From Flower Vase to Film Emperor in Hollywood

Things seem... a little off.

Regardless of whether they believe the rumors surrounding Anson or not, Anson seems to be in an invincible position, and this development is quite unexpected.

So, what should the skeptics do?

Wait, no, no, no, something's wrong. They need to understand one thing—

Actually, Anson's performance wasn't that outstanding. Passable, at most just passable, and unrelated to last night's rumors.

Just an ordinary performance, no need for excessive praise, really no need.

Hollywood is just so impetuous.

For those top superstars, a slightly eye-catching performance will have a bunch of sycophants singing praises to the heavens, while the true talents remain obscure, buried in the shadows outside the limelight of the fame and fortune arena, unseen and unacknowledged. People praise not the strength but the profit.

Anson?

Maybe he's not just a pretty face and has some acting skills; but that's all there is to it. There's no need to treat him differently just because of his immense popularity and great success. The 'Matthew effect' is too severe in Hollywood. At least the staff shouldn't blindly follow the crowd.

Calm down, calm down!

Skeptics and realists are trying to stay calm amidst the rolling heat of the set, continuing to hold onto their views, maintaining their prejudices, and proving themselves right.

Unfortunately, it couldn't last long.

The audience in the theater tried to remain quiet, waiting for the director's next instruction, but after a long wait without hearing the director's voice, they obediently sat in their seats, but ultimately couldn't suppress their excitement and agitation, exchanging glances and whispering to each other in hushed tones.

Back and forth, the buzzing sound quietly vibrated in the air.

Not noisy, not clamorous, but also impossible to ignore.

The excitement and elation revealed in those eyebrows, expressions, and movements, constant praise and surprise, exchanging emotions with lively expressions, sparks colliding in the air, the temperature gradually rising, making it difficult not to feel the heartfelt joy and excitement.

This is more direct and powerful than any language or argument—

Obviously, the performance just now was definitely not just 'ordinary'.

So, where is the director?

Mangold took a deep breath, but that breath remained stuck in his chest, never exhaled.

Honestly, Mangold and Keetch had been discussing and considering how to present the subtle parts of the relationship between Johnny and June Carter.

Whether it's Johnny or June Carter, they are not perfect. They have both made mistakes, they both have their weaknesses and the darkness they are unwilling to show to outsiders, but this still cannot erase their achievements in music, nor can it deny their emotional resonance and bond.

People always crave to create gods, shaping a perfect and supreme idol image, accepting people's worship, depicting them as perfect beings in their minds, blindly following them, from professional athletes to singers to Nobel laureates and finally to politicians, and so on.

Therefore, for 'Walk the Line', how to present Johnny and June Carter's relationship and how to awaken the audience's resonance is crucial.

Now, Mangold has found the answer—

From Anson.

When Johnny tried to break taboos, break boundaries, and get close to June Carter, what was he thinking?

The answer is, he wasn't thinking anything.

All along, Mangold and Keetch had been trying to give Johnny a reason, a reasonable explanation, a character arc that aligned with the film's development; but now, Anson's structure of the character and the layout of the performance gave an unexpected answer.

Johnny himself didn't know.

Confusion, bewilderment, distress, clamor, from family to love to friendship, from family to career, seemingly glamorous life underneath is a mess, Johnny seems to have been dallying and living in a drunken dream, but in fact, he is mired deep, is falling into the vortex of the fame and fortune arena.

He is just struggling.

Facing June Carter, the liking is real, the attraction is also real, but more often it is being lost and suffocated in the bizarre and chaotic world of fame and fortune, like a drowning person, hurriedly, eager to grab a piece of driftwood, regardless of getting rid of the predicament, and then, he did so.

Yes, a survival instinct, and also a cry for help.

Love is just one of the complex emotions mixed in.

However, the timing is wrong.

June Carter herself is also trapped in a predicament, unable to protect herself, she has no ability and no way to help Johnny.

Meeting the right person at the wrong time, the final result is that no one has done anything wrong, but they still part ways in a way that hurts each other.

So, Anson chose to construct the character in this way.

Alcohol. Insomnia. Fatigue. Weakness. Irritability.

Clearly exhausted but impulsively acting under the drive of adrenaline, happiness and anxiety intertwined, joy and fear colliding, the world a mess.

So, did Johnny do the right thing? No, of course not.

But did Johnny do the wrong thing? It seems... not really.

A complicated scene, but under Anson's performance, it presented layers and details, instantly hitting Mangold's heart, sour and astringent.

Finally, Mangold finally exhaled this breath.

"Good."

Mangold said, his voice was not loud, but it accurately conveyed to every corner of the crew.

"Very excellent."

"Anson..." Mangold called out, but then paused, the ending sound prolonged, after a long time, still couldn't find an accurate word, and finally just said, "Thank you."

Hiss.

The crew surged with a sigh of amazement, all taking a breath of cold air.

Mangold did not give everyone time to react, "Let us continue shooting, switch camera positions and shoot two more takes, this time, we shoot close-ups. Face close-ups."

"Reese, Anson... just perform according to your own feelings."

Without pausing, Mangold hoped to capture the feeling of the moment, continue it, and capture all the subtle and complex parts of the two actors' performances through the lens and present them to the audience.

Now, Mangold can finally understand why Johnny and June Carter's relationship can withstand the test of time, even after half a century, it is still tightly entwined.

This is a relationship where two scarred souls finally find each other after repeatedly missing each other and hurting each other, which has long surpassed love.

If the camera lens can capture a small aspect of this bond, 'Walk the Line' will be a huge success.

Mangold has such confidence, the two actors have fulfilled all his fantasies, and the rest of the work depends on him, the director.