Hugo and Uma stood side by side on the red carpet, Uma holding onto Hugo's arm, her soft and graceful smile particularly eye-catching. Her sharp and clean outfit reined in the seductive, bewitching charm she was known for, instead adding a layer of mysterious, composed elegance. This was something the media had never seen on Uma before. The Uma Thurman before their eyes left the journalists genuinely surprised, almost unable to believe this was the woman they thought they knew.
A trench coat outlined Hugo's tall and upright figure perfectly, while his simple, neat hairstyle revealed his clear, handsome features in their entirety. Although Hugo had chosen an outfit that surprised everyone, the lazy casualness in his attire nonetheless stunned every pair of eyes. Whether it was the scholarly charm of Dead Poets Society, the embarrassment of the Razzie Awards, or the charisma of Scent of a Woman, none compared to Hugo's bearing today.
The pairing of a handsome man and a beautiful woman drained the noise from the red carpet in an instant. All the cheers and shouts were like ephemerally blooming flowers of the night, exploding at their peak in that moment—only for Hugo and Uma.
In the media's eyes, the sunny and striking Hugo had never lacked for gossip. Back in his Dune days, rumors had already spread about him and his co-star Virginia Madsen. At the time, neither was particularly famous, so the gossip hadn't drawn much attention. Afterwards, Hugo's intermittent rumors never stopped. After Hudson Hawk last year, the love-and-hate scandal between Hugo and renowned producer Tracy was undoubtedly the most talked-about piece of gossip in the industry.
The problem was, no matter the rumor, Hugo had never truly acknowledged any of them. So all of these remained no more than speculation, never confirmed. But today seemed to be different. The gossip about Hugo and Uma had been raging since the beginning of the year. Although neither of them had admitted to it, no one had forgotten Uma's earth-shattering kiss at the Final Analysis premiere. And now, Hugo had brought Uma to attend the A Few Good Men premiere with him. This was practically tantamount to admitting they were seeing each other.
Generally speaking, when a man brought a female companion to a premiere, it could mean a co-star from the film, a family member, or a girlfriend. Clearly, Uma neither starred in A Few Good Men, nor was she related to Hugo. That left the greatest likelihood—that she was his partner.
"Hugo, Uma, are you two dating?" The reporters' shouts came surging from all directions, overlapping in waves, mixed with the fans' screams on both sides, making it impossible to distinguish the exact source of the voices. But even if it was hard to make out clearly, the meaning was unmistakable—the very first focus of everyone's attention was this question.
Hugo and Uma, only halfway down the red carpet, were pinned in place by the reporters' relentless questions. If the two of them didn't give an answer, the journalists would never let them pass. So the two of them stopped, exchanged a glance, and then Uma shook her head, "No, we're not a couple."
Her reply caused the frequency of camera flashes to noticeably slow down. Everyone had been hoping to focus immediately on their response. But they hadn't expected Uma to deny it. This… this felt suspiciously like a blatant lie.
Luckily, Uma quickly followed with an explanation: "Hugo and I are friends. Yes, we have indeed had meals together a few times, and we have met privately a couple of times." As she spoke, she turned to Hugo with a smile, casting him an inquiring look, as if seeking his confirmation. And sure enough, she saw him smile and nod. "But tonight, I'm only here as a female friend, standing in support of Hugo's new film."
By now, Uma no longer showed any of her earlier nervousness. Once calmed, the radiance of her resolute and fearless personality revealed itself, allowing her to skillfully manage the atmosphere of the scene.
Hearing her response, the reporters began to get a general idea, but remained uncertain. And with Hugo himself right beside her, there was no need for speculation. Naturally, they turned their gaze directly on him, waiting for a clear answer.
Hugo's smile remained, but he did not answer right away. Instead, he pointed at the video cameras in the reporters' hands. "Are you sure you want me to answer your questions right here?" His words immediately stunned the noisy press into silence.
There was indeed a system to red carpet photos and interviews. Normally, the process was divided into two parts. The first half focused on documenting the red carpet itself. Reporters might throw out a few casual questions, but most were just for small talk or things like "How are you feeling tonight?" The point was to keep conversations light, revolving around the red carpet, no more than short exchanges.
The second half was the designated photo area, usually marked by the host's backdrop—at film festivals, the festival logo; at premieres, the movie poster. After posing for photos there, the interviews would become more in-depth. Reporters would push forward with their microphones—these connected not to speakers on-site but to cameras or recorders—so they could capture the dialogue properly for later articles.
