It was just a few brief words, but their back-and-forth was seamless, like a mixed doubles team. Kate and Anson exchanged a look—
Brilliant.
It wasn't just the performance itself; the coordination and chemistry outside of the performance were equally rare. Actors who can find the same frequency at different levels and positions, forming a tacit understanding both in and out of character, add a touch of harmony to their collaboration. The chemistry that finally appears on camera is naturally different.
Kate herself is an experienced and inquisitive person, not just an actor but also a director, writer, and producer. It's not because she's looking to try out work other than acting, but because she believes that understanding the roles of others can help an actor understand the entire process of filming.
For example, how the lighting is set up, how the shots are composed, how the camera moves. In different positions and angles, how should the actor present their performance? These details might seem trivial, but they can indeed make a difference.
Many young actors or "eye-candy" idols are criticized not just because they might lack acting talent but also because they lack a spirit of inquiry and a willingness to learn, which is another fatal flaw.
But Anson is different.
Despite his young age, his curiosity about acting is quite rare.
What he just said seemed simple, but it revealed a certain understanding and interpretation.
Kate looked at Anson without hiding the admiration and approval in her eyes—
Although she had already said it before, she didn't mind saying it again now. She likes this young man.
Over there, Michelle's insight wasn't as deep as Kate's, but he could also grasp the underlying meaning in Anson's words, making him think seriously for a moment.
"Anson, if you don't mind, how about we shoot in real-time?"
"How's your physical condition now? Any problems running up and down?"
Michelle's hesitation wasn't really about Anson, but rather—
Kate.
If Kate ultimately leaves the crew, it would mean that all their filming tonight would be in vain, and they'd have to recast and start shooting again.
Michel Gondry knows his limits; he's not Luis Buñuel.
In 1977, when this Spanish national treasure director was shooting "That Obscure Object of Desire," halfway through the shooting, he was very dissatisfied with the actress who was initially playing the lead role. But the cost of changing the actress and reshooting everything was too high, so he simply replaced her with another actress and continued shooting until the film wrapped.
Yes, just like that.
Luis Buñuel used two different actresses to play the same role. His brilliance was in skillfully utilizing the different temperaments of the two actresses to present different facets and characteristics of the woman, blending seamlessly with the script and creating an astonishing chemical reaction.
When the film was released, countless critics and film enthusiasts rushed to analyze the reason why Luis Buñuel used two actresses for the same role—
In fact, it was just a last resort.
Of course, Michel could do the same, but he didn't think he had the ability of Luis Buñuel.
Thinking about it made Michel a bit sad.
He likes Anson and he likes Kate. He sincerely hopes both actors can complete the shooting of "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind." The sparks they just created in this scene further proved this point. Anson and Kate did not disappoint. He couldn't even imagine what the performance would be like if other actors were replaced.
Not even Jim Carrey.
But now, everything is still up in the air, and Michel couldn't help but feel a bit regretful.
If they hadn't returned to the apartment just now and had finished shooting earlier tonight, would his reluctance and regret be slightly alleviated?
However, he couldn't say it or ask about it, so he could only take a deep breath and force himself to stay focused.
Anson naturally couldn't read all the thoughts in Michel's mind. He just wanted to fully immerse himself in the shoot and do his job well.
No matter what happens with Kate, he at least needs to perfectly portray Joel.
"Of course, no problem," Anson agreed straightforwardly, "If I can't, I'll find a way to interpret it as Joel being so excited and nervous that he feels weak in the knees and pauses to catch his breath at the door."
Ha ha, ha ha ha.
Anson's self-mocking tone filled the apartment with laughter again.
No one expected that the next second, a banging sound came from the other side of the wall—
"Quiet! Quiet! Damn it! Do you know what time it is? I have to go to work tomorrow, for crying out loud. You better shut up right now, or I'll have the cops kick you all out."
A string of words, interspersed with a lot of curses and foul language, was heard.
The paper-thin walls of New York City apartments couldn't block any sound, and every word was clearly heard, as if they were talking face-to-face.
Inside the apartment, they all looked at each other.
Grant was a bit uneasy, wondering if he should go next door and apologize.
Then he saw Anson shrug slightly, "Looks like someone finally got off work."
Pfft.
Laughter erupted again.
But this time, everyone covered their mouths, stifling their laughter, and the atmosphere became lively again. Just a glance was enough to make the laughter break through once more—it was impossible to stop!
At this moment, the crew's atmosphere was completely different.
Gone were the sleepy, irritable, and angry expressions from before. Now, everyone's eyes were full of smiles.
And it wasn't just on the surface; it was a joy and happiness that came from within. This is what it looks like to fight for a dream.
Anson?
Perfect!
They had known this from the first meeting. They could feel the positive energy emanating from Anson, and now it seemed that he had injected this energy into the work, making the filming an enjoyable experience.
Without Michel needing to say anything, the crew quickly and spontaneously got back into action, ready to continue shooting.
Kate could also feel the huge change in the crew's atmosphere in just an instant. When it came to acting, Kate had no worries; but when it came to working together socially, Kate didn't have that skill. Now, looking at Anson again, Kate made no effort to hide her appreciation, her eyes showing a hint of teasing.
Anson seemed not to understand, instead sizing Kate up.
"How's your body feeling?"
Kate immediately caught on, "To be honest, I'm still doubting the validity of those one-line, two-line results."
In other words, she didn't feel anything special in her body, let alone being pregnant.
Few people know that the accuracy of over-the-counter pregnancy tests is only 95%. In other words, the possibility of error is higher than imagined.
So, to ensure accuracy, it's still necessary to go to the hospital for a blood test.
Anson nodded in understanding, "No matter what, we need to finish the work as soon as possible so we can go back and rest early. Otherwise, I don't know how much longer these people can tolerate the two of us."
Pfft.
Kate couldn't hold back, her eyes full of smiles. Then, with perfect timing, she held out her fist toward Anson, "Looks like the two of us need to work hard."