From the paparazzi's perspective, Anson is just a newcomer, and Edgar is a rookie agent. They are working with industry heavyweights like Steven and Tom, terrified of becoming disposable pawns in the production, unable to handle any negative press interference—even if it's fake.
Everyone knows that the world of fame never cares about the truth. Reputation, image, and labels are like product packaging—that's what matters most in this arena.
One person's poison is another's honey.
The same piece of news might be of limited value to them, but for Anson, it could be worth a fortune.
Thus, the paparazzi believed Anson and Edgar would choose to cooperate, trading a harmless piece of news for something more substantial, or perhaps to build a favor for the future. In his view, this was the wisest move.
After all, things like this happen frequently in Hollywood.
What he didn't expect was to encounter someone tough.
Not just tough, but also sharp, shrewd, and quick-witted.
Edgar dared to shake things up, and Anson actually trusted Edgar fully. Together, these two fearless individuals seized the moment to fight back, turning a crisis into an opportunity.
While the paparazzi was casually drinking beer and waiting, Edgar had already been pulling the strings, quietly overturning the situation.
In fact, the world of fame is just a game, a chessboard—it's all about who can stay calm, who can see the bigger picture, and who can take the first move.
And then—
Bang!
When the paparazzi realized that both Edgar and Anson had completely ignored him, he sensed danger. Things might be trickier than he had initially thought.
So, what should the paparazzi do?
Anger is one thing, shame is another. But having survived in this cutthroat industry like a cockroach, with an unbelievable will to live, the paparazzi had his own skills.
He shifted the crisis, escaping unscathed.
With a quick pivot, the paparazzi sold the photos to *Entertainment Weekly*, making a small profit. This was his response to Edgar, while also distancing himself from the situation, transforming from a participant to a bystander, just there to watch the drama unfold.
And so.
The scene before us began to play out.
But is there any need to worry?
Not at all.
Edgar had everything under control, with Eve working tirelessly on the front lines. On top of that, Steven and Tom were standing guard, ensuring all was well.
As expected.
After *Entertainment Weekly* broke the news, neither Anson nor the *Catch Me If You Can* crew made an immediate statement. They continued with their work as planned, allowing the rumors to buzz around for a while. The buzz grew louder, to the point where NBC's *Today Show*, the morning news powerhouse, gave it serious attention and discussed it on air. Then—
The timing was just right.
The reversal arrived.
Complete video footage, full photos, paired with testimonies from those involved and eyewitnesses, pieced together the full picture of what had happened like a puzzle.
The truth was revealed, clearing Anson's name.
Not only was he not at fault, but he was actually a hero.
Most importantly, from the start, Anson had never truly threatened the driver. He had merely responded to provocation. The scenes shown in *Entertainment Weekly* had no connection to the truth whatsoever.
Now, things got interesting.
Because of the unexpected event, the conflict, and the negative press, the reversal of the truth rallied public opinion behind Anson. Amid the chaos, people also began to see the edges of Anson's personality—something different from his film roles or fashion week appearances, injecting a quiet vitality into his image.
Gradually, the news began to explore the event more deeply.
First, there was a detailed interview with the elderly woman, who recounted every detail of the three-minute incident. Then, behind-the-scenes stories from the production crew started to emerge, and that's when the full story was finally known—
As it turned out, Anson had been in the middle of filming a scene and was so deep into his character that he couldn't distinguish between reality and fiction. He was so immersed in the role that he couldn't pull himself out, leading him to flee the set and run uncontrollably. This was actually part of his character's emotional journey, and the next scene was supposed to film him running down the street. However, Anson lost control, and the camera crew couldn't keep up. He was already long gone.
That unexpected sprint ended up helping Anson reconnect with himself, allowing him to fully immerse in the character. The subsequent scenes were shot flawlessly.
"Winning applause from the entire crowd."
With just one sentence, the buzz exploded, and all attention shifted toward the *Catch Me If You Can* crew.
Wait, since when did Steven's work start focusing on acting? And now, there's a rising star in acting alongside Tom Hanks?
At first, everyone thought Anson was just eye candy, cast in *Catch Me If You Can* purely because of his looks. But now, there's a surprise?
The topic exploded into full bloom.
Now, there was no stopping it.
And more than that, the focus completely shifted. No one cared about that poor road rage driver anymore, and no one was interested in Anson's negative press. All the discussions turned toward *Catch Me If You Can*, with some even speculating—
Given Anson's usual personality, it was hard to imagine him having a direct confrontation with an enraged driver. After all, who knows if that driver might pull out a weapon? And Anson losing control that day was simply an extension of his deep immersion in the role, further confirming rumors about the production.
That's also why, when *Entertainment Weekly* first broke the news, Anson didn't respond. In a way, Anson felt guilty about losing control due to being too deep into character. Regardless of the truth, he knew he shouldn't have engaged with the driver, and that fit with his usual image.
At this point, the situation was settled.
That's when the paparazzo who leaked the story realized what kind of trap he had fallen into. Luckily for him, he had quickly cut his losses and didn't get too greedy. Otherwise, after the reversal, he would've been left to shoulder all the blame, becoming prey for other industry vultures.
And now?
The only one left wounded was *Entertainment Weekly*.
Though *Entertainment Weekly* and *US Weekly* are typical gossip magazines known for spreading rumors and sensational stories, constantly attracting criticism, they had become used to it—just another day at the office.
However, it's not often that they stumble this hard. Without verifying the story with at least two sources, they jumped to conclusions and launched a careless attack, only to be smacked down and turned into an industry joke. While they weren't completely ruined, the embarrassment was hard to shake off.
*Entertainment Weekly*: Flat out and taking the punches.
Throughout the entire incident, Anson remained at the center of the storm, with every conversation revolving around him—yet very few noticed that Anson had never given an interview from the beginning to the end—
Quietly invisible.
Is that even possible?
But the reality was just that. Despite standing at the eye of the storm, Anson never truly felt the crisis; instead, he watched it unfold like an outsider.
After this incident, the public perception and label of *Catch Me If You Can* shifted dramatically, with its popularity continuing to rise. And the real beneficiary was Anson. No longer just a handsome face or a pretty prop, this paper-thin figure in the public eye was slowly taking on flesh and bone.
Is this normal?