The Greatest Showman #939 - Coronation Crown

All eyes, all lights, all focus turned to Natalie Portman's hand. The weight of the moment made her muscles tense, her fingertips feeling clumsy. Struggling to open the envelope, she accidentally tore off a layer of paper. Smiling awkwardly, she quipped, "Huh, looks like my fingers are sweating a little."

Her light-hearted remark masked the tension she felt, and a low chuckle rippled through the crowd. However, the atmosphere only grew more intense. The air seemed to boil with suspense, and oxygen felt scarce. Everyone held their breath, eyes locked on the envelope in Natalie's hand.

With a deep breath, Natalie finally opened it.

Pulling out the card, she lowered her gaze and scanned it again. Her expression was hard to read—surprised, yet composed, a mix of emotions so subtle it was almost impossible to decipher. After a moment's pause, she glanced at the card again. The silence in the room was palpable, the tension unbearable.

And then, Natalie's voice pierced through the quiet.

"The 84th Academy Award for Best Actor goes to… Renly Hall, 'Love is Crazy.'"

Who?

The question echoed in the minds of everyone in the room. Confusion, disbelief, and excitement mixed in a whirlwind of emotions. Shock rippled through the audience, creating a palpable buzz.

"Dammit!" Edith couldn't contain herself. She blurted out a curse, kicked the coffee table in front of her, and jumped to her feet, waving her fists in disbelief. She stared at the screen in stunned excitement.

Tears blurred her vision as she raised her right hand to wipe them away. Choking on her words, she laughed brightly. "You did it. You really did it," she said through her tears, imagining George and Elizabeth's reactions. Thinking of how they'd respond to the news, Edith chuckled louder, though her vision remained blurry. She wiped her eyes again, then smiled, "You finally did it."

Outside, in the heart of Hollywood and Highland, the atmosphere was electric. The plaza had erupted into a wild sea of celebration. Screaming, shouting, and cheering filled the air. People were jumping, and the energy surged like a tidal wave, shaking the world itself.

Standing in the midst of it all, Hope was overwhelmed. Tears streamed down her face as all the frustrations, the pain, the hardships, and the doubts she'd kept buried flooded out. She couldn't stop crying. Her body shook, her soul freed by this cathartic release.

William, overcome with emotion, raised his hands to the sky, his voice hoarse from shouting. "Ahhh!" He screamed, unable to contain the tidal wave of joy. He shouted louder, his tears flowing freely, yet he couldn't stop, clenching his fist and raising his arms high. "Ahhhh!"

The louder his voice grew, the more uncontrollable his tears became. Finally, he stood there, his shouts choked, his body wracked with sobs.

They were the only ones who truly understood how hard and how painful this journey had been. They knew what this victory meant.

Tessa Britton was in a frenzy. She screamed, urging everyone to join the celebration. "This is a happy moment! We must cheer! We have to show those who doubted us that we were right!"

Tessa's voice cracked with emotion. "Don Quixote has succeeded. He's proven them wrong!" She wiped away the tears that had started to fall, determined not to let anyone see her vulnerability. "This is the moment for our Young Master! We must celebrate!"

Taking a deep breath, she shouted, "Master! Master! Master!" Her voice trembled, but she didn't stop. She shouted again and again.

Soon, Graham, William, Hope, and others joined in. Their voices united in a deafening chorus, the entire room vibrating with their chants. "Master! Master! Master!"

Did you hear it? That was the call of Don Quixote, and it echoed in the hearts of everyone present.

The deafening shout reached the Kodak Theatre, where the reality of the moment began to settle in. The Oscars weren't going to Jean Dujardin or George Clooney; they were going to Renly Hall.

Renly Hall, just 22 years and 101 days old, had stunned the world with his portrayal in Love is Crazy. His victory had shattered expectations and broken records. He became the youngest actor ever to win the Academy Award for Best Actor, surpassing Adrien Brody by seven years.

In that instant, history was made.

Renly sat in shock. His expression was a mixture of confusion and disbelief. It was as if, at that moment, "Renly Hall" had become someone else—someone like Chu Jiashu.

He couldn't quite process it. "Who is Renly Hall? Why did he win?" His mind raced as the realization slowly dawned. The trajectory of history had shifted. "Wait, who is Renly Hall?"

The surreal feeling threatened to overwhelm him, leaving his thoughts scattered.

"Renly! Renly! Renly!" Ryan's jubilant voice broke through his fog. Then, Ryan was there, embracing him tightly. "Man, it's you. You did it! You won! I knew it!"

Ryan's outpouring of emotion seemed to overflow, as if it were he, not Renly, who had won. The sheer happiness hit Renly like a tidal wave, slowly bringing him back to reality.

Then, Renly saw Jessica Chastain's tear-filled face. She shook her head in disbelief, her mouth open in a silent gasp. When their eyes met, Jessica recovered, throwing her arms around him, joining the hug. "Man, you did it!" she exclaimed with joy.

In that moment, Renly snapped back to himself. Years of aristocratic composure took over. His brief lapse into shock faded, and he regained control. He patted Ryan and Jessica on the shoulder before rising to his feet.

But as he stood, he saw the camera trained on him. His stunned face filled the big screen, his shock still lingering.

He couldn't help but smile. "If George and Elizabeth saw that moment, they'd probably laugh," he thought to himself, the absurdity of the situation briefly breaking through.

People from every corner of the room—Emma Stone, Martin Scorsese, Meryl Streep—rose to congratulate him. Even Jennifer Lawrence and Derek Doremus joined in, whistling and clapping in celebration.

As Renly made his way to the stage, he noticed Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie standing. They wore polite smiles, but Renly could see the disappointment in Brad's eyes. He didn't have time to dwell on it, however. He simply nodded politely and continued on.

After the initial shock, the reality began to sink in: this was history in the making. Not only was Renly the youngest actor to win the Academy Award for Best Actor, but he was also an incredible example of perseverance.

The applause grew louder as the entire room stood to their feet. This was the third standing ovation of the night, but unlike the previous two, this one was for something far greater: the birth of a new era in cinema.

The sound of thunderous applause reverberated through the Kodak Theatre, a symbol of the recognition Renly so richly deserved.

As he walked toward the stage, a flood of emotions filled him. He had come so far, yet the journey felt both long and short. The struggles, the hardships, the rejections—all had led to this moment.

Now, as he stood at the pinnacle of his dreams, the applause and cheers felt like a distant echo, stirring something deep within him. He had finally done it.