Emanuel was no newbie, easily fooled by what he saw or swayed by the actions of actors and directors.
"Seeing is believing"—this saying often needs to be questioned in real life, especially in the entertainment industry.
What people see is often what these actors want the public to see; what they can see is often what these actors present under the spotlight.
After all, living under the constant glare of lights twenty-four hours a day turns their lives into a part of the performance.
This was portrayed vividly half a century ago in the film Sunset Boulevard.
Right now, with the media gathered and all eyes on him, Emanuel believed that if Anson wanted to, he could display one hundred percent of his gentlemanly charm.
"Reality"?
You might need to turn off the flash and the cameras to catch that fleeting moment in some unnoticed corner.
Like Ivan just now.
So, what about Anson?
Emanuel thought this was an interesting subject because this scene in front of him was like Roman Holiday—so perfect that it seemed to lack some authenticity. The difference was that they had switched places from the movie: Anson was the princess, and Emanuel was the journalist.
See, this is where things get interesting.
That day on the train, Emanuel tried to capture the superstar aura around Anson, who stood out effortlessly even when hiding in the crowd.
Now in Cannes, Emanuel was trying to capture the reality beneath Anson's superstar aura, the self he struggled to maintain amidst the blinding lights.
Two sides of the same coin.
But whether it's the former or the latter, the only certain thing is that Anson is a unique individual. It's been a long time since such a complex figure has appeared in the entertainment industry.
That's a good thing.
The thought lingered briefly in Emanuel's mind, and he made a decision without any difficulty.
"Of course. It would be my honor," Emanuel agreed readily. "I promise I'll produce the best photos for the crew."
Anson laughed.
Noah, standing nearby, didn't quite understand. He looked at Anson, then at Emanuel, scratched his head, and then followed with a smile.
At that moment—
A rustling sound.
A commotion echoed down the hotel hallway, like a drop of cold water hitting hot oil, instantly boiling.
You could see the crowd stirring—whispers, murmurs, people standing up, running around, turning away, making phone calls, inquiring for information.
Although Anson was right at the door, clearly, he was no longer the focus.
That's not surprising. This is Cannes—news and highlights are everywhere.
Emanuel glanced at Anson, only to find him watching the scene with amused interest, looking every bit like a curious bystander.
Then, a figure pushed through the crowd, walking towards Anson through the throng heading towards the elevator, visible from afar.
"Oh, sorry, I hope I'm not late? Either way, sorry if you had to come out to greet me; that would be really bad."
The newcomer was none other than The New York Times journalist, Nicholas Flynn.
Nicholas looked a bit disgruntled. He had a phone interview scheduled with François Ozon this morning, to be followed by an interview with the Elephant crew within thirty minutes.
Everything was set. As a seasoned journalist, Nicholas wouldn't let himself fall behind.
However!
He hadn't expected François Ozon to be hungover, throwing Nicholas's schedule into chaos.
Nicholas adapted on the fly, conducting the phone interview while rushing to the Majestic Barrière Hotel in Cannes to avoid being caught up in the frenzy. In fact, he arrived on time, even five minutes early; but the disruption left him uneasy.
Moreover, when the elevator doors opened, the scene before him made Nicholas pause for a moment—
What happened here?
Unlike other media, Nicholas had scheduled an exclusive interview with the Elephant crew two weeks before arriving in Cannes. It was undoubtedly the highlight of his trip, and The New York Times's main focus, with Nicholas having reserved a large section in the paper's entertainment section in advance.
So, Nicholas had a prime spot without having to know about the early morning chaos in the hotel hallway.
Walking forward with a head full of questions, Nicholas saw Anson at a glance. Although he wasn't late, he still offered the customary apology.
He made a small joke and turned to follow their gaze. Nicholas joked again, "Looks like Cannes is especially lively today. I just heard that the Young Adam crew opened up for interviews, and Ewan is willing to cooperate with all interview requests. No one should miss such an opportunity."
Ewan McGregor?
Emanuel's expression froze. Although she quickly regained control, she couldn't help but want to curse.
Damn it!
That guy had canceled their photo shoot at the last minute, and now he was turning around and opening up interviews for reporters, putting on a friendly front.
Damn!
Emanuel's anger was hard to contain.
Nicholas wasn't aware of the backstory; he was just casually chatting about this morning's unusual events. But after speaking, he noticed the people walking away in twos and threes, and a sudden bad feeling struck him, making him look a bit awkward.
"So...they're not leaving because of Ewan, are they?"
Emanuel: ...
Noah: ...
Anson, on the other hand, remained calm, chuckling lightly, "Instead of waiting in line here, why not seize the opportunity to get to work? This is how Cannes should be, right?"
Anson wasn't bothered by what was happening—
There were only four members in the Elephant crew, and they could be split up to be interviewed individually, so the number of interviews they could give was limited.
It's not right for one crew to trap all the media here. Cannes should have countless angles worth reporting on. As a former journalist, Anson hoped the media would make a clean break and cover the festival comprehensively, without getting stuck on one tree.
Nicholas retracted his gaze and said meaningfully, "Choices, choices, a journalist must learn to weigh their options. Ten insignificant reports can't compare to one truly valuable piece. Jumping at every opportunity without discernment might not end well."
"Haha." Anson understood immediately—Nicholas was standing up for him—
Aside from being a journalist and interviewee, could they also be considered friends?
Many journalists shared Nicholas's thoughts. Everyone had their own judgment, and seeing more reporters than expected rushing to the elevators, many turned back and took their seats in the hallway again.
Some left, but the hallway was still crowded and bustling. After a brief moment of chaos, order was restored.