The Best Movie Actor In Hollywood!

Chapter 144: Decided

September sunlight streamed through the window, falling on the floor in front of Helen and illuminating a simple poster hanging on the wall. It was still blank, lacking a title or the actors' names. The only difference from the last time she’d seen it with Matthew was a subtle shift in the arrangement of the actors.

"Burt," she said, her gaze dropping from the top of the poster to the publicist. "Matthew Horner is the undisputed star of this film. The title is The Scorpion King. The focus is on him. Am I correct?"

Publicist Burt knew that agents were a difficult breed, and this woman—one he’d dealt with before—was one of the most formidable he’d ever met.

But he couldn't argue with such a fundamental point. "You're right," he conceded.

Helen strode toward the poster, her demeanor all business. She pointed a sharp finger at it. "Then why don't I see that reflected here?"

Without waiting for Burt to answer, she pressed on. "Yes, Matthew is in the very center of the poster, but he doesn't stand out! For one thing, his photo is almost the same size as Kelly's. And if I recall correctly, Stephen said Kelly's character was a supporting role. How can a supporting actress command the same space as the male lead?"

Burt raised an eyebrow. Of course, the poster's design wasn't accidental, especially the near-equal billing between Kelly Hu and Matthew Horner. He had done it deliberately.

Unfazed, Helen continued, "The contract has a clause stating that our side has the right to consult on the posters."

She pointed to the poster again. "Beyond Kelly's character, there are issues with the others. They're all too large. Especially those three—Duff, Clark, and Steven. They're blocking most of Matthew's body."

Burt paused. "Aren't they your actors?""Of course," Helen replied, her tone strictly professional. "But I am here today solely to champion Matthew Horner’s rights as the male lead—to ensure he is treated as such."

Burt considered for a moment. "Alright, as you wish. I'll have the poster adjusted."

Initially, he'd wanted to do a friend a favor, but now... it was better to just drop it. Since she'd noticed, there was no point in looking for more trouble.

"Thank you," Helen said politely, before adding, "I believe some significant adjustments are necessary. Reduce Kelly's image by half. Shrink the other characters to a third of their current size. Matthew is the star; his close-up needs to be unobstructed, so the audience knows instantly who the hero of this film is."

"I'm sorry, that's impossible," Burt refused immediately. If they did that, Kelly would be barely visible beside Matthew, and the other characters might as well be removed entirely. "You're asking for too much."

Helen was prepared. "How about this, then? Get rid of all the other characters. Just leave Matthew and Kelly, the male and female leads."

The publicist considered this seriously. The proposal had merit, and it would be a good way to ingratiate himself with Kelly's agent.

Helen glanced at Burt, her tone sharpening as she made another proposal. "Keep the size ratio between Matthew and Kelly the same, but change the layout to a top-and-bottom design. Matthew on top, Kelly on the bottom."

That would make the hierarchy perfectly clear.

"I'll think about it." Naturally, Burt didn't agree on the spot.

Helen stepped back from the poster. "I have one last suggestion."

After all that, Burt figured he might as well hear one more. "Yes?"

"List Matthew's name separately, at the very top of the poster," Helen declared. "Don't group it with the rest of the cast. It should stand alone, preferably in bold."

Like the other adjustments, this would draw more attention to the film and, more importantly, would benefit Matthew's personal brand.

There's so much real estate at the top of a poster. A single glance can tell you everything about an actor's or director's importance to a film—and their status in the industry.

Take Tom Cruise, for instance. On films with less famous directors, the first thing you see on the poster is often "A Tom Cruise Film" or something to that effect.

Matthew wasn't there yet, but Helen was determined to establish his position in the hierarchy.

It was something you had to fight for. In Hollywood, you got nothing without a fight.

"Miss Herman," Burt said with a placating gesture. "I can consider all of your suggestions, but it will take time."

"Then I'll leave you to it."

