1091-1095

*Chapter 1091: Serendipity*

After going around in circles...

Caught in a mix of hesitation, doubt, and unease, Edgar still had lingering concerns about the script and the overall project. Despite that, he obediently handed the script over to Anson while continuing to gather information about the project.

Whether we like it or not, a bit of fate always plays a role between an actor and a piece of work. Anson's encounter with Walk the Line was not a simple coincidence.

To be more precise, Johnny Cash spotting Anson amidst the glitz and glamour of Hollywood carried a sense of destiny.

According to the intel Edgar gathered, the first person to mention Anson’s name among the backup actors wasn’t Ketcher or Mangold—it was Johnny Cash himself.

Initially, Johnny’s attention was entirely focused on Joaquin Phoenix, believing he could see a reflection of his younger self in Joaquin’s eyes.

However, by a stroke of fate, Johnny caught sight of the music video for "Wake Me Up" on TV, rekindling a memory he had of the profound impression “Ho Hey” once made on him. After watching a video of August 31st Band’s unplugged street tour in Europe, his eyes lit up.

“That’s him. That’s the kid,” Johnny had said.

At least, that’s the version of the story Edgar heard, though there’s no way to verify it directly with Johnny now.

Unfortunately, Johnny Cash passed away last month, just five months after his wife, June Carter. He joined her in death.

When it comes to fate, some believe in it, while others don’t. Everyone interprets it differently.

But without a doubt, Anson catching Johnny Cash’s attention is the stuff of legend.

This past summer, August 31st Band took Europe by storm, and their album Midnight in Summer skyrocketed in popularity. From the long climb of “Ho Hey” to the Billboard Hot 100’s number one spot for “Long Live Life,” everything about their rise felt like a legend.

Warner Records had been patiently waiting for the right moment to spark the next explosion.

“Wake Me Up” was their trump card.

The success of “Long Live Life” exceeded all expectations, prompting Warner to delay the release of “Wake Me Up” until the first week of August. They then released a music video for the track, using footage from the band’s European street tour. The song hit radio and television stations everywhere.

For the first time.

Up until that point, August 31st Band had never filmed a music video, nor had they actively promoted their songs on TV or radio. Their success was built purely on word of mouth.

But now, Warner seized the moment.

Johnny Cash happened to catch the band’s music video on MTV—it was “Wake Me Up” that triggered his memory of “Ho Hey,” which he’d heard on a radio show and found unforgettable.

This was Anson’s first entry into Johnny’s radar.

Upon learning that Anson was also an actor, Johnny didn’t hesitate to appoint him as the lead in his biopic.

Warner Records could never have predicted this.

It also proved, once again, that everything is interconnected in this world.

Both Ketcher and Mangold were caught off guard.

Their first reaction?

“The Spider-Man kid? Are you crazy? He can’t act! All he’s done is pose in front of a green screen. What else can he do?”

However, Johnny remained adamant. At the time, he was still grieving June Carter’s death.

“If June were here, she’d understand.”

“Everyone used to say all she had was a pretty face, and if it weren’t for being part of the Carter family, she wouldn’t have gotten any chance to record music.”

“But you all know that was a lie.”

June Carter was the sister of Jimmy Carter, the 39th president of the United States. The two were close, and the Carter family often gathered for reunions.

June’s career, though, was largely self-made. When she began singing, Jimmy hadn’t even entered politics yet. But people love to create conspiracy theories in hindsight, masking their ignorance with prejudice.

Johnny’s words led Mangold to yield first.

After all, when Mangold cast Angelina Jolie in Girl, Interrupted, many thought he’d lost his mind and had no idea what he was doing.

Clearly, Mangold wasn’t someone who judged others at face value. His ability to extract unique qualities from actors came from his patience and keen observation.

So, he believed Anson deserved a chance.

After diving deeper into the matter, Mangold was completely blown away by the revolution happening in the music world—something he had neither understood nor cared about.

It was overwhelming.

In the first week of August, "Wake Me Up" was officially released as the third single from Midnight in Summer.

With the foundation laid by the previous two singles, the album, which had once gathered dust in obscurity, was now front and center in the public eye. Warner Records strategically reminded everyone how the August 31st Band had risen step by step to their current place, long before the album even launched.

