boxer to hollywood

Link knew he wasn't going to win the award, but the Oscars are one of the top three most-watched award shows in the entertainment industry, with viewership consistently over 13 million in recent years.

After receiving a nomination, both the singer and the song get significant exposure through live broadcasts on ABC, which provides media coverage and allows the audience to become familiar with the artist, making fans even more excited and adoring. It's a great promotional platform, and many people pay a lot of money just to be there. Link didn't want to miss out.

Upon arriving at the awards ceremony venue, Link parted ways with Christine and headed to the "Warrior" crew seating area. Given the multiple nominations, their seating was fairly close to the front, only behind "Avatar" and "The Hurt Locker."

After taking his seat, Link greeted director Russell, Christian Bale, Melissa Leo, and others. Amy Adams also received a nomination for Best Supporting Actress but couldn't attend due to having just given birth.

The Oscars were halfway through, and "Warrior" had so far only won one award: Best Supporting Actor for Christian Bale, whom Link congratulated.

Soon, Miley Cyrus, known for her infectious smile, and Amanda Seyfried, with her blonde hair and fair skin, took the stage to present the Best Original Song award.

The nominees for this award were the theme song "The Weary Kind" from "Crazy Heart," two songs from "The Princess and the Frog" — "Almost There" and "Down in New Orleans," the theme song "Fighter" from "Warrior," and the theme song "Take It All" from "Nine."

When the nominees were announced, a screen displayed a 30-second clip of each song and its respective film.

For "Warrior," the clip showed Link's character Mickey in a boxing match, repeatedly getting knocked down and suffering greatly, but ultimately turning the tables in the final match with guidance from his brother Dick, and triumphantly raising the WBF gold belt. The passionate and resilient performance of the song made the clip quite moving.

When it was time to announce the winner, Amanda Seyfried glanced toward Link's seat, causing his heart to skip a beat. Could it be "Warrior"?

It wasn't. The award went to "Crazy Heart."

This film is about an aging, impoverished country music singer who finds redemption through love and returns to a normal life. Starring Jeff Bridges and Colin Farrell, it was released last December. The movie was of high quality, and the theme song was excellent. Especially moving was the scene where Jeff Bridges, while lying in bed in pain, composes "The Weary Kind."

In terms of the storyline and the song's emotional impact, it was indeed superior to "Fighter."

"Link, don't be disheartened. You're still young," said Christian Bale.

"Understood. What I want is the acting Oscar," Link replied, eyeing the little golden statue in Bale's hand.

"Are you serious?" Bale shook his Oscar and said, "For this award, I started honing my acting skills fifteen years ago. I lost over a hundred pounds, shed several layers of skin, and other winners are similar. You're young, handsome, a world boxing champion with two Grammys and a billionaire. I don't think the Academy will give you the acting Oscar unless it's when you're in your fifties or sixties."

"It does sound tough," Link said with a smile.

The Oscar for Best Actor and the Grammy for Best Male Artist are both difficult to win. 

Comparatively, the Best Actor Oscar is harder to achieve. It not only depends on acting skills but also on the actor's effort and sacrifice. This award is open to male actors worldwide, for any film released in North America, regardless of language or genre. The competition is fiercer than for the Grammys.

This makes the award highly prestigious. Winning it means doubling your salary and making a mark in film history.

Given Link's current situation, it is indeed very challenging, but it's not impossible. As long as he acts in more good films, builds connections in the industry, and uses effective public relations strategies, he might secure an Oscar sooner or later.

By around 8 PM, the 82nd Academy Awards ended.

"Warrior" had eight nominations and won two: Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress. The result was neither bad nor great.

The biggest winner of the Oscars was "The Hurt Locker," which, out of nine nominations, won six: Best Picture, Best Actress, Best Original Screenplay, Best Editing, Best Sound Editing, and Best Sound Mixing.

"The Hurt Locker" director Kathryn Bigelow also became the first woman to win this award in Oscar history. She is also the ex-wife of James Cameron.

Meanwhile, the highly anticipated "Avatar" won only three awards: Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction, and Best Visual Effects. However, the film has grossed over $2 billion globally, becoming the highest-grossing film of all time. James Cameron made a fortune from it.

Jeff Bridges, who won Best Actor for "Crazy Heart," is 61 years old and has been in the industry since 1971. This was his fifth nomination and his first win.

Sandra Bullock won Best Actress for "The Blind Side." Compared to the other four nominees, she had less impressive acting skills and experience. However, the film's topic—about a white middle-class family adopting a black teenager and helping him succeed—was well-suited to the Academy's tastes.

"Link, don't feel too bad. You'll get more Oscar nominations in the future and will face rejection. After ten or so times, you'll get used to it," Christine said, bringing a plate of "Avatar"-themed desserts to console him.

She wore a black off-shoulder dress, slim and elegant, also a focus of the party. As she approached Link, several male actors around them glanced curiously.

Link looked at her plate. "Aren't you worried about gaining weight from eating so many sweets tonight?"

"No worries. I have a body type that doesn't gain weight easily. No matter how much I eat, I won't put on weight," Christine said, waving her slender white arm in front of him.

"It's too bad! You won't be able to win the Oscar for Best Actress by gaining weight like Ms. Theron," Link remarked, glancing at the blonde woman in the center of the party.

"I don't mind. If I had to gain weight and become unattractive to win an award, I'd rather not have it," Christine said, picking up a "little blue man" fruit dessert, biting off its head, and closing her eyes in delight with a satisfied expression.

Seeing her reaction, Link couldn't resist and used his fork to quickly finish off the remaining three "little blue men" on her plate. They tasted sweet and tangy with hints of aloe, blueberries, and macadamia nuts, clearly a Michelin chef's creation.

Christine opened her eyes, saw the empty plate and Link's satisfied face, and her expression turned cold. "Link Beck, I need an explanation!"

"Remember, never close your eyes in front of a guy who loves sweets. This time he ate the sweets from your plate; next time, it could be you," Link said with a shrug.

Christine pointed her fork at him, muttering, "You devil," her face even colder, as she went back to the "Avatar" themed area to find more "Pandora" fruit.

Link smiled gently, returning to the middle of the party to congratulate the award-winning directors, actors, and screenwriters. He's not just an actor but also the owner of a company. Knowing more people means more opportunities to earn money.

Ryan Reynolds found him in the middle of the party, saying some people wanted to meet him and asked if he was interested.

Link then met several actors from the 70s and 80s, including Colin Farrell, Zac Efron, and Jake Gyllenhaal.

They were curious about how powerful his boxing skills were, asking if he could defeat the Klitschko brothers, the Beast Valuev, or how he would fare against professional boxers, WWE wrestlers, and Marines in a direct fight.

Amanda Seyfried also came over to chat, saying she almost misread the winner's name during the presentation and ended up exchanging contact details with him.

By around 8:30 PM, it was time to take a break. Link decided to leave the Oscar party early.

(End of Chapter)