Helen knew better than to push too hard. After all, Matthew didn't have that much clout yet.

To this day, Matthew remained her number one client, and the agency's resources were, of course, directed solely at him. All the other supporting actors were backups or second-tier clients—to be used only if the film flopped at the box office and Matthew's career was finished.

In that case, Matthew would be out of the running as well.

Naturally, this was a scenario Helen refused to entertain. After pouring so much capital into Matthew, the only acceptable outcome was success. A box office failure would mean her entire investment in him over the past year had been wasted.

It wasn't that she didn't want to sign A-list clients, but the Angel Acting Agency was too small, too new, too insignificant for the kind of talent she coveted. The ones willing to sign with her were either on a serious career decline or mired in scandal—both offering very little potential for future profit.

If Matthew, with her help, could become a commercial superstar, all her investments in him and his career would pay off in spades. And that was exactly what she wanted.

...

In Nevada's Black Rock Desert, countless vehicles were parked on a dry lakebed. Not far away, near a bank of dunes, several large camera trucks for the film crew were positioned.

Out in the desert, Matthew rode a dromedary camel under the hot sun, moving slowly forward. In his arms, he held a mannequin roughly Kelly's height, dressed in her costume and wig.

After about thirty meters, the take was cut, and a trainer immediately approached. Matthew first handed the mannequin to a prop master, then dismounted the camel. He took a glass of water from Mira, swished it to rinse the wind-blown sand from his mouth, and then took a proper drink.

Even though it was mid-September, the heat wasn't unbearable. But out in the open desert, with a cloudless sky above, the sun beat down relentlessly, making it necessary to stay hydrated.

Fortunately, the crew was well-prepared for the conditions, so Matthew faced no serious hardships during the shoot.

The conditions here were a vast improvement over filming Black Hawk Down in the middle of the Moroccan desert.

The location was also near the Black Rock Geyser, offering a chance to enjoy the unique scenery during breaks in filming.

The Black Rock Desert boasted magnificent geysers, dry cliffs, and mountains that stood out starkly against the barren landscape.

The world-famous Burning Man festival also took place here, an annual event known for its uninhibited atmosphere. Unfortunately, they had arrived at the wrong time—it had just ended.

With that scene wrapped, Matthew and the rest of the crew headed back to the trailers for makeup touch-ups before moving to a nearby rock face to film another sequence.

After his makeup was refreshed, he stepped out of his trailer to find Mira approaching with a cell phone. "Miss Herman is on the line," she said.

Matthew took the phone. After a brief conversation with Helen to get an update on her progress, he hung up.

This was precisely the kind of situation best left to an agent. If an actor tried to handle it himself, he risked creating friction with the production crew.

Matthew then made his way to a clearing cordoned off by trailers, where the director, Chuck Russell, was gathering the crew. Just then, an assistant producer ran up to inform him of a temporary change in the shooting schedule.

A group of tourists had shown up at the rock face. The crew had attempted to negotiate with them, but the tourists wouldn't leave, and there was nothing Director Russell could do.

Matthew had no choice but to wait for them to leave. America was liberal and democratic to its core, and the crew, as a commercial entity, had no right to order tourists around.

The Scorpion King was set in Ancient Egypt; if a person in modern clothing appeared in the shot, the footage would be ruined.

The rules were strict. You couldn't just capture someone's likeness, even in a contemporary film. If a bystander wandered into a shot, the production had to secure a signed release form. Without it, if the footage made it into the final cut, the crew could face a lawsuit if that person decided to cause trouble.

The web of laws and regulations was so tangled that one misstep could land you in serious trouble.

That's why having a personal lawyer was crucial, and why the crew had its own dedicated legal counsel.

The shooting schedule was temporarily halted. Just as Chuck was reviewing the plans and preparing to make adjustments, an assistant director suddenly burst out of a trailer.

"Oh, my God! Oh, my God!" he shouted, his voice shrill with panic, as if he had lost his mind.