On the afternoon of February 26, 2012, the annual event of the North American film circle, the 84th Oscar Awards ceremony, commenced at the Hollywood Highlands Center.
Thanks to the previous media smear campaign, this year's Oscars unexpectedly garnered high levels of attention.
As soon as the red carpet commenced, the ratings on ABC's side nearly caught up to last year's Best Supporting Actress announcement.
When the data feedback reached Academy President Tom Sherak, he couldn't help but ponder whether they should stir up some drama next year as well?
In today's world, there are too many entertainment options, and without some drama, there's a lack of attention.
Just then, Martin walked past the red carpet with his girlfriend Elizabeth Olsen, triggering a thunderous cheer.
Seeing the Cola Cult Hierarch once more stepping onto the red carpet to share a toast with the faithful, a harebrained idea popped into Tom Sherak's head.
Martin, Leonardo, and Nicholson, notorious as Hollywood's Trio of Scoundrels, were also infamous for stirring up drama. Should they be asked to plan or direct next year's Oscar ceremony?
Vice President Katherine Kennedy approached from the side. Sherak shared his idea with her and asked, "You've worked on a film with Martin and the others; what do you think?"
Katherine Kennedy had worked with Martin on "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," and during filming, Leonardo and Nicholson had visited the set and had witnessed the trio's excellent conduct. She said, "This theater might get blown up, and the audience and guests might go crazy."
Tom Sherak thought about the rumors surrounding the trio, hesitated for a moment between trendiness and decency, but ultimately chose decency.
After all, the Oscar ceremony is the face of the Academy.
......
"Hey Martin, according to media predictions, you're the top favorite for Best Actor tonight."
In the media area, Melissa from ABC Television Network asked Martin, "You're going to win Best Actor tonight, aren't you?"
Martin responded in a routine manner, "I'll answer your question in three hours."
Knowing Martin was tough to handle, Melissa turned the microphone towards Elizabeth Olsen and asked, "Miss Olsen, how do you plan to celebrate Martin's win for Best Actor at the Oscars?"
This was an attempt to jinx Martin to the extreme!
Elizabeth knew better than to jinx him, especially not to pop the champagne prematurely, and the prepared gift certainly couldn't be disclosed to outsiders. She said, "Let's talk about that after the results are in."
Seeing that neither was cooperative, Melissa then noticed the famed Hollywood couple Johnny Depp and Amber Heard approaching hand in hand and abandoned Martin and Elizabeth to greet them.
Compared to Martin and Elizabeth, these two were more newsworthy.
Depp, who was in high spirits, saw Martin up ahead, and his energy instantly surged.
Some addicts are impulsive, with corroded brains that don't work like those of normal people. Depp subconsciously reached for his belt, wanting to unzip and take another hit at that scoundrel.
Amber thought to herself, should I kneel down to cooperate with Depp?
Depp was unreliable, and Amber was no better, but remembering what Megan Ellison had told her, she quickly grabbed Depp and reminded him, "This is the Oscars!"
Luckily, Depp's fiercely loyal bodyguard was standing by on the side of the red carpet. He could tell that the boss was about to lose it and promptly went over, accompanying Amber, one on each side, they led Depp into the media area.
With the situation being what it was, it was no time for interviews, so the three of them quickly moved away from the cameras.
Elizabeth, arm in arm with Martin, looked back just before entering the auditorium and saw Depp and his wife walking in.
Knowing what this addict had done, she said, "I feel like hitting someone."
Martin noticed her gaze and said, "Wait a few more days, and you'll see a good show."
Martin always had a dedicated channel for news about Depp.
Depp's fisherman investment manager kept putting on a how-to-turn-other-people's-money-into-my-own-money show.
The accountant supervising this fisherman investment manager was his own brother.
A case of brother joining the fray.
Martin and Elizabeth entered the hall and headed directly for the front row; "The Martian" crew's seats were in the second row in the middle.
Director Ridley Scott didn't show up at all; Jessica Chastain did receive a nomination for Best Supporting Actress, but for her role in "The Tree of Life," and she wasn't sitting on this side either.
Instead, Leonardo and Nicholson, the two scoundrels, had snuck into the crew's area, sitting right beside Martin.
Martin helped Elizabeth to adjust her gown so she could sit down smoothly.
He glanced at Leonardo and said, "I thought you guys wouldn't come."
Leonardo replied, "How could we not? We've worked hard for several months and, of course, want to witness the outcome."
Nicholson reminded him, "Don't take all the credit for yourself. Your poor-mouthing plan was pathetic. As soon as the nomination ballots came out, it was already a debacle. It was the trash-talk plan between Martin and me that saved the day, producing today's success."
"Alright, I admit, my poor-mouthing plan indeed failed," Leonardo said indignantly, "But what does the trash-talk plan have to do with you?"
