The Best Movie Actor In Hollywood!

Chapter 101: Intrigue

"Christenson!" In the recording studio, Matthew called out the name, his eyes fixed on the monitor, a script full of lines in his hand. "Christenson!"

After principal photography, it was common for actors to loop their dialogue in post-production. Matthew considered himself lucky that Michael Fassbender had adjusted his schedule to join him at the studio. The scene they needed to record together was a conversation between Ronald Speirs and the character Christenson.

"Lieutenant Speirs," Michael said, standing beside Matthew.

On the monitor, Ronald Speirs crouched before a foxhole holding Christenson and several other soldiers.

Matthew asked, "Your name—am I pronouncing it correctly? Christenson?"

Michael articulated crisply, "Yes, sir!"

The entire segment took less than five minutes to record.

Next, under the sound engineer's direction, Matthew recorded his lines for two more scenes by himself. The dialogue was minimal, amounting to only five lines in total.

Matthew slipped off his headphones and stepped out of the recording booth. He saw Michael waiting for him and said, "I'm all done."

"I've got one more monologue to do," Michael said, picking up his script. He glanced at Matthew before heading into the booth. "Wait for me here.""Alright," Matthew replied, heading over to a nearby chair.

Matthew waited for about ten minutes before Michael emerged from the booth. They didn't leave right away, lingering until the sound engineer gave them a thumbs-up, confirming there were no issues with the recordings. Only then did they leave the studio together.

Matthew and Michael walked the entire way to the gates of Warner Studios.

The small building where they did the dubbing was located deep within the studio lot, so they had to walk past numerous soundstages to get to the exit. Matthew glanced around. The lot seemed busier than the last time he'd been there; he could spot several film crews setting up for shoots.

"Got any plans for this afternoon?" Michael asked as they walked.

"Nothing," Matthew replied, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "I thought there'd be a lot more to re-record, so I'd planned on spending the whole day at the studio."

"Let's grab lunch," Michael suggested, pulling out his phone. "James is in L.A. prepping for an audition. He's probably not busy today, so I'll give him a call."

Hearing that James was also in town, Matthew immediately agreed. "Definitely, tell him to join us."

He had "battled" alongside James and Michael against their demonic drill instructor during the Band of Brothers training, so naturally, the three of them had formed a strong bond.

Beep!

A horn beeped behind them. Matthew and Michael stepped aside as a compact electric golf cart pulled up alongside them.

Two women were inside. One looked like an assistant, while the other had blonde hair and wore a pair of oversized sunglasses.

The cart started to drive past them when the woman in sunglasses cast a casual glance their way, then suddenly shouted, "Stop!"

The shout was so abrupt that the driver slammed on the brakes. Matthew and Michael exchanged a bewildered look.

The woman in sunglasses hopped out of the cart and strode toward them, navigating the pavement expertly on heels that were nearly four inches high.

As she approached, Matthew recognized her immediately. It was Christina Aguilera. He smiled. "What a coincidence. What are you doing here?"

"Shooting a music video," Christina Aguilera replied, taking off her sunglasses. She walked right up to Matthew, looking him up and down. "Aren't you that bitch's bodyguard? What are you doing here?"

Apparently, she couldn't even bring herself to say Britney's name.

"I'm here on business," Matthew said, giving her a once-over in return. "The nose ring's gone, and so are those huge earrings. Your perfume isn't as overpowering, and the tattoo's been washed off."

Michael looked from Matthew to Aguilera, utterly bewildered.

Matthew deliberately prodded, "Did you stop just to show me all this? To prove you've become a 'good girl'?"

Aguilera opened her mouth as if to say something, then snapped it shut. Without another word, she spun around, marched back to the cart, and hopped in. "Go!" she ordered the driver. "I don't want to see him again!"

The small electric cart sped off, leaving a faint trail of dust in its wake.

"What was that all about?" Michael asked, his curiosity piqued. "And who was she?"

