**Chapter 337: Creating a Chance Encounter**

"...Good night. I hope your upcoming work goes smoothly. I can't wait to see the results."

Dinner was over, and it was Tom Hanks who was in charge of saying the goodbyes, not only to Anson and Edgar but also to Anna.

After turning around, Tom got into the back seat, and Steven lightly patted the driver's seat before starting the engine. The car slowly disappeared into the night.

Tom glanced at the rearview mirror and could see Anson in the dark—

Paris at night wasn't noisy or brightly lit, at least not once you were away from the tourist spots centered around the Champs-Élysées. A peaceful, serene atmosphere permeated the historic streets.

The soft yellow light at the entrance of the restaurant cut through the night, gradually outlining Anson's tall and upright figure. He naturally exuded a sense of charm and grace that even a passing glance couldn't help but linger on.

That is until the night, like a tide, swallowed that slender figure.

Tom withdrew his gaze and looked at Steven. "So, what do you think?"

Steven hadn't spoken since they got in the car, lost in his own thoughts. Even when he heard Tom's question, he didn't change his posture, still staring ahead, his gaze distant.

"I understand why Jeff praised him. There's something special about him, a quality that catches your eye. He has a face made for the camera," Steven finally said.

Tom nodded slightly. "But?"

Steven turned to glance at Tom. "Hmm?"

Tom responded, "Your words sounded incomplete. Clearly, there's more. The 'but' is the key part."

Steven didn't directly answer Tom. Instead, he threw the question back, "What do you think?"

Tom didn't shy away. "I like him."

Steven responded, "...And?"

Tom shrugged. "That's it. This time, I'm not a producer. I don't have a say. I'm just here on a business trip, relaxing."

Steven chuckled. "If you say so."

Tom turned to Steven in protest. "Hey, I'm telling the truth." After a moment's thought, Tom added, "I'm not sure, but I did see a certain complexity in him—young yet weathered, suave yet elegant. There are some contradictions."

"You're right; he's definitely camera-friendly, with a cinematic face. I'm curious what effect he would have if he played the role of young Frank."

"You know me, I've always believed that sparking curiosity is an actor's greatest achievement. Whether it's through their appearance, performance, or something else, as long as they can make the audience curious, they're successful."

"So, I like him."

"But, the decision is yours. So, what's your 'but'?"

Steven remained silent, his thoughts continuing to wander—

Steven and Tom didn't appear in Paris by chance. Everything was carefully arranged; they needed to audition Anson, but without Anson or his agent knowing.

Time needed to be turned back a bit, back to the end of 1999.

At that time, DreamWorks managed to acquire the adaptation rights to an autobiography by Frank Abagnale Jr., titled "Catch Me If You Can—The Amazing True Story of a Con Artist."

Frank Abagnale Jr. was the youngest person ever to make the FBI's most-wanted list, active in the 1960s. His criminal methods were extraordinary, and his ability to impersonate various identities was unmatched. He left his criminal mark across North America, posing as a doctor, lawyer, pilot, and more, without anyone being able to see through his disguises.

Of course, with this "skill," Frank managed to scam his way into millions of dollars.

In 1980, Frank's autobiography was published, and it wasn't long before Hollywood bought the adaptation rights. However, it changed hands multiple times, passing through Columbia Pictures, Disney, Hollywood Pictures, Paramount, and several producers, never truly entering production, until it landed with Steven at DreamWorks.

Steven was very interested in Frank Abagnale Jr.'s story. After carefully reading the autobiography, he decided to produce the film himself and began negotiations.

The film, temporarily titled after the book, "Catch Me If You Can," was loosely translated as "The Game of Cat and Mouse."

Steven's chosen director was David Fincher, but David later opted for "Panic Room." Afterward, Gore Verbinski, who had directed "The Mexican" two years earlier and would later create "Pirates of the Caribbean," became the director, and the project entered the official casting stage.

After a series of selections and negotiations, Leonardo DiCaprio accepted the script and was set to play the role of young Frank Abagnale.

For Leonardo, this role was crucial. Following the phenomenal success of "Titanic," Hollywood's last true box office superstar experienced a brief period of confusion and uncertainty. He distanced himself from the Hollywood mainstream, becoming active in the independent film scene and exploring various beaches in Southeast Asia. It was during this time that Leonardo became aware of the importance of protecting the Earth.

At the same time, Leonardo realized that to amplify his voice and make a greater impact, he needed to become a more significant presence—

Much like Lilly tells Mia in "The Princess Diaries."

At this point, Leonardo was ready to return to Hollywood and reignite his acting career.

"Catch Me If You Can" was Leonardo's first major mainstream film in four—or perhaps five—years, and he agreed to it because he trusted Steven Spielberg as the producer.

However, things didn't go as planned.

Gore Verbinski's casting process was slow. The film was supposed to start shooting in March, but it was pushed to April, then to May, with no real progress. Meanwhile, an opportunity that Leonardo had been dreaming of came up:

Martin Scorsese.

When Leonardo returned to Hollywood, he was determined to work with Martin Scorsese. He even changed his agent multiple times, going through five different agents before finally securing a connection with Scorsese and winning a role.

"Gangs of New York."

In this film, Leonardo would not only work with his admired director, Martin Scorsese, but also act alongside Daniel Day-Lewis, an actor wholly dedicated to his craft. This prospect excited Leonardo immensely, and without hesitation, he made his choice.

As a result, Leonardo abandoned Gore and "Catch Me If You Can."

This decision infuriated Gore, leading him to leave the project as well, causing the carefully assembled cast of "Catch Me If You Can" to collapse overnight.

Afterward, Steven Spielberg continued searching for a director, going through four different candidates, but none of them worked out. Due to his personal affection for the script, Steven finally decided to direct the film himself. He turned down projects like "Big Fish" and "Memoirs of a Geisha" to do so and began assembling a new cast.

The first and most critical decision was choosing the lead actor. 

At this point, Warner Bros. executive Jeff Robinov gave Steven a name: Anson Wood.