After all this preparation, Hugo had thought he had a good grasp on his own popularity but he was still stunned all over again by the red‑carpet enthusiasm. A Few Good Men's power had lasted a full two months at the top, eight weeks at number one that was no small feat. And the The Oprah Winfrey Show thing had catalyzed that fervour even further, igniting an unprecedented level of fan worship for Hugo.
At that moment, Hugo felt he could rule the world as though he were king of everything. The earlier frustrations in searching for a new job disappeared amidst the cheers and screams, the tidal wave of camera flashes flooding him. A scene from Titanic flashed through his mind: Jack standing at the bow, shouting "I'm the king of the world!" and at that instant, Hugo was feeling exactly like that.
Stepping forward, Hugo and Uma paused intermittently to greet fans along the sides. Only then did Hugo realise the image before him more clearly — there were probably fewer than three hundred fans physically present; most people preferred watching indoors than standing outside the hotel in the cold. It's worth noting that this year's Golden Globe Awards had not yet been broadcast live on television the ceremony was being recorded and would air later via cable. So the Golden Globes' impact was somewhat limited.
Hugo was genuinely surprised only three hundred people erected such a tidal effect? Thinking back to Chicago not long ago, one hundred people had already caused such a mess for him and Joseph — so a sea of three hundred screaming fans seemed plausible.
When Hugo and Uma reached the photo backdrop, they saw Brad Pitt who had just finished an interview. Their eyes locked: Brad gave a confident, sunlit smile — one that in the next decade would drive innumerable women to swoon. In Brad's eyes Hugo saw the posture of a winner.
Hugo knew this was Brad showing off — a message that yes, Hugo had the cheers now, but this was just temporary. Brad reminded him: I still have the role in The Firm, my success is just around the corner.
Brad didn't wait for a reaction; he deepened his gaze at Hugo, then turned and walked away. Hugo had to refocus and pose with Uma against the backdrop for the photos. Actually, photo calls are tiring work — you need to train posture, expression, angle and neither Hugo nor Uma were experts. But Hugo had at least run through months of publicity before, so he managed it fairly well.
Then they moved from the photo zone to the interview area. As expected, questions about Sunburn took up two‑thirds of the time. Even their dating situation and the pair of nominations for the Golden Globes couldn't eclipse those questions. Hugo's red‑carpet success owed a lot to the Oprah show's exposure: a handsome actor who could also play guitar and sing love songs — that's a potent combination.
But when it came to music questions, it was all old territory — from the Los Angeles Times interview onward, it was always the same questions: When did you start writing music? Will you release an album? Hugo's musical work had so far only been revealed, not released, so the scope of questions remained narrow.
Finally Hugo used a bit of banter to wrap up the music topic. "Am I at the Grammys today? That'd be just perfect — I've always thought my chances at the Golden Globes were too low. Maybe I'll have better luck at the Grammys."
Hugo's humour made all the reporters laugh, and they wisely shifted the line of questioning to the more trivial "Will you win today?" topic. Once the interview segment finished, Hugo and Uma entered the Hilton Hotel, and were immediately blasted by a sea of starlight.
Among the gathered stars: Clint Eastwood, one of Hollywood's elder statesmen who moved from actor to director, known for Million Dollar Baby, Unforgiven, Mystic River, Letters from Iwo Jima. Still quite active in his directorial career.
Also present was Robert Altman, one of America's great directors — by 2014 one of only two U.S. filmmakers to have won the Palme d'Or, Golden Lion and Golden Bear.
The British talent Emma Thompson, nominated for Best Actress for Howard's End, and Nicolas Cage, nominated for Best Actor for Honeymoon in Vegas, and the incontestable legend Meryl Streep — the room was overflowing with major names.
Hugo felt overwhelmed; it seemed that with every turn of his head he spotted another Hollywood mega‑star. But Hugo was gradually getting used to his position. When someone walked up to say hello, Hugo found himself responding naturally rather than freezing.
He was having a pleasant chat with Meryl Streep, his favourite actress until he was interrupted by Michelle Pfeiffer. Pfeiffer, a goddess‑level figure in Hollywood, had risen to the first tier in 1988 with Dangerous Liaisons, earning an Oscar nomination.The following year, The Fabulous Baker Boys further cemented her status, bringing her an Oscar nomination for Best Actress and establishing her as a true A-lister.
This year, Michelle earned a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress for Love Field, continuing her impressive streak of being nominated for five consecutive years in the Best Actress category.
However, when Hugo saw Michelle, he recalled the rumors circulating within Hollywood — Michelle's boyfriend had reportedly revealed to supermarket gossip tabloids that he had been cheated on repeatedly by the studio system, exposing the harsh realities and unwritten rules of the industry.
Before Hugo could speak, Uma greeted Michelle warmly. Hugo remembered that on New Year's Eve, Uma and Michelle seemed to get along very well.
"Hey, did you go for the audition you mentioned last time?" Michelle asked enthusiastically.
An audition? Hugo hadn't been informed by Uma. Uma hadn't expected Michelle to bring it up either. She paused for a moment, forced an awkward smile, and then nodded. "Yes, I went, but I haven't heard back yet. I hope I get some luck this time."
"I'll keep my fingers crossed for you," Michelle said cheerfully, crossing her index and middle fingers.
Once Michelle turned away, Uma immediately explained to Hugo, "I went to the audition, but I haven't received any news yet. I was planning to tell you once I had something definite. You know, these things are unpredictable — I didn't want you to get too excited or stressed."
Hugo recalled that during their vacation, Uma had gone out several times for a few hours without explanation. At the time, he hadn't thought much of it; now he realized she had been attending auditions. Hugo understood how unpredictable auditions could be, so he simply nodded. "So, what project is it?"
Uma smiled. "See? You just can't resist your curiosity. I said I'd tell you when I had definite news." She pinched Hugo's cheek playfully, making him laugh.
While Hugo socialized in the banquet hall, Joseph wasn't idle in the lounge. Events like the Golden Globes weren't just industry gatherings; they were full of opportunities. Nominees and winners often discovered unexpected prospects here, since attending directors and producers were all top-tier.
After a busy half hour, Joseph found a breakthrough with producer Arnold Kopelson. Arnold's greatest achievement was producing Oliver Stone's Platoon (1986), which won the Oscar for Best Picture at the 59th Academy Awards. Though Arnold's subsequent works were considered less remarkable, his reputation as a top-tier producer remained intact. After all, the Platoon script had gone unproduced for nearly a decade until Arnold recognized its potential and brought it to the screen — earning him enduring prestige among producers.
Joseph hadn't expected to get a chance to speak with Arnold. Arnold had just finished collaborating with Ron Meyer as producer for Falling Down, starring Michael Douglas, which was set to release next month.
But Arnold didn't seem concerned. After a brief chat, he offered a script and suggested Hugo audition for the lead male role. Initially, Joseph suspected a trap — given past issues with Tracy and Ron, he remained cautious. But Arnold mentioned that the current male leads considered included Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones. While Hugo didn't hold the advantage compared to these established stars, Arnold still wanted him to audition to give the production more options.
The authenticity of Arnold's proposal convinced Joseph. On one hand, he agreed to Hugo audition; on the other, he began working to gather more information to verify the script and the opportunity's legitimacy. Perhaps this was the long-awaited new chance Hugo had been waiting for!
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