The atmosphere grew tense.
Grant swallowed hard but almost choked on his own saliva.
Even though they all knew that not everyone in Hollywood liked a pretty face, seeing Anson's overnight rise to fame was bound to stir up some jealousy. However, those feelings of resentment and mockery were usually expressed behind closed doors. Rarely would anyone voice them openly—
Was this about to turn into a verbal showdown?
What should they do?
Should they step in and break it up, or just enjoy the show?
In just a split second, countless thoughts flashed through their minds. Not only Grant but also Kate glanced at Anson, then turned to look at Mark with a hint of caution in her eyes.
Kate had been in similar situations before, more than once.
Don't get the wrong idea—Hollywood actresses are just like anyone else. They gossip, they whisper behind backs, and when necessary, they confront each other with thinly veiled barbs, sometimes even pulling hair if it comes to that.
At least Kate had more experience than Anson. She knew how to handle situations like this.
But Anson took the lead.
"Of course, I know you. You just finished working with Jennifer, right?"
"Jennifer called me specifically to say a lot of nice things about you. Looks like during this shoot, I'll have a lot to learn from you."
Calm, sincere, confident, and friendly.
Anson's response made Mark want to disappear into the ground.
"Sorry, that's not what I meant," Mark's lips were dry, "I don't even know… I'm really looking forward to this. Really. But what I just said came out wrong. God, I wish I could disappear right now."
He was stumbling over his words, flustered and almost in tears.
Anson stepped forward and extended his right hand in a friendly gesture.
"Jennifer told me you're a straightforward guy, very easy to tease, and a perfect target for pranks. I think I get what she meant now."
In fact, Jennifer's exact words were that Mark could be a bit rigid and wasn't great at taking jokes.
Anson understood completely. Mark's years of anonymity had stretched too long, with his twenties marked by disappointment and frustration day after day. So now, Mark cherished every opportunity. It wasn't that he lacked a sense of humor—it was just that he hadn't had the luxury to enjoy jokes.
Seriousness doesn't exclude a sense of humor.
Mark hesitated for a moment but then grasped Anson's hand. "Please don't prank me too often. My heart's a bit fragile."
"Haha, I think this shoot will be a lot of fun." Anson laughed cheerfully, even though the script's tone, written by Charlie, was mostly sad. But like Charlie's other work, it had a comedic touch—
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind was no exception. The film had a quirky sense of humor.
It was definitely something to look forward to.
Then.
Anson noticed a head peeking in at the doorway, looking nervous and shy, much like a groundhog poking its head out before quickly retreating again.
Anson patted Mark on the shoulder. "By the way, I loved Trust Me. Kenneth has always been one of my favorite screenwriters."
Mark: …???
Anson? Had actually seen his work?
What!
The important part was, Mark had never seen any of Anson's movies.
In an instant, Mark stood there, both guilty and shocked, as if struck by lightning.
But Anson wasn't paying attention to Mark anymore. He walked past him toward the door, flashed a smile, and called out a greeting.
"Hey, Elijah."
Elijah Wood pressed his back against the wall, trying to stay hidden, but he couldn't escape detection. With a sheepish grin, he responded.
"Hey, Anson."
Elijah, best known for playing Frodo Baggins in The Lord of the Rings, had long been recognized as the face of Hobbits.
Unfortunately, it was Orlando Bloom, playing Legolas, who truly skyrocketed to fame. Elijah, the actual lead, didn't achieve instant stardom.
Elijah had been acting since he was a child, debuting as a lead actor as early as 1990. He'd shared the screen with the likes of Macaulay Culkin, Scarlett Johansson, and Leonardo DiCaprio.
Like every child star, Elijah had to face the challenging transition from childhood to adulthood in the industry. He'd gone through ups and downs in his teenage years until The Lord of the Rings changed his trajectory.
As a child, Elijah had been a bundle of energy, driven by a desire to perform, prompting his mother to bring him to Los Angeles to pursue acting. Now, after years of navigating the highs and lows of Hollywood, he'd grown quiet, no longer the mischievous little boy he once was.
In Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Elijah was set to play an important role.
As soon as he stepped in, he noticed the strange tension in the apartment. Even though Elijah wasn't new to this scene, he didn't want to get involved, so he tried to hide—
But he'd been caught.
Finally, the apartment's mood began to ease.
Kate exclaimed in surprise, "Oh, the two Woods finally meet."
Anson Wood and Elijah Wood.
Not only did they share the same last name, but Elijah was only a year older than Anson. Plus, Elijah had a brother and a sister.
All these coincidences had led gossip magazines to speculate during the box office battle between Catch Me If You Can and The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. Tabloids ran wild with headlines, suggesting that Elijah and Anson were actually brothers.
Us Weekly even ran a dramatic article titled "Sibling Rivalry," using the question mark to draw attention, despite not confirming anything in the content. Still, the clickbait worked, drawing in readers.
Of course, none of it was true—
Anson and Elijah weren't related at all.
Elijah's family lived in Cedar Rapids, Iowa's second-largest city. In a town of just 120,000 people, they led a quiet life, with no connection to Anson's family whatsoever.
Kate's playful shout made Elijah a bit uneasy.
Anson was the hot new star, and Elijah wasn't sure if Anson would want to be associated with him.
After all, this was Hollywood, where Elijah had long since grown accustomed to the cutthroat nature of the fame game.
Elijah shook his head and glanced at Anson, who smiled and said, "Hey, brother. Who knows, maybe if we trace our family trees, we'll find out our grandfathers were cousins."
"Maybe I should pretend to be your little brother and snag a few acting gigs for myself."
Anson faced the rumor head-on, handling it with charm and humor.
Elijah's nerves eased a bit, though he remained cautious. "I'm not sure that's a good idea. You might've missed out on that Spider-Man role."
Anson tilted his head. "Wow, sounds like you've got more clout in Hollywood than I thought. Maybe we really are brothers."
Elijah: ??? Wait, that's not what I meant!
It took a moment for Grant to realize that Elijah was actually downplaying his influence, hinting that he couldn't have helped Anson's career in any way. But Anson twisted the meaning, saying that Elijah's supposed influence might have cost him roles instead.
Same words, completely different implications.
Elijah had walked right into it.
Laughter bubbled up around the apartment. Especially after seeing Elijah's frustrated, speechless expression, it was impossible to hold back the smiles.
At that moment, a figure stumbled in through the door, apologizing frantically.
"Sorry, I hope I'm not late."