Wednesday, April 26, 2023.
Several days had passed since the protagonist of the first episode of Black Mirror had been officially hired. In that span, everything else fell into place.
The rest of the cast came together without complications: supporting roles, minor parts, and extras. Each piece found its place until the project was complete.
Everything was ready.
Permits approved. Actors confirmed. The shooting schedule locked down in detail. And several rehearsals already completed with Chelsea and the key characters of the episode.
In just six days, right after Owen returned from the Met Gala in New York, filming would begin.
The shoot would take place in LA. Owen didn't want to deal with unnecessary logistics. Travel, hotels, constant transfers, all of that slowed things down. It was only twelve days.
Filming in the city could be more expensive in certain aspects, but it made up for it with control and efficiency. A compact crew, no long-distance movement, everything within reach.
For a production of that size and duration, it simply made more sense.
The first locations had already been defined. Ordinary residential streets with typical houses and clean sidewalks. That's where everything would begin. The protagonist waking up without knowing who she was, in an environment that should feel familiar, but didn't. And, little by little, that normality would start to fracture.
Then there were the more open areas. For the escape scenes, they chose the Angeles National Forest. Close enough to avoid complicated travel, but with the natural density needed to shift the tone. Trails, trees, and uneven terrain. A direct contrast to the urban setting.
It was true that many productions moved to states like Georgia for tax benefits. But in this case, being just one episode, with a tight schedule and without massive scale, the real difference wasn't that significant.
As for the filming equipment, there was a problem. The main set of cameras and lenses, the same one Owen had purchased for over two hundred and fifty thousand dollars and that had been used for the first time on Good Will Hunting, was currently in use.
Matt had it in Georgia, in the middle of filming Lights Out.
That shoot would wrap between May 8 and 10.
So they couldn't rely on that equipment. But Owen had already anticipated something like this.
It wasn't a last-minute reaction, but a calculated decision made weeks earlier. He knew that sooner or later, two productions could overlap. And he wasn't willing to slow one down for the other.
So he bought another set. Exactly the same.
Another major investment, close to three hundred thousand dollars, but worth it. A way to maintain momentum and avoid going back to renting equipment.
Another thing that had started to grow were the rumors about him and Jenna. More than Owen had initially expected.
The snowball kept rolling, showing no signs of stopping.
It wasn't just that people were talking, it was how much. How they took the smallest details and stretched them, analyzed them, connected them as if they had infinite time to do so. There wasn't clear malicious intent, but there was constant curiosity.
And the more material people had, the more it grew.
The day after Chelsea's final audition had been cloudy. Owen had lost his umbrella, or rather, lent it, and in the end, he didn't even need it because the rain had stopped before he left.
But the weather didn't change much in the days that followed. Gray skies, humidity in the air, and that feeling that it could start raining again at any moment.
And it did.
It happened during one of those usual walks to the offices. It wasn't planned. They were halfway there when the rain started falling.
Since they were sticking to the plan of having just one umbrella, they used it.
They adjusted themselves underneath it, as close as possible to stay covered. Jenna moved a little closer, lightly leaning against him to avoid getting wet, and Owen adjusted the angle of the umbrella, lowering it just enough to cover them both.
A few meters behind them, barely trying to hide it, there was at least one paparazzi following them. Probably more. Waiting for exactly something like this.
The photos didn't take long to appear.
That same afternoon they were already circulating. First on smaller accounts, then on bigger pages, and finally on sites that lived off that kind of content.
As expected, that was enough. The rumors, already growing, found new fuel. This time, much more solid.
There was a lot of movement online.
Media outlets like TMZ, specialized in breaking news, scandals, and celebrity gossip, were the first to jump in.
@TMZ – 4:42 PM · Apr 18, 2023
Owen Ashford and Jenna Ortega are spotted walking together under the rain in Los Angeles ☔️
Both shared an umbrella while heading to the offices to work together, very close to each other.
Confirmation or coincidence? 👀
#OwenAshford #JennaOrtega
The tweet was accompanied by several high-quality photos, claiming it was real.
💬 Replies to the tweet:
@davidloy:
this is too many coincidences already...
@ortegasource:
I'm not complaining.
@Arhturcinephile_92:
Come on, people, it's just raining and there was one umbrella
@ChrisLA1 (replying to @owenarchieFP):
yeah sure bro, totally normal to walk that close together
@Arhturcinephile_92 (replying to @ChrisLA1):
Use your imagination!
@Lizcorey:
I totally ship them! I hope it's real, the best part is they don't deny it!
@nicholas7030:
PR relationship or real? That's the question.
@marlonMgnay (replying to @nicholas7030):
If it's PR, it's very well executed.
@daphnecampbell:
I choose to believe!
…
As if all that wasn't enough, Owen did the only thing he could do at that point to make the situation worse, or better.
He posted a short story on his personal Instagram profile.
A short video, just a few seconds long, recorded from his own phone. The camera pointed toward the couch in his apartment.
He didn't appear, since he was the one holding the phone.
In the frame, Jenna appeared, sitting on the other side of the couch, holding a bowl of popcorn, looking toward the TV off-screen.
