legendary figures like Elizabeth Taylor, who presented the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Best Supporting Actor ultimately went to Benicio Del Toro for “Traffic.” After a performance and an interlude of Conan O’Brien’s talk show, the awards for Best Supporting Actress (Kate Hudson for “Almost Famous”), Best Original Song (“Wonder Boys,” Bob Dylan), and Best Screenplay (Stephen Gaghan for “Traffic”) were presented. Soon it was time for the Best Original Score.

The winner for Best Original Score is Hans Zimmer and Lisa Gerrard for ‘Gladiator’!” The room erupted into applause as Hans Zimmer and Lisa Gerrard stood up with beaming smiles and made their way to the stage.

Wang Yang and the others also applauded. Jan Kaczmarek didn’t show any signs of disappointment on his face because the result was something everyone had pretty much expected. The score for “Gladiator” was grand and epic, while “The Pursuit of Happyness” was warm and elegant. Both were exceptional scores that elevated their films, but the judges have always had a preference for the former.

“Jan!” Wang Yang called out to Jan sitting next to him, not saying anything else, just smiling and giving him a thumbs up. Jessica, Natalie, and the others all warmly applauded for Jan, who nodded and smiled back, “Thanks!”

After the Best Original Score category, the next award was for Best Actor in a Musical/Comedy, which went to George Clooney for “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” Following this, the award for Best Actress in a Musical/Comedy was about to be presented. Amidst a sea of applause, Angelina Jolie, who was in charge of presenting the award, walked smilingly to the center of the stage. Wang Yang glanced at Natalie sitting beside him, noticing her calm expression which seemed to convey indifference, but based on his understanding of Natalie, this was how she behaved when she was extremely focused and serious. He asked softly, “Hey, buddy, nervous?”

Natalie nodded slightly and candidly admitted when he and Jessica looked over, “Yes, very nervous. ‘Juno’ is my peak performance. If she doesn’t win, I don’t know what will.” Wang Yang patted her hand encouragingly. Natalie suddenly smiled and said, “Ha! I’ve found that working with Chinese directors does have its benefits. Last year I got a nomination for Best Supporting Actress, and this year it’s for Best Actress in a Drama. Maybe I should keep collaborating with Chinese directors?”

Yes, but it has to be a Wang; Ang Lee won’t do,” Wang Yang joked, which made Jessica laugh as well. Last year, Natalie earned a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Wang Ying’s “The World of Heart”, and this year, Wang Yang added with a smile, “Nomination might not be the only thing.” Natalie scoffed dismissively, yet with a smile, “I hope so.”

The five nominees include Renee Zellweger, ‘Nurse Betty’…” Angelina Jolie read out from the list of nominees. As she spoke, the small screen behind the stage displayed clips from the nominees’ films along with her voice, and the applause from the audience rose wave after wave. Following Juliette Binoche and Sandra Bullock, Jolie announced, “Natalie Portman, ‘Juno’.”

The screen showed several scenes from ‘Juno,’ Natalie Portman holding a big bottle of drink, biting on a pipe, sporting a large baby bump… The stars and celebrities applauded even harder, with many shouting, “Juno, Juno!” The cheers were louder than for the previous four nominees. Wang Yang clapped, watching Natalie beside him with a silently smiling face, and thought to himself, “Buddy, get ready to go up and receive the award.”

On stage, Angelina Jolie smiled as she opened the golden envelope, glanced at it, then leaned into the microphone and loudly declared, “Natalie Portman, ‘Juno’!”

With an “Oh” that sounded like thunder, a barrage of applause filled the entire hall as everyone clapped and laughed. The NBC channel on the TV showed Natalie, sitting at the dining table, covering her mouth with her hands, looking slightly overwhelmed as she glanced at Wang Yang beside her. Wang Yang, Jessica, Will Smith… everyone around her was smiling and clapping non-stop.

Seeing her still sitting, Wang Yang gave her a nudge and exclaimed with a laugh, “NAT, GO!”

Taking a deep breath, Natalie walked briskly towards the stage with a radiant smile, whispering with a laugh too faint to hear, “Damn it, I’m not NAT right now, I’m NARR!” She passed through the dense crowd and reached the stage, taking the Golden Globe trophy for Best Actress in a Musical/Comedy from Angelina Jolie’s hands. She gazed at the gleaming trophy as her heart thudded rapidly and powerfully, overflowing with a sense of elation and satisfaction. She told herself with self-deprecating humor, “An actor’s desire for recognition is incurable.”

“Is this real?” She held the trophy in front of the microphone and scanned the audience, answering herself in the tone of Juno from the clip she had just seen, “Real real real.”

