The situation was gradually getting interesting.
First, rumors spread wildly about Winona and Anson having been secretly involved for a long time. The gossip media and curious onlookers eagerly pieced together timelines, trying to determine who cheated first—Winona or Matt.
Then, almost immediately after, paparazzi dropped a bombshell: Winona and Anson had never even been in contact before Paris Fashion Week, where they met for the first time. The supposed affair was just a ploy to clear Matt's name.
Next, the focus shifted to the overlapping timelines involving Matt, Tom, and Penelope, while Winona and Nicole, the two victims, quietly faded from the public eye.
Had the story ended there, it would have been just another Hollywood love polygon—some gossip, some drama, nothing more.
But then!
The headlines didn't last long before the narrative shifted subtly. More and more rumors about Tom and Penelope began to surface, while Matt slowly disappeared from the spotlight.
People thought Matt would play the victim—the guy who fell for Penelope, only for her to ditch him for Tom. But instead, Matt didn't say a word.
In the flood of news, Matt took a backseat, with no explanations or clarifications. It was as if he had completely distanced himself from the scandal, rendering himself unimportant. Every report downplayed his presence.
The focus quietly and completely shifted to Penelope:
The seductress.
She was portrayed as the homewrecker, the woman who toyed with hearts, who juggled multiple relationships, who flirted for fun. Her sexy, alluring image became deeply ingrained in the public's mind, and all the criticism, ridicule, and attacks were directed squarely at her.
For the casual observer, it was just entertaining gossip, but industry insiders could see what was really going on—
The "Boston Mafia" had stepped in.
After Matt's PR team repeatedly messed up, causing him to spiral into deeper trouble, things were looking worse and worse for him. Realizing that their strategy to frame Anson had failed and only backfired, they quickly pulled back.
And so, the fire was redirected at Tom Cruise.
Outsiders might wonder, couldn't Tom Cruise outmatch Matt Damon?
In terms of industry standing, Tom was miles ahead of Matt, especially in 2001.
But Tom was a solo act, while Matt had the entire Boston Mafia backing him. In the tug-of-war of connections, resources, and power, Matt had no reason to fear Tom.
Besides, it was just a rumor—misdirection, not slander out of thin air.
Tom had no choice but to swallow his pride. Consequently, when people later recalled this scandal, Matt and Penelope's involvement was all but forgotten. The narrative became all about the sparks between Penelope and Tom during the filming of "Vanilla Sky," which supposedly led to Tom's divorce from Nicole.
So, how did Tom respond?
He sacrificed Penelope.
After all, Penelope was a Spanish actress who only made her Hollywood debut after gaining global attention in 2000 with "All About My Mother." She had no real roots in the industry. Plus, in scandals like this, it's always easy to label the woman as the "femme fatale," and redirecting the public's attention was a simple task.
And then, that was that.
The sensational scandal persisted for a while, the chatter never ceased, and the gossip-hungry crowd had their fill, riding the wave of drama all the way to the end of the year.
So, what happened to Anson?
After briefly standing in the spotlight, he couldn't maintain the momentum and gradually faded from the public eye. Life returned to normal, and the noise of Paris Fashion Week seemed to become a distant memory—
Well, not entirely.
At the end of October, the November issue of "Vogue" made a sensational debut. Although it wasn't the cover story, Anna Wintour made a bold and crazy move by showcasing Anson's fashion philosophy in depth. With a focus on authenticity, the magazine offered a rare look into men's fashion.
The world was stunned.
In 2001, there were already few platforms dedicated to showcasing men's fashion. Even magazines like *GQ*, which primarily targeted men's fashion, lacked a cohesive vision and constantly oscillated between catering to elite men and fashionable women. Clearly, they weren't yet capable of reshaping the entire fashion landscape.
But now, the industry leader, *Vogue*, long focused on women's fashion, suddenly turned its attention to men's fashion. And what's even more astonishing is that Anna Wintour handed over the reins to Anson!
This?
Naturally, the first reaction within the industry was skepticism.
Everyone in the industry is a professional, so no one naively believed that *Vogue* was genuinely showcasing Anson's personal style, right?
But after seriously digging into the industry's buzz, it seemed this time was different.
Not only was Anna planning a one-off feature, but she intended to do at least three more issues, corresponding to the winter, spring, and summer seasons. Such a level of attention was almost unheard of in *Vogue*'s history.
Could it be…?
No way!
The buzz from Paris Fashion Week reignited with renewed intensity as *Vogue* presented Anson in yet another stunning light. Unlike Dior or Chanel, Anson continued to showcase his versatile style.
Without a doubt, Anson once again became the hottest topic in the fashion world, skyrocketing in popularity, and was undeniably the most sought-after figure in the fashion scene this fall.
Just look at the sales figures—
This issue of *Vogue* sold an astonishing 560,000 copies, dominating the charts and breaking the record for the highest magazine sales in 2001.
Even though Anson wasn't on the cover, industry insiders knew that he was the real key. After *GQ*, this was the second time Anson had proven his influence in the fashion world, and this time he took it to another level, capturing everyone's attention.
Suddenly, Anson became the top choice for editorial shoots across major magazines. Offers for cover shoots poured in as well—a remarkable feat for someone who hadn't even had a leading role in a major film release yet.
No one could have predicted that this trip to Paris Fashion Week would become the turning point in Anson's career, generating waves of attention far beyond any previous work. He was quickly emerging as a new fashion icon—
A new male star was being born.
But what surprised everyone even more was that Anson turned down all of these offers.
All of them.
Edgar didn't hide the fact that Anson was currently preparing for his next project, and his focus needed to remain on acting. They looked forward to future collaborations.
With Hollywood's fast-paced grapevine, it didn't take long to discover that Anson's next project was a film by none other than Steven Spielberg!
When did that happen?
And his co-star? Tom Hanks!
Now, that's going to stir things up.