At the bottom of the video, a simple caption: my good friend makes me popcorn
There was no context, no explanation. But it was enough to add fuel to the fire.
E! News, the flagship entertainment and pop culture news program of the American network E! Entertainment Television, was one of the many outlets that covered the story.
@Enews – 8:17 PM · Apr 19, 2023
Owen Ashford fuels rumors with Jenna Ortega after posting an IG story 👀
The actor shared a video where Jenna appears on his couch with popcorn, accompanied by the text: "my good friend Jenna makes me popcorn"
"Friend"? 🤔
🔗 eonline.com/news/owen-jenna-story-rumors
#OwenAshford #JennaOrtega
💬 Replies to the tweet:
@Anhawest2001:
Friend!? 😭
@Owenfanpage1:
relax, people. Owen likes to troll.
@Herbert3093 (replying to @Owenfanpage1):
Exactly, after what I saw at the Oscars, this fits his personality way too well.
@jennafanclubb001:
I don't care if it's a joke or not, I need this to be real and confirmed already
@cinephile_92:
He's definitely messing with us.
…
There were a lot of discussions, and it even started trending. Because one thing was a photo taken from afar.
Something completely different was a private space. A daily moment. Posted by him. But the friend part, even if many saw it as a joke, kept the doubt alive.
While the internet kept spinning around that, another piece of news began to make noise.
Not as much as the rumors, because few things surpassed that level of attention when it came to two celebrities, but enough to shift the focus in certain circles.
Because late April also meant that Cannes announced the films in its different sections.
@THR – 9:03 AM · Apr 20, 2023
The Cannes Film Festival closes its Official Selection for 2023.
General delegate Thierry Frémaux announced today the films competing for the Palme d'Or.
Among them: Good Will Hunting, the $12M drama written, produced, and starring Owen Ashford, directed by Derek Cianfrance.
Ashford, after his quick interview at the Oscars, where he mentioned Cannes as his next step, not only meets expectations, but exceeds them: he doesn't just enter the festival, he goes straight into Official Competition.
Sources indicate that Neon is backing the project with an aggressive campaign heading into the festival.
🔗hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movies-news/cannes-2023-lineup-official-selection
💬 Replies to the tweet:
@Aarongarcia:
This is huge. Official Competition with his first serious drama, simply wow.
@AdrianNT:
If Neon is betting big, it's because it's worth it, should I go to Cannes to watch it?
@williamboy:
This completely legitimizes Owen as a screenwriter, no more doubts… Still need to see the acting, though I liked him in The Spectacular Now.
@arthurskkk:
I'm in class at USC watching this and I don't know how to process it. Should I drop out? Need opinions.
@JohnTheApostol:
A few months ago he was the cheap horror guy. Now he won an Oscar and will be at Cannes competing for the Palme. Easy.
@noahreviews:
Now the pressure is total. Cannes doesn't forgive. It has to be a good drama, not normal like The Spectacular Now...
@JonathanDNM:
Cannes vlog coming? 👀
...
Owen didn't stay quiet and decided to post a simple tweet.
@OwenAshford (replying to @THR) – 11:27 AM · Apr 20, 2023
"They called me a madman."
(GIF of Thanos looking at the horizon)
That same day, April 26, around three in the afternoon, Owen was in his apartment.
A single suitcase, resting by the door.
He would travel to Georgia for a few days. Four, to be exact. Just enough to see how the Lights Out shoot was progressing and make it back in time for New York.
"Passport check, phone check, laptop check... everything in order," he murmured to himself, checking one last time the contents of his backpack, where he kept what really mattered so he could keep working from Georgia.
"Have a good trip, my good friend."
Jenna's voice came from the couch.
She had a cup of tea in her hands and a calm expression, though the emphasis on those last words didn't go unnoticed.
Owen looked up at her, a smile already forming as if anticipating the response.
"Still bothered by that?" he asked casually. "It was a good way to make people doubt even more."
Jenna didn't answer immediately. She took a small sip of tea before speaking.
"I don't want people to keep doubting. I want it to be confirmed already and for this whole thing to be over," Jenna said.
It wasn't exactly anger. But she didn't love it either.
Unlike him, she didn't enjoy that constant game with the public as much.
"It'll all end in New York, when they see us arriving together on the red carpet," Owen said, adjusting his jacket. "And for maximum impact, there needs to be a bit of doubt. People have to stay very attentive."
Jenna watched him for a few seconds longer. "You have everything too planned," she said quietly. It didn't sound angry, but not entirely comfortable either.
Owen noticed the nuance. He stepped a little closer, leaning against the back of the couch.
"You were the one who wanted to make it public," he reminded her calmly.
"Yes," she replied almost instantly. "But because I knew that if I wanted to be with you, at some point it was going to happen. We couldn't hide it forever. I didn't think this whole circus would happen, and definitely not that you'd play with it."
Owen didn't respond right away. "It'll end soon, and it'll settle," he finally said.
Jenna held his gaze. "I know," she replied.
Owen nodded slightly, and a small smile appeared on his face.
