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*Titanic* was produced and distributed by 20th Century Fox, with the AA Agency involved in its operation. Therefore, in terms of Oscar campaigning, in addition to Bill Mechanic's vast network, AA's big shot Bryan Lourd also arranged a special dinner.
James Cameron, Dunn, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, and the main creators of *Titanic* were invited to dine with some of the senior Oscar voters, fostering goodwill.
Dunn didn't enjoy such occasions, but he was skilled at handling them.
After a deep conversation with Francis Ford Coppola, Dunn found his resentment toward these stubborn Oscar veterans had lessened significantly.
After all, they were true Hollywood filmmakers, not just capitalists who controlled the fate of film companies.
Conflicts within the circle, no matter how big, are still internal issues.
The Oscar nomination voting was set for February 1st of the following year, with a weeklong registration period.
With two months to go, various players in the industry were starting to make appearances. The cold winter was coincidentally the hottest and busiest time of the Oscars.
With Francis Ford Coppola's guarantee and the combined efforts of Bill Mechanic and Bryan Lourd, Dunn was confident about getting an Oscar nomination for Best Director.
The post-production of *My Big Fat Greek Wedding* was nearly complete and had entered the dubbing phase.
Recently, gossip tabloids had been heavily reporting on Dunn's private life, whether it was due to rivals in the Oscar race trying to smear him or simply to create hype.
Liv Tyler, Kate Winslet, Katherine Heigl... even Nicole Kidman was dragged into the spotlight!
The other rumors were manageable, but Nicole Kidman's husband was Tom Cruise, and the pressure that came with that led to her lashing out at Dunn whenever she saw him.
"Nicole! Nicole, calm down. Listen to me; nothing happened between us, right?" Dunn avoided Nicole Kidman's frosty gaze.
"But you've caused significant trouble for my marriage!" Nicole Kidman exclaimed, nearly losing control.
Dunn patiently explained, "Nicole, think about it. Does Tom Cruise trust you? If he does, then everything's fine. If he doesn't... then why are you still angry?"
"What... what do you mean?" Nicole Kidman was taken aback.
Dunn said gravely, "Nicole, even though we haven't interacted much, I know you haven't been happy in your marriage. You've always lived in Tom Cruise's shadow, unable to break free. The only impression people have of you is that you're Mrs. Cruise!"
"What are you getting at?" Nicole Kidman calmed down, but she started feeling a cold chill.
"Haven't you ever thought about leaving him?"
Dunn's words hit Nicole Kidman like a thunderbolt, her greenish-blue eyes filled with disbelief.
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Time flew by, and it was already 1998.
*Titanic* had already been pulled from theaters worldwide, except for a few still screening it. It accumulated a global box office of $1.87478 billion, meeting Dunn's predictions. The North American box office alone reached $604.6 million, leaving Hollywood in awe.
Dunn's other film, *My Big Fat Greek Wedding*, had officially completed post-production and was preparing for distribution talks with 20th Century Fox.
By January 18th, the grand event hosted by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the Golden Globe Awards, was set to take place that evening at the Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills.
*Titanic* was the front-runner with eight major nominations, including Best Motion Picture – Drama, Best Actor in a Drama, Best Actress in a Drama, Best Supporting Actress, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Original Song, and Best Original Score.
Dunn, along with the core production team of *Titanic*, appeared in full force, becoming the most dazzling group on the red carpet that night.
Especially when Kate Winslet, arm-in-arm with Dunn Walker on one side and Leonardo DiCaprio on the other, stepped onto the red carpet, the fans erupted into deafening screams, as if they could shake the entire Beverly Hills.
After the interview with ABC, they finally entered the venue.
The Golden Globe Awards ceremony was held in a formal banquet style. The *Titanic* crew sat in the front row, near the stage.
Undoubtedly, they were the stars of the evening.
The Golden Globes recognize achievements in both film and television, and to maximize ratings, the awards were given out in a random order as directed by the event's producers. The first award of the night was the coveted Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy.
Jack Nicholson won the Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy for his outstanding performance in *As Good As It Gets*.
Following that were several television awards, and then a very anticipated award—Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama!
The *Titanic* team immediately grew tense, especially Kate Winslet, who tightly pursed her lips and glanced at Dunn.
