"She never expected..." Marcia began the sentence, and Gary took over with the second half, his eyes lighting up as everything clicked into place. "Michael isn't just beautiful on the inside—he's beautiful on the outside too."
Anson: ...Why does that sound a little odd?
Marcia snapped her fingers. "We've been stuck in our own fixed thinking, trying too hard to replicate Mia's setup, and we ended up trapping ourselves in a box, limiting the possibilities for the character."
They had planned to start with details like braces, glasses, and hairstyles to make Mia into an ugly duckling—a literal ugly duckling—and then use professional techniques to complete the transformation.
Naturally, when they thought about Michael, they had the same idea, but it clearly wasn't easy. The options for transforming a man were limited to begin with, and a high school boy couldn't grow a big, scruffy beard like a hobo. Plus, they didn't want to repeat the use of braces or glasses.
And then, they got stuck.
But!
Anson and Gary's conversation brought inspiration, and Marcia opened a new door of possibilities—
If a high school student dressed themselves based on their interests, like being into anime, heavy metal, or goth, they wouldn't even need to change their appearance. They would naturally be classified by their peers.
A bookish nerd who loves 1960s retro culture, even if he's the lead singer of a band, would still be considered an outsider, completely outside the radar of the school's popular crowd, and no one would pay attention to his appearance.
Marcia looked at Anson again. "Gary, to be honest, my biggest concern has been about his height and build."
"It's one thing for a high school girl, but a grown woman rarely finds a delicate, flower-boy type attractive in a way that makes her feel secure. Tom Cruise had his era, but that era is over."
Though blunt and even sharp, Marcia hit on a key point—
In the original "The Princess Diaries," Robert's height was a bit of a drawback at 5.58 feet (170 cm), even shorter than Anne.
Of course, in terms of the story, this made sense because Michael was younger than Mia by a year, and boys typically mature later than girls. His shorter height was normal.
This didn't affect the movie's box office success—"The Princess Diaries" still did well because the unique core of the film was Anne's portrayal of Mia. But Marcia's words made one think: if Michael's character could better meet women's fantasies and appeal to a broader market, could the film reach even greater heights?
"Height. Build. These are crucial factors in fulfilling grown women's fantasies about princes. But the problem is, if we fulfill their fantasies, a guy with that kind of height and build in high school couldn't possibly go unnoticed."
"Look at Anson."
"If he just showed up at school like that, my God, how could people not notice him?"
"So this is a paradox."
"On one hand, we need him to be invisible; on the other, we need him to meet women's fantasies. That's almost impossible."
Marcia...finally said it.
She had held back, repeatedly telling herself not to reveal her true thoughts, but in the end, she couldn't resist.
However, it didn't matter because Marcia already had a solution.
"But now, I can see the potential in Anson."
"A Beatles mop-top, wearing T-shirts with various rock or anime character designs, always carrying a guitar, or if not, a book."
"We use his hobbies as a disguise while also using them as details to complete the character. When his schoolmates automatically categorize him as a nerd or a weirdo, no one will care about his height and build."
As Marcia spoke passionately, Anson had another thought in mind—
James Franco.
They had just filmed "Freaks and Geeks," and James was a classic handsome guy with the vibe of James Dean. But in the show, he wasn't attractive at all. Maybe he could learn something from James.
Without realizing it, Marcia became more and more excited, completely immersed in her work as her inspiration flowed nonstop.
Gary wasn't any different.
He liked Anson; from the first meeting, he had already made up his mind. And as the conversation progressed, he became more convinced that Anson was exactly who they had been searching for. Marcia's words only heightened his excitement.
Let's do it like this!
Two birds with one stone!
But.
Gary noticed something: Anson's eyes.
Anson's eyes were truly beautiful—deep blue, bright, and clear. Even without a smile or expression, they still radiated vitality. Anson was also incredibly sincere and focused; during conversations, he always made eye contact, communicating without words and making even simple exchanges pleasant.
This left a deep impression on Gary.
However, for the movie and the character, it posed a problem.
In Gary's view, with eyes like Michael's, it would be impossible for others not to notice him.
That's why Marcia's suggestion of a mop-top hairstyle was a stroke of genius. A simple haircut could establish the character's essence, and thick bangs would dim the brilliance of his eyes.
But, it wasn't enough.
Gary leaned forward slightly, "Anson, can you make your eyes appear less bright?"
Anson blinked. "Huh?"
His eyes weren't light bulbs with a switch to adjust the brightness.
Gary explained, "I mean, you know how some people have bright eyes, but someone like a professional assassin has no light in their eyes at all..."
Ah, that made sense.
So, was this the moment to test his acting skills?
If it were other aspects of acting, Anson might need to explore and research, especially since he had never formally studied acting and relied on instinct. During "Friends," his performance was mostly just him being himself. But how to maintain a low profile and conceal his emotions? That was a basic survival skill for any worker.
Every day, after finishing work and then overtime, when the entire office hadn't left yet but he had completed his tasks, he had to stay low-key. He'd put on a tired, somber expression to mask the joy and anticipation of leaving work. He'd slouch, pretending to head to the bathroom to wash his face, but in reality, he was making his escape.
In those moments, hiding one's true emotions in their eyes was crucial, ensuring the boss didn't catch on to his real intentions.
Life is like a play, and acting is essential.
Whether he could go home early to enjoy some watermelon, beer, and barbecue all depended on how well he could act with his eyes.
And not just that—if there was a mistake at work and the boss was looking for someone to blame, knowing how to dim his eyes and stay under the radar was also a vital skill.
Having navigated the workplace for years, he couldn't claim expertise in everything, but he was a master at this—perfectly hiding his presence.
Anson never expected this skill would come in handy now.
Gary hadn't finished speaking when Anson slightly lowered his gaze, adjusting his breathing. When he looked up again, his entire demeanor had shifted, and the words Gary was about to say were instantly forgotten.
The transformation was complete.