After entering February, the crew moved to Nevada. Since the shooting progress was far ahead of schedule, Cameron made some adjustments to the team, and Ryan was given a two-week vacation. He returned to the school that now felt strangely unfamiliar to him.
For Ryan, the school was both delighted and troubled. They were delighted to have such a star student who could boost the school's reputation and attract more enrollments, but troubled because he frequently asked for leave—sometimes for weeks, sometimes for months. Fortunately, his grades had always been good, and his guardian was generous. So far, the school had already received two donations worth a total of $100,000.
Sitting in the classroom, Ryan, for once, wasn't writing or doodling. He seemed to be listening attentively, but in reality, his mind was wandering far away.
Home Alone was gradually being pulled from North American theaters, having grossed over $280 million domestically. Although Disney had done a lot of behind-the-scenes work, it was almost impossible for the film to surpass The Sixth Sense. However, securing the second spot on the box office rankings was a sure thing.
As the new year began, a new awards season also kicked off. The Sixth Sense received a bunch of nominations and awards from various organizations. Especially for himself, Ryan was nominated for Best Supporting Actor at both the Chicago Film Critics Association and the Golden Globes. He even won the Best Young Actor award from the Young Star Awards.
Of course, he didn't attend any of these ceremonies—Kinsley handled them all on his behalf. Otherwise, it would have exhausted him to death.
Frankly speaking, apart from the Oscars, he didn't care much about the other awards—not even the Golden Globes.
Though the Golden Globes were considered the second most prestigious film award in North America, they had long been criticized for being riddled with corruption. He didn't want to get too involved in that. Moreover, Pai Kinsley and Harvey Weinstein had focused almost all their energy on lobbying for the Oscars.
Yes, the Oscars were relatively fair—but not entirely immune to influence. Of course, this "influence" didn't mean bribing or pulling shady deals—that would be suicidal. If you crossed the line, the Academy wouldn't hesitate to throw you under the bus to prove its so-called fairness and integrity.
You had to know that many Academy voters didn't even watch the nominated films before voting. Those who watched a few clips were already considered conscientious. So what did they base their votes on?
Media coverage and reviews by well-known critics!
Undoubtedly, films released closer to the awards season had an advantage. From that standpoint, The Sixth Sense was clearly at a disadvantage.
But with the breakout success of Home Alone, he once again became a media darling. As a result, The Sixth Sense was pulled back into the spotlight and compared extensively to this pure comedy film, giving it a wave of free publicity.
But that alone wasn't enough. As early as the turn of the year, a full-on PR campaign for The Sixth Sense had already begun. Ryan and Miramax jointly funded the purchase of twelve full pages in Vanity Fair and The Hollywood Reporter to promote the film. He also gave an exclusive interview to The Los Angeles Times, revealing that the third Harry Potter book would be released in March. In return, the newspaper gave the film favorable coverage.
By this month, The Sixth Sense had also won the People's Choice Award for Favorite Motion Picture of 1990—adding another weight to their Oscar bid.
All of this was aimed solely at securing an Oscar nomination, a ticket into the game. As for winning? That would take not just skill but luck. The Sixth Sense was a thriller, which was inherently at a disadvantage. According to Miramax's PR plan, as long as the film could win even one Oscar statuette, it would be considered a huge victory.
When the school bell rang, Ryan packed up his things, took his backpack from his locker, and walked toward the school gate. He hadn't gone far when Jerry and Peter caught up to him from behind.
"Ryan, is it true that the third Harry Potter book will be published in March?" Jerry asked.
"That's right," Ryan nodded.
"You've already finished writing it? Can we have a sneak peek?" Peter asked with a pleading smile.
"It's finished."
Just as the two guys' eyes lit up, he made a helpless gesture. "I've already mailed it to the publisher. I didn't keep a copy."
Seeing their disappointed expressions, Ryan sighed. "Alright, once I get a sample copy, I'll let you guys read it—but no sharing it with anyone else."
"No problem! We promise!"
Ryan had just walked out of the school gate when he realized something was wrong. Flashbulbs were going off like crazy, enough to blind someone. At least twenty or thirty reporters swarmed toward him like a bunch of green-headed flies that had smelled blood. One of the weirder TV stations even brought a satellite broadcast van.
He was okay—after all, he'd been through bigger and messier scenes. But Jerry and Peter were scared pale, their bodies trembling.