Nicholson responded with the super thick skin he had cultivated over seventy years, "I cheered."
Leonardo was stunned, unable to believe someone could be so shameless!
Elizabeth had seen Leonardo's poor-mouthing plan, and although grateful for his help in boosting Martin's campaign, she found Leonardo's award strategy appallingly unreliable.
At that moment, Martin didn't feel like dealing with his two ridiculous teammates.
But the existence of blockheaded teammates isn't just for watching the excitement around you, but also to drag you down to the level of idiocy.
Leonardo scrolled through Twitter and said, "What does Depp want to do? Pee on you on the red carpet?"
Nicholson chuckled coldly: "I still have fireworks in stock."
Martin automatically followed up: "If we win tonight, we can let Depp off the hook; if we lose tonight, we'll have to take our frustrations out on Depp first."
He suddenly remembered something: "You two aren't presenting the awards, are you?"
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Leonardo shook his head: "The Academy didn't ask us to present Best Actor."
Nicholson said, "They had you and me present the award to Leo last year. Even if you could win this year, they wouldn't repeat that cliché, especially since Natalie Portman is attending the Oscars."
It's an Oscar tradition for the previous year's Best Actress to present the award for Best Actor, and vice versa.
Last year, they chose Martin and Nicholson to present Best Actor mainly for the novelty, and also because the previous year's Best Actress, Sandra Bullock, couldn't attend the ceremony due to a leg fracture from filming "Gravity."
The number of people in the hall gradually increased, and the buzz of conversation was incessant.
In the second row next door, Johnny Depp and Amber Heard had just sat down when they saw the cast of "The Martian" across the aisle.
Martin turned his head, nodded to Depp with a polite smile.
Elizabeth Olsen followed suit, turning her head towards them just as Amber Heard turned to look over, and she also nodded to the other with a smile.
Amber thought the younger sister among the Olsen siblings had a particularly sweet smile, but those rows of white teeth flashing coldly in the light.
She was like a lioness.
As for Martin, Amber realized, wasn't he just like a lion? A majestic male lion, who had established a pride, complete with a bunch of lionesses besides the male lion.
Though she did not detest him as deeply as Depp did, Amber likewise couldn't stand Martin and his people.
In her mind, she thought, the male lion may look mighty now, but when he gets old and feeble, the lionesses will not only bite his balls, they'll also revolt!
Suddenly, Amber heard someone beside her chanting like a madman: "Martin Davis will not win! Martin Davis will not win..."
Depp's hand was wrapped around a cross, seemingly praying to God.
......
The Oscar ceremony was about to begin, and Matt Damon was sitting on the couch with his wife, quietly watching the live broadcast on TV.
Lucy Anna understood the recent events: "You've reached a deal with Steven Soderbergh, we'll come back next time."
Matt Damon showed his simple, warm smile: "I'm fine."
Lucy Anna knew her husband hadn't let go, otherwise he wouldn't have specifically made time to watch the live broadcast tonight; he never cared for the Oscars he didn't attend.
She got up to go to the bar in the living room and said, "I'll grab some beer, we can drink while we watch."
Matt Damon nodded to his wife with a smile, but as soon as Lucy Anna turned away, his smile disappeared instantly.
Although he hadn't done anything since returning from state prison, he definitely didn't want to see Martin win Best Actor.
Watching the live broadcast here tonight, Matt Damon wanted to cling to that unlikely hope, to see Martin's helplessness if he happened to lose the Oscar.
......
Atlanta, Peachtree Street, Cola Cult Headquarters.
Robert, with a slicked-back hairdo and a red cape, solemnly spread specific olive oil on a 2003 bottle of Coca-Cola and placed it on an old-fashioned desk.
He picked up the High Priest scepter and chanted: "The Sect Hierarch will win! The Sect Hierarch will win..."
After repeating the chant several times, Robert walked out of the altar and into the big conference room.
High Priestess Elena Carter, in a red dress, was sitting in the center of the front row, with crowds behind her.
Seeing Robert enter, Elena glanced at the award ceremony about to start, took out an old chastity ring, and put it on her finger.
Robert stood in front of the big screen, raised the Coca-Cola scepter, and shouted, "The Sect Hierarch will win!"
The hundreds of people at the Cola Cult Headquarters echoed: "The Sect Hierarch will win!"
Then, the sounds of popping Coca-Colas filled the air.
Everyone held up their Coca-Colas and shouted again: "The Sect Hierarch will win!"
......
Beverly Hills, Davis Estate.
Lily, all dressed up, sat alone in the living room staring at the live broadcast on TV. A small, sharp carving knife fluttered like a butterfly through the trees in her fingers.
"Martin has to win Best Actor!" Lily had received Elizabeth's promise that if Martin won, she would be presented to him as a congratulatory gift.
Such a remark sounded quite disrespectful at first.
But Lily really wanted to be that gift, something she had longed for many years.