Her biggest competitor was Judi Dench, the lead actress from *Mrs. Brown*, an older and well-respected actress.
"I have a feeling you'll win!" Leonardo DiCaprio winked, trying to make Kate smile.
Dunn remained silent.
He also believed that Kate Winslet absolutely deserved to win the Best Actress in a Drama award.
While Helen Hunt's performance in *As Good As It Gets* was exceptional, it was for the Musical or Comedy category, so there was no direct competition with Kate Winslet.
Kate's performance in *Titanic* could only be described as breathtaking, especially in the second half of the film, where her portrayal was flawless.
The presenter, last year's Best Actress winner Brenda Blethyn, walked up to the stage. Under the watchful eyes of the audience, she announced with a joyful voice, "The Best Actress in a Drama is... Kate Winslet, *Titanic*!"
Applause erupted.
Everyone in the *Titanic* crew stood up immediately, sharing in Kate Winslet's joy.
"Thank you! Thank you!"
Kate hugged everyone, and the last person she embraced was Dunn. She wrapped her arms tightly around him and said, "Thank you, Dunn, you're my best friend."
Dunn patted her on the back and smiled, "Alright, save your speech for the stage!"
Kate finally laughed and gave him a playful eye roll before heading up to the stage with her lips pressed together.
First victory achieved!
The *Titanic* crew raised their glasses in celebration.
Half an hour later, as expected, Helen Hunt won Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy for *As Good As It Gets*.
There was no doubt she would be Kate Winslet's biggest competitor at the Oscars in a month's time.
Shortly after, *Titanic* also won Best Original Song and Best Original Score.
A clean sweep!
So far, *Titanic* had won every award it had been nominated for.
However, when it came to Leonardo DiCaprio's nomination for Best Actor in a Drama, the tension rose.
This award seemed unlikely.
While Leonardo's performance in *Titanic* was strong, the simplicity of his character didn't allow for much depth, and his competition was formidable.
Dunn believed the frontrunner was likely Daniel Day-Lewis for *The Boxer*.
When the result was announced, the audience was stunned!
The winner turned out to be the dark horse, Peter Fonda.
Despite the surprise, the audience quickly moved on with applause and laughter, ensuring Peter Fonda didn't feel awkward.
Perhaps the streak of bad luck continued, as Gloria Stuart, who played the elderly Rose, lost the Best Supporting Actress award to Kim Basinger for her remarkable performance in *L.A. Confidential*.
Shortly after, James Cameron also lost the Best Screenplay award to Ben Affleck and Matt Damon.
Three wins followed by three losses!
The mood within the *Titanic* crew grew strange. Conversations among them dwindled.
Then came the most anticipated award of the night for the entire country—Best Director!
The screen repeated the names of the four nominated directors: Steven Spielberg for *Amistad*, James L. Brooks for *As Good As It Gets*, Curtis Hanson for *L.A. Confidential*, and Dunn Walker for *Titanic*.
"Don..."
Kate Winslet glanced at him nervously, just as she had before her own award was announced.
Dunn patted her hand and said, "It's okay. After all, I'm still young, right?"
At just under 20 years old, it was unlikely the Golden Globes would award such a major honor to someone so young.
"But... you did the best!" Kate whispered, a bit indignant.
Dunn smiled, "Your support is all I need. It's just the Golden Globes. I'm not that concerned."
Kate pouted slightly, feeling a bit upset. "But I was hoping we could win together, with you and Leo. If I'm the only one to win, it feels... weird."
Dunn chuckled, "You earned it. It's well-deserved!"
At that moment, the presenter stepped onto the stage. It was renowned Hollywood director Milos Forman.
He slowly walked to the podium, opened the envelope at a leisurely pace, and, under the intense gazes of the crowd, looked toward the *Titanic* crew with a smile.
Around Dunn, he could hear the sharp intakes of breath.
Could it be...?
"The Best Director award goes to: Dunn Walker for *Titanic*."
The banquet hall fell silent for a brief moment, then erupted into the loudest applause of the night.
Dunn Walker had just become the youngest Best Director winner in Golden Globe history!
Kate Winslet jumped into Dunn's arms like a little girl, her face pressed against his ear as she bounced excitedly. "You did it! Dunn, you did it! I knew you could!"