Just like the title of the song, “Wake Me Up,” memories that had been dormant for nearly two years slowly began to awaken in the minds of listeners.

“That’s them!”

“I know this song!”

“Finally! It’s been almost two years, and I’ve been searching for this song!”

“Oh my god, it’s this song!”

“So, it’s the August 31st Band!”

One after another, people were enlightened and thrilled. For those who hadn’t already heard “Ho Hey” and “Long Live Life,” there was no way they could miss it now.

The craze had begun.

At the time of "Wake Me Up"'s release:

Beyoncé and Jay-Z's duet “Crazy in Love” was sitting at the top of the Billboard Hot 100, with the August 31st Band’s “Long Live Life” at number two, while “Ho Hey” still held its spot in the top ten. 50 Cent even had three singles in the top ten.

The competition was fierce, and it was clear.

Earlier that year, die-hard music fans joked in online forums that the music market in 2003 was split three ways between the August 31st Band, Beyoncé, and 50 Cent. The question for the second half of the year was whether someone would emerge as the undisputed champion or if it would remain a battle between many contenders.

The buzz was everywhere.

In the first half of the year, 50 Cent dominated. In the second half, Beyoncé was on fire.

“Crazy in Love” claimed three consecutive weeks at number one, then five, then seven... and kept rising.

For two whole months, despite fierce competition from the August 31st Band, 50 Cent, and other chart-topping hits of various genres, no one could dislodge Beyoncé. Her solo debut after Destiny's Child was making a powerful statement.

So, the question remained—who could finally break Beyoncé’s winning streak?

*Chapter 1092: Awakening the Market*

Six consecutive wins, seven in a row... eight in a row!

"Crazy in Love" is unstoppable!

Beyoncé, who broke away from Destiny's Child to go solo, made a powerful entrance with an unstoppable momentum, rocketing to the top.

So, who can stop Beyoncé?

Judging by the current momentum, "Crazy in Love" is still going strong, aiming for a historic ten-week streak at number one.

As of the summer of 2003, only eleven songs in Billboard history had managed to achieve such a feat, staying at number one for more than ten weeks.

Among them, Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men's 1995 collaboration, "One Sweet Day," holds the record with sixteen consecutive weeks at number one. For nearly ten years, no one has come close to breaking this record.

Perhaps the only one who can stop Beyoncé is... Beyoncé herself?

In the third week of August, Beyoncé capitalized on her momentum, releasing her second single, "Baby Boy," while "Crazy in Love" still held the top spot. The new single quickly surged in popularity, once again catching the industry's attention.

The music market was indeed buzzing.

However, a close look at the Billboard charts revealed that another single had quietly climbed toward the top—

"Wake Me Up," by the band August 31st.

Since its release, "Wake Me Up" had rocketed across radio stations, rapidly rising in airplay and popularity.

In just five weeks, the single had entered the Billboard Top 10, pushing out 50 Cent. Combined with the fact that "Long Live Life" and "Ho Hey" were also in the top ten, this meant that the band August 31st occupied three spots in the top ten.

Crazy!

Everything seemed insane.

People didn’t know whether to be amazed by the fact that "Ho Hey" had been in the top ten for over 40 weeks, or by the fact that August 31st had become the biggest highlight of the year without major promotion or distribution.

While people were busy talking about 50 Cent and Beyoncé, August 31st quietly won over countless fans.

The most incredible part? 50 Cent's hip-hop and Beyoncé's R&B were undeniably the most popular genres at the time, so their rise to fame was impressive but not unexpected. However, August 31st's rock music was slowly fading from the mainstream, and their incorporation of classical instruments into their performances was a bold and risky move.

It was against this backdrop that the rise of August 31st became all the more remarkable.

But this was still not the end.

In the second week of September, "Wake Me Up" jumped from seventh to third place, pushing "Long Live Life" down to fifth.

The media went wild. After all, movements within the top ten were usually slow, whether going up or down, but "Wake Me Up" leapt four spots. What did this mean?

Was this a sign that "Wake Me Up" was about to explode even more, or was it the last burst of energy before a decline?

