The Best Director

Are Wang Yang and Jessica over? Just a few days ago, paparazzi caught them sweetly shopping together and kissing on the street as if no one else were there; and just a few days earlier, they appeared at the Staples Center to watch the second game of the NBA Finals between the Lakers and the Pacers, where photographers captured them chatting and laughing. But what does that matter? Romance is always filled with uncertainty—one day could be perfect, the next could bring a sudden breakup.

Looking at the cast list for “Juno,” the happiest people must be some of Jessica’s male fans, who have been cheering and leaping for joy, welcoming their beloved Jessica back to the single life! Wang Yang’s female fans aren’t so thrilled; if he breaks up with Jessica and gets together with Natalie, it’s just jumping from one pitfail to another, and besides, they had gotten used to the prior pitfall, reasoning that at least Wang Yang and Jessica had a movie-like romantic story.

Natalie’s fans don’t want to believe the news, it’s not true—Natalie as Juno? How could this be? Didn’t she say that apart from the “Star Wars” series, she would focus on her studies during her four years at university and wouldn’t take on any films? Why is she now acting in Wang Yang’s “Juno”?

This is exactly why the gossip tabloids are boiling over with excitement— Natalie, fully aware of the rumors with Wang Yang, still went back on her word to act in “Juno”; Wang Yang, also fully aware of the gossip, still chose Natalie as his Juno. What are they thinking? And what is Jessica thinking? There’s definitely a lot to write about here, the kind of stories that can drive up sales.

“Daily Entertainment” is rubbing its hands in anticipation, along with countless other gossip outlets. They have already indicated to the paparazzi agencies that they are willing to pay top dollar for photos of Wang Yang and Natalie together—walking down the street, eating together…. Of course, hugging and kissing photos would be the most prized. They’re also keeping an eye on Jessica, who might also have a new boyfriend. Snapping intimate photos of her with some man would be just as valuable!

“On June 2nd last year, we made a prediction: ‘Wang Yang and Jessica will break up after a year.’ Let’s take a look back at the romance between Wang & Jessica. It is said that they were elementary school classmates and good friends. Later, Jessica moved away, and they reunited in 1998. Their romance was exposed in June 1999. We don’t know when it began, but it seems the end has already happened.”

“It’s not surprising if something happened between Wang Yang and his ‘dream’, Natalie. Wang Yang is the ‘youngest billionaire’, ‘youngest director to reach a billion-dollar box office’. He’s witty and humorous in interviews, a very charming young man. Natalie, currently at Harvard, scored all A’s in high school and advanced to the semifinals of the Intel Science Talent Search with her paper ‘A Simple Method to Demonstrate the Enzymatic Production of Hydrogen from Sugar’, an event with a 69-year history that has seen seven of its participants go on to win Nobel Prizes and two to receive the Fields Medal. She excels in both science and acting; she’s made that young director obsess over her since he was 14… still find it surprising? They are a power couple.”

Faced with the assertive report by “Daily Entertainment” and similar harassment from other gossip tabloids, Natalie didn’t respond; she had already told Wang Yang that she wouldn’t react or pay attention to any boring rumors that might arise. Wang Yang didn’t respond in the media either, but not wanting the noise to continue, he clarified on his blog, “This topic can end now. My relationship with Jessica is fine, with no changes.” Meanwhile, on Jessica’s blog, she posted several of their recent sweet photos, silently shattering all the rumors.

But clearly, the gossip tabloids wouldn’t easily let go of such an opportunity, and what counts a blog anyway, since not many people know it? Moreover, as long as there are photos, stories can slowly be fabricated.

The coverage on “Juno’s” casting wasn’t just gossip; ordinary entertainment media and film magazines also paid attention to another side of the event. Was Natalie Portman suitable to play Juno, a pregnant high school girl? According to the latest disclosure from Flame Films, in fact, last August, Wang Yang had already settled things with Natalie Portman in New York. One of the reasons for delaying the shooting was to wait for her summer vacation, but this had not been announced yet.

“The Cinema News” released a message that another teenage pregnancy- themed movie “Sweetheart,” had initially invited Natalie Portman to play the lead role! The Insider said, “Matt (director of ‘Sweetheart’) believed from the start that Natalie was the most suitable choice for Novalee. We reached out to her, also in August, and ultimately, we received a rejection. She didn’t say why at the time; we all thought it was because she wanted to focus on her studies, but now everyone knows.”

The Producers of “Sweetheart,” Susan Carthson confirmed this news, saying, “I look forward to seeing Natalie with a big belly in ‘Juno’; that’s what we always wanted to see.” Her comment was ambiguous, as if she was genuinely looking forward to it, yet it also seemed to carry a hint of sarcasm: “I’ll just see what happens with ‘Juno,’ will it truly surpass ‘Sweetheart?’ ”

Media and fans alike were surprised and intrigued; it turns out there was this matter in between. With the same theme of teenage pregnancy, Natalie had two scripts laid before her at the same time. She didn’t choose Matt Williams’s “Sweetheart,” which may not have great box office returns but at least received good reviews; instead, she chose “Juno,” when the then 19-year-old Miracle Yang had not even announced plans for “The Pursuit of Happyness,” let alone proven his directing capabilities in narrative films, but Natalie still chose “Juno.”

