The Best Movie Actor In Hollywood!

Chapter 141

There were several actors in the cast from the Angel Acting Agency, a fact Matthew was well aware of. The man standing before him, Duff, was one of them.

Matthew glanced at Duff and walked over to close the dressing room door. "What's going on?"

"Yeah." Duff wore a conspiratorial expression, his voice lowered to a whisper. "I heard some people on set today plotting against you."

Matthew raised an eyebrow.

He was the male lead, the very first actor confirmed for the cast, and he had the backing of both producers, Sean and Stephen. Among all the actors, including the female lead, Kelly, no one carried more weight on this set than he did.

Who would try to pull something on him?

To be honest, he didn't quite trust this Duff fellow, even though they were both from the same agency.

Blind trust wasn't a valuable quality in the cutthroat, duplicitous world of Hollywood.

"It's true." Duff looked as if he were sharing a terrible secret. "This afternoon, Steven Brand—another actor from the Angel Agency—was discussing with Clark, who's also with us, how they could set you up."

Matthew knew both men Duff mentioned, especially Steven Brand, a lean but intense-looking man.Matthew said nothing, simply watching Duff, waiting for him to continue.

"Here's the thing," Duff continued. "They're going to find a chance to invite you for a drink at the Black Mamba Bar, and then they'll try to get you hooked on..."

He didn't finish the sentence, but the meaning was clear enough.

"Get me hooked on drugs? Or slip that crap into my food and drinks?" Matthew couldn't help but mutter. He wouldn't fall for something like that, especially not drugs. He'd come from a society with a zero-tolerance policy toward narcotics and knew just how destructive they were. Still, he was a little skeptical. "Even if they did, it's not like they'd become the stars of the show."

Were those two guys really foolish enough to think that if he got involved with drugs, they could rise to the top as the new leads?

Suddenly, something clicked for Matthew.

As if on cue, Duff said, "They think you're in their way, that they can't move up because of you."

He hesitated, then added, "They feel the agency's resources are too skewed in your favor. That you're eating the whole steak, and they can't even get the bones."

He glanced at Matthew. "Steven, in particular, is on a similar track as you. He's an action actor and thinks that with you in the picture, he has no chance of getting ahead."

Matthew nodded, his mind racing. He asked, "And you spend a lot of time with them?"

Duff understood the implication and quickly said, "You're the one the agency values most. I have no conflict with you, and I never will."

While he might have said a few things in their presence, it had never occurred to him to actually do anything. Matthew wasn't even in the same league as them. And if they really did pull something, with the temperament of that formidable woman, Helen, did they really think they'd become the agency's key client?

Steven and Clark were just two guys desperate to get famous; he could see that clearly.

On one hand, there was Matthew Horner, a very likely future star. On the other, two minor actors who were about on his own level... who to choose? Was it even a question?

"You don't have a conflict of interest with me?" Matthew tilted his head, giving Duff a wry look.

"No, of course not." Duff raised a hand and gestured to his own face. "Look at me. Could I ever follow your path? I'm well aware that even if I got lucky enough to become a comedy star, that's a completely different road from yours. There'd be no competition between us for Angel's limited resources."

Matthew stood up, shifted his backpack, and asked, "Alright, what do you want from me?"

In a way, Duff's words made sense; with his pleasant face and lean build, he wasn't cut out for action roles.

"If you can find a role... that's right for me," Duff smiled, a little ingratiatingly, "I'd be grateful if you could recommend me."

Matthew shook his head but didn't give him a direct answer. Instead, he said, "Keep an eye on those two."

Duff understood what Matthew meant and immediately replied, "Don't worry, I'll watch them."

Matthew opened the dressing room door. "I'm heading home."

Duff took the hint and left the dressing room first, with Matthew following right behind.

...

