Perhaps, the complaints about how the Golden Globes divide up the awards will never cease.
At the same time, no one can deny the ongoing influence of the Golden Globes, still considered top-tier. Whether it's "the more famous, the more hated" or "the more hated, the more famous," it's hard to tell.
A seemingly insignificant nomination for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy at the Golden Globes indirectly highlights Anson's meteoric rise in Hollywood.
This marks his second appearance on the Academy's radar, following his Emmy Award win for Best Guest Actor, once again in the comedy category. Even Anson himself probably never expected it—
Turns out, he's a comedy actor.
Not only Edgar but also friends bombarded him with congratulatory texts, even more than when "Spider-Man" was breaking box office records last summer, making Anson's mood soar as well.
Of course, because of the Best Director nomination controversy, conspiracy theories surfaced here too. How could a 20-year-old idol "pretty boy" get a nomination? Are they saying it wasn't bought?
However, the controversy vanished almost as quickly as it appeared—
Think about what you're even saying. The Golden Globes' Musical or Comedy nominations are notoriously watered down. Every year there are so few notable comedy or musical films during awards season that filler nominations are common.
Look at this year's list: Hugh Grant's nomination—really? A comedy-drama adaptation in this category is a joke! Richard Gere in Chicago barely had a supporting role! And Adam Sandler? If you're gonna criticize Anson, maybe look at Adam first!
The critics couldn't help but laugh at themselves as they ranted.
Plus!
If you want to talk about shady practices, check out the Best Supporting Actor nominations in the Golden Globes' TV section this year—
By the way, one proof of the Golden Globes' power lies in the fact that it's the biggest combined film and television award in North America.
This year, the Best Supporting Actor category in the TV section had nine nominees—33% more bloated than the Best Director category in the film section, which is ridiculous and absurd, causing anger to turn into laughter.
Despite the Hollywood Foreign Press Association's defense that they don't subdivide supporting roles, meaning the candidates include actors from drama, comedy, miniseries, and TV movies, making the number of nominees hard to control...
But.
Nine?
That's still over the top.
For comparison, the Best Supporting Actress category in TV had only five slots.
So, what's the deal? There are too many great male supporting actors to count but barely any good female ones? Is that what they're saying?
If you really want to complain, Anson's nomination isn't even worth mentioning.
Without comparison, there's no harm. Once you compare, Anson's captivating debut and nuanced performance in Catch Me If You Can seem practically "crushing" compared to the others. It suddenly doesn't seem impossible for him to actually win the award.
At least Anson showed the audience more potential.
Otherwise, could Anson take it a step further and win his first Golden Globe for Best Actor?
The buzz, unexpectedly, shifted from criticizing Anson to focusing on his performance in Catch Me If You Can. No one saw that coming.
Though there's always controversy and the authority of the Golden Globes is constantly questioned, it's undeniable that its influence remains at the pinnacle. In terms of ratings alone, it ranks just below the Oscars, on par with the Grammys, and far ahead of the Emmys and Tonys.
Thus—
The Golden Globes earned Catch Me If You Can another wave of buzz.
Then, things unfolded naturally—
Everything, falling into place.
First, the flash mob events took everyone by surprise, followed by TMZ leading the fashion trend, and Vogue magazine further stoking the buzz. Finally, the Golden Globe nomination ignited a wave of hype that carried on from Christmas straight into the New Year.
2003 had arrived.
Millions of eyes were all on Anson.
More precisely, on the final stop of the Catch Me If You Can flash mob events:
New York.
Countless speculations surrounded New York, not only because it's the largest city on the East Coast but also because the event had started in Los Angeles and would close the loop in New York—undoubtedly the perfect ending.
The real question was, when and how would Anson appear? Where would he bring this event to a close with yet another surprise?
The anticipation was rising.
The excitement had reached an unprecedented level, the grandest event since the turn of the millennium.
And it would peak on this day—
Friday, January 3rd.
From all indications, Anson's path led north after Miami, steadily approaching New York. Today was likely the event's conclusion, stirring up a frenzy in the city.
Since the afternoon, cinemas across the city had seen a surge of moviegoers, turning into a large-scale performance art piece—
Comparable to the real-life game "Find Waldo."
At this point, the movie was no longer the focus.
Neither Catch Me If You Can, nor the flash mob event, nor even Anson himself was the main point. The event had become a trend, a way for young people to stay relevant, a cultural moment that everyone wanted to be part of, even if they had no interest in the movie or Anson.
So.
One by one, people blindly joined the trend, becoming part of this historical wave.
The cinemas had become the most fashionable, exciting places to be during the New Year, with young people giving it a new meaning. It was truly an unexpected phenomenon.
In a flash, memories of five years ago returned, vividly. The New Year's Eve of 1997, when Titanic was passed around word-of-mouth, fueled by end-of-the-world fears, becoming the movie everyone had to see.
This time, Catch Me If You Can followed a slightly different path, but the emotional resonance was the same, especially among the younger generation.
Perhaps the only difference was that Titanic became a global phenomenon, while Catch Me If You Can rode the wave created by Anson's presence.
After the New Year's peak, the market had been expected to quiet down, yet it was experiencing an unbelievable second wind, reaching new heights.
Industry professionals had vaguely anticipated this last week, but there were still doubts, as nothing like this had ever happened before.
Until now—
It exceeded all expectations!
Not only did it shatter predictions, but it swept through the market like wildfire, making even the harsh winter feel warm with excitement.
So, where was Anson?
The core figure of all this hype, the person everyone was chasing—where was Anson Wood now? Had he arrived in New York? Why hadn't the paparazzi caught his whereabouts yet?
Wait, or had Anson already silenced the paparazzi?