Phoenix Rising: From Heartache to Heroism
Chapter 594 Harsh Criticism

"It's indeed all about popularity these days, but Violeta's made it big because of her own talent. So just because a movie flops, it's not right to blame the actress. Those who know understand that you're nearly fifty years old; those who don't might think you're a three-year-

old throwing a tantrum over not getting candy, or crying because you didn't come in first."

"I went to see both Dawn and The Island. Honestly, I only checked out The Island for Violeta, but I wasn't let down by her performance. The other actors were a pleasant surprise, too. The team behind The Island put in almost a year's worth of work on the post-production, and it really shows, it's totally worth the hype."

"If Violeta is considered the star power in The Island, then is Hugo the equivalent in Dawn? You're playing favorites and criticizing others with such skillful precision, Mr. Crowe!"

There was also a comment that carried a seemingly neutral but actually sarcastic tone.

"Movies these days just keep getting worse each year, and these actors have no sense of professional ethics. It's baffling how even the most mediocre performances can still win awards."

"I watched The Island, and it was pretty bad. I'm rooting for Dawn."

"Who would have thought that Hugo's Best Actor-winning movie would ever be overshadowed by a popular star? The world really is going downhill!"

"Two movies, two leading ladies. When Ophelia won her award, Violeta wasn't even on the radar. Now it's just that Lydia isn't doing well, or else there'd be no chance for Violeta to shine."

"I'm used to seeing Lydia go up against Ophelia. Ophelia just has that perfect screen presence, way better than some so-called top actresses. It takes a seasoned actor for movies, not everyone's cut out for it!"

The people who criticized Violeta were especially harsh.

"Seriously, Violeta's face just doesn't work for movies. She's not cut out for it. She'd be better off in some cheesy historical drama or something. As for how she won the Best Supporting Actress Award, I can only say that entertainment these days has really gone downhill and the standards have dropped."

"It's hard to say. I actually liked The Island, but I skipped it when I saw that Violeta was the lead. It just gave off this weird vibe, like flowers on a pile of manure."

"I've always thought Violeta looks pretty weird, not like someone from that era, and honestly, I think she's pretty unattractive. The short haircut? Even worse. Fans, please don't come at me."

"To the person above, I appreciate your comment, but remember to keep your DMs closed."

In this wave of public opinion, Violeta was taking the hardest hit.

It was unclear whether it was because Violeta was the biggest star in this film or if the online buzz was just biased, with some people stoking the flames behind the scenes. Violeta, who was far away filming in Jobus, was getting the worst of it.

Even though Violeta wasn't involved

in the promotion of The Island and hadn't appeared in public for over a year and a half, the online negativity directed at her was still intense.

The online buzz was all about "popularity vs. talent."

Even though Violeta had won the Best Supporting Actress Awards three times, she was still mostly seen as just another popular star compared to her more experienced peers.

During the National Day holiday, people are out celebrating while arguing online.

In the afternoon, Eugene called Violeta to remind her not to let the online comments mess with her mood while she was filming.

Violeta replied, "I'm fine. Is the box office difference really that big this time?"

Eugene said, "It's not that big, but it's a big letdown for them. They didn't expect The Island to be number one on the National Day box office chart." The holiday only lasted a week.

The first week's box office numbers were the most important. While the total might go up later, it wouldn't surpass the first week's numbers.

"People didn't expect you to be away for so long, so fans went out of their way to promote and buy tickets to support you. That's the benefit of being a big name. As for the online haters criticizing your popularity, don't worry about it. They're just jealous."

Popularity wasn't a bad thing.

Everyone wanted a piece of that popularity pie.

Which young celebrity didn't want popularity?

It was only the ones who couldn't get it that got bitter.

The harsher the criticism, the more it showed how jealous they were.

Seemed like Eugene's worries before Violeta joined the crew were totally unnecessary.

He thought that after Violeta joined the crew and all promotion was put on hold, the buzz and the fans would fade away.

But surprisingly, after Violeta joined the filming crew, there was no one else taking over her popularity.