"Are you nervous?"
"About what?"
"Tom Hanks."
"And then?"
Edgar was at a loss for words.
Originally, Edgar was worried that Anson might be nervous and tried to comfort him, but instead, he found himself getting tangled up in Anson's response, left in a fog of confusion.
Edgar turned to look at Anson, "That's Tom Hanks we're talking about. I mean, he's one of only two actors in history to win back-to-back Oscars for Best Actor, and he's one of the most respected figures in the actors' guild. Plus, the scene you're about to shoot is... quite special."
Anson's eyes lit up. "Oh, Captain, so you actually read the script. I thought agents just skimmed through it."
Edgar was exasperated but couldn't help smiling at Anson's calm demeanor, even making jokes at this moment.
Anson didn't continue with the jokes. "If you're asking if I'm nervous about facing Tom Hanks next and needing to play a scene where I trick him?"
"The answer is yes."
"Yes, I'm very nervous."
"Oh God, what if I forget my lines? What if I get too nervous and give myself away? What if I keep messing up and the focus of the entire scene shifts to Tom, leaving me as a background prop, disrupting the rhythm of the whole scene?"
"Captain, I'm indeed nervous."
Anson was serious, and after his rapid-fire response, Edgar was left a bit stunned, regretting that he might have put too much pressure on Anson.
—It's different, truly different.
To an outsider, a scene with two actors might just look like a conversation unless there's an outburst of emotions or overt acting, making it hard to notice the subtleties.
But that's not the case.
In a scene, there's a back-and-forth dynamic, where an actor's understanding of the character, the plot, the setting, and the lines holds a lot of power. If one actor throws out a "key" and the other fails to grasp it or misses the point, the entire scene can lose its balance, shattering the atmosphere the movie has built and pulling the audience out of the experience.
In reality, breaking the immersion is a minor issue; it just ruins the viewing experience. The real challenge is making the entire movie feel fake, even plastic, where one wrong piece of the puzzle drags down the whole film.
This isn't just a theory; it's happened more than once.
Acting in a scene isn't just about dialogue and interaction; it's also a form of sparring, where maintaining tension while blending harmoniously is crucial.
For Anson, this was a new challenge.
So far, in *Friends*, *The Princess Diaries*, and *Spider-Man*, the overall tone had been light-hearted, not requiring much of this "back-and-forth" dynamic.
In *Spider-Man*, Peter Parker's heart-to-heart scenes with Uncle Ben or Mary Jane had some nuance, but the focus was mostly on Anson, allowing him to explore on his own. It wasn't so much about the back-and-forth as it was about monologues, where the interplay between characters wasn't the focus of the camera.
*Catch Me If You Can* marked a turning point.
With veterans like Christopher and Natalie supporting Anson, he began to explore deeper into acting. Now, he was facing the challenge of acting directly opposite Tom Hanks, and moreover, Anson had to take control of the scene.
Without a doubt, this was a test.
Just imagining it in his head caused adrenaline to surge, like a tsunami taking over his brain. It was impossible not to be nervous.
But alongside the nerves came excitement and anticipation—
After all, it's not every day that you get to act in front of Tom Hanks.
On the set of *The Princess Diaries*, Anson had envied Anne for having the chance to act opposite Julie Andrews. Now, Anson had his own opportunity, and the thrill and excitement overshadowed the nervousness.
Honestly, his heart was racing. The distraction of Hayden's situation was a welcome one, helping him find his balance.
Too much nervousness was bad, and too much excitement was just as detrimental.
Edgar stared at Anson, "But?"
"But what?"
Edgar said, "From your tone earlier, it sounded like there was more to that sentence, so... but?"
Anson shrugged lightly and ignored Edgar, opening the car door and heading straight toward the set, leaving Edgar standing there.
Edgar: ??? That's it?
After a brief pause, Edgar couldn't help but chuckle.
At least Anson still had the energy to joke around and play pranks, which was a good sign, right?
Then Edgar realized that maybe he was more nervous than Anson.
As a rookie agent, hearing names like Steven and Tom still made him feel the pressure. These big shots could make them tremble in fear with just the lift of a finger.
But Anson, also a rookie, seemed to have shed his burdens once he got into character, not letting the aura of fame and glory cloud his focus, showing the professionalism of an actor. This pure dedication set them apart.
This was a good thing.
Edgar's racing heart gradually calmed down. Since Anson had already committed himself fully to his role, Edgar should fulfill his professional duties as well—
Step one, treat the entire crew to afternoon tea.
This wasn't about currying favor but keeping a promise.
With that, Edgar got out of the car and got to work.
Meanwhile, Anson walked briskly onto the set.
"But," there was indeed a turning point there, but he was an actor, and he needed to focus on his role, truly becoming Frank Jr.
In this scene, Frank Jr. faces off against Carl in pursuit, displaying an unbelievable calmness and composure. Not only does he remain unflustered, but he also confidently impersonates another law enforcement agent, managing to fool Carl right to his face before making a clean escape.
---
This composure and boldness truly showcase young Frank's abilities. No wonder he made it onto the FBI's most wanted list while still a minor—he's definitely a force to be reckoned with.
So, if Anson were to lose his nerve and get thrown off balance because of Tom Hanks, this scene would be doomed to fail, maybe even turn into a disaster.
So, how did Anson handle it?
He got into character.
Before even arriving on set—or more accurately, on the way there—Anson began to slowly explore and half-pretend to get into the mindset of young Frank Abagnale.
Though not completely immersed in the character, he was gradually stepping into the role—
After all, young Frank is also an actor.
Was young Frank afraid?
No.
He was just as scared.
But young Frank knew from an early age that as long as you're confident enough, as long as you're convincing enough, people usually don't dig deeper. They want to believe their eyes, believe anything. So, confidence is the first rule in making a lie believable.
From that moment on, young Frank started "playing" a role, just like an actor.
So for Anson, things became much simpler.
Young Frank was playing a role, and Anson was playing young Frank. He could even skip a step—Anson could directly play the role that young Frank was playing.
However, there was one more detail—Anson needed to capture young Frank's anxiety and hesitation when playing his role—
This wasn't difficult for him, since he was about to act in a scene opposite Tom Hanks, which is like young Frank facing off with an FBI agent. The anxiety and hesitation were naturally there.
Perfect. Everything fell into place seamlessly.
The performance had actually already begun.