The filming of It proceeded extremely smoothly. Although several main characters in the cast were "kids," and underage actors were the hardest to handle in Hollywood.

But under Martin's magical influence, these "little brothers" and "little sisters" were all incredibly obedient.

There was also Anya; though the girl was already nineteen, her naturally innocent face allowed her to play a middle school student without any pressure.

In all of Hollywood, there were plenty of actresses with that "timeless beauty."

But few could pull it off quite like Anya.

She didn't belong to the gentle and sweet type.

Nor to the cool and elegant crowd.

Sometimes she was like an angel fallen to earth.

Blinking her pair of clear, big eyes, sparkling with light.

Other times, she was like a little temptress bewitching hearts.

Every frown and smile carried a sly flavor.

And sometimes, her beauty seemed to hint at a dangerous aura—that naturally emanating mysterious quality was exactly why horror film directors kept seeking her out in the original timeline.

The murderous intent hidden beneath fragility in The Witch; the desperate courage erupting from fear in Split; and in The Queen's Gambit, that extraordinarily calm, clever genius—effortlessly controlling the situation, defeating opponents, toying with men between her palms, then lighting a cigarette and turning cold as a stranger.

Honestly, Anya was perfect for portraying characters with such stark contrasts.

Martin also felt that this role in It was a bit of a waste for Anya.

It was too easy for her; she could easily steal the show without the others even realizing it. From the on-screen feel, whenever Anya appeared, the protagonist's presence would weaken.

At the same time, Anya was also the object of pursuit for several young boys in the cast.

Jaeden Martell, Finn Wolfhard, Chosen Jacobs—these thirteen- and fourteen-year-old boys were utterly smitten with Anya, pulling out all sorts of flattery despite their young age—sending snacks, toys, even love poems.

Then, Anya broke all the boys' hearts.

Even Jaeden Martell, the male lead, when Anya publicly declared her crush was Martin, grabbed a prop sword from who knows where and wanted to duel Martin.

Martin didn't know whether to laugh or cry; Hollywood kids sure grew up fast!

Then he snatched the prop sword away and, with full malice, had the on-set tutor pile a bunch of homework on the kid.

The little guy cried, sobbing while doing his assignments and vowing that when he grew up, he'd definitely defeat this hateful dragon Martin and rescue his princess (Anya).

Sofia, who watched the whole thing, laughed hysterically and said to Martin: "Aren't you being too much? He's just a kid!"

Martin, however, said matter-of-factly: "He dared to eye my woman; of course I have to show him some color. Kids are supposed to do homework—if they're chasing girls like adults, it means they don't have enough assignments."

Sofia: "Haha, you're so mean."

With Jaeden Martell's cautionary tale, the other kids wilted, submitting to Martin's tyranny, and no longer dared to show any interest in Anya.

As filming progressed, Sofia gained a deeper understanding of It and admired Martin's mind more and more.

"This isn't just a simple horror film; there's profound meaning hidden within."

She carefully pondered the script in her head while saying to Martin:

"The story is straightforward, adapted from horror master Stephen King's novel, but the backgrounds you've given each character bring a special connotation to the tale."

"On one hand, there's the clown's brutality, driving the film's horror attributes; on the other, the protagonists' group—Bill, Richie, Mike, Stanley, Eddie, Beverly—their situations are succinctly pointed out: They've all endured violence from school or family. In every way, they're the recognized 'losers.'"

"When they unite to defeat the clown, the clown isn't just a clown anymore; it also represents the humiliations and bullying they've faced all along." Nᴇw novel chapters are publɪshed on novel⚑fire.net

"What they defeat isn't just that murderous clown, but the clown mocking them deep in their hearts at that moment."

"Friendship and encouragement, courage and perseverance—that's the true theme this film wants to express!"

"This journey to conquer the clown is also their journey of growth!"

At this point, Sofia Coppola couldn't help but sigh. "Martin, how do you have so many wonderful ideas in your head? It seems like you can always bring something different to a genre film—District 9, Get Out, It are all like that. Sometimes, I really envy you!"

Martin smiled and hugged Sofia, gently patting her back. "Such a wonderful genius like me—isn't he your man? So, you're the most amazing one!"

Sofia giggled and pouted: "You're not just mine."

Martin shamelessly said: "Don't be so stingy; something too great can never be enjoyed alone."

"Oh God!" Sofia said in a tone of mock horror and sarcasm. "Why can you say such arrogant things in such a natural tone?"

"You said it yourself—I'm a genius!" Martin laughed.

...

After "Super Tuesday," Trump's massive lead left many mainstream media outlets stunned.

Even in a country like the US, where political hypocrisy ran rampant, Trump—the Republican candidate who had just surged ahead on "Super Tuesday"—still seemed too bizarre.

This guy had no political experience whatsoever; he was a businessman, and one with a strong entertainment flair, known for his shockingly outrageous statements.

He'd once publicly released a senator's private phone number to voters, blatantly exposing someone's privacy.

He'd also openly questioned whether Obama was born in the US, forcing Obama to produce his birth certificate.

Even then, he stubbornly insisted he still couldn't fully believe Obama was born in the US—after all, birth certificates could be faked.

One of Trump's campaign planks was building a 1,000-mile wall along the US-Mexico border to stop illegal immigrants—and he emphasized again that the Mexican government would pay for it.

When Mexico's president declared they wouldn't fund such a thing, Trump's first reaction was: Because you said that, the wall now has to be 10 feet taller.

Trump claimed the Mexican government was sending rapists to the US and said he wanted to ban all Muslims from entering the country.