So clearly, she saw the story of “Juno” as superior and more appealing than “Sweetheart,” which is why she took that adventurous step. What kind of story is “Juno,” really? What kind of girl is Juno? Compared to the kind and lovely Novalee of “Sweetheart,” how much better must Juno be to have made Natalie make this choice? Or was she truly brilliant, having already seen the incredible directorial abilities of Miracle Yang?

“She has great confidence in Wang Yang, and for now, her choice has been the right one. ‘Sweetheart’ is an unremarkable mediocre film, while ‘The Pursuit of Happyness’ is an everlasting classic,” said a report from “The Cinema News”:” What the outcome for ‘Juno’ will be, we can’t say. Its story genre is quite unique. Though Miracle Yang has already proven himself, there are no absolutes in this world. Even long-celebrated directors can make mistakes; after all, he’s just a 20-year-old young man, which is still cause for concern. Will Natalie’s choice ultimately be the right one? We’ll find out this Christmas.”

Online, fans also didn’t forget to join the discourse, with many coming from a gossipy perspective: “The current situation reminds one of when Jessica chose ‘High School Musical’ over ‘Idle Hands.’ She has a deep connection with Miracle Yang, so her choice makes sense; but Natalie? What kind of story does she have with Miracle Yang?” Someone else pointed out an interesting fact that Natalie Portman has now worked with Chinese directors named Wang on two consecutive films.

There were also neutral fans jokingly commenting that Wang Yang must like the taste of sour golden plums, “The Pursuit of Happyness” starred the worst leading man, Will Smith; now “Juno” also includes Natalie Portman, nominated for the worst screen couple (for “Star Wars Episode I”). It seems he likes to “rescue actors lost in golden plums.” Maybe next year Natalie could get an Oscar nomination for Best Actress?

In the midst of these rumors and media frenzy, Wang Yang boarded the plane to Toronto. He was alone on this trip; the crew’s meeting time was two days later. He arrived two days early to have some quiet time to himself, away from any media, paparazzi, and without any distractions, just facing himself, to clear his mind and get into the right state for the upcoming shooting of “Juno.” This wasn’t his first visit to Toronto. Previously, during the promotional tour for “Paranormal Activity,” this foggy city was one of the stops, and Rachel had even taken him to tour York University and a few other sights. Thinking of Rachel, Wang Yang, who was sitting in a taxi heading to a small rural town nearby, couldn’t help but shake his head. He had called Rachel again a couple of days ago, and after inquiring about her health condition, he once again asked about the location scouting for “Juno.” Rachel simply said, “I don’t know, don’t call me!”

Wang Yang couldn’t understand why Rachel’s animosity had returned, but he didn’t want to cause anyone trouble, so he didn’t call her again. He was now in Toronto, and she didn’t even know. Looking through the car window at the picturesque scenery outside, the patches of woods, Wang Yang felt a long-lost sense of peace as his heart beat slowly. He didn’t think about anything; it was a fantastic feeling!

Walking aimlessly to the end of the small town’s streets, breathing in the air devoid of the city’s scent, Wang Yang walked with a smile on his face, taking in the surroundings. The houses were all low-rise buildings with European-style architecture, few pedestrians, a quiet feeling, but it was a bit too empty and overly rural here. The houses were all quite far apart, and the woods everywhere were a shorter, barer kind. It wasn’t a good place to shoot “Juno”. “Hey, young man, come in and taste my wine? I brewed it myself,” said a middle-aged white man with a beard, lying on an outdoor wooden chair, with a two-story country tavern behind him. He could tell Wang Yang was a tourist and smiled warmly, “I can offer you a glass for free.” Wang Yang stopped, shaking his head with a smile, “Thanks, but no, I’m not old enough to drink.” The white proprietor couldn’t help but express his surprise, “What, you’re not 19?” In Canada, except for a few regions where the legal drinking age is 18, it’s 19 in most areas. Wang Yang shrugged, “I’m 20, but I think I should follow American law? I’m not too clear on it.”

“Damn! It’s time you tasted what wine is like, who would know if you drank? Come on, have a glass!” The white proprietor stood up and walked towards the tavern, laughing, “Hey, what’s the point of coming to Ontario if you don’t drink? What a joke, come on!”

Why come to Ontario? Wang Yang softly said “to make a film,” and seeing the proprietor so enthusiastic, he didn’t decline anymore, nodding with a smile, “OK, it’s time to taste what wine is like!” The white proprietor laughed, “That’s the spirit! You’re in luck because my wine is the best in this area, maybe even the best in Ontario.”

Wang Yang followed him with a smile, walking into the tavern. It must have been because it was during the day, but there were no customers in the tavern. He sat down at the bar and watched as the white proprietor brought out a bottle of wine from behind, poured a full glass for Wang Yang, and pushed it towards him, “Let’s begin!” Wang Yang lifted the glass to his nose, took a big sip, and his tongue was immediately hit with a spicy kick. The white proprietor laughed, “How is it?” Wang Yang smiled, “Cool! The best wine in Ontario!”