Thankfully, the reporters only had eyes for Ryan and didn't trouble his two classmates.
"Ryan, I'm Ivani from Fox News. I want to ask—how do you feel about being nominated for an Oscar?" shouted the fastest reporter, who had been stopped by the school's security guard George but still managed to stretch out her mic and shout at the top of her lungs.
"Ryan, you've been nominated for an Oscar at just eleven years old…"
"Oscar?" Ryan seemed to understand now. Then he raised his voice. "Quiet!"
"Everyone, please calm down. With all this noise, I can't hear anything." Ryan pointed to his ears and quickly located someone he knew—Mick Taylor from The Los Angeles Times. "Mick, what's going on?"
"Ryan, the Academy just announced the nominations for the 63rd Academy Awards this afternoon. The Sixth Sense got six nominations: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Film Editing. You got two nominations!" Mick Taylor said it all in one breath.
"So that's what this is!"
No wonder these people had gone nuts. Still, he wasn't all that surprised or excited. After all, in his previous life, the film had also received several Oscar nominations—though he couldn't remember the exact number.
"Ryan, how do you feel about it?" someone couldn't wait to ask.
"I'm very grateful to the Academy for their recognition. It's an honor. Thank you!" That line was mandatory—that's the power of authority.
"Do you think you'll win?"
"You'll know after the Oscars ceremony." He shrugged.
The Sixth Sense and Home Alone both made nearly $300 million. How did you pull that off?"
"That was a team effort," Ryan replied, refusing to be led by them.
"In Oscar history, only The Exorcist and Jaws were horror films that got nominated for Best Picture. The Sixth Sense is the third. Do you think it'll break new ground?"
"Ask the Academy," Ryan rolled his eyes. He really wanted to say, "The breakthrough comes next year. The movie is The Silence of the Lambs."
"Ryan, several couples have come forward claiming you're their missing child…"
Just then, a group of people forced their way through—it was Nicole's assistant coming to pick him up. Realizing the situation at the gate, they immediately called for backup from the school.
With several male teachers escorting them, Ryan and the two boys managed to get into the car. Once the vehicle got onto the main road, they finally let out a sigh of relief.
"Sorry, Jerry, Peter—for getting you guys caught up in all this." The two classmates were still visibly shaken, so the boy gave them a comforting pat on the arm.
"I-It's okay…"
Even though they knew Ryan was a celebrity, they had no real concept of just how famous he was. After today, they finally understood.
"Where do you guys live? I'll drop you off first."
…
"Ladies and gentlemen, this is Fox News. Today, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the nominations for the 63rd Academy Awards. Ryan Jenkins, the Los Angeles boy who once stirred the entire nation, received two nominations—Best Supporting Actor and Best Original Screenplay—for his outstanding performance in The Sixth Sense. We are now live in front of St. John Elementary School, where Ryan studies… Here he comes! Ryan…"
"Ryan… After answering a few questions, Ryan Jenkins left the school by car. Will he take home an Oscar statuette? We'll just have to wait and see…"
Natalie Hershler stared wide-eyed at the TV broadcast, unsure of how she felt. That annoying guy had become a shining superstar in just one short year. When would she get her chance to shine?
"Natt, what are you daydreaming about?" her mother, sitting nearby, asked.
"Huh? Mom," Natalie pointed at the TV, "I was just happy for Ryan."
Back in her room, sitting at her desk, Natalie zoned out. Right in front of her was a photo frame—a picture of her and Ryan, taken the last time he visited her, in front of her house.
In the blink of an eye, six months had passed. She was still performing on community theater stages, while he was about to step onto the grand stage of the Oscars!
Not long after getting home, Ryan received many congratulatory calls—from Pai Kinsley, Touchstone Pictures, Miramax, Harvey Weinstein, and others.
"It's such a shame, Al. You didn't get a Best Actor nomination," he said into the phone.
"No worries. There'll be other chances," Al Pacino responded with remarkable composure.
Likewise, Ryan made calls to congratulate others, like David Fincher. This director had been heavily influenced by him. Not only had his debut film changed, but he also got a Best Director nomination with his very first outing behind the camera. Whether that was a good or bad thing for him, the boy couldn't say.
Of course, the happiest person of all was Nicole. Overwhelmed with emotion, she planted several kisses on Ryan's face. Just look at the mainstream media's praise for her—"Astonishing talent matched only by her beauty"—and you could understand her excitement.