Chapter 46: The Romance Director
As the awards ceremony continued, Jessica Tandy and Morgan Freeman won Best Actress and Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy for Driving Miss Daisy.
Meanwhile, the winners for Best Actor and Actress in a Drama were Tom Cruise for Born on the Fourth of July and Michelle Pfeiffer for The Fabulous Baker Boys. The award for Best Foreign Language Film unsurprisingly went to the Italian film Cinema Paradiso.
Backstage, Aaron Anderson was at the bar, enjoying a drink with Giuseppe Tornatore, who had just received his award.
"I'm heading back to Italy tomorrow!" Tornatore said.
"That's fast. Miramax must have some celebration events lined up," Aaron reminded him.
Tornatore shook his head. "I need to get back to the set of A Walk in the Clouds. I'll come back here closer to the Oscars. By then, filming should be wrapped."
"Next time you come to Italy, I'll make sure to host you properly," Tornatore said, patting Aaron on the shoulder. Then he returned to the ceremony to present the remaining awards.
Aaron wasn't particularly interested in attending the awards ceremony—it was too boring for him—but the Golden Globes were lively enough.
He hadn't experienced the Oscars in person yet, but from TV and newspapers, he knew that sitting there for hours could be tedious. Once the ceremony ended, he planned to leave with Nicole Kidman. With that in mind, he headed toward the restroom.
On the way, he ran into Bruce Willis and Demi Moore, who, like Denzel Washington, were late bloomers in Hollywood. Willis had spent years playing minor roles until Die Hard skyrocketed him to fame, cementing his status as one of Hollywood's iconic tough guys.
In the restroom, Aaron wrinkled his nose at a strong smell of marijuana—someone inside was clearly indulging in a little illegal fun.
After finishing, he prepared to take a shower when the stall door opened, revealing a slightly dazed figure.
Their eyes met, and Aaron recognized him immediately. "Good evening, Mr. Downey!"
Indeed, it was Hollywood's second-generation star, Robert Downey Jr.
Downey rubbed his face and came to his senses. "Evening. Want one?" He held out a specially made cigarette.
Aaron shook his head with a smile. "Thanks, maybe later. I've got some things to do."
Downey didn't comment further, just gestured and walked away. Aaron had no interest in befriending Hollywood drug users.
As the film festival wrapped up, Driving Miss Daisy won Best Motion Picture in the Musical or Comedy category. Born on the Fourth of July took home Best Drama and Best Director, making it the evening's biggest winner.
Hollywood legend Audrey Hepburn received the Cecil B. DeMille Award for Lifetime Achievement.
Outside the Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Aaron and Nicole Kidman ran into Steven Soderbergh as they were leaving.
"Aaron, you really left CAA?" Soderbergh asked.
"Yeah. And you? Still working abroad?"
Soderbergh sighed. "I'm a bit lost at the moment. Nothing suitable has come up yet. Sex, Lies, and Videotape will still attend the BAFTAs, the César Awards in France, and other ceremonies to build recognition."
"You're young. If you find a project, start preparing—it's good experience," Aaron advised.
Nicole Kidman smiled. "And if there's a role suitable for me, let me know!"
Steven Soderbergh nodded. "I'll consider it, don't worry."
"Alright, we'll head out for now," Aaron said, giving Nicole Kidman a hug and waving to Soderbergh as they left.
Sex, Lies, and Videotape had made a distinct mark in the independent film scene—it was a success—but at the Golden Globes or Oscars, it had little chance to shine. Independent films needed a groundbreaking work to break the rules, and box office results were the most straightforward measure of a film's influence.
Right now, independent cinema lacked the capital to compete with major studios. It would only be after Disney acquired Miramax that the combination of Disney's resources and Miramax's PR expertise could make a real impact.
Once Nicole got into the car, she looked at Aaron. "Does Steven Soderbergh really have no projects lined up?"
Aaron started the car and replied casually, "How could he not? He's a Cannes Palme d'Or winner, after all."
"I've pitched him a few projects, but his requirements were beyond what the producers expected. None of the deals went through," Nicole added.
"That figures. The youngest Palme d'Or winner—he probably has high standards," Aaron said knowingly.
"So, he decides on projects himself, huh?" Nicole concluded.
Unfortunately, the success of Sex, Lies, and Videotape was just moderate. Hollywood was a commercial world—box office mattered more than awards. European art films might sneer at Hollywood blockbusters, but Hollywood dismissed all foreign films.
The U.S. had the largest film market and the most complete film industry. Without breaking into Hollywood, no filmmaker could claim international influence. Soderbergh might have thought that a Palme d'Or would give him bargaining power in Hollywood, but as a newcomer, the $24 million box office of Sex, Lies, and Videotape gave him very little leverage.
Young filmmakers often failed to realize just how ruthless Hollywood could be.
That evening, Nicole Kidman lay against Aaron, flushed and exhausted. "Darling… are you thinking of inviting Edward Zwick to direct Ghost?"
Aaron rested his hands behind his head. "Yeah, he's well-suited for this type of story."
He had also considered Rob Reiner, director of When Harry Met Sally…, and Garry Marshall, director of Pretty Woman. Both were veteran directors and perfect for romantic dramas—but their fees were considerably higher.
Particularly with Reiner, after the success of When Harry Met Sally…, and with Pretty Woman set to release in March—a film poised to become legendary—their market value would only rise further.
Nicole asked eagerly, "Have you found investors yet? I want us to establish ourselves in Hollywood quickly."
"Don't worry. Right now I'm focusing on finding a distributor for Phone Booth," Aaron said.
Once Pretty Woman earned strong reviews and box office numbers, Aaron's name would naturally be mentioned. Last year, he had cleverly tied himself to the film through Warren Beatty, boosting his visibility.
If a romantic film like that could become a huge hit, who's to say his next romance, Ghost, couldn't do the same?