--
According to Greek wedding customs, after the church vows, there is a wedding banquet.
At this banquet, the words of "Turan's" father are the soul of the entire scene.
The actor who plays Nicole Kidman's Greek father is in his sixties and is genuinely of Greek descent, having only made cameo appearances in TV shows before.
Fortunately, the role is not complex. It requires someone who can portray a loving, simple, yet old-fashioned character.
For this elderly actor, it's likely just playing himself.
"Hello everyone, welcome to the Portokalos family banquet," the father said in English with a Greek accent. His opening line almost immediately made everyone laugh.
"Uh... uh... and welcome to the Miller family banquet." The father's expression shifted a few times. "Last night, I was thinking about my son-in-law, Ian Miller. The name 'Miller' comes from the Greek root word 'Milo,' which means apple."
The father felt deeply proud of being a Greek, part of the cultural roots of Western civilization. "Many people know that my last name is Portokalos, which comes from the Greek word 'Portokaloki,' meaning orange. Well, now we know that tonight we have apples and oranges. We come from different backgrounds but share the same foundation. We are all fruits."
This is the warmest moment in the entire movie. As a father who always wanted his daughter to marry a Greek, he showed enough fatherly love at his daughter's wedding.
Next, the father took out his life savings to buy a house as a wedding gift for his daughter, which is the most emotional moment in the film.
This is a tradition in Greek culture. Americans don't have such a custom, and through this scene, the movie shows that it does not discriminate against Greek culture but also respects it.
The filming went smoothly as always, and Dunn excitedly announced to everyone, "My Big Fat Greek Wedding is now complete!"
"Wow!"
Most of Dunn 's core team were participating in movie production for the first time and were far more excited than others. Glenn Fierro immediately opened his arms and rushed toward Dunn . "Oh my God, I actually participated in a movie! Dunn , boss, you... you are simply my god!"
Dunn pushed him away with a disgusted look. "Get up, at this moment, I'd rather hug a woman!" He then laughed and opened his arms to Nicole Kidman.
Naturally, Nicole Kidman wouldn't agree to his request in public. She coldly glared at him, completely ignoring him.
Amidst the laughter, Sofia Coppola walked over generously, gave Dunn a hug, and said, "Congratulations, Dunn , on completing another movie. I have a feeling that you'll succeed again this time."
Dunn laughed heartily, "Sofia, let's hope so."
At this time, Katherine Heigl also swayed over, with a flattering smile on her face and a voice as sweet as honey, "Congratulations, Dunn , and thank you for taking care of me during this time."
The crew felt a shiver run down their spines. Thousands of curses echoed in their minds.
Nicole Kidman and Sofia Coppola, however, were not surprised, showing no signs of disdain.
In Hollywood, there are countless beautiful girls who want to become stars. Without some cunning and tactics, how could they succeed? Didn't Nicole Kidman also latch onto Tom Cruise's leg?
No one should judge anyone else!
Dunn hugged her tightly and said, "Katherine, your acting still needs work and refinement. But I believe that if you work hard, in just ten years, you'll become a leading lady."
The first part of his statement made Katherine Heigl feel like she had fallen into an ice pit, almost fainting. Fortunately, his last words reignited her hope. "Thank you for your guidance, Dunn . I will work hard."
"Good."
Dunn nodded. For a small figure like her, once the initial novelty wore off, his interest greatly diminished. He turned to Sofia and said, "The crew is dismissed. Shall we head to your place?"
This had been agreed upon earlier; Dunn was going to visit Mr. Francis Coppola.
"Sure."
Sofia noticed that Katherine Heigl looked a bit disappointed. She patted her on the back and said, "Start with TV shows. Given your current situation, it's hard to make a good start in the film industry. Even if Dunn wants to help you, you need to have enough talent, right?"
Katherine Heigl smiled awkwardly, "Thank you, Sofia. I understand."
---
The Coppola family has enormous influence in the United States. In this year's *Time* magazine rankings, they were ranked fourth in the nation, even higher than legendary families like the Rockefellers.
Francis Coppola's home is not in the glitzy Beverly Hills, which is a gathering place for the nouveau riche. For the Coppola family, they don't need such status displays.
His home is in Pasadena, also a well-known city under the jurisdiction of Los Angeles. Unlike the crowded Beverly Hills, it is backed by mountains and is a great place to recuperate.
Francis Coppola's home is enormous, so big that Dunn was almost stunned.
A huge lawn like a football field, a few quiet streets, with several small motor vehicles parked.
Pavilions, sculptures, fountains, exotic plants, and trees were everywhere.
Liv Tyler once said that when she went to Dunn 's house, she felt like she had lived in a slum before.
Visiting Francis Coppola's house, Dunn could now understand Liv Tyler's feelings.
"It was all built decades ago; it didn't cost much." Sofia kept pursing her lips, clearly not fond of the family's shadow, just like her cousin Nicolas Cage.