He got into his new BMW. The crew had started filming a few days ago, and a crowd of press had gathered outside the studio. Matthew was one of the journalists' primary targets, so Warner Studios had granted him the small privilege of driving his car onto the lot, though he had to park near the gate.

He thought about what had just happened and called Helen. As usual, she didn't seem overly concerned but said she would have someone keep an eye on them.

Matthew didn't say anything more. Having been in the business for over two years, he naturally understood certain things. In smaller agencies like the Angel Agency, and even in leading entertainment agencies like CAA, internal resources were relatively limited. Some people got more, others got less, and who wouldn't want to be the one getting the most resources and shining the brightest?

At this stage, Matthew had no intention of doing anything drastic to Steven and Clark. Finding an opportunity to warn them would be enough.

If the film succeeded, he would be the actor who gained the most; if it failed, he would be the one who suffered the most.

He calculated that if the movie bombed, Helen would be unlikely to value him as highly as she did now. In that case, without Steven and Clark having to lift a finger, his so-called "roadblock" would crumble without a sound.

Now that "The Scorpion King" had started filming, souring his relationship with Steven and Clark, two important supporting actors, would only create unnecessary complications for the production and could have unforeseen negative consequences. There was no point in taking such a risk.

It was better to just have someone watch those two.

As for Duff, he wouldn't trust a man like that.

It was best to wait until the film was finished and released. If it was a success, he would have the capital to make Helen get rid of those two, and it wouldn't be difficult.

Starting the car, Matthew pulled out of Warner Studios, ignoring the reporters clustered around, and drove straight onto the road.

This should have been the most relaxed situation of his career; as the lead actor, he hadn't thought anyone would be looking for trouble.

Unfortunately, in this business, competition was everywhere.

As the saying goes, if you don't want to be stepped on, you have to step on others to climb to the top.

...

Over the next few days, filming continued at Warner Studios. The two did end up inviting him to a bar for a drink, saying many actors from the cast would be there, but he declined.

Otherwise, Matthew noticed nothing out of the ordinary, and his energy remained focused on his role.

He had prepared well for this film, and some of the training he'd undergone for other movies was partially applicable to the filming of "The Scorpion King". He was in excellent shape, especially for the action sequences. Even some of the more complex fight scenes were often nailed in just two or three takes.

He maintained this excellent form for a long time, allowing the shoot to proceed exceptionally well.

"Matthew, do it just like we discussed."

Inside the studio, an action scene was ready to be filmed. Tim Madsen stood before Matthew, giving him the final instructions: "Just like you've shown me before—show both power and speed! You need to stay mobile, making the most of your nimble footwork and superb agility to inflict maximum carnage on the enemy while in constant motion! But be flexible and adapt to the situation."

"I understand."

The scene had been rehearsed several times during training, and Matthew was confident. He checked the equipment he was wearing, hoping to nail it on the first take, and then said, "I'm good to go."

Tim left the set and gave a thumbs-up toward the director's chair, and filming began immediately.

The studio had been dressed to look like a cave, eerie and cold. A pair of soldiers entered, tracking Matthew's character.

In this scene, Matthew was only visible in brief flashes. The rest of the time, he was a blur of motion, using the terrain and his speed to sneak up on and eliminate one opponent after another.

Unlike previous shots, this was a long take, but as usual, Matthew was in his typical superb form. The director needed only one take before declaring it a wrap.

The morning was spent filming action scenes. After lunch, following the schedule, the crew switched to dialogue scenes and moved to a tent set.

The female lead, Kelly, was also on set to continue filming with Matthew.

This scene, featuring the male lead and the female lead in bed together, was an essential part of any Hollywood commercial blockbuster. Otherwise, what was the point of having a handsome man and a beautiful woman as the leads?

Since the film was aiming for a PG-13 rating for its theatrical release, the scenes that made it to the big screen couldn't be too explicit. However, the crew shot these scenes on a much larger and more detailed scale, as they needed to cater to the DVD and home video market beyond the theatrical run.