Actor in Hollywood

*Bang.*

Hollywood is blown away—

Wait, what? What just happened? Suddenly, the ground shook, and what's going on with Anson? Did TMZ just drop another bombshell?

An independent film?

Directed by Gus Van Sant, and it's already finished filming?

…Wow.

The shock was universal. This was something Hollywood clearly didn't see coming.

Just a moment ago, everyone in Hollywood knew that Anson was recording in Sound City. This rising superstar, who had skyrocketed to the top, was reportedly dabbling in the music industry.

Then, in the blink of an eye, Anson had completed filming an independent movie, making fools of the paparazzi across Los Angeles, performing a classic bait-and-switch right under their noses.

In no time, from Century City to Hollywood, there was only one name on everyone's lips:

Anson Wood.

People couldn't stop talking. Is Anson the first person ever to pull off such a high-stakes, high-visibility deception on the paparazzi?

Whether it was a grand deception or a clever misdirection, one thing was clear: 

On one hand, the paparazzi were fuming, launching an investigation into how Anson managed to slip away right under their noses.

What a humiliation!

It's one thing if they weren't paying attention, but they had been watching him day and night. Yet, Anson still managed to give them the slip.

This is just...

On the other hand, the hunt to uncover details about Anson's latest film began in earnest. Having missed the scoop, at least they wanted to follow up with the news.

But they found nothing.

Gus refused to be interviewed—

He went into complete lockdown, cutting off his phone, closing his doors, and disconnecting his landline, fully immersing himself in the editing room, ignoring the outside world. The paparazzi were left running around like headless chickens, to no avail.

Thus, a rare and remarkable scene unfolded in Century City:

The paparazzi themselves became the talk of the town.

On the surface, people were talking about Anson, the hot new superstar, whose every move seemed to generate buzz. But in Hollywood and Century City, insiders knew where the real story lay.

The paparazzi had been outsmarted by Anson.

It's rare to see the paparazzi so flustered and helpless. Whether they were directors, actors, agents, or producers, whether they had past grievances with the paparazzi or not, everyone found this turn of events quite satisfying.

"This time, they really took a hard fall."

"How did Anson pull it off?"

"Who would have thought that Anson completed something so significant right under their noses?"

"A bunch of fools were hanging around Sound City, while Anson was living it up in Portland. Ha, ha ha, this is just too funny."

"Just when I thought the Sound City news would fade away, this plot twist hit."

"Hahaha, you should've seen how frantic those paparazzi were. Won't this give them PTSD?"

For once, the paparazzi, who usually provide the gossip, found themselves thrust into the spotlight, experiencing what it's like to be the talk of the town, not as pariahs, but still facing ridicule.

TMZ was in the spotlight again.

The paparazzi aren't fools, and Hollywood isn't short of smart people. More than a few suspected that Harry Percy might have struck a deal with Anson, but they had no proof. No one could confirm anything.

And even if they had proof, what could they do?

The exclusive was already in hand, the deed was done, and TMZ was enjoying record traffic.

Apparently, even TMZ wasn't ready for this, as their servers crashed, leading to website downtime and blank pages for a while.

Harry: So this is what Anson's traffic looks like?

This event truly put TMZ on the map, sparking widespread discussion in Century City.

The usually disorganized and undisciplined paparazzi were starting to show signs of forming an actual team, catching the attention of Wall Street.

With the potential for financial backing, TMZ could evolve from a loose collective into a formal organization with its own voice.

Without a doubt, this could become one of the major entertainment stories of 2002.

Of course, not everyone saw the big picture, and not everyone was interested in industry developments. Their focus was slightly different from Century City's.

While mocking the paparazzi, the real focus was still on Anson.

—An independent film? Is this for real?

An obvious move, as clear as day.

Anyone with a passing interest in movies could see that after the massive success of "Spider-Man," Anson would be more cautious and selective with his next project, as it would define his place in Hollywood.

But then again...

Anson didn't choose another commercial film; he opted for an independent film to broaden his acting range, revealing his ambition.

Industry experts weren't optimistic, with Sandra Bullock's failed attempt as a clear precedent. Pay attention, will you?

A pretty face is just that, a pretty face. Stick to what you're good at, and keep shining on the big screen. Even if you want to diversify, there's no need to rush. You can wait until the audience starts to tire of you. There's no need to be in such a hurry to prove you're more than just a pretty face. Come on—

No one cares.

Right now, audiences are fawning over Spider-Man. Anson should be content with playing Spider-Man, going with the flow and fulfilling people's fantasies on the big screen, seizing the opportunity to become the next big sex symbol.

No one cares if a pretty face has a soul, and no one cares if a pretty face can act.

Reality is that cruel.

What's more, the experts are seasoned pros who can see the truth at a glance—

One moment, Anson is recording an album.

The next, he's off to shoot an independent film.

To them, the answer couldn't be clearer:

On one hand, Anson is trying to ride the "Spider-Man" wave for as long as possible to generate buzz.

On the other hand, Anson is trying to shake off the pretty-boy image and prove his versatility.

But in Hollywood, such a strategy often backfires. Rushing things only leads to losing both the big and small gains, leaving you with nothing.

"…He should stay grounded."

"His agent should have advised him, 'Hey, young man, enjoy the applause and cheers while you can. There's no need to rush to prove you're an actor. After all, this is Hollywood, where there are countless stars but not many real actors.'"

"I'm not dismissing his attempts, but based on what we've seen so far, an album? No! An independent film? A big, bold NO! These projects could ruin his career just as it's beginning."

"God help us, we really don't need another pretty face who thinks they're an actor but ends up with nothing. Haven't we seen enough tragedies like that?"

The criticism was overwhelming.

Compared to the paparazzi's embarrassment, Hollywood was more concerned about the "foolish choices" of the new Spider-Man—

Having just won his shining moment in Hollywood, he's now in a rush to prove himself, too eager, and this could ruin everything.

"Wake up, Anson, wake up! You're not the real Peter Parker with superpowers."