Among all film genres, musicals have consistently had the lowest level of audience acceptance.
On one hand, this is because many films fail to balance the timing and proportion of musical numbers, leading to awkward singing or dancing that makes audiences uncomfortable.
On the other hand, even with a solid script and well-composed music, for viewers unfamiliar with this type of film, it remains a considerable aesthetic challenge.
As a result, musicals that have been widely recognized by the public throughout film history are extremely rare.
Typically, musicals separate their storytelling and musical sequences into two distinct parts. In other words, the musical numbers often have little to do with the story itself.
Just like Bollywood films, where, halfway through a scene, an unrelated dance sequence suddenly appears, making the audience feel bewildered.
This is one of the reasons why musicals have fallen out of favor. No matter how well-executed the choreography is, if it doesn't integrate with the story, it won't work.
However, Chicago is different. This film creatively weaves its musical elements into the narrative, often using song and dance to reflect the characters' inner worlds.
The combination of stunning dance performances and a unique story structure led to this film's great success in the past.
After Three to Four months of rigorous training, the film's three main leads—Naomi Watts, Tom Cruise, and Catherine Zeta-Jones—had all mastered their dance routines impressively.
As a result, in early September, the film held its official launch press conference, announcing that production had officially begun.
During interviews, Gilbert shared his thoughts on directing a musical:
"My father has always been a devoted fan of musicals and had strong connections with Hollywood musical directors like Bob Fosse.
Under his influence, I developed a deep passion for this genre.
I want to bring audiences a fresh experience and prove that musicals aren't outdated; they've just been lacking a new direction. I hope to revive the golden age of musicals."
In reality, the era of musicals had long since passed. Gilbert's words were simply tailored to please Academy voters.
While the Oscars have long advocated for modernization, after so many years, the awards still visibly lean toward conservatism.
The aging Academy members remain nostalgic for the golden era, and nostalgia is an eternal theme at the Oscars.
It's never too early to start preparing for the Oscars.
Tom Cruise, when discussing his collaboration with Gilbert, looked genuinely pleased:
"Gilbert and I are close friends, and we've always wanted to work together.
Now, we've finally made it happen. I've read the script, and it's fantastic. I have a lot of dance sequences in this film, so you definitely have to see it..."
After passionately talking about the film for a while, Tom Cruise suddenly dropped a bombshell.
With a joyous smile on his face and his signature deep, gentle voice, he revealed:
"Mary is pregnant. I'm going to be a father."
The moment those words left his mouth, the gathered reporters erupted in excitement, scrambling to get closer for more details. However, the event's security was tight, preventing them from rushing forward.
Seeing the media frenzy, Gilbert glanced at Tom Cruise in surprise but quickly understood his intent.
Even something as personal as fatherhood could be leveraged during awards season to attract attention.
At the Oscars, voting often works like this: Tom Cruise's wife is expecting; he's about to be a father—let's vote for him!
Unfortunately, it wasn't Nicole Kidman herself competing for an Oscar this time; otherwise, the effect would have been even stronger.
Natalie Portman had once used the pregnancy card, ultimately securing her Academy Award for Best Actress.
This proves that the Oscars aren't just about pure acting ability. By the time an actor is nominated, their performance is already top-tier.
What matters is the off-screen tactics—who can play the game more skillfully and effectively.
Unfortunately, Naomi Watts wasn't pregnant.
Despite Gilbert and Watts' best efforts, strangely enough, even with Cameron Diaz, Charlize Theron, and Jennifer Connelly included, there was no news of any pregnancy.
Perhaps this was the influence of the Landrani family genes. While they were blessed with extraordinary talent, nature seemed to impose strict control over their lineage to prevent overproliferation.
The day after the press conference, the production team immediately began shooting at Warner Bros. Studios.
Meanwhile, as expected, the media exploded.
Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman are having a baby? Given recent rumors about them trying for a child, the news wasn't entirely shocking.
The real media frenzy came from the implication that Hollywood's golden couple was finally heading toward a happy ending.
Previously, various tabloids had speculated that Cruise and Kidman's differing beliefs and personal issues would eventually lead to their separation.
But now, those rumors seemed unfounded. Their relationship appeared stronger than ever!
At this moment, an insider report surfaced, claiming that Cruise and Kidman had indeed reached the brink of a marital crisis, but Gilbert's presence had helped mend their relationship.
