The Best Movie Actor In Hollywood!

Chapter 111

"You mean I should get on good terms with Jerry Bruckheimer?" Matthew asked.

"Jerry is considered the gold standard of commercial film production in this industry," Helen told Matthew. "And you're too far down the ladder to even talk about having a relationship with him. What you need to do is at least make some kind of impression on him."

Matthew understood. "Yeah, I know."

If he could make even a small impression on Jerry, it might give him an edge when auditioning for one of his future projects.

As for the new project, Helen couldn't offer any more specifics. She flagged down a waiter to get the check and asked Matthew, "Do you have any scenes today?"

"No." Matthew stood up. "Want me to show you around?"

"It's a desert. What's there to see?" Helen was clearly uninterested in the surrounding landscape. "Take me to the set. I want to talk to Uncle Scott."

Matthew pulled out his phone, checked the time, and said, "I'll find us a car."

He left the restaurant and went down to the hotel lobby, where he found the lobby manager. The hotel had a special partnership with a car rental agency, so he quickly arranged for an SUV, but it required a thousand-dollar security deposit.

"I'll pay." Helen stepped in front of Matthew and put down the deposit.Matthew didn't object, simply standing by the hotel counter while Helen took care of the necessary paperwork.

Helen put away the deposit receipt and said to Matthew, "The car will be here soon. Let's head outside."

Matthew headed for the hotel entrance with Helen following close behind. They talked as they walked, mostly discussing work-related matters.

As they approached the entrance, a man emerged from the doors, his timing perfect to see Matthew and Helen walking side-by-side. He immediately exclaimed, "Matthew!"

Matthew had been in the middle of discussing his tax return with Helen, due next April, and how he might legally avoid paying taxes. He had "arrived" here in early 1999, and now, at the end of 2000, nearly two years had passed. He was gradually getting a better grasp of the social landscape.

The tax issue, for instance, was a particular burden for high-income earners in the United States. Everyone tried to legally—and sometimes illegally—avoid them.

Hearing someone call his name, Matthew immediately looked up to see Jonny Lee Miller standing at the other end of the lobby.

Miller's gaze was fixed on the man and woman before him, particularly the woman. She was dressed in a professional suit, her blonde hair pulled back, and her figure was slender. Even with the slightly old-fashioned, black-framed glasses on her face, he could tell she was quite beautiful.

He couldn't help but swallow. After nearly two months in Morocco, it had been far too long since he'd seen a woman like her.

Helen also heard someone call Matthew's name. She looked at Miller, saw him swallow, and couldn't help but frown in disgust.

Of course, she knew who this man was. She'd heard Matthew's story about him cheating on Angelina Jolie.

Matthew saw Miller's eyes dart between him and Helen and said, "Hey, Miller."

Miller took two steps forward, lowered his voice, and asked bluntly, "Is she your girlfriend? Did she bring the tape? Give me the videotape, and we'll call it even."

His words were quiet, but loud enough for Helen to hear.

Slightly surprised, she turned her head to look at Matthew, who replied to Miller with a hint of helplessness, "She's my agent."

A flicker of gloom crossed Miller's face as he reminded him, "Don't forget your promise!"

"Of course!" Matthew swore. "I'm a man of my word. You can trust me."

This was a crowded hotel lobby, no place for a prolonged discussion on the matter. Miller shot Matthew a look and then walked on, heading for the elevator.

Matthew stepped out of the hotel, and Helen followed.

Once outside, Helen asked, "What videotape? The one you made for Angelina Jolie back then?"

"No." Matthew hesitated for a moment, then decided it was best to be upfront with his agent. He quickly recounted what had happened that day, concluding with a helpless sigh, "I was in a hurry to get away, so I made up the lie."

Helen, however, praised him. "You've got a knack for getting yourself out of tight spots."

"So what now?" Matthew shrugged. "I mentioned it to Jack, but he just told me not to worry about it."

"As long as it doesn't interfere with the production," Helen informed him, "the crew won't get involved. Have you ever been on a film set without some kind of conflict, or even a fistfight?"

Matthew still felt a little resentful thinking about Jack's attitude. "So what should I do?"

Helen answered calmly, "You're handling it well. Just keep stalling and try to keep your conflict from escalating publicly."

An SUV pulled up in front of the hotel. Matthew glanced at the license plate and said, "That's our car."

He and Helen got in and drove straight to the film set, which was still buzzing with activity. The sound of thunderous explosions could be heard from a great distance.

With Matthew leading the way, the two of them easily entered the shelter-like set. Ridley Scott was busy filming amidst a landscape of rubble and debris, and the crackle of gunfire sounded like popping corn.

"Wait." Reaching a street corner, Matthew stopped. "Don't go any further. It's not safe."

It didn't matter to him—he was used to being on sets where things were constantly blowing up—but Helen was so slender that a fall or a blow would surely leave a mark.

Helen didn't press on, standing at the corner with the other spectators to watch the filming.

The scene with the Somali militia was not going well. The professional actors playing the militia leaders were fine, but the locally hired Black actors kept finding ways to disrupt the shoot. The cinematographer was so tired and irritated that if the camera hadn't been mounted on a crane, he would have angrily thrown it to the ground.

More than an hour passed before Matthew saw the crew pause filming and Ridley Scott take a short break.

"Let's go." Matthew walked ahead, spoke with one of the crew assistants, and then stepped onto the set, waiting for Helen to follow.

As they approached the director's area, the bearded Jack spotted the two of them and waved to Helen while continuing his conversation with Ridley Scott.

"Helen." Ridley Scott rose from his director's chair. "You came without calling."

"And that makes my visit a surprise." Helen walked over and gave Ridley Scott a hug. "Right, Uncle Scott?"

Ridley smiled.

The entire time, Matthew stayed put, standing silently nearby.

The two chatted for a while before Helen casually asked, "I heard Jerry Bruckheimer is planning a new major production with Disney?"

"I don't know." Ridley Scott shook his head. "I've been busy lately."

He offered, "I can ask around, if you'd like."

Helen smiled. "No, I was just a little curious."

Jerry Bruckheimer's projects were almost guaranteed to be box office hits, and they had a knack for making actors famous.

The crew's break was coming to an end, so Helen tactfully decided to leave the director's area. The bearded Jack escorted her back toward the street.

"Jerry Bruckheimer's new project... I've heard him mention it a few times." The bearded Jack offered Helen a tidbit. "I think it has something to do with the pirate ride at Disneyland."

Helen nodded. "Thanks, Jack."

Matthew could tell that Helen was particularly focused on Jerry Bruckheimer's new project.

Helen spent two days in Morocco before returning to North America, and during that time, Matthew overheard her on the phone several times, talking about Jerry Bruckheimer's new project.

For now, none of that concerned Matthew. He knew all he could do was work hard on set and try to make a good impression on Bruckheimer.