"I can't confirm the accuracy of the information, but back in the day, performance venues like cinemas, theaters, bars, and clubs had everything, and naturally, the audiences were all kinds of people. In some cases, you'd run into drunk patrons who might harass the performers, regardless of gender."
"Yes, yes, yes, that seems to be the case from my research too. Even Elvis Presley wasn't an exception. Back then, Frank Sinatra also faced similar situations."
"I have a theory—it might also be related to the type of music."
"What do you mean?"
"For example, if it's country music, the audience might consist mostly of farmers or blue-collar workers. In the 1950s, many of them were likely illiterate, so vulgarity was hard to avoid. But if it's swing or rock, women, who had long suppressed their emotions, might let loose with screaming and shouting in the theaters."
"Aha! So that's why Elvis Presley's stage performances were called vulgar and obscene back in the day? He was even banned from appearing on TV for a long time?"
"This might require deeper historical research. I'm not an expert, but I think it's a possibility. So you can imagine the kind of audiences that June Carter and Johnny Cash might have faced."
"But these details aren't in the script."
"Yes, that's true. But just because it's not shown doesn't mean it didn't exist. When June Carter performed at those venues, she knew what she was up against. Perhaps her memoirs and the script glossed over those memories, but her attire, demeanor, and expressions at the time might reveal these details. I think that's crucial for you to understand the character's state of mind."
"Ah, too bad video technology wasn't advanced back then. It's hard to find footage."
"My agent found some audio recordings. Even though there's no video, at least you can get a sense of the atmosphere and the performers' states through the sound. Plus, I believe the director and producers also have some materials you can refer to."
"Really? I thought it would be impossible to find anything."
Chatter filled the air—back and forth, an enthusiastic discussion that was unstoppable.
In the end, it was Anson who first noticed the time.
"Sorry, I need to head out for my guitar lesson. I might have to leave now."
Reese was very surprised. "Guitar lesson?"
Anson nodded. "Yeah, specifically for country music—especially Johnny Cash's style. The director should have mentioned it to you. He wants the entire movie to use live vocals, not just having the actors sing themselves but also recording the audio live on set. They even hope to use equipment from that era for filming."
Reese's eyes widened. "What?"
Anson shrugged lightly. "Yeah, they want the actors to perfectly recreate Johnny Cash and June Carter's performances. I'm not sure if that's dedication or madness, but at the very least, I want to be prepared. You don't bring a knife to a gunfight."
Reese stood dumbfounded, watching as Anson drove away.
Something didn't feel quite right.
It wasn't until Anson's figure disappeared from view that Reese finally came to her senses. She should have secretly followed Anson and questioned his qualifications for the role. She should have tried to convince him to quit the project. But why did things turn out like this?
The whole atmosphere felt off.
Who am I? Where am I? What am I doing? Three existential gut punches hit her hard.
But then, what was this uncontrollable excitement and anticipation all about?
Anson paid no attention to Reese.
He was serious about the guitar lessons.
Whether as an actor or a singer, Anson always approached things with a mindset of learning and exploration. Instead of focusing on achieving success, he enjoyed the process of life.
Thus, Anson had never really undergone systematic training in acting or music. He had previously enrolled in acting school but had only completed two courses sporadically before giving up. After that, it was left unresolved.
But this time, things were a little different.
Anson needed to portray Johnny Cash and truly capture the energy of Johnny's live performances on film. If it were just his own band or a personal gig, it wouldn't matter, but this was about presenting Johnny Cash's performances in a movie. That's a completely different story.
As mentioned before, in his past life, Joaquin Phoenix played Johnny Cash, and his singing always lacked a certain unique charm. While people understood you couldn't expect an actor to be as good as a professional singer, in a biographical film, failing to perfectly present the audience's image of Johnny Cash was an undeniable regret.
What's more, the reason the crew wanted Anson to play Johnny Cash in the first place was his singing ability. The pressure was apparent.
Thus, it wasn't enough to simply study the character through acting. Anson also needed to refine himself as a singer.
It wasn't just about vocal skills—Anson planned to study Johnny Cash's performance style: his vocal technique, his interpretations, and his overall artistry.
He didn't aim for exact imitation but hoped to capture Johnny Cash's energy and essence, presenting a fresh charm through his own understanding.
Was he nervous? A little. But he was more curious, excited, and eager.
This was a brand-new challenge, and Anson couldn't wait to embrace everything that was about to unfold.
So, right after wrapping up Spider-Man 2, Anson was already busy again.
Two weeks later, TMZ broke the news:
After Anson Wood, Reese Witherspoon was also confirmed to join Walk the Line. She would play June Carter in this Johnny Cash biopic.
According to Hollywood insiders, this project, produced by Forest Pictures, had a budget between $20 million and $25 million.
For a biopic, that was considered a modest amount.
For comparison, The Hours had a production budget of $25 million, while The Aviator cost $110 million—a stark difference.
One significant factor was the sets and costumes. As a biographical film, the crew needed to recreate a bygone era. The more money they invested in this aspect, the better the results. But it was also a bottomless pit where you could always strive for more perfection.
Of course, actor salaries were another major expenditure for biopics.
For a newly established company, making its first investment with a $20 million project was bold.
From the rumors, it seemed the crew allocated most of the budget to sets and costumes, with both leads agreeing to take reduced pay—less than $1 million each—to ensure that the funds were spent on the right priorities and the movie could perfectly capture the spirit of the '50s and '60s.
Because of this, the Walk the Line team had been recruiting talent from all over Hollywood, including experts in sets, costumes, design, and makeup, drawing considerable attention.
The commotion was no less significant than Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio's collaboration on The Aviator.
However, just as Reese expected—
No one cared.
(End of Chapter)
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