**Translation:**
With Sofia's introduction, Dunn finally met the legendary director.
Francis Ford Coppola had put on some weight, with a round face and a large beard. He was dressed casually, as if meeting an old friend, which made him seem even more approachable.
Dunn had genuine respect for this great director. Not to mention anything else, but his *Godfather* trilogy is re-screened in theaters every now and then. The *Godfather*, which was made in 1972 with a budget of $6 million, has grossed $24.5 billion by this year, not to mention its immense influence on the history of world cinema.
"Hello, Mr. Coppola. I'm Dunn . My movie just wrapped up, so I came to visit you, mainly to thank you for your help that day."
In front of such a big shot, Dunn had no need to hide anything, nor could he.
That day, Dunn used the flimsy excuse of "Sofia being harassed" to persuade Francis Ford Coppola, but clearly, it could only be called an "excuse."
With Francis's intelligence, could he not see through it?
Who didn't know that Sofia was his daughter? Not just a few small-time gangsters in Chicago, even the Italian mafia elites wouldn't dare to touch her.
Francis Ford Coppola pointed to a chair, "Hollywood needs to maintain Hollywood's dignity; it's no big deal."
Dunn couldn't help but feel a deep respect.
Indeed, this is a true Hollywood filmmaker, with a completely different perspective from the capitalists who have invaded Hollywood in recent years!
The most typical example is Kirk Kerkorian, who has bought and sold MGM multiple times and took over again last year, completely ruining a century-old studio like MGM. Even though Hollywood seems harmonious on the surface, filmmakers like Francis Ford Coppola, who have spent their lives working in Hollywood, have long harbored deep resentment!
"Unfortunately, the power of capital is becoming stronger and stronger," Dunn sighed, expressing a sentiment that seemed beyond his years.
Francis Ford Coppola nodded slightly, "Seven years ago, Time Inc. merged with Warner Bros.; three years ago, Viacom acquired Paramount; two years ago, Disney acquired ABC for nearly $20 billion; last year, Time Warner acquired Turner Broadcasting for $7.6 billion. Recently, there's been big news that Viacom is in talks to acquire CBS, and if the merger goes through, it could cost nearly $40 billion!"
Dunn reflected, "And then there was Sony's acquisition of Columbia Pictures and News Corporation's acquisition of 20th Century Fox. Hollywood really has changed."
"Things were better in the old days," Francis Ford Coppola sighed deeply, a lament from an elder.
Dunn was a bit puzzled. This was their first meeting, and their statuses and positions were vastly different, yet Mr. Coppola was being so open. What could this mean?
"Could he really see me as a future son-in-law?"
Dunn 's face changed slightly, feeling a chill in his heart. He quickly sought to draw a clear boundary. "Sofia is my good friend. I hope she can be a pure and outstanding filmmaker, not just a tool for capital to make money."
Francis Ford Coppola's eyes narrowed, and he gave Dunn a deep look, revealing a hint of an appreciative smile.
Over the past few weeks, Sofia had been praising this young man to the skies in their phone conversations, and now, meeting him in person, Francis found him to be indeed very clever.
"The dignity of the Coppola family does not allow anyone to trample on it. I know Sofia loves movies, but she's ultimately a woman, and Hollywood is not kind to women. I'm getting old, and it's hard to protect her for much longer. Times have changed; we old folks will eventually have to leave the stage."
Francis Ford Coppola's voice had a note of melancholy.
Even a titan like him felt he couldn't keep up with the times, which shows just how deeply capital had infiltrated Hollywood.
Dunn immediately said, "Mr. Coppola, you're still young. In my opinion, you could make movies for at least another 20 years! As for Sofia, you don't need to worry. She's my good friend. I may not be very capable, but I can protect my friends from being wronged. If she likes the Oscars, I'll do everything I can to help."
Francis Ford Coppola grew even more appreciative of the young man in front of him, surprised by his quick reactions.
Especially the way he subtly conducted negotiations, calm and composed, with a gentle demeanor—it reminded Francis of a big-shot talent manager.
Negotiation is, after all, the common currency in Hollywood.
"Yes, I've heard that your Oscar nomination... ran into some issues?" Francis Ford Coppola understood Dunn 's intentions.
Dunn sighed deeply, "Yes, there was a bit of an issue. You know, I just turned 20 after the new year, so I'm a bit young."
Francis Ford Coppola waved his hand, "Age is not the issue! When John Singleton was nominated for an Oscar for *Boyz n the Hood*, he was only 24. And what kind of movie was that? If the director of *Titanic* can't get a nomination, it would be a joke for the Oscars!"
Dunn breathed a sigh of relief and finally smiled.
With this big shot's endorsement, his nomination should be secure.
"But... can I win?"
In his previous life, James Cameron had indeed won the Oscar for Best Director.