The Best Movie Actor In Hollywood!

Chapter 119

"Mr. Fraser, you've noticeably gained weight for this film compared to the first." A reporter in the press room asked Brendan bluntly, "Did you even prepare for the role?"

Brendan's brow furrowed slightly, but he was more than capable of handling a question like this. He replied with a casual air, "Eight years have passed in the story. O'Connell has gone from his prime to middle age. Isn't it normal for a man to put on a little weight as he gets older?"

After he finished, Brendan waited for the reporters to continue with their questions.

To his surprise, the next reporter to stand up addressed neither him, the male lead, nor Rachel, the female lead. Instead, they directed their question to Matthew Horner, who was seated at the far end of the long table.

"Hello, Mr. Horner. I'm a reporter from Entertainment Weekly."

Entertainment Weekly was a leading entertainment magazine in North America, published by Time Warner and dedicated to film and entertainment. "You have an incredible physique in the film and your action scenes are very impressive," the reporter continued. "Could you tell us how much preparation you did for the role?"

A crew member had already placed a microphone in front of Matthew. He leaned forward and replied clearly, "I underwent extensive professional training for this role, starting the moment I got the part. I spent two months training in boxing and close-quarters combat."

He looked out at the assembled reporters. "But it was all worth it. I'm proud to have played a character like this."

It seemed the role of the Scorpion King had genuinely captured the press's attention. Another reporter stood up. "We all saw those incredible action scenes, which raises a question I had while watching the film: did you use a stunt double?"

Matthew answered truthfully, "No, I did all of my own stunts."A few more questions followed from the press, and Matthew found himself receiving just as much attention as the film's male and female leads.

The reporters, ever perceptive, immediately picked up on this shift in focus. One particularly sly female journalist stood up and deliberately tossed a verbal grenade into the room. "Matthew Horner, you clearly put so much effort into a relatively minor supporting role. Do you think it's fair that Brendan, despite his paunchy physique, got to be the film's leading man?"

As the question hung in the air, a hush fell over the room. Matthew didn't respond immediately. Having dealt with the press more and more, he'd gained some experience and knew he was facing a very tricky question.

If he said it was unfair, he'd have a problem with Brendan. If he said it was fair, he would essentially be admitting that Brendan wasn't in as good shape as he was.

Brendan came across as carefree, bold, and cheerful. Matthew used to think so too, but from his observations on the red carpet, he suspected it was just a façade.

It was perfectly normal for Hollywood stars to have two faces, especially established ones like Brendan.

Matthew was well aware that if he didn't answer this correctly, his relationship with Brendan could take a sharp turn for the worse.

And if he refused to answer, these cunning reporters would probably write in their articles that his silence was a tacit agreement, hinting at conflict among the cast and so on.

Rachel turned her head to look at Matthew. His character in the film was far more compelling than he had seemed on set; it was no wonder so many reporters were focusing their questions on him.

She was simply curious how Matthew would respond; she had no other thoughts on the matter. Matthew was a male actor and wouldn't be stealing the spotlight from the female lead, nor would anyone be comparing him to her.

But Brendan...

Out of the corner of her eye, Rachel glanced at Brendan's face. They had worked together on two films and knew each other well enough for her to tell that he was a little upset by the press comparing him to Matthew.

The press officer was also watching Matthew. If the young actor couldn't handle such a difficult question, the officer would have to find a way to defuse the situation.

Sean Daniel and Stephen Sommers were likewise looking in Matthew's direction. The actor had made an excellent impression on them: he was hardworking, dedicated, humble, intelligent, and had a high degree of emotional intelligence. He had handled his work perfectly during filming and had never been a cause for concern for the crew.

This question shouldn't be too difficult for him.

Brendan's expression barely changed, but his eyes kept darting toward Matthew. He couldn't help but think that every reporter in the room had gone mad. Why the hell were they comparing a supporting actor to the star of the film?

Faced with the thorny question, Matthew paused for a few seconds before answering. "Brendan is an amazing actor, and for a newcomer like me, it's been a privilege to work with him."

With his first sentence, he established a clear gap between himself and Brendan. Then he added, "On set, Brendan looked out for me like a big brother."

