Leonardo was… conflicted.
Watching the long-coveted Oscar for Best Actor drift farther and farther from his grasp filled him with a suffocating frustration. He had the sudden urge to find a secluded place and just scream his lungs out, to release the torrent of disappointment swelling in his chest.
He was an actor—a very good one at that. At least, everyone else had bought into his calm demeanor, believing he had genuinely let go of his obsession with winning Best Actor. That he was no longer holding out hope.
But only he knew the truth—deep inside, the desire still burned fiercely.
He wanted that award. Not just as a trophy, but as validation.
He wanted the world to stop thinking of him as just Jack from Titanic and start recognizing him as a man whose craft had been acknowledged by the most prestigious award in the world.
Losing the Golden Globe had left him downcast for weeks.
He genuinely believed he'd earned that one.
Sure, the eventual winner had delivered a strong performance—but in Blood Diamond, Leo had broken through every limit he'd known, giving what he believed was the best performance of his life.
If even this wasn't enough to win…
He wasn't sure he'd ever be able to.
After all, working with Laila had been a once-in-a-lifetime stroke of luck.
He couldn't imagine convincing her to direct another film just for him.
And with anyone else behind the camera, could he deliver what he had in South Africa?
The presenters for Best Actor took the stage—Colin Farrell, known for Phone Booth and Minority Report, Julianne Moore, and four others.
Leonardo kept repeating to himself: It's fine if I don't win. Don't be too disappointed. Just don't cry on live television.
He tried to convince himself over and over.
But that stubborn little ember inside him refused to go out.
The desire to win had become a fixation.
Even if he lost now, and again in the future, he knew he'd keep pushing forward for that goal. Failure wasn't the end—it couldn't be.
That was his internal mantra.
Outwardly, he maintained the façade—laughing and chatting with his date, pretending he didn't care.
So when the announcers read out his name and the camera zoomed in, what everyone saw on the big screen was his mouth slightly agape in total shock.
For a split second, time seemed to stop.
"Hahaha!" Roy was the first to crack up, completely unapologetic.
He'd been sitting through the whole night waiting for this exact moment.
He knew it. He just knew Leo would win—and now the man had gifted him with a golden reaction he'd be laughing about for the next year.
That dumbfounded expression on Leo's handsome, youthful face—like a deer in headlights—was priceless.
Roy was convinced this moment alone had earned him an extra bowl of rice tonight.
As Roy laughed, the others couldn't help joining in—clapping and chuckling at once.
Laila barely managed to hold back her laughter. She gave Leo a firm pat on the back and nudged him toward the stage.
"What are you waiting for? Your Oscar's waiting for you!"
Leonardo stumbled up the steps, still stunned.
This wasn't the older Leo people remembered from years later—the slightly bloated, mature version of himself.
No—this was still the dashing, golden-boy Leo… now wearing a hilariously dopey expression.
It was a strange juxtaposition, and yet, one that made his reaction feel so real. So human.
The five presenters handed him the statuette, offered their congratulations, and stepped aside, leaving him at the podium.
Leo's brain was a chaotic mess—as if a flock of ducks were flapping around in his head. He couldn't think straight.
"I…" he began, then froze.
He closed his eyes tightly, struggling to center himself.
After a quick cough and deep breath, he began again:
"This is… this is an unbelievable day. I honestly can't believe I'm standing here holding this award.
Just moments ago, I was still telling myself: The competition this year is fierce. If I don't win, it's fine. Understandable.
Even though… I do think I gave the best performance of my life."
"To win this award, I first need to thank the screenwriter, Andrew—who crafted an incredible script and worked tirelessly through countless revisions. Each draft was better than the last."
"And if you're wondering why I haven't mentioned the other credited screenwriter, Laila—don't worry, I'm just saving the best for later."
That light quip earned a wave of fond laughter from the crowd.
"I held onto the Blood Diamond script for several years.
It's a powerful story—one that sheds light on a world too often ignored.
I wanted to find the perfect director to bring it to life."
"There are many brilliant directors in Hollywood, but I chose Laila.
Not because others aren't amazing—but because… she's Roy's fiancée.
I figured if I passed it to her through Roy, she might give it a read."
This time, the laughter was louder.
Everyone knew about his tight friendship with Roy—and some tabloids even liked to speculate cheeky rumors about the two.
Insiders also knew how selective Laila was with scripts.
She usually only directed her work, but if something impressed her, she'd take it on. That's why studios were constantly trying to shove scripts her way—because if she said yes, it meant global acclaim and hundreds of millions at the box office.
Leonardo's speech continued, and as the cameras zoomed in, audiences could see the emotion in his reddened eyes, the glint of tears beginning to form.
"You all know the rest—Laila took the script, and without fear, led our entire team to a far-off land.
There, it felt like we had stepped onto another planet—one of poverty, hunger, and suffering.
It's hard to imagine such conditions exist in a place that produces the world's most expensive gemstones."
"I'm thankful to Director Moran for showing that reality to the world.
And I hope… I truly hope… that one day, this world will be free of hunger and war.
Thank you!"
As he finished, the entire theater rose to their feet in applause.
Laila watched Leo standing there on stage, young and glowing with emotion.
Her mind drifted back to his real-life future Oscar win—his speech back then had moved the world too.
She never expected this version of Leo to already show such maturity and compassion.
She had to wonder…
Had she succeeded?