Seeking to rescue Harry from the drinking and paralysis that followed John’s death, Evelyn decides the only sustainable lever is work. She surrounds Harry with Connor to keep him sober during the day, but when that fails at night, she reads hundreds of scripts to find one he will believe matters.

Max Girard sends a stalled project, All for Us, about a resilient single mother in New York. Evelyn recognizes both a role she can inhabit and a story that will speak to Harry’s ideals. When Harry hesitates, Evelyn tells him it could finally win her an Oscar, prompting him to commit. Production gives Harry routine and purpose—he gets out of bed—even if he does not stop drinking. Evelyn grows closer to Max during the shoot.

Four months after the film’s release, Evelyn attends the Oscars with Harry; Max arrives with model Bridget Manners but continues his playful courtship. Connor watches from the hotel with Luisa and has earlier given Evelyn a gold star drawing and Harry a lightning bolt for luck, which they carry into the ceremony.

When Best Actress is announced, Evelyn, who doubts her own gravitas, is shocked to hear her name. She thanks the industry, publicly honors Harry as her favorite producer and their child, and credits Max. She also directs a brief, coded message to an unnamed woman watching at home—“I know she’s watching right now”—signaling enduring love after years of silence. Returning to her seat, Evelyn witnesses Max win Best Director and Harry win Best Picture. The three pose together, recognizing they have reached the summit of their careers even as private losses and Harry’s drinking persist.