Then.

In the third week of September, without warning, the Billboard Hot 100 was completely reshuffled.

Number one: "Wake Me Up" by August 31st.

Number two: "Crazy in Love" by Beyoncé.

Number three: "Baby Boy" by Beyoncé.

The shock was palpable.

"Wake Me Up" ended Beyoncé's eight-week streak at number one, jumping two spots to take the top position!

Just as "Crazy in Love" was on the verge of making history with ten consecutive weeks at number one, it was suddenly stopped in its tracks, ending its historic run earlier than anyone expected. Just when everyone was singing Beyoncé's praises, the tide turned.

Crazy, absolutely crazy!

Even crazier was the fact that August 31st, a band that seemingly came out of nowhere, achieved this feat with "Wake Me Up," a song full of challenges and breakthroughs. The entire music market was thrown into a frenzy.

"Wake Me Up" became August 31st's second number-one hit.

If anyone thought that was the end of the story, they clearly lacked imagination and underestimated the impact that August 31st and "Wake Me Up" had built over the past two years—

Mangold was one such skeptic.

When Johnny Cash said, "Wake Me Up" had revolutionary power, Mangold thought Johnny was just being overly generous with his praise for Anson. At that time, the song was still climbing the charts, not yet reaching number one. It wasn't until after Johnny's passing that "Wake Me Up" dramatically and fatefully claimed the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100.

Mangold couldn't help but admire Johnny's sharp musical intuition, but he thought that would be the end of it. Beyoncé and 50 Cent's music, along with dance tracks, defined the current mainstream trends.

Then Mangold realized he was wrong—

Two weeks at number one, three weeks... wait, was it really... four weeks?

For a full month, "Wake Me Up" held onto the number-one spot.

In stark contrast, "Baby Boy" remained stuck in second place for three weeks, much like "Ho Hey" had earlier in the year. Meanwhile, "Crazy in Love" plummeted out of the top ten at lightning speed, falling to nineteenth place in just four weeks.

Shock rippled through the industry!

No one expected "Wake Me Up" to hold on so strongly, nor did they expect "Crazy in Love" to burn out so quickly, dropping even faster than "Long Live Life."

Likewise, no one anticipated that the first of August 31st's three singles to falter would be "Long Live Life." After dominating the top spot for four weeks and staying in the top ten for eleven weeks, the song finally slipped out of the top ten, its momentum clearly fading.

Meanwhile, "Ho Hey," which had never reached number one but had quietly remained in the top ten, was about to set another record, having stayed in the Billboard Top 10 for nearly a year—an astonishing 30 weeks.

Seven months, 30 weeks—through all the changes on the Billboard Hot 100, "Ho Hey" consistently held its spot in the top ten.

Earlier, "Crazy in Love" fell short of breaking historical records; now, "Ho Hey" stood at the crossroads of history—

With 29 weeks in the Billboard Top 10, next week would mark 30, placing it third in the all-time rankings.

In terms of consecutive weeks in the Billboard Top 10, LeAnn Rimes’ "How Do I Live" holds the record with 32 weeks, followed by Santana's "Smooth," which spent 30 weeks in the top ten.

In other words, "Ho Hey" was just a few weeks away from setting a new historical record, standing on the shoulders of giants.

If this journey were a story, "Ho Hey" had undoubtedly written a legendary chapter, leaving its mark in music history.

*Chapter 1093: Brand New Inspiration*

Everyone is focused on the chart battle between the August 31st Band and Beyoncé, but industry insiders have noticed that the August 31st Band has quietly overshadowed both 50 Cent and Beyoncé in another way, making history in their own right.

“Roar Hey” deserves to be remembered in its own way.

Maybe it didn’t reach the top like “Long Live Life” or “Wake Me Up,” but it still carved out its own space with pride.

Pop music is truly full of traps and unpredictability.

No matter what happens next—whether “Roar Hey” rewrites history or “Wake Me Up” stays at the top for a long time—the entire music industry is now paying full attention.

The rise of the August 31st Band, its music style, and its promotional strategy are sure to spark wider discussion.

“Rock is dead,” or so the conventional wisdom in the pop music world says.

