Actor in Hollywood

"So, are you sitting here alone to get away from those immature high schoolers and find a moment of peace?"

Men are boys at heart; compared to girls who mature early during adolescence, boys always seem to mature a bit later. In the crew, the boys' noisy banter never quite clicks with the girls.

With just one sentence, Anson seamlessly reconnected Scarlett with the rest of the crew without the slightest hint of awkwardness.

"Hah." Scarlett chuckled again, tilting her head as she looked up at Anson. "So, you're no longer a high schooler? Mr. Peter Parker."

"Princess Diaries," "Spider-Man," "Catch Me If You Can"—in all three films, Anson played a high schooler, and even in "Elephant" it was the same. In fact, the upcoming "Butterfly Effect" would finally see him portraying a college student.

Anson was caught off guard, but remained calm. "Actually, I'm Paul."

Paul from "Friends," who was far from being a high schooler.

Scarlett blinked in confusion, taking a moment longer to realize who Anson was referring to. Feeling a bit exasperated, she remarked, "Not everyone gets your jokes, you know. It's not the best way to make friends."

Starting with "All About Lily Chou-Chou" and then jumping to "Friends," Anson's quick-thinking made it hard for ordinary people to keep up.

Anson responded confidently, "I'd rather make friends with people who are like-minded."

Scarlett gazed at Anson, her eyes clear and direct, as if they could reflect her very image. Her heart skipped a beat, and she quickly averted her gaze, lowering her eyelids. As her mind relaxed, a ripple of loss, confusion, and doubt gently surfaced beneath the shadow of her lashes.

Anson asked, "Are you troubled?"

Though it should have been a question, it came across as a statement, so sure it seemed.

Scarlett quickly glanced up at Anson.

Anson gestured toward the direction of the crew. "The atmosphere on set isn't great."

Piecing together the situation, Brian's outburst at the extras might have just been an excuse; his real dissatisfaction was probably directed at Scarlett herself—this was clearly not an easy situation to handle.

To the general public, when Scarlett Johansson's name is mentioned, before 2010, she was known as the sultry star of films like "Match Point," "The Black Dahlia," "The Nanny Diaries," and "Vicky Cristina Barcelona," often hailed as the successor to Marilyn Monroe. After 2010, she became the unique superhero Black Widow in "The Avengers," with her image often overshadowing her identity as an actress.

However, before Michael Bay's 2005 film "The Island," Scarlett was considered an indie film goddess, with roles in "Ghost World" alongside Brad Renfro, "Girl with a Pearl Earring," "The Horse Whisperer," and her breakout in "Lost in Translation." As a child star, she always had her own understanding of acting.

And that hasn't changed.

So, when Brian and Scarlett clashed at work, it clearly wasn't something she could just shrug off.

Anson couldn't help but think of Marilyn Monroe.

During Hollywood's Golden Age, Marilyn Monroe became a symbol of sensuality, her significance far exceeding that of an actress, woman, or Hollywood star, eventually becoming a symbolic icon. People forgot that Marilyn was a thinking individual.

Yet in reality, Marilyn always had her own understanding of the acting profession and tried to break free from the labels and symbols that bound her, striving to express her own understanding of film, acting, and characters.

The Western film "River of No Return" is a typical example. In the traditional, simplistic narrative of Westerns, Marilyn sought to explore more profound issues, such as the place of women in a male-dominated narrative and the plight of the weak in the survival of the fittest. You could see that she was an actress with aspirations.

Unfortunately, Hollywood at that time did not give Marilyn enough space. Films like "River of No Return" were not only rare but also performed poorly.

Marilyn Monroe was like this, and so is Scarlett Johansson.

Whether before or after Black Widow, Scarlett has always tried to explore her own path as an actress. Beyond her external appearance, she hopes to imbue her roles with more depth. In fact, she has managed to carve out some space for herself and continues to explore her path as an actress.

But that's a story for another time.

In 2002, Scarlett was still young, with her experiences and thoughts not yet fully matured, and she couldn't see the bigger picture. Even so, failing to find her rhythm on the set of "Perfect Score" was still a blow to her, just as it was for Chris, who couldn't help but sigh repeatedly. Scarlett was also seeking some space to clear her thoughts.

At this moment, when Scarlett heard Anson's blunt question, she hadn't intended to say anything. She thought she would get angry, become irritated, or tell Anson to shut up. But to her surprise, her mood naturally calmed down.

"I... I'm not sure if I'm cut out to be an actress."

The words, unexpectedly, came out of her mouth, and the heavy stone pressing on her chest was lifted.

Scarlett felt a bit shy and reserved, worried that Anson would think she was making a big deal out of nothing, and also concerned about exposing her vulnerability to a stranger. After voicing her inner thoughts, she shifted her gaze, slightly raising her chin to look at the distant horizon, trying to hide her awkwardness and embarrassment.

Scarlett herself couldn't quite explain why. She knew she shouldn't feel this way, but this was indeed her current state—a kind of indescribable and lingering sense of loss and confusion.

And that's why Scarlett quietly left the crowd, seeking a quiet space to calm herself down. But she couldn't escape, and under Anson's gaze, she let it all out.

So, what now?

Scarlett felt a bit lost.

Then.

Anson tilted his head and casually said, "I didn't know Brian was such a weighty director."

Scarlett clearly didn't get it at first and was taken aback—

She had expected Anson to comfort her or spout some meaningless platitudes, but to her surprise, she found herself mulling over his words. A smile crept onto her lips.

Right, is Brian really that important? Does one comment from him entirely negate her existence as an actress and invalidate ten years of effort?

It wasn't a particularly significant remark, yet it lifted the gloom from her mood.

She burst out laughing.

Unable to contain it, Scarlett laughed out loud. When she turned to look at Anson again, her eyes were bright with mirth.

"Has anyone ever told you that you're good at changing the subject?" Scarlett teased playfully.

Anson shrugged lightly. "How else do you think I survive the paparazzi?"

Scarlett's smile grew even brighter, but this time it didn't last long. The smile gradually faded from her lips. "That may be true, but he is the director after all."

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