Actor in Hollywood Chapter 321: The First Exclusive Interview

This wasn't the first ti Nicholas had seen Anson up close, but no matter how many tis it happened, the impact of seeing him in person was always deeply imprinted in his mind.

Today was no exception—

A light gray pinstriped shirt paired with dark blue jeans exuded an air of elegance and carefree charm. The black leather jacket and navy boots emphasized a rugged yet understated rebelliousness. Finally, a narrow black tie and matching black belt buckle tied together the proportions of his physique.

It was a subtle collision of composure and sophistication, dancing on the line between danger and allure. It seed contradictory and chaotic at first glance, yet it was impossible to look away. Nicholas's mind struggled to comprehend how such a combination even ca together, and he couldn't help but be filled with awe.

Individually, each item seed ordinary, nothing particularly special. But when combined, they created sothing unique.

Elegant and romantic, yet with an underlying sense of rebellion and rock 'n' roll.

A question popped into Nicholas's mind: How did he manage to pull this off? Did God take extra care when crafting this appearance?

And to top it off, his ride was a motorcycle!

An uncontrollable sense of admiration welled up within Nicholas. He couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to live a day in Anson's shoes.

"Hey, Anson!"

Nicholas called out, and just as Anson removed his helt and turned to look at him, Nicholas instinctively pressed the shutter, capturing the mont forever.

—"What does it feel like to be Anson Wood?"

That beca the title of Nicholas's exclusive interview for the New York Tis. Rather than following the conventional format, Nicholas took a different approach, docunting the conversation as if he were accompanying Anson on a journey.

In the opening, Nicholas summarized the interview with a brief passage.

"When I posed that question in the headline, Anson smiled and gave an unexpected answer, 'Trying to find myself.'

Anson explained that appearances can be deceptive. People often hold certain stereotypes about every image they see, much like with blonde won or scholarly types. Similarly, when people look at , they form their own judgnts. I've been striving to find the self beneath this exterior and to explore the intersection between my true self and my appearance, trying to bring out different aspects of a character as an actor. It's an ongoing journey of exploration.

This was not the answer I expected.

Clearly, this young actor's ability to portray three seemingly similar yet entirely different roles in his short career and leave a lasting impression on audiences is no coincidence.

Of course, this interview, which was outside of my plan, didn't go according to my plan either:

It was an exploration, an adventure, a journey. Just like traveling, it's good to have a plan, but sotis veering off course into unfamiliar territory isn't necessarily a bad thing—it might even lead to new discoveries."

In just a few words, you could feel the flood of thoughts in Nicholas's mind. This was far from a standard interview piece, so much so that even Howell Raines, the seasoned editor of the New York Tis, was left puzzled, asking Nicholas what was going on after reading the draft.

Nicholas explained, "From the very beginning, things went off track. Can you imagine? I've interviewed so many actors and directors, and yet, a 19-year-old actor left speechless."

—"Co on, hop on. I'll take you to taste the best breakfast in Los Angeles."

That was the first thing Anson said when he saw Nicholas.

No greetings, no small talk—just a direct invitation.

He then got back on his motorcycle, handed Nicholas a helt, patted the back seat, and signaled him to hop on. The motorcycle's engine was still running, ready to take off again, reminiscent of the carefree and rebellious spirit of the '60s "Easy Rider."

Nicholas looked at his editor and said, "Have you ever had an interview subject like this? Honestly, I was this close to actually getting on."

Howell could sense the shock and bewildernt in Nicholas's voice, and he couldn't help but laugh. "I have just one question—was he really that special? I an, the photos are great, and he is handso, but I don't see how he's any different from the other Hollywood pretty boys."

At its core, the New York Tis was still a serious newspaper. Even in the entertainnt section, they wouldn't resort to sensationalism like the Sun. Naturally, Howell was more rational in his approach.

Nicholas didn't rush to respond but instead took a mont to think carefully. "It's the charisma. Anson has this unique and contradictory charm. Ordinary clothes on him just seem to transform—I'm not an expert on proportions or lines, but he easily grabs your attention and makes you want to wear what he's wearing."

Howell raised an eyebrow slightly. "So, did you try it?"

Nicholas glanced down at himself. "I think my body had other ideas."

Howell looked down at the photo of Anson again and couldn't help but burst into laughter.

Nicholas, however, didn't mind. He shrugged slightly and continued.

"Even though I didn't plan to follow a conventional route from the beginning—I wanted to take the interview outside, walk through the city, have a casual conversation to put him at ease, and then get the answers I needed."

"But I didn't expect him to take it a step further. He threw out the board I had prepared and introduced a whole new set of rules."

"Rather than interviewing him, it felt more like he was trying to have an equal, open conversation—sothing I hadn't anticipated."

Howell Raines had just taken over as the new editor-in-chief in July this year, but he had actually joined the New York Tis back in 1978.

Earlier this sumr, the previous editor, Jayson Blair, was embroiled in a misconduct scandal that exposed the New York Tis to intense scrutiny, and a serious investigation was still ongoing.

Howell had taken on this hot potato during such a crisis. The New York Tis was under attack from all sides, facing internal and external challenges, so they needed to be more cautious on certain sensitive issues.

Of course, an entertainnt report, a new actor, and a sumr blockbuster didn't require that level of caution from the New York Tis. But from another perspective, if they could seize this opportunity to reinforce the paper's professional image, it would be an unexpected gain.

Initially, Howell didn't have any special plans for this. He just thought they needed to be careful, which is why he paid more attention to the hot topic Nicholas had taken on. But now, his instincts were kicking in—

Disney was clearly trying to capitalize on Anson's rising star for their promotion, and the New York Tis could do the sa, leading the narrative and reaffirming its professional stance.

Howell grew curious. "So, how was the breakfast?"

Nicholas looked at his editor, a glimr of amusent in his eyes. "See, that's Anson's charm—he makes people curious. You're curious too, aren't you?"

Howell didn't confirm or deny it.

Nicholas had initially thought about keeping him in suspense, but seeing Howell wasn't taking the bait, he didn't mind revealing the surprising answer. "He took for brunch."

Howell paused, "What?"