An identical Ross?
Deborah was stunned. What... a brilliant stroke of genius!
Absurd, but genius.
Anson had opened a door to a whole new world, with inspiration pouring in continuously.
"First, my sister dating Ross would feel like dating her brother."
"Second, Rachel dating me would feel like dating Ross."
"As a result, both Ross and I would feel strange, like something was off, but the two girls wouldn't notice and would think everything was normal."
*"Friends"* is a comedy. A bit of absurdity and a little parody are the soul of the humor; in the regular routine, some exaggerated and offbeat moments can often create unexpected effects.
Bang!
Deborah's eyes lit up, as if a row of lightbulbs had turned on in her mind—not just one, but a whole row, lighting up with a rapid "pop-pop-pop."
"Wow."
"This, this is a great idea!"
Looking at Anson again, Deborah was completely excited.
"Shooting it like this should be really fun. You just need to imitate Ross's performance, and you could even deliberately create an identical mirror effect."
"And then you could add some scenes to the script..."
Suddenly, she stopped—
Deborah pulled the reins, controlling her wildly imaginative thoughts. Marta was already having a hard time with the script, and if they let their imaginations run wild now, tomorrow's shooting could end in disaster.
The idea was good, but they couldn't act on their own.
With an emergency brake, Deborah restrained herself. They couldn't create on their own; creating was the writer's job. Especially as the season finale approached, the entire crew was particularly sensitive, and they couldn't afford any more surprises.
Deep breath, another deep breath.
Deborah would tell Marta about this idea, but without her directive, they couldn't pursue it further. For now, they had to stop.
"The details from here should be left to the professionals. We're not experts in writing scripts."
"And the fourth kind, the tough guy."
Deborah abruptly changed the subject, very awkwardly.
How could Anson not notice? Reflecting on Marta's earlier words, it wasn't hard to understand what was going on with Deborah.
But for Anson, the truly interesting part was this moment right in front of him.
It's the discussion, the imagination, the interpretation—infusing the character with soul from his own perspective.
So this is what acting is.
Acting isn't just stepping in front of a camera or onto a stage and becoming a character; in fact, the moment an actor connects with a character and tries to analyze and understand them, the acting has already begun. Using your imagination to depict a character, to create a world.
No wonder everyone says that the classic plays in London's West End are always in rehearsals. There are probably as many versions of Shakespeare's plays as stars in the sky, but different versions continue to be performed across time.
See, that's the difference—
An actor's understanding and expression.
The same character can be presented in completely different ways.
Of course, Anson didn't yet know how to express it, but a bit of discussion had already opened that door, and this was truly a fun thing.
So, although Deborah changed the subject, Anson didn't mind—
**Patience is a Virtue.**
You can't get fat in one bite.
Everything is just beginning. No rush, no rush.
Following Deborah's thoughts, Anson also shifted to another possibility.
A flannel shirt paired with yellow work boots.
This is the typical outfit of a tough guy, exuding the ruggedness of a Texas lumberjack, completely different from the vibes of the characters in *Friends*. To be precise, it's also quite out of place in the New York setting.
In fact, this is a kind of breakthrough—
Bluntly, it's about using a disruptive character to break the mold.
Whether or not the chemistry works, at the very least, it would leave a strong impression on the audience.
Anson carefully observed. The outfit itself wasn't anything special, but the character concept brought some thoughts to mind, making him curious.
"Like Clint Eastwood in a Western? Stoic, tough, with a gaze that could kill?"
If so, this would align perfectly with Marta's expectations—a fitting "pretty face" that doesn't require much acting; just maintaining a stoic expression would be enough.
Moreover, such a tough guy could highlight masculine tension, offering a different style compared to the three men in *Friends*.
Anson remembered Brad Pitt's style in *A River Runs Through It* and *Legends of the Fall*, where his looks and aura were showcased to the max.
Deborah sensed some hesitation in Anson's words. "What's wrong, not confident?"
Anson answered frankly, "The purpose of a pretty face is to showcase its own style, not to change itself according to the décor, right?"
Deborah was taken aback, unexpectedly... unable to refute him.
But Deborah had a feeling that Anson wasn't finished speaking. She didn't know why, just a gut feeling.
Sure enough—
Under Deborah's gaze, a slight smile appeared at the corners of Anson's mouth. "I have an idea, inspired by you."
"A tough guy—hard, sharp, and suave—using his gaze to convey charm, as if a single look could kill a fly."
"But in reality, it's all just a façade. Deep down, he longs for romance, for love. Beneath the tough exterior, he's just an ordinary man."
"We could even exaggerate it a bit more. In private, he's actually a sentimental guy who might shed a tear watching *Toy Story*."
Comedy often requires some exaggeration and contrast.
Deborah's barely subdued inspiration began to stir again, a new concept slowly taking shape in her mind, but this time, she wasn't in a hurry.
Deborah stood still, carefully scrutinizing Anson. "Why do I feel like this character seems familiar?"
Anson spread his hands, "*Notting Hill*, 1999, Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts, 'I'm just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her.'"
In *Notting Hill*, Julia Roberts plays a superstar who falls in love with an ordinary bookstore owner, played by Hugh Grant, in London's Notting Hill.
And so, we have that famous, touching confession.
For Anson, it's a classic film from twenty years ago, but for Deborah, it was last year's most successful and highest-grossing romantic movie.
"Ah!" Deborah clapped her hands, the fog in her mind cleared, and her thoughts opened up, inspiration flowing like a spring.
Deborah gave Anson a gesture, "Wait here for a moment."
She turned around and dashed into the costume rack, quickly sifting through the clothes, muttering to herself.
"Yes, yes, this is it."
"This is perfect. Ahaha, how could I have forgotten about this?"
"This is how it should be, haha, this is it!"
When Deborah reappeared, she looked at the clothes in her hands, then at Anson, finally revealing a satisfied smile of happiness.
"Trust me, this is the one."
"Change into this right now. I want to check the size and how it looks on you."
Anson quickly moved to the dressing room and, before long, emerged in the new outfit.
Even though Deborah was confident in her judgment, she couldn't help but smile when she saw Anson, a satisfied expression on her face.
"Now I finally understand why Richard Gere had that look when he saw Julia Roberts' transformation in *Pretty Woman*."
Dear readers, this entertainment newbie author humbly begs for your support. Please continue reading up to the latest chapter, or else... there might not be any more chapters. Thank you! Truly, thank you!