Of course, large-scale award ceremonies like the Oscars would also arrange for red carpet hosts to conduct live interviews for broadcast, focusing mainly on the guests' outfits, moods, and outlooks.
At this moment, Hugo and Uma were still on the red carpet, in the first half of the process. That meant reporters had no recordings of their responses—only their memories to rely on. Once Hugo and Uma reached the photo area, they would certainly be asked again. This was why Hugo posed his question, catching the journalists off guard. They realized, in their eagerness, they had forgotten this detail.
Uma chuckled softly at Hugo's remark, and even the surrounding reporters couldn't help but feel embarrassed, letting out awkward laughs. But Hugo didn't let the moment drag on. He quickly added, "Yes, we are friends." After saying this, Hugo glanced at Uma, and the two of them couldn't help but laugh out loud together. Hugo then elaborated, "Maybe we're a little closer than ordinary friends. Yes, that's about right."
The reporters instantly understood what Hugo and Uma meant. After all, relationships between men and women were complicated, with many explanations and definitions. "Dating" was one such definition—simply put, it meant both sides had good feelings for each other, decided to give one another a chance, meet, go out on dates, and then seek further development. If things worked out, they would become a couple; if they couldn't find mutual harmony, they would part ways. Hugo and Uma clearly fit into this stage of a relationship.
But then the next set of questions immediately arose. Just how far had Hugo and Uma's relationship developed? Did it start back in March? How many times had they gone out? How was the chemistry? And appearing together at the premiere tonight—didn't that mean they were just one step away from becoming an official couple…?
If questions were to be asked, one would only lead to another. This was not just the reporters' professional instinct, but also the natural gossiping curiosity of ordinary people. Yet they were constrained by the fact that they had no recording equipment in hand. Hugo's earlier reminder was perfectly reasonable. So the reporters on both sides of the carpet were stuck, full of questions they wanted to ask but unable to voice them. This frustration was almost torturous.
Then they saw Hugo and Uma, wearing the smiles of people who had just gotten away with mischief, once again stepping forward toward the photo area at the end of the red carpet.
Setting aside the tantalizing gossip, Hugo and Uma's looks tonight were absolutely the highlight of the entire event. Not only did their styles perfectly fit the theme of the film, but they also added a surge of vitality to the red carpet, becoming the brightest sight of the evening. As a result, the photo session lasted quite a while.
For a full three minutes, the photographers kept calling out, "Hugo, over here," "Uma, Uma," "Look this way, look this way," "Give us a smile, give us a smile"… Hugo felt his smile stiffening. He still wasn't used to such occasions and clearly hadn't yet mastered the art.
When the photo-taking finally ended, the reporters eagerly began their questioning. Hugo and Uma repeated the same statements they had made earlier on the first half of the red carpet. When pressed with further questions, Uma took the lead, saying, "So, what is it exactly you want to know? Although Hugo and I are good friends, I don't think he, as the star of tonight, would still be smiling if the spotlight on him was blurred."
The implication was clear: We're friends. That's been explained well enough. It's time to let this go.
It had to be said—Uma's personality was still quite boyish. Her bold and straightforward attitude left the reporters exchanging wry smiles. Standing beside her, Hugo cooperated by putting on an angry expression. "Haven't you noticed Jack and Rob are already upset? Tonight is the premiere of A Few Good Men. I think keeping the focus on the film is the most important thing. Otherwise, at the next premiere, I'll be in an awkward position."
Hugo even dragged Jack Nicholson and the others into it. However, Demi Moore and Bruce Willis, standing nearby, clearly didn't look pleased. They had originally been expected to be the most eye-catching couple on tonight's red carpet. But Hugo's appearance with Uma—along with the boiling-hot scandal it stirred—effortlessly captured all the reporters' attention.
It was easy to imagine that tomorrow's front pages of newspapers and magazines would surely have a place reserved for Hugo and Uma. This undoubtedly served Paramount Pictures' publicity goals. But for Demi, it was not good news.
Sure enough, the moment the reporters heard Hugo's words, their sharp journalistic instincts immediately picked up the key detail. Nicholas from the Los Angeles Times shouted out, "Hugo, we've heard that during the filming you and Demi didn't get along. Is that true? Even after you arrived here tonight, you still haven't exchanged a word with her!"
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