Yet, the August 31st Band has broken through by blending classical and pop, rekindling the market's passion for rock. Without a doubt, this is an inspiration that no one should ignore.

Miracles belong to those who dare to dream boldly.

This time, it’s the August 31st Band.

On one hand, “Roar Hey” didn’t completely rewrite history, stopping at 30 weeks in the top 10, tying for second place in history. Still, such an achievement is worth noting.

On the other hand, after becoming the band’s last track in the top 10, “Wake Me Up” continues to show the August 31st Band’s deep impact on the music market, with unstoppable momentum.

Five weeks at number one!

Eight weeks at number one!

“Wake Me Up” soared, effortlessly fending off Beyoncé’s second single “Baby Boy” and matching the record of “Crazy in Love,” once again nearing the chance to make history.

50 Cent earlier in the year, Beyoncé later—they both had chances to break records, but the fierce competition cut them short, leaving them unable to take the next step.

Now, it’s the turn of the most unexpected competitor in this race.

Can “Wake Me Up” keep climbing?

All of North America is eagerly waiting—

At this moment, another strong contender quietly enters the picture.

Outkast, often humorously referred to as the August 31st Band's counterpart.

Actually, they are completely different. Outkast is a hip-hop duo that released their first album back in 1994, winning Grammy awards and topping the charts long before the August 31st Band came out of nowhere.

However, Outkast’s second single from their fifth album, “Hey-Ya!” is a breath of fresh air in hip-hop. With its use of African instruments and blending of soul, dance music, and various vocal styles, it burst onto the scene like a monster.

When it debuted, people jokingly called it another version of “Roar Hey.”

In fact, the sudden success of “Hey-Ya!” does seem magical.

Outkast’s first single from the album, “The Way You Move,” had underwhelming results, far below expectations.

In this challenging situation, just three weeks after the first single dropped, Outkast released “Hey-Ya” to try to change the narrative.

And it worked. “Hey-Ya” rocketed across North America, not only performing well on the Billboard charts but also reviving interest in “The Way You Move.”

It turned everything around!

Two hits, “Roar Hey” and “Hey-Ya,” have made this year’s Billboard chart an exciting roller coaster.

When “Wake Me Up” reached eight weeks at number one, “Hey-Ya” surged into the top five, with “The Way You Move” climbing to number eight.

Outkast’s rise has been just as impressive as the August 31st Band.

Even though the two groups have almost nothing in common, the media loves to compare them.

Yet, “Wake Me Up” remains unstoppable.

Nine weeks at number one!

Ten weeks at number one!

Eleven weeks at number one!

The August 31st Band has done it—becoming the biggest surprise of the year, emerging as a dark horse and making history.

What Beyoncé and 50 Cent couldn’t do, the August 31st Band has accomplished in a mind-blowing way.

“Wake Me Up” has stayed at number one for eleven consecutive weeks, becoming only the 12th song in Billboard history to reach such a milestone, standing alongside a series of legendary works.

Two years ago, after finishing his audition for “Spider-Man,” Anson happened to run into Miles and his team in Manhattan, spontaneously composing a song on the spot—

And the rest is history.

No one expected “Spider-Man” to cause such a sensation, and no one could have predicted that “Wake Me Up” would change the lives of so many listeners.

With “Roar Hey” making history earlier and “Wake Me Up” going full throttle now, even “Long Live Life” seems to fade into the background. What kind of luxury is that?

Beyoncé and 50 Cent had their moments, and they are undeniably key parts of the 2003 music scene. But when compared to the August 31st Band, they pale in comparison. “Midnight Summer” is the year’s biggest winner.

Behind “Wake Me Up’s” eleven-week reign, Beyoncé’s “Baby Boy” has been stuck in second place for nine consecutive weeks.

The stage has been set, but “Baby Boy” never managed to break through. It’s unclear if it will have the lasting power of “Roar Hey.”

In the first week of December, the Billboard chart stood as follows:

- #1: “Wake Me Up” by the August 31st Band

- #2: “Baby Boy” by Beyoncé

- #3: “Hey-Ya” by Outkast

- #5: “The Way You Move” by Outkast

It seems that only Outkast can rival the August 31st Band.

