Actor in Hollywood

"I just found out that Elizabeth's father wants to meet with me."

"Wait a minute, hold on. You're not Elizabeth's father?"

Back and forth, the whole room burst into laughter—

Chandler, the official comedian of "Friends," nailed it again. One quip successfully ignited the room, bringing happiness without needing canned laughter.

And!

Monica, Rachel, and Phoebe laughed especially hard, with Lisa, who plays Phoebe, even seeming to break character, her smile blooming fully.

Laughter, applause, and whistles echoed throughout the room.

Ross, looking a bit helpless, wore the expression of an innocent, honest man. "Guys, please, I really hope he likes me. If you could back me up here, that would really help."

The friends chimed in with "Of course," "No problem," "It's a piece of cake," "Definitely," each one agreeing readily.

Ross finally found his smile again and exhaled a long breath, "Thanks."

Monica sincerely added, "We all know how tough parent-teacher conferences can be."

Ha ha.

Ha ha!

The laughter thundered like a storm.

Sure enough, Monica is Ross's sister, his real sister.

Perfect—

So far, the filming had been perfect.

Gloria couldn't feel the passage of time, completely immersed in the atmosphere of Studio 24. Every minute and second felt like a dream.

She didn't want to wake up, not at all. Every cell soaked in the glow of happiness, warm and sweet, floating lightly into the clouds.

Everything was rosy.

Gloria couldn't wait to see the next scene unfold. Elizabeth's father? Ross is probably going to make a fool of himself again.

Ha!

…

"Ready."

Meanwhile, Anson and his co-star were also prepared.

The pressure was palpable.

Alexandra Holden, the actress playing Elizabeth, might not be a household name, but she's been in the industry for four years. She's the typical Hollywood blue-collar worker—she hasn't headlined any movies or TV shows, but her familiar face pops up everywhere.

Including but not limited to "Grey's Anatomy," "CSI," "Cold Case," "Bones," "NCIS," and "Drop Dead Diva," among others.

And all of these were roles with lines, plots, and storylines.

The audience might not know her name, but they've definitely seen her somewhere.

Today, she's about to team up with Anson, playing a pair of attractive siblings.

Even Alexandra could feel the pressure. The filming had gone very smoothly so far, maybe too smoothly.

Normally, smooth sailing is good—it keeps the atmosphere light, helps wrap up work quickly, and gets everyone home sooner. But if things go too smoothly, it could create unnecessary pressure. The next person to mess up might become the target of everyone's frustration.

Whew.

Alexandra adjusted her breathing.

She could sense Anson's tension—not just nerves, but excitement, anticipation, eagerness, and thrill, all mixed together. Even for someone as experienced as her, there are certain situations and emotions that can't be avoided.

Gently, Alexandra bumped Anson with her shoulder.

"Break a leg."

Alexandra clenched her fist, giving Anson a boost of encouragement.

Then, she heard the director's voice in her ear—

"Action!"

With that command, Alexandra wasn't sure if it was her imagination:

One moment, Anson seemed tense and filled with mixed emotions.

The next second, he transformed completely, his eyes now exuding a completely different energy. All traces of tension vanished, and he instantly relaxed.

Alexandra: ??? How is that even possible?

But there was no time to hesitate; Alexandra already started moving forward.

Creak!

Pushing open the door of the "Central Perk" coffee shop set, passing through a wooden door, they entered one of the main filming locations of "Friends," the iconic space that the audience remembers vividly.

Alexandra—Elizabeth—led the way, waving at Ross, who awkwardly stood up from his seat at the bar.

Clap, clap!

Applause filled the set, and Alexandra noticed an assistant in front of the audience prompting them to clap, stirring the atmosphere outside the camera's view.

Gloria joined in as well.

She remained focused and engaged, clapping along immediately, and then the next second, she noticed the man behind Elizabeth.

Dashing and unrestrained, as elegant as a breeze blowing gently across the Aegean Sea, with a touch of brilliance and sparkle faintly visible, sunlight cascading into the heart.

He was wearing a beige tennis shirt, with the buttons undone, exuding a casual and relaxed vibe; over it, he wore a loose, deep blue casual blazer, the shoulder and waistlines slightly oversized, effortlessly conveying a laid-back style that suggested he was dressed for a vacation rather than work. His sleeves were casually rolled up, and his slightly messy hair added to his charm.

Elegant yet dangerous, rugged yet refreshing.

A unique blend of contrasting yet harmonious qualities, his mere appearance instantly captured all attention.

"The Talented Mr. Ripley."

The thought flashed through Gloria's mind as she was reminded of that deadly and dangerous genius, a character created by American writer Patricia Highsmith.

The original novel had been adapted into films twice, in 1960 and 1999.

But unlike Matt Damon's interpretation in the 1999 version, this presence resembled more closely the aura of Alain Delon's portrayal in the 1960 film "Purple Noon," with a sense of heart-stopping intensity.

A pure and powerful impact.

Whoa!

Gloria was stunned, her gaze fixed on that figure. It wasn't a feeling of overwhelming shock or anything overly dramatic; her eyes just couldn't help but follow his every move.

He didn't do anything particularly special—just entered confidently, a faint smile playing on his lips, his chin slightly raised, back straight, left hand in his pocket, and casually scanning the room with his gaze.

A modest gesture that naturally exuded a commanding presence.

With just one glance, he had already taken control of the scene.

The next second, before she even realized it, Gloria found herself cheering.

She was a beat late in noticing that the applause around her was growing. What had started as a mechanical response to the staff's prompt had gradually turned into a wave of genuine, overwhelming emotion, manifesting as applause, cheers, and whistles.

In "Friends," top-tier guest stars always received thunderous applause, a heartfelt welcome. But who was this guy? A stranger's face, yet bringing such a powerful impact.

Clap, clap.

Clap, clap!

Cheering and exchanging glances, the curiosity and anticipation in the room were palpable, the indescribable excitement building up.

Sweeping across the entire set.

Behind the camera, Marta turned to look at David Crane, instantly noticing the smug smile on his face. The compliment that had been on the tip of her tongue was swallowed down.

But David noticed.

Marta's silence didn't bother him. He leaned slightly towards her, "So, what do you think? How's the effect?"

His expression was really infuriating.

Marta took a deep breath. "It's mainly thanks to Deborah's spot-on costume design."

David didn't mind, "Who gets the credit doesn't matter, what matters is what the audience sees on screen. And I think the audience seems pretty satisfied."

Taking advantage and playing dumb.

Marta took another deep breath, barely controlling her urge to punch David on the spot. "The lines—we still need to see how the lines play out."

New author, new book, rolling for support!