Brendan liked to feel like the man in charge, and Matthew had just openly declared him as such.

Not wanting to create problems with people because of the media, Matthew continued, "He's a role model for me, someone I can learn from and aspire to be."

At these words, a collective sigh of relief could be heard from the main cast.

Rachel, who was sitting closest to Matthew, smiled. Sean Daniel and Stephen Sommers exchanged a look; both felt they couldn't have chosen a better person for the role of the Scorpion King. In fact, Stephen was already starting to consider another plan of his own.

Brendan gave a slight nod, his ego satisfied.

The only person disappointed was the female reporter who had asked the question. She hadn't expected the young actor to be so sharp and witty, completely sidestepping her provocation.

...

The press conference ended, and Matthew followed the cast and crew into a lounge area behind the press room.

"Good answer." Sean didn't hide his admiration. "Matthew, you have a maturity beyond your years."

Matthew noticed Brendan looking their way and smiled. "I was just telling the truth."

Sean also saw Brendan glance over and felt that Matthew was a man with truly high emotional intelligence.

Many young actors in Hollywood, after achieving a little success, start acting like superstars with their noses in the air, which only earns them contempt.

Compared to them, Matthew was a real gem.

Director Stephen also took note of Matthew.

The press officer was even more direct. "I was worried there for a second, but as soon as you finished your answer, I felt relieved."

Matthew just smiled, a kind and humble expression.

Seeing so many people fawning over Matthew, Brendan felt a bit awkward. After all, he was the male lead of the cast.

"The media loves to chase after new people and fresh faces." At some point, Rachel approached him and whispered, "But they'll get bored of it after a while. No matter what they say or do, it doesn't change the fact that you're the star of the film."

Brendan, still looking displeased, forced a smile and said to Rachel, "You're overthinking it. Matthew's great."

The subtext was unclear. Rachel could only shake her head in bewilderment but said nothing more. The Mummy Returns was already released, and the cast wouldn't be together for much longer.

...

The press conference for The Mummy Returns premiere was over. Matthew took out his phone to check for any calls or messages, ready to leave the theater and head home. It was getting late.

"Hold on, Matthew." The press officer came over and reminded him, "Remember the event in Las Vegas next Monday. Don't be late."

"I won't be," Matthew replied, heading for the exit.

The film had just had its grand premiere, followed by a wide North American release. Starting next Monday, everyone—including him, Rachel, and Brendan—would be traveling together to major cities across the U.S. to promote The Mummy Returns.

Matthew reached a side entrance of the theater, spotted Brendan up ahead, and quickened his pace to catch up.

"Brendan." He sounded just as friendly as he had before the premiere. "We should get a drink sometime."

Brendan slowed his pace but kept his gaze fixed on the crowd ahead. "We'll talk later, Matthew."

They walked out of the theater together just as two black cars pulled up to the curb, one after the other. Before they could reach them, a large group of reporters surrounded them.

The reporters began shouting a jumble of questions as Matthew and Brendan made their separate ways to their cars. For some reason, there were twice as many reporters swarming Matthew as there were around Brendan, and most of them were familiar faces from the press conference.

"Mr. Horner, was what you said at the press conference really true? We heard from a crew member that you were always on time, while Brendan was often late. Is that true?"

These gossip-mongering journalists seemed determined not to stop until they'd dug up some verifiable dirt about conflict among the cast.

Matthew had already figured out why more reporters were besieging him: a newcomer like him was an easier target than a veteran actor like Brendan.

But he didn't say a word, simply inching his way toward the car.

"Matthew! Matthew!" one reporter shouted. "Don't you think that slob Brendan's performance was terrible and almost comical? I watched the whole film, and he made no impression on me as the lead. Instead, it was you who stood out as the Scorpion King. What are your thoughts on that?"

Matthew studiously ignored him, broke free from the scrum of reporters, and got into his car.

He didn't know that on the other side of the crowd, Brendan had heard the question clearly, and his face immediately clouded over.

...

The premiere was over, and The Mummy Returns began its wide release across North America. But the word-of-mouth for the film was not what the studio had hoped for.