In the second week of December, the Billboard chart saw a complete shake-up.

- #1: “Hey-Ya” by Outkast

- #2: “Wake Me Up” by the August 31st Band

- #3: “Stand Up” by Ludacris

- #4: “The Way You Move” by Outkast

- #5: “Milkshake” by Kelis

The change was so sudden that there was a stunned silence.

People expected “Hey-Ya” to top the charts, finally ending “Wake Me Up’s” eleven-week reign, but they didn’t anticipate Outkast’s other single rising so fast. Their momentum was unstoppable.

People also expected Beyoncé’s “Baby Boy” to struggle after being stuck at number two, but no one expected it to fall out of the top five.

Wow, what a year.

Simply amazing!

*Chapter 1094: Settling in One Corner*

Surprise. Excitement.

A buzz. A shock.

The entire music market was like a roller coaster, with twists and turns, thrill after thrill. The media frenzy just wouldn’t stop.

The world kept spinning fast.

2003 belonged to the band "August 31st."

Their journey was nothing short of magical. Whether it was how Anson met the band members, how the album Midnight in Summer entered the public’s radar, or how the band infused new energy into rock music, every part of their story left people in awe.

From "Roar Hey" to "Long Live Life" to "Wake Me Up," they delivered surprise after surprise, showcasing the band’s charm from every angle.

Rumor has it, Warner Records wasn’t planning to slow down.

Usually, an album with ten songs releases about three to four singles to promote it—that’s the norm. If they wanted to release more singles, it’s not impossible, but from a cost perspective, it wouldn’t be worth it. Three singles typically provide about six months of promotional time, which is plenty long enough.

There’s no need to drag it out any further.

Midnight in Summer was released last year and has dominated the charts from April to December this year. You could hear August 31st’s music everywhere. By now, the promotion should have been enough.

Yet, Warner Records was planning to release a fourth single from the album.

The incredible success of the first three singles gave Warner confidence—they believed the album’s promotional cycle should be extended.

The story shouldn’t end here.

This rumor created waves, instantly sparking excitement across music forums. Fans speculated and even placed bets:

Which song should be the fourth single?

The competition was intense.

This revealed the album's high reputation—fans acknowledged the consistent quality of every song. Almost every track had its own supporters, who believed it deserved to be a single.

Everyone was eagerly waiting.

Such enthusiasm was rare.

All signs indicated that Midnight in Summer would continue its momentum into 2004. Spanning across three years, it showed the fierce resurgence of rock.

But that’s all for the future.

And none of it concerned Mangold.

What truly caught Mangold’s attention wasn’t “Wake Me Up” hitting number one on the Billboard charts, but the story of how August 31st composed and performed the song on the streets of Manhattan—a tale straight out of a Hollywood fairy tale.

In Johnny Cash’s career, his 1960 New Year’s Day unplugged performance at a prison marked a pivotal moment. In that performance, he demonstrated his unique musical vision and interpretation of the art of performance, leaving a lasting impact.

Even twenty years later, that performance was still being talked about.

In Walk the Line, that show was a key moment, which was why Mangold and Kitchell insisted that the actors perform live. Without a real live performance, it would’ve been impossible to capture Johnny Cash’s legendary charisma on that prison’s simple stage.

And in Anson, Mangold saw something rare.

It was a quality Joaquin Phoenix didn’t have, and it was what truly moved Mangold.

For the first time, Mangold realized that through Anson, they might capture Johnny Cash’s most beautiful and moving musical gift—the part they once thought was impossible to replicate.

Now, Mangold finally understood why Johnny had such admiration for Anson, and he became Anson’s biggest supporter, firmly believing Anson could be the heart of the film.

After all the twists and turns, they arrived where they were now.

...

The doorbell rang, like the fluttering wings of a bird, its crisp sound cutting through the oppressive heat. But there was no response.

Lucas Wood stood at the door, a little helpless. He raised his hand and gave the door a gentle push, only to find that the dark green wooden door wasn’t even locked.

Creak.

It opened with a light push.

Lucas shook his head with a sigh, stepping inside. He walked through a bohemian-style living room, searching as he called out.

“Anson?”

“Anson!”

