Actor in Hollywood

And then—

Amidst the surging waves of people and excitement, the second weekend of August's North American box office rankings was unveiled.

Champion: *American Pie 2*, $45 million.

Runner-up: *Rush Hour 2*, $33 million.

Third place: *The Princess Diaries*, $28 million.

Silence.

Astonishment.

At first glance, this set of numbers seems ordinary. But with a bit of analysis, the media's shock and admiration become clear, revealing the true market response.

*American Pie 2* exploded with an impressive $45 million in its opening weekend. Despite its production costs tripling to $30 million, the sequel lived up to expectations, placing it firmly among the top contenders of this summer's blockbusters.

A strong start!

*Rush Hour 2* saw a massive second-weekend drop, not only facing critical backlash but also a less enthusiastic reception from the general audience. This resulted in a steep 50.9% box office decline, signaling a significant loss in momentum.

Generally, for a movie with an opening weekend gross of over $50 million, the second-weekend drop should ideally stay below 40% to indicate healthy box office performance. If it's under 30%, it reflects strong word-of-mouth and long-term staying power.

However, *Rush Hour 2* hemorrhaged over half its audience, casting doubt on its future.

It's not that *Rush Hour 2* is a failure, but New Line Cinema certainly needs to adjust its expectations.

In fact, *Rush Hour 2* is far from a failure.

Despite the sharp decline over the second weekend, the film's weekday numbers remained solid, with its two-week cumulative box office comfortably surpassing $133 million. A domestic total of $200 million is still within reach.

But—

With a production cost of $90 million, plus significant marketing expenses, the steep second-weekend drop is causing concern for New Line Cinema.

So, what about *The Princess Diaries*?

Its second-weekend box office decline was a staggering 19.6%—a stark contrast to *Rush Hour 2*. This comparison alone highlights the clear disparity between the two films.

Although *The Princess Diaries* received average reviews and didn't win over many critics, the movie found its audience thanks to its precise market positioning. The spark ignited by *The New York Times* interview further fueled the buzz, laying the foundation for the film's remarkably low drop in the second week.

After two weeks, *The Princess Diaries* soared to a cumulative box office of $90 million, with the $100 million milestone now just within reach.

Compared to *Rush Hour 2*, *The Princess Diaries*—with a production cost of just $26 million—had already entered profitable territory. Defying the competition and overcoming marketing disadvantages, this film charted an unbelievable box office trajectory, becoming the first standout success of August.

It even made *Rush Hour 2* and *American Pie 2* look lackluster in comparison.

And so, the question arises—

Could Garry Marshall replicate the miracle of *Pretty Woman*?

Back then, *Pretty Woman* was a phenomenal hit, with its domestic box office reaching a staggering $170 million in 1990, second only to *Ghost* that year. The film also earned Julia Roberts her first Oscar nomination for Best Actress.

As for *The Princess Diaries*, while an Oscar nomination may be unlikely, could it replicate the box office success of *Pretty Woman*?

At least for now, the hope is alive—

The audience, drawn into theaters by *The New York Times* interview and Anson, is providing positive feedback, once again sparking discussions.

Based on Nicholas' writing, Anson's distinct personality and vibrancy stood out vividly. Clearly, he is a young actor with an extraordinarily rich and profound inner world. However, the film's role limited his full potential.

Although *The Princess Diaries* did not center its narrative around him, Anson still managed to breathe life into his character in his own unique way, expanding its possibilities.

Other aspects of the film, for the time being, are generally credited to the director or editor, but the scene with the mask left a lasting impression.

From the gaze to the movements to the aura, it was stunning in that instant. It not only made Michael feel complete, but also enriched the interaction arc between Michael and Mia. More importantly, it added depth to Mia's character, reminding the audience of that "New York Times" interview.

Anson is searching and exploring, trying to find the space between appearance and character, injecting his soul into the performance with his own color.

Thus, in *The Princess Diaries*, the most moving moment was when Anson covered his cheek, giving the film more room for interpretation.

From reality to film, from film to reality, this is undoubtedly a source of joy.

Of course, it's not all positive reviews, nor is it something everyone likes. Ultimately, *The Princess Diaries* has a very clear target market and doesn't cater to everyone. But the current buzz is already enough.

Following the premiere and the "New York Times" interview, the third wave of heated discussion has arrived, keeping *The Princess Diaries* in the spotlight.

Then, Disney took action—

They made an unexpected move, releasing a brand-new trailer, this time in the form of a music video, with the lead being Anson.

Or rather, Anson's portrayal of Michael.

The trailer focused on Michael's band, cutting together rehearsal footage to create a music video for the song "She's So Lovely." It showcased quirky moments from characters like Michael, Mia, and Lilly, offering an alternative interpretation of the word "lovely" paired with the song's lyrics.

The most special part was that Disney didn't promote the movie directly but instead introduced the debut single of a new punk band, Hawaiian Pizza, airing it on various platforms including MTV.

Anson claimed to be completely unaware of this—

How could he not know that he was debuting as a singer?

Strangely enough, "She's So Lovely" unexpectedly became widely popular, receiving countless requests on various radio stations. It became hard to tell if this was happening organically or if Disney was behind it.

However—

Even Disney probably didn't expect that "She's So Lovely" would make it onto the Billboard charts. Although it only reached No. 96 on the singles chart, just barely making it into the Hot 100, it left Disney wondering if they should release a soundtrack for the film.

This wasn't part of the plan.

Disney releasing a movie soundtrack is standard procedure and not surprising, but *The Princess Diaries* didn't have that scheduled. However, this matter isn't urgent for discussion yet. At least, Disney took the first step:

Increasing the number of theaters showing the movie.