"A pop star," Matthew said, starting to walk again. He waited for Michael to catch up before adding, "Her name's Christina Aguilera. You've probably heard of her, right?"

Michael, being completely unfamiliar with the American pop scene, shook his head. "Never heard of her."

They left the Warner Studios lot, the odd encounter with Aguilera quickly forgotten. They drove to a Brazilian barbecue restaurant in Burbank, and it wasn't long before James arrived.

Cold beer and succulent grilled meat—a simple but profound pleasure.

However, all three men knew how crucial it was for young actors like themselves to stay in shape, so they were careful not to overindulge.

"So, Band of Brothers is in post-production now," James said, setting down his beer. "When's it all going to be done? I can't wait for the show to air and make me a star."

Matthew swallowed a mouthful of meat. "I forgot to ask, when exactly is HBO planning to air Band of Brothers?"

None of them were established actors, so they were all eagerly awaiting the release of Band of Brothers, hoping the series would bring them some recognition—or at least give them a bit of leverage for future roles.

Michael had clearly been asking around the production team about this. He took a long swig of beer before breaking into a wide grin. "The original plan was for the series to start airing next September in HBO's fall lineup. But the cast and crew moved much faster than expected through every stage, from prep to filming to post. Barring any major issues, Band of Brothers is now slated for a spring premiere on HBO."

"The sooner, the better," James murmured.

Matthew asked Michael, "Any idea which month, specifically?"

Michael shook his head. "As far as I know, they haven't locked in an exact date yet, but they should have the final schedule approved by next month at the latest."

James nodded. "Makes sense. They'll need enough time for a proper promotional run-up."

"Ah," Matthew sighed. "It would be amazing if we all became overnight sensations after Band of Brothers airs."

"In your dreams," James said, shaking his head.

Michael was even more blunt. "With a small part like Ronald Speirs, no one's going to notice you. And even if they do, they'll have forgotten by the next morning."

Matthew spread his hands. "I was just griping."

He followed the comment with a laugh, and Michael and James joined in.

The three of them continued to discuss Band of Brothers, all agreeing that the decision by DreamWorks and HBO to move the premiere up from fall to spring was likely driven, at least in part, by financial pressure.

DreamWorks, HBO, and the BBC had recently announced that the production cost for Band of Brothers alone was $120 million. Once you factored in the marketing budget, the total investment was astronomical.

In Matthew's view, if the spring premiere was a critical and ratings success, the producers could negotiate syndication rights with other networks during the summer, when the show's popularity would be at its peak. Revenue from a second run, along with DVD and VHS sales, could all become major profit streams on top of HBO's subscription fees.

Having been in Hollywood for over a year, his knowledge of the television industry was still limited—no better than his understanding of the film business—but he knew that under normal circumstances, a show like Band of Brothers would take several years to turn a profit.

With an investment that large, there was always the risk of a misstep that could lead to a major financial loss.

Naturally, none of them wanted that to happen. Just like the investors, they were hoping Band of Brothers would become a sensation. They wanted the ratings to skyrocket, for everyone to be clamoring to watch it, and for audiences to be meticulously researching the background of every actor in the cast.

"Actually, there are already some hidden benefits to being in this show," Matthew said. He clinked his glass against James's and then Michael's before tilting his head back to finish his beer. "Take me, for instance. The training we did for Band of Brothers indirectly helped me land the role of the Scorpion King in The Mummy Returns."

"You're right," James agreed. "Having this on my resume could potentially help me land a supporting role in another big war drama."

"Exactly," Michael chimed in. "Speaking of which, what project are you in L.A. to audition for?"

James answered with a hint of pride, "Ridley Scott's new movie, Black Hawk Down. The budget is supposedly around a hundred million dollars."

"What a coincidence," Matthew said, looking at James in surprise. "I'm auditioning for that project too."

"Really?" James shot to his feet. "That's a relief! As far as I know, there's some bastard in the cast who's got a real grudge against us."