Chapter 928 - Best Adapted Screenplay

In the subsequent awards, 'The Lord of the Rings' swept categories such as Best Art Direction, Best Visual Effects, Best Sound Mixing, Best Makeup, and Best Costume Design.

What thrilled the audience and fans the most was that, up to this point, 'The Lord of the Rings' hadn't missed a single nomination. Every category it was nominated for, it won.

With five awards already secured, just one or two more would surpass the achievements of Laila's 'Chicago' at the Oscars.

There were still six nominations left. Could it be that they wouldn't win at least one or two? The anticipation was palpable.

"Screenwriters play a crucial role in filmmaking, yet their contributions are often undervalued. The recent strike demonstrated this," said the presenter for the Best Adapted Screenplay award. When discussing screenplays, it was impossible not to mention the recent writers' strike, which had shaken Hollywood and the entertainment industry.

The strike had affected nearly everyone in Hollywood and the broader U.S. entertainment scene. Anyone with even a modicum of fame had felt its impact. Therefore, for this year's awards related to screenwriting, the presenters were particularly distinguished.

"Let's take a look at the five outstanding screenwriters who have brought us such a spectacular visual feast. They are Paul Thomas Anderson for 'There Will Be Blood', Christopher Hampton for 'Atonement', the Coen Brothers for 'No Country for Old Men', Laila Moran for 'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King', and Ronald Harwood for 'The Diving Bell and the Butterfly'."

As the presenter read each name, the audience responded with enthusiastic applause. This level of recognition wasn't typical in the past, but the writers' strike had brought screenwriters into the spotlight. At least for now, no one would dare to undervalue their contributions.

Roy glanced at the nominees. Some remained calm, others maintained a smile, while a few looked visibly tense, their eyes fixed on the envelope in the presenter's hands.

The atmosphere made Roy's breathing quicken slightly. As the presenter had mentioned, this award didn't usually garner much attention. Unless the screenwriter was particularly notable, audiences rarely cared about who wrote the script—they were more interested in the stars and directors.

But Roy hoped Laila would win this award. Outsiders might not know, but he was well aware of how much effort she put into her work. She would agonize over a single word in a sentence, often thinking about the script even while doing other things. She would frequently drop whatever she was doing to open her laptop and revise a phrase that suddenly felt off.

During filming, it was the same. She would often pause mid-scene, pick up a pen, and scribble notes on the script, all to ensure the film achieved the best possible effect.

He didn't know how other screenwriters worked, but in all the film sets he'd been on, he'd never seen anyone as meticulous as her.

Didn't such dedication deserve the Best Adapted Screenplay award?

"The winner of the 80th Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay is..." The presenter paused for dramatic effect, the music swelling as the audience held their breath. "Laila Moran, 'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King'!"

Hearing her name, fans erupted in cheers. Everyone knew she had been nominated for three awards this year: Adapted Screenplay, Film Editing, and Director. Winning this first award was a promising start. Did it mean the highest honor for a director was within her reach?

Amid the applause, Laila walked up to the stage. As she ascended, she caught the slightly disappointed looks of the other nominees. But such was the nature of competition—it drove progress. After all, wasn't failure the mother of success?

For these nominated writers, whether it was their first time or the only time in their lives, facing an opponent like Laila was simply bad luck.

But at the same time, losing to Laila was easier to accept than losing to someone else. Despite being younger than most in the room, her achievements in film were already unmatched.

In the future, they could proudly say they had come within a hair's breadth of winning the award, only to be narrowly defeated by Hollywood legend Laila Moran. That sounded far more impressive than losing to some obscure nobody, didn't it?

Taking the golden statuette from the presenter, Laila stood at the podium, her emotions surging.

"Receiving this award is a great honor. 'The Lord of the Rings' is a magnificent work. In the books, I discovered a world that was both magical and real. It's a regret that I had to condense such a vast story into three films, as many grand and breathtaking scenes couldn't be fully captured in such a limited format."

"While adapting the screenplay, I struggled over which scenes to include and which to leave out. Fortunately, my adaptation turned out well, and the Academy has validated it with this award."

Her words elicited a light chuckle from the audience. No one could deny her success, as both box office numbers and fan enthusiasm had proven.

"Screenwriting is hard work, but it's also incredibly rewarding. To those hesitating whether to write the story that captivates their heart, I say this: A single person's brilliance isn't true brilliance. Share your joy with the world. Thank you."

She raised her trophy and walked off the stage.

"Congratulations, Laila," Roy said, embracing her. "You spoke so well!" He believed her line about "a single person's brilliance" would soon spread online and become a classic quote.

Laila smiled. "I meant every word. Adapting someone else's work can be interesting, but I still prefer original stories."

"Like the ones you've done before?"

Roy was referring to her earlier films, which she had both written and directed.

But for Laila, those didn't truly count as original. They were products of her rebirth and the advantages it brought. In her heart, she longed to create a film based on a script she had written entirely from scratch, like the one she had penned in her previous life. She desperately needed a genuine victory to prove that she could stand on her own as a true director.

Unfortunately, the timing wasn't right. Her current status and responsibilities didn't allow her to be too capricious. She represented the Moran family's reputation, as well as Dragon Soul and Phoenix. Even for the sake of those who relied on her for their livelihoods, she couldn't afford to be too self-indulgent.