"And besides…" he added, tilting his head slightly, "what do you prefer? Let the paparazzi handle everything and decide the narrative for us?"
He let out a soft exhale, almost amused.
"I'm not going to give them all of it. If I can mess with it a little, I will."
He paused briefly, then concluded, "At the end of the day, people are already talking and building theories. If it's going to happen anyway, I'd rather have a little fun with it."
Jenna looked at him, and this time she couldn't help it. A restrained laugh slipped out as she gently shook her head. "That's true," she admitted.
They said their goodbyes, and Owen left the apartment.
The days in Georgia turned out to be even better than he had expected.
The atmosphere felt lighter, away from the center of the industry, without photographers following you like you were an animal in a zoo.
He was also happy to see his mother and sister in the middle of filming, spending time with them, offering the occasional piece of advice when needed, but without overstepping. Reuniting with Matt, Tyler, and Eric as well. Returning, even if just for a few days, to an environment of fun with his closest friends.
No constant decisions. Almost like a mini vacation. There wasn't much to do regarding Black Mirror or Good Will Hunting. Everything was already on track.
But that pause didn't last long. As soon as he returned from Georgia, he packed his suitcase again.
Destination: the Met Gala in New York.
Owen was being sponsored by Saint Laurent, the fashion house founded by Yves Saint Laurent alongside Pierre Bergé.
The suit had been ready for days. Custom-made, with several prior fittings, minimal adjustments, and a full styling specifically designed for that night.
An outfit that easily exceeded fifty thousand dollars. But Owen had been clear from the beginning.
He didn't want anything extravagant.
He knew perfectly well how the Met Gala worked. Extreme looks, risky choices, and concepts over functionality. That wasn't his style.
He asked for something classic and elegant. With refined details, yes, but without crossing that line.
What he did find curious, almost absurd, was something else.
The ticket price: fifty thousand dollars per person.
If he had to pay for it himself, he probably wouldn't have gone. Not because he couldn't afford it, but because it didn't make sense to him. He could spend much larger amounts, like the more than twenty million across his three current projects, but on something that actually mattered to him.
Cinema was his passion. Fashion, honestly, wasn't.
But in this case, it wasn't a problem. The brand covered everything. The suit, the invitation, and the logistics.
The morning and afternoon of May 1 were long.
He had wardrobe fittings, minor adjustments from stylists obsessively focused on their work. They also did his makeup and styled his hair down to the smallest detail.
For Owen, who wasn't used to that kind of preparation, not even film shoots took this long, it felt endless.
But it was part of the process. Once everything was ready, only one thing remained.
The red carpet, which began at 5:30 PM.
The flow of celebrities started gradually, but the real movement, the moment when everything exploded, came a bit later. That's when they chose to arrive with Jenna.
At exactly six.
When the car stopped in front of the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the atmosphere was already charged. Constant flashes, names being shouted from different angles, and assistants moving with precision to keep everything flowing without too many delays.
The door opened. Owen stepped out first, adjusting the fall of his jacket slightly, without rushing. He stepped aside and extended his hand.
Jenna took it. That was the moment, there was no more ambiguity. They arrived together; it wasn't a coincidence, and even less so with that closeness.
She stepped out of the car naturally and, without letting go, they positioned themselves together at the base of the stairs. The photographers reacted instantly.
"Owen! Over here!"
"Jenna! Jenna, look this way!"
"Together! Right here, together!"
The flashes intensified, almost without pause. The sound was constant, like a burst.
They climbed the first steps without letting go. They stopped at the designated spot, turning slightly to cover different angles.
The good thing about this red carpet was that there wasn't much time, barely five minutes per person, and there were no long interviews. Everything moved faster.
After a few minutes, the team signaled for them to keep moving. They climbed the rest of the stairs, crossed the entrance, and the noise dropped off almost instantly.
The Met Gala itself began there.
For Owen, it was his first time at an event like this, and he found it curious.
He wouldn't say he loved it. It wasn't his natural environment, nor the kind of space where he felt especially comfortable. Too controlled, you couldn't film anything, having to watch your image, and superficial conversations.
But as an experience, it worked. For the anecdote.
As soon as everything related to New York was over, he returned to Los Angeles and threw himself fully into the next thing.
The filming of Black Mirror. Episode one.
Twelve days.
Intense, but controlled.
Owen was present practically the entire time. Supervising, adjusting small details when needed, and making sure everything moved forward as planned.
On May 14, the shoot was officially wrapped. No major issues, no delays.
Exactly as planned.
By then, Matt and the rest of the Lights Out team had already returned. They did so on May 11, as soon as they finished their part in Georgia.
They didn't waste time. They moved straight into the next phase of post-production.
The same was happening with Black Mirror.
But even with all of that in motion, there was something that stood out above everything else.
Cannes.
The day arrived. Owen traveled to France. And not alone, his family, friends, Jenna, and the entire main cast of Good Will Hunting as well.
Finally, the day came when Good Will Hunting would have its world premiere.
The first time the film would be seen by an audience.
The first real reaction and reviews.
-------------------------------------------------
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