When the nominations were announced, Laila and her family were gathered around the television, listening closely and jotting down the categories they cared about most.
Compared to The Avengers, which was largely overlooked by the Academy, it was Silence's nominations that truly had her attention—especially Best Actor.
The Oscars, unlike the Golden Globes, don't split the acting categories into Drama and Musical/Comedy. That meant the competition would be fiercer—more intense, and more ruthless.
Fans and film lovers across the East, still riding the high from seeing Eastern talent celebrated at the Golden Globes, had begun to raise their hopes for the Oscars as well. The Golden Globes were often seen as a barometer for the Oscars, after all—if they could win one, then surely the other wasn't so far out of reach, right?
Thankfully, there were still plenty of rational fans who believed that even just a nomination was something to be incredibly proud of. Winning would be amazing, of course—but even without it, there was no need for disappointment.
This year's Best Actor category had attracted enormous attention, and in a surprising twist that defied most predictions, Leonardo DiCaprio was not nominated for his layered performance in J. Edgar. Likewise, despite Michael Fassbender's phenomenal portrayal in Shame, he too was left off the list.
Both omissions were shocking upsets that left the media deeply disappointed. Since Shame had premiered, Fassbender had received near-universal acclaim. Many critics called it the best performance of his career, especially considering he'd lost over 30 kilograms in just two and a half months to embody the character's emaciated appearance. That kind of dedication alone was worthy of respect.
Instead, Brad Pitt earned a nomination for Moneyball.
If Laila had a say in the matter, she definitely wouldn't have picked him. In her eyes, he'd always been something of a pretty face with not much behind it.
Her bias might've been a little personal, too. After all, he'd divorced one of her favorite actresses—Angelina Jolie.
She'd watched Mr. & Mrs. Smith back in the day and thought the two of them looked like the perfect match—handsome man, beautiful woman, absolute on-screen chemistry. When they got married in real life, she was overjoyed, almost as if she'd gotten married herself. But then, just a few years later, news broke of their divorce.
Angelina Jolie was an extraordinary woman. Not just because of her achievements in film, but because of her passionate commitment to humanitarian work. She had visited refugee camps in over 20 countries across five continents, donated a third of her wealth to charitable causes, and adopted three orphans. She was even named one of the world's 25 most influential philanthropists.
How could anyone leave a woman like that? In Laila's mind, that was enough reason to dislike Brad Pitt.
This year's Best Actor nominations also included George Clooney for The Descendants—no surprise there. He was the kind of actor the Academy loved. Alongside him was Jean Dujardin from The Artist, another fully expected name. There was zero controversy surrounding these two picks.
The final two spots went to Silence: Roy Seasonstar and Eastern actor Leslie Cheung.
Again, no one questioned the merit of these nominations. Their performances had won over audiences and critics alike—it was only right that they made the list.
"Laila, can you get in touch with that Eastern actor, Zhang—what's his name?" Janet called her daughter shortly after the Oscar nominations were made public.
"What for?" Laila asked, confused as to why her mother would want to reach out to him.
Janet did, in fact, have a reason. "You know I've been planning to launch a men's fashion line, right? I was originally going to wait until Roy's contract ends to see if he could be our ambassador, but Burberry doesn't seem ready to let him go anytime soon. So I thought, why not try someone else? When I saw your lead actor on TV, he's got a great presence. What do you think?"
It was no surprise Burberry didn't want to release Roy. Thanks to his endorsement, the brand had gone from a luxury label limited to one country to a globally recognized name. And since most of Laila's fans were young—and young people are the prime target market—holding onto Roy was a strategic move. Capture the hearts of young consumers, and the brand would thrive.
That's why, even though Roy's endorsement fee had already increased several times over, Burberry was still eager to renew the contract. Janet also had close ties with the brand's upper management, making it awkward to poach their ambassador—hence the delay.
But when she saw Leslie Cheung on stage at the Golden Globes, she was struck by the uniquely tranquil and elegant aura he exuded—almost Zen-like. It aligned perfectly with the concept behind her upcoming collection.
This new menswear line was also the first collaboration with Xuanji Embroidery Atelier. Having an Eastern face as the brand ambassador would be an ideal fit. So Janet turned to her daughter to see if a partnership was possible.
Naturally, Laila was more than happy to help. Her mother's brand had a strong presence in the fashion world. The menswear division might not have been as famous as the womenswear line, but it was still a prestigious name in the industry.
When celebrities choose brand endorsements, they're most drawn to fashion, jewelry, and beauty labels. Being acknowledged by the fashion industry could open countless doors for an actor's career. Without that recognition, their future paths often become narrower and narrower, eventually fading into obscurity.
Landing a deal with a major fashion house meant that the celebrity had officially made their mark in the fashion world. From there, they could expect better photoshoots, magazine covers, fashion show invites—their entire public image would be elevated.
With Leslie Cheung's popularity and influence in Asia, he surely wasn't lacking in endorsements from major brands. The question was simply whether he'd be able to take on this particular one.
Chen Shufen had Laila's personal number. In previous interactions, they'd communicated directly. Still, even so, her heart raced a little when she received Laila's call.
Upon hearing the offer, she stood up from her chair in pure excitement. She knew better than anyone what a high-end international endorsement could mean. Leslie Cheung already had several solid fashion deals under his belt, but none could compare to Janet's brand.
The difference between them was like that between streetwear and haute couture—between what middle-class attendees might wear to a gala, and what the ultra-wealthy would commission as custom pieces for exclusive events. The gap was enormous.