Laughter erupted from below the stage. Natalie looked at Wang Yang, who was all smiles, and said, “I have many people to thank for this award—my parents; they’ve always been my biggest supporters… Michael Pitt, Anne Hathaway, and all the cast of ‘Juno,’ for their fantastic performances, which fully inspired my own…” She then swiftly thanked some other names and the event organizers, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. Raising her voice with a laugh, she added, “And most of all, Yang, whom I’m most grateful to!”

The hall erupted in another round of applause, and the live broadcast camera briefly focused on Wang Yang, who was happily clapping. Natalie gripped the trophy tightly and said, looking at him, “Thank you for directing, for your patience, for your jokes, and for giving me Juno! Buddy…” She chuckled, “Though you were an hour late for the audition that day, I forgive you now.

Amidst the laughter and applause of those gathered, Natalie, wearing a smile, stepped down from the stage and returned to her table. She embraced Wang Yang, who had stood up to celebrate her triumph, but as she held him, she couldn’t help hugging him tightly, and with a bit of a choke in her voice said, “Yang, thank you!”

Jessica watched the two embracing, feeling genuinely happy for Natalie and “Juno,” but she couldn’t help feeling massively envious. When could she have her moment like that? To not only accompany Yang as his girlfriend to the Golden Globes? She pursed her lips and silently told herself, “Work hard on your acting skills! I can definitely do it!”

Buddy!” Wang Yang patted Natalie’s back as he sensed heroverwhelming excitement, and laughed, “I know you got the Golden Globe, but you don’t have to squeeze me that hard.” Natalie instantly smiled and let go of him, and Wang Yang, looking at her, laughed again, “Congratulations.” Jessica, Will Smith’s family, and the other guests from various crews also joined in congratulating her, as Natalie kept nodding and thanking them, her beautiful face filled with joy.

The award ceremony continued, and soon the Best Foreign Language Film (“Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”) was announced; Julia Roberts won her first Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Drama, for playing the tenacious female lead Erin Brockovich in “Erin Brockovich,” and she was moved to tears on the spot; followed by Best Actor in a Drama, which Tom Hanks captured once again with another Golden Globe for his performance.

Both Wang Yang and Will Smith were somewhat disappointed; no doubt Tom Hanks’s performance in “Cast Away” was top-notch, but “Chris Gardner” was also their labour of love.

Dad, don’t worry,” Trey said, clenching his fists and addressing everyone, “We still have the Oscars!” Will Smith, Wang Yang, and the others couldn’t help but laugh, with Will nodding and saying with a smile, “YO, MAN, you’re right!”

However, what followed was more disappointment for them, as the Best Musical/Comedy Film was not awarded to the favorite “Juno,” but went to “Almost Famous” instead. Although Jessica and Natalie were both clapping for the producers of “Almost Famous” with smiles, inside they were extremely displeased. How could this happen!

The nominees for the 58th Golden Globe for Best Director are…” Julia Roberts, having just won the Best Actress award, was also presenting the Best Director category, and she seemed in great spirits, grinning widely as she looked at the golden envelope and announced with a laugh, “Steven Soderbergh for ‘Erin Brockovich’,’Traffic’; Ridley Scott for ‘Gladiator’; Ang Lee for ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’; Wang Yang for ‘Juno.\'”

With each name she called out, the hall erupted in applause, and the broadcast camera shifted between the four nominated directors, all wearing casual smiles as if they were entirely aloof to the event.

As Julia Roberts opened the envelope, she said with a laugh, “I’m really nervous, who will it be…” She glanced into the envelope and then announced loudly, “The Best Director goes to, Ang Lee for ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’!”

Instantly the hall was thunderous with applause as everyone offered their acclaim to Ang Lee. The NBC channel, with four split screens, showed Steven Soderbergh and Ridley Scott applauding with smiles, barely concealing their disappointment; in the bottom right, Wang Yang had a face full of joyful smile, clapping and saying something to Jessica next to him.

In the bottom left, Ang Lee stood up with an excited and bashful smile, embracing Xu Ligong and others around him before heading to the stage.

On the awards stage, holding the Golden Globe for Best Director, Ang Lee said with a shy smile, “This is surprising, unbelievable, I simply cannot express how I feel right now. I have to thank my ‘formidable’ wife!” The crowd immediately let out a chuckle, and Ang Lee continued with a smile, “She is the exemplar of every female character in ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,’ except for Jade Fox. All my creative inspiration comes from her, there would be no ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’ without her, and I am deeply grateful to her…”

After thanking his wife, the crew, the organizers, and others, Ang Lee bowed his head close to the microphone and said sincerely in Mandarin, “Dad, mom, thank you!” With that, amid rousing applause, he held the trophy high in his hand.