Things were a "little" different from what Nicholas had imagined.
From Anson's wit to Jennifer's generosity, their frank and natural responses subtly broke the mold, firmly seizing the power of explanation.
Perhaps it was all an act, concealing the truth; perhaps it was the truth, and the rumors were entirely fabricated.
But now, none of that mattered anymore.
In Nicholas's experience, this matter would likely come to a temporary halt here. Anson's airtight and perfect responses repeatedly defied expectations, subverted the situation, and silently shifted the momentum, setting the tone. Jennifer's cooperative performance completed the other piece of the puzzle.
The group chat ended there.
Of course, they could continue chasing shadows and fanning the flames, but the tone had been set. If the rumors never existed in the first place, then Brad's actions would also be untraceable. Continuing to dig and pursue the matter would turn into a media-driven news hype.
At that point, the excitement would be there, but the protagonist might change—
The general public might believe that it was all media manipulation, exploiting Brad and Jennifer to create topics and generate buzz.
No one would believe the rumors, no one would believe Brad was a bad person; instead, they would direct all condemnation towards the media.
Therefore, it was unnecessary.
At least, that's what Nicholas thought.
Regardless, "The New York Times" still had its own stance and principles. The entertainment section couldn't be abandoned; news that should be pursued and reported still needed to be covered. But they wouldn't, and wouldn't deign to, engage in hype, fabrication, fiction, or instigation for the sake of profit and entertainment to the death; that was the bottom line.
The matter should end here.
Nicholas had a premonition that this young man, still possessing some boyish charm but already displaying a man's allure, might become the biggest winner.
He didn't have to wait long for Nicholas's thoughts to be confirmed one by one—
In front of Studio 24, Jennifer and Anson were chatting happily. The two protagonists of the rumor storm stood together in front of reporters to clarify the misunderstanding.
Subsequently, David Schwimmer, Courteney Cox, and other "Friends" actors arrived at work one after another, and they also responded to the rumors with a joking attitude.
Clearly, the rumor was a joke.
The intersection between Anson and Jennifer was limited to filming. Outside of work, the two had no time alone at all; and Anson's closest friend on set was Matt LeBlanc.
But even Anson and Matt hadn't exchanged phone numbers. In the words of the crew members:
"He's a little shy."
Nicholas: Heh heh.
Immediately afterwards, the filming of the twenty-third episode of the sixth season of "Friends" proceeded smoothly. The set was still filled with laughter, and the entire filming atmosphere seemed particularly relaxed.
From his debut in the twenty-first episode to his pressured appearance amidst the storm of rumors in the twenty-third episode, Anson's performance never disappointed.
Whether he was dashing and suave, deeply affectionate, or displaying a contrast between external strength and internal softness, the Paul character presented to the audience had Anson's exclusive charm. Without a doubt, this was the most memorable guest role in "Friends" in the last two or three years.
Applause and laughter continued on the filming set.
And the real climax and highlight came in the afternoon when Brad Pitt brought donuts and coffee to visit the studio, causing a burst of exclamations.
In Nicholas's view, this should have been the idea of Brad's publicist, a complete performance—
If Brad responded to the rumors a second time, or invited Anson to their wedding, such actions would seem excessive, too intimate, too eager to wash away the rumors and prove himself, which might arouse suspicion.
Visiting the set.
That was the answer.
The starting point of this action was to visit his fiancée's workplace, which could not only show affection and demonstrate the image of a good husband, but also naturally meet Anson in public and conveniently express his friendliness, clarify misunderstandings, and mitigate the impact of negative rumors.
Of course, in the eyes of the media, this was a performance, a carefully arranged performance, but for the general public, it was indeed a beautiful statement.
Indeed.
The two-time "Sexiest Man Alive" (1995 and 2000) easily conquered the audience with his charm, winning a round of applause.
From Anson to Jennifer to Brad, the three protagonists of this love triangle completed a relay performance, and all rumors came to an end.
The ending was a happy one for everyone—
Brad didn't trip anyone up behind their back.
Jennifer and Anson had no affair.
Anson would continue to guest star.
Everything was fine, and no one was hurt in the process.
But was it really so?
Was Brad okay? Was Jennifer okay? Was the completely invisible David Crane okay? As for Anson, was life still the same?
No one knew the behind-the-scenes story; but everyone saw the excitement on the surface.
"Anson Wood."
Following "The Los Angeles Times", he made a full appearance in different newspapers and magazines, dominating the screen and occupying the public's vision with an unprecedented posture.
Not only did he appear as a key figure in Brad and Jennifer's third-party relationship, but he also won applause for his wit, humor, and dashing demeanor.
Marta Kauffman, the chief screenwriter of "Friends", said in an interview with "The Hollywood Reporter" that the initial plan was not like this.
Paul, played by Anson, was originally a one-episode character, appearing as a character to change the atmosphere and rhythm of the show, but Anson's performance and his chemistry with other actors were really too interesting. The character seemed to have life, and the story developed on its own, which led to the follow-up.
In and out of the play, Marta praised Anson, and even said at the end of the interview that if there were plans in the future, she would look forward to Anson's return.
It had gossip, professionalism, and buzz.
It had everything.
For a time, Anson's name was everywhere.
Whether they cared about "Friends" or Brad and Jennifer's wedding of the century, they could always hear discussions during their leisure time.
Unconsciously, curiosity arose.
This young man only appeared in one episode of a sitcom, was it necessary?
However, in fact, it was precisely because of this that it was so incredible and absurd that the discussion and attention reached a new level.
If it were a familiar face, it probably wouldn't have had such an effect.
Moreover, this was just the beginning.
When someone asked out of curiosity, "So what's the deal with this Anson?" or "So what's so charming about this guy?", the knowledgeable person would bring out the twenty-first episode of "Friends" again, trying hard to promote it, using flowery language to express how much praise and good reviews this episode received.
A tropical storm was brewing little by little like this, accumulating energy from Monday to Wednesday.
Then.
Thursday arrived, and it was time for "Friends" to air again.
