Time flies, and the years slip by like a river.
After wrapping up his Christmas break, Luke hopped on a plane to rejoin the Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest crew at their final filming location: Dominica.
Before arriving, Luke was buzzing with curiosity about this tropical paradise. To him—and most folks back home—Dominica was a bit of a mystery. As America's backyard vacation spot, it had stayed off China's radar for a long time. Diplomatic ties didn't even start until 2018, making it one of the last countries to establish relations with China.
Sugarcane, cigars, rum, and chocolate were Dominica's claim to fame. When Bob shoved a box of cigars into Luke's arms with a cheeky grin that screamed Johnny Depp, he said, "I know you don't smoke, but these are perfect to gift. Bet Vin Diesel or the Coen brothers would love 'em."
"Spiked?" Luke shot him a serious look. "Don't make me lose it."
"What? No way I'd mess with that stuff. These are premium 'Mermaid's Kiss' cigars—top-notch local stuff!" Bob protested.
"I don't get what's so great about them. I don't smoke," Luke said.
"They're hand-rolled by beautiful local women at dawn, picking dewy tobacco leaves with their lips, then smoked over linden wood. Tell me that doesn't sound amazing," Bob said with a wink.
"Picking leaves with their lips? Sounds like some made-up nonsense," Luke scoffed.
"This box is worth five grand. You want it or not?"
"Fine. It's pricey, so it'll make a good gift," Luke said, accepting the local specialty.
It was a small example of Dominica's knack for creative tourism marketing.
Filming in Dominica felt like a mix of work and vacation, much like their time on Phi Phi Island. Luke used the downtime to get closer to Anne, though they both knew their paths would soon diverge. From the start, they'd agreed their lives weren't meant to be tied together. As filming neared its end, so did their time together.
Their last night was wild—Anne went all out, nearly overwhelming Luke, the "big bull," as it were.
Finally, the last scenes were shot on Dominica's stunning beaches, wrapping up principal photography. The rest was up to post-production. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest was slated for a Christmas 2003 release.
By late January 2003, back home, Yuffie was juggling her studies, supervising Luke's company, and prepping for a new film. She was swamped but sharp, handling all three without a hitch.
Taylor, meanwhile, was even busier. Her second album, Fearless, was finished but held back from release. Instead, she dropped two singles: "You Belong With Me" and "Love Story."
"You Belong With Me" led the charge, building on buzz from Luke and Anne's short film A Letter from the Future and the football game drama, plus a later boost from Johnny Depp's hospitalization scandal. The song was a banger—back in Luke's past life, it hit number two on the Billboard Hot 100 without his involvement. This time, with his influence, it rocketed straight to number one, becoming Taylor's first chart-topping single.
It held the top spot for over twenty days before showing any sign of slowing. That's when Taylor's team dropped "Love Story," which shot to number one, replacing "You Belong With Me" and becoming her second chart-topper.
In less than a month, Taylor went from a rookie to the hottest name in music.
With the timing perfect, Fearless hit the market, riding the wave. It sold 12 million copies in North America and over 20 million worldwide, leaving music industry giants slack-jawed, calling her a "monster rookie."
Clutching those dazzling numbers, Taylor finally exhaled. She'd closed the gap a bit between her and Luke, feeling confident enough to tell him she was his most reliable partner and support.
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Back in Douglaston, in Mr. Eisen's study, the two sat across from each other. Eisen sipped his bitter black coffee, while Luke nursed a sweet mocha, each silently judging the other's taste.
"Luke, don't brush this off. This year's Oscars are relevant to you," Eisen said.
"I'm just starting to realize that," Luke replied. "The Oscars always felt out of reach before."
He wasn't dismissing the Oscars; they'd just never been within his grasp, so he hadn't paid them much mind. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon won Best Foreign Language Film, but that was Ang Lee's victory, along with Chow Yun-fat, Michelle Yeoh, and Zhang Ziyi. Luke's role in that film wasn't significant enough to claim any credit.
In 2001, his only starring role was in Jurassic Park III, a critical flop that lost money. Sure, he turned its box office around, but the film's quality wasn't Oscar material. So, the 74th Academy Awards in 2002 passed him by.
But now it was 2003, and the 75th Academy Awards in March were for films released in 2002. That year, Luke had Hero and Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, both critical and commercial hits.
That meant he might actually have a shot at an award.
For the first time, the Oscars felt real to him.
"How many awards can we go for this year?" Luke asked.
"The nominations aren't out yet, but I've got some insider scoop," Eisen said.
"Really? Spill it!" Luke's curiosity was instantly piqued.