His voice echoed through the narrow hallway as he walked. A peaceful and quiet atmosphere filled the space, bathed in shades of green. Outside, the blazing sun dominated the sky, with summer clinging on for dear life, unwilling to leave. Autumn had only briefly peeked in during the mornings and evenings. Inside, however, it was calm, like a hidden paradise. There were no ponds or fountains, yet it felt like you could hear the gentle flow of water.

Until—

“I’m here. In the studio.”

Lucas stopped in front of the bright golden light coming from the backyard, then turned into the studio. The room was packed with canvases and frames of all sizes. The smell of paint lingered in the air, but it wasn’t overwhelming.

There, Lucas spotted Anson, wearing denim overalls, seated on a high stool. In front of him stood a canvas taller than a person, and Anson was fully immersed in his painting.

“Anson, your door wasn’t locked,” Lucas called out.

Anson didn’t turn around or respond immediately, keeping his focus on the canvas.

Lucas waited patiently, standing a few steps behind him.

After a while, Anson finally mumbled, “I know. But no one ever comes here.”

Lucas rolled his eyes, “What if some random stranger just walked in?”

Anson replied, “If someone’s determined to break in, is a door lock really going to stop them?”

Lucas: “…Anson, I’m not joking.”

Anson finally sat up straight, glancing at Lucas’s serious expression. “Alright, alright, I’ll remember to lock the door. But honestly, there’s nothing valuable here. If someone breaks in, they’ll be disappointed.”

Seeing Lucas about to protest again, Anson raised his hands in surrender.

“I get it, I get it.”

“I just want you to relax a little. This isn’t LA or New York. Even the paparazzi find this place boring. Nobody knows I’m here. We don’t need to be so uptight.”

“Otherwise, what’s the point of me sneaking out here?”

At this moment, Anson was in Columbus—

Ohio.

This city was known as the most laid-back place in North America. Despite being Ohio’s capital, its population was just under 900,000—hardly bustling.

Even quieter than Portland.

No one had any idea that Anson had chosen Columbus for his vacation.

Here, Nora Wood had a studio that she rarely used, though sometimes she’d come by to work. Anson did the same.

After wrapping up Spider-Man 2, Anson didn’t stay in crowded LA, nor did he head to a popular vacation spot. Instead, he grabbed a bag and quietly came to Columbus to paint, disappearing from the public eye.

Unnoticed, he vanished into his retreat.

*Chapter 1095: No Way to Start*

Life in Columbus was pleasant and leisurely.

In the blink of an eye, Anson had been there for three weeks without revealing his whereabouts. The local residents never suspected that the famous Anson was in Columbus; to them, he was just a handsome young artist visiting to gather inspiration, with no hint of a connection to Hollywood.

Anson came and went freely, whether at the supermarket, gas station, convenience store, or a small restaurant. He moved around without needing a hat or sunglasses, wearing a floral shirt and white sneakers, enjoying a long-lost sense of ease. Life was particularly relaxed and comfortable.

Once again, Anson felt grateful that the age of smartphones and social networks had not yet arrived. As long as he stayed away from the spotlight, the world could quiet down.

Looking at Anson’s carefree and relaxed demeanor, Lucas had much to say but swallowed his words—he liked seeing Anson this way, enjoying a leisurely time.

After a moment's pause, Lucas pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it over.

"You’ve got paint on your cheek. Anyone who sees you might think you’re still celebrating the carnival."

Anson waved his hand in refusal. "I’ll wash my face later. If I wipe it now, it’ll just smear everywhere and create a mess."

Lucas didn't insist, instead standing before Anson’s painting to admire it. In the Wood family, the other three members were artistically inclined and worked in related fields, while Lucas was the exception—he worked with numbers.

Despite that, Lucas wasn’t completely ignorant of art.

"It looks like you’ve been in a good mood lately. The colors are bright and saturated, and the lines are light and fluid. Is this an autumn of harvest?"

Anson shrugged lightly. "That’s what autumn in Columbus is like."

Lucas glanced around and found an open script on the table. "What about the script? Is it going well? I thought it was supposed to be a sad story?"

"Heavy. Chaotic. But not sad," Anson replied thoughtfully.