This sparked further public curiosity, leading people to dig deeper into the behind-the-scenes story.
Of course, this whole narrative was carefully orchestrated by Warner Bros. and Disney's media teams, strategically feeding the press to generate continuous buzz until the Oscars.
At Miramax Films, inside the president's office, the Weinstein brothers were deep in discussion.
"The test screening showed that audiences weren't satisfied with the film's ending. I've already called the production team back to reshoot a new version to see if it works better," said Bob Weinstein.
"Good work," Harvey Weinstein nodded. "Shakespeare in Love is our key project this year. Every detail must be handled perfectly in advance."
Bob hesitated for a moment. "Harvey, we need to consider the reality of the situation. Right now, Chicago is generating a massive media storm—it's shaping up to be our biggest competitor next year."
Harvey, however, remained unfazed. "Gilbert is definitely aiming for Best Director. Our goals don't conflict—we can join forces and divide up the Oscars."
From Harvey's tone, he made it sound as if the Oscars were just a cake, and they were merely deciding how to split it.
And truth be told, in some ways, the Oscars really were like a cake.
Shakespeare in Love starred someone Gilbert was familiar with—Gwyneth Paltrow.
There was an entire backstory behind her casting. Originally, the role she played was meant for Julia Roberts.
However, Roberts backed out of the project when Daniel Day-Lewis declined to star in it.
After that, the producers considered Jodie Foster and Meg Ryan before finally settling on Winona Ryder.
Just as the deal was about to be finalized and Winona was about to sign the contract, someone stepped in.
That's right—Gwyneth Paltrow swooped in at the last minute and stole the role right out of her best friend Winona's hands, causing a rift between them.
Gilbert only knew about this because Winona had visited the Chicago set and told him the story herself.
Hollywood was constantly full of competition. Superficial friendships among actresses often masked deeper betrayals, and backstabbing over coveted roles was nothing new.
The rivalry among actresses was ruthless. In Chicago, Roxie and Velma were willing to be Billy's puppets just to achieve fame, pulling every trick in the book.
In reality, actresses who had been navigating Hollywood for years were just as ruthless, willing to use any means necessary to get ahead.
And it wasn't just Hollywood—Broadway performers were equally cutthroat, engaging in just as many backstage maneuvers.
During rehearsals, Gilbert had already noticed a Black actress deliberately trying to steal the spotlight.
She had a scene with Catherine Zeta-Jones, and during rehearsals, she aggressively showcased her Broadway training without holding back.
However, what she didn't expect was that Catherine had trained at London's West End theater scene. When it came to technique, she was just as skilled—if not even better. As a result, the Black actress ended up embarrassed and was later mocked behind the scenes.
This time, Catherine had held her ground. But if she had been overshadowed by the other actress, she would have been the one to lose face.
After all, if the film's leading lady were to be outshone in terms of acting and dancing by a mere supporting actress, it would be a major embarrassment.
Though Gilbert would undoubtedly step in to ensure the supporting roles didn't overpower the leads, Catherine herself would still suffer a loss of face.
Fortunately, that didn't happen—Catherine maintained her standing.
But why were these Broadway actresses targeting Catherine instead of Naomi Watts?
The answer was obvious.
Over the past few months, Catherine and Gilbert hadn't shown any particularly close relationship. But Naomi Watts was different—she was the rightful lady of Melon Manor.
Rumors were already circulating that this film was tailor-made for Naomi Watts.
Her status was unshakable. She was still an A-list Hollywood actress, meaning no one dared to challenge her.
So, the focus shifted to Catherine instead, making her face unexpected challenges during filming.
Winona Ryder happened to visit the set just as this Black actress, named Lilia, was performing her scene. That day, Lilia was in excellent form, delivering an exceptional performance.
"Wow, she's really good," Winona remarked in admiration as she sat next to Gilbert.
But she quickly noticed that Gilbert's brows were furrowed—he didn't look pleased at all.
Logically speaking, an actor performing well should be a good thing for the production. But the issue was that Lilia was just a supporting actress. If she stood out too much, it would put pressure on the lead.
If the lead couldn't keep up, it would create the impression that she was being overshadowed.
Catherine shot Lilia a cold look—this Black actress was doing it on purpose.
Over the past few days, Catherine had been struggling to focus because it was that time of the month for her, leaving her in a less-than-optimal state.
Lilia seized the opportunity to make things difficult for her in front of everyone.