“You said you were here to make a movie?” The white proprietor poured a glass for himself, drinking as he asked. Wang Yang nodded, “Yes, but not here, it’s not quite right for it.” The white proprietor asked, “So what are you, some sort of errand boy for location scouting?” Wang Yang took another sip of his wine and explained, “Location scouting is the director’s job, and I’m the director.” The white proprietor laughed loudly, “You’re a director!? Haha, I get it, it’s one of those movies? Oh, I can’t remember. I heard a kid made a lot of money from it, what was that movie?” Wang Yang replied, “Paranormal Activity.” The white proprietor frowned uncertainly, “Is that the one? I haven’t been to a cinema in ages, the last time was years ago, watching ‘Titanic’…”

When Wang Yang came out of the tavern, he had drunk three large glasses of wine. Walking on the town streets, his mind felt unusually excited as if he was filled with energy, a force surging through his body, wanting to burst out! He shouted “ah” loudly and eagerly headed towards what the white proprietor told him was “the most scenic spot in town.” Soon, he left the residential area and came to the countryside, full of trees and green grass. After walking a considerable distance and passing through a patch of woods, suddenly a blue expanse came into view.

“Haha, a lake!” Wang Yang burst into laughter, spread his arms wide and quickly ran toward the vast blue lake not far ahead. He reached the lakefront and stopped, closed his eyes, and enjoyed the breeze. It felt fantastic; his heart excited and utterly relaxed at the same time, an unprecedentedly wonderful feeling! He suddenly let out an astonished “oh, oh,” opened his eyes to look at the calm lake surface and the far distant other shore and shouted with all his strength, “Hello, beauty!”

He didn’t know if it was because he had thrown it too hard, but a flush spread across his face, his ears grew hot, and he took a slight gasp for breath. Smiling, he looked around on the ground and immediately his eyes lit up—he picked up a small stone and threw it with all his might into the lake, exclaiming, “To hell with any kind of magic Yang! Fuck the future Best Director!” For two years, he had been busy, but he was happy… He picked up another stone and hurled it with all his strength, shouting, “I just want to make movies!”

“I just want to make movies! I just want to make movies!” Wang Yang shouted a few more times, laughing loudly as he sat down on the ground covered with wild grass, feeling all the mess inside, the pressure, the tiny satisfaction that even he couldn’t control, gradually fading away with those shouts. He felt like he was returning to a very, very long time ago. He was highly excited. Looking at the beautiful lake before him, he couldn’t help but take out his cellphone and quickly dial a number from his contacts, laughing as he said, “Jessica, baby, I love you, I love you to death! Do you hear what I’m saying?”

On the other end, Jessica laughed crisply and said, “I love you too, what’s up?” Wang Yang earnestly replied on the phone, “I’m telling you, don’t worry about Natalie’s matter, be happy, understand?” Jessica sweetly said, “Yang, I’ve always been very happy.”

“That’s good, that’s cool! Wow, the scenery here is really beautiful, you should come see it!” Wang Yang laughed heartily and said, “The lake, the blue sky, the green grass, just missing some ducks—where are the ducks? My god! How can there be no ducks, this isn’t a good shot!” Jessica could tell something was off with his tone and asked doubtfully, “Yang, are you alright?” Wang Yang laughed and said, “I don’t know, I’m good! I’m fine, but I’ve got to hang up! Jessica, bye!”

After putting down his phone, Wang Yang picked up a small stone, stood up, and threw it with all his might towards the lake. The stone skimmed the surface of the water twice before sinking to the bottom. Watching the ripples spread out, he leaped with excitement, shouting, “Yes! It skipped twice!” He laughed loudly and settled back onto the ground, simply laying back on the wild grass and whispering, “This is so comfortable!”

He looked at the floating clouds in the blue sky and suddenly felt dizzy. His eyelids grew heavy, and he soon fell into a groggy sleep. In his dream, he returned to his childhood, where he stood on the couch with hands on hips, looking at his mom and dad, proudly declaring, “I announce that when I grow up, I’m going to be a director! I’m going to make movies!” His mom replied with a smile, “Sweetheart, mom supports you!”

Thanks, mom… Wang Yang felt very cold all over his body, shivering involuntarily—his dad suddenly said, “Yang, work hard. Now, off the couch, I need to watch the game, tonight the Warriors are playing the Lakers!”

What, aren’t the Lakers and the Pacers competing for the championship? He suddenly opened his eyes, slowly propped himself up, and saw that the sky was dark, with large clouds hanging overhead. The rain slanted down, causing ripples all over the lake, and he murmured, “It’s raining…” He looked around confusedly, tugged at his soaked clothes, and patted his aching head.

Where is this? Why am I sleeping here? Wang Yang scratched his head, unable to understand what had happened. It seemed like he had been drinking, and then… Suddenly, his nose felt very sore, and he let out a loud sneeze.