"To be honest, I don’t know how to accurately describe this script."

"Confusing, maybe."

Lucas asked, "Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

Anson hesitated. "I don’t know." After pondering for a moment, he shook his head again, repeating, "I don’t know."

"You could discuss it with the screenwriter, see if there’s a way to revise it," Lucas suggested.

"That’s the problem," Anson said. "I don’t know how to revise it."

"Biographies are special, no doubt, because the person really existed. You can’t just mold them like clay, as people are complex. They can be kind but also have a dark side, they can struggle yet stay true to their beliefs, they can suffer trauma from family while continuing to hurt the people they love."

"When making a movie, we often focus on a single aspect of a character or a particular arc, presenting it in ninety minutes."

"But biographies don’t work that way."

Lucas interrupted, "Why not? A biopic is still a film. It’s not like we’re writing a literary masterpiece like 'In Search of Lost Time.'"

"You’re right," Anson agreed. "I should rephrase."

"Outstanding biopics often capture one aspect or core idea of a person while still showcasing their complexity."

"But most biopics fail to do that."

"People think the main issue is that the creators are too greedy, trying to grasp everything and ending up with nothing."

"I believe it’s because the creators don’t truly understand the person, or they haven’t figured out the story they want to tell."

"'Walk the Line' doesn’t have that problem."

"In fact, they know exactly what story they want to tell, and they understand Johnny Cash very well, perhaps too well. The story feels bloated because Cash himself knows which events had a profound impact on him, which memories still haunt him."

"It’s like writing your own memoir; memories come flooding in, and every fragment feels precious, making it difficult to prioritize."

Lucas nodded in understanding. "Can’t you just sort it out and condense it?"

Anson spread his hands. "There’s no place to start."

"Because this is Johnny Cash’s life, and he was involved in the scriptwriting process. His name is the second one listed under writers."

"Plus, this subjective perspective has its pros and cons."

"The advantage is that everything feels deeply personal; the wounds, the pain, the struggles are all real, and the emotions are intense."

"The drawback is that the entire universe revolves around him, with everyone else reduced to supporting roles, almost like tools, as if all the mistakes were someone else’s fault."

"I’m not sure whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing, and I can’t find a way to revise it."

It wasn’t until he delved deep into it that Anson realized how precious a well-written biopic script truly was.

Since the turn of the millennium, countless biopics had been made, some of them very famous, but the script for "The Social Network" remained a peak that was hard to surpass. It created a character who was both hateful and pitiable, tragic yet strong, enviable and despicable—a vivid, three-dimensional portrayal.

That’s incredibly difficult to achieve.

Lucas was somewhat surprised. "No wonder people say biopics should be made after the person has passed away. I guess this is why?"

Anson shrugged lightly.

The point was that both Kitchen and Mangold were quite committed to this script, and a complete rewrite was out of the question.

Anson agreed that it wasn’t necessary anyway.

"So, what’s your plan?" Lucas asked.

"To be honest, I don’t have any ideas at the moment," Anson replied after some thought.

"Actually, there’s no need to revise the script. I’m just an actor. My job is to perform, and there are professionals to handle everything else. Even if the script isn’t perfect, I don’t see it as a big issue."

"The real problem is that I’m lacking a bit of confidence."

Although Anson believed that Joaquin’s performance in the previous version was overshadowed by Reese’s, it was still remarkable. Joaquin’s portrayal of the character was undoubtedly full of brilliance and worthy of respect.

Now, if Anson took on the role, it would mean surpassing Joaquin—at least in his own eyes. It would also mark his first real challenge with a deeply complex performance, and he couldn’t simply reimagine the character according to his own ideas—because Johnny Cash was a real person, and the public already had their own image of him.

Playing a real-life character in a biopic starts with imitation.

The actor must strip away their own personality and mimic the character as a matter of technique; resemblance to the real person remains a crucial benchmark.

After mastering the imitation, the next step is to infuse the character with one’s own understanding and soul.

The difficulty is obvious.

Lucas was a bit taken aback. It was the first time he’d seen Anson lack confidence.

"I thought you’d already done a biopic once. Shouldn’t you have some insights?"