The Best Movie Actor In Hollywood!

Chapter 149

At the Viper Room, three men raised their glasses and drank together.

Then James asked curiously, "Matthew, why haven't I ever met your girlfriend?"

"She's busy," Matthew replied with a shrug. "Out of town."

Britney's new album had just been released, and she was constantly flying in and out of town for promotions.

He steered the conversation in a new direction. "Why didn't the crew let me know you guys came in to do dubbing for Black Hawk Down?"

"It was just some dubbing for a couple of minor roles," James answered, taking the glass of wine Michael handed him.

The mention of the Black Hawk Down cast sparked a memory. He turned to Matthew and asked, "Didn't Jonny Lee Miller ask you for a videotape?"

"A videotape?" Michael asked, having just refilled Matthew's glass. "What kind of videotape?"

"One that doesn't exist," Matthew said, then briefly recounted the story for Michael.

Michael grinned, flashing a mouthful of white teeth. "Matthew, it’s a good thing you're quick on your feet. Otherwise, you’d be famous, but not for your acting."Matthew took a sip of his wine.

Michael added, "So where are you going to get the tape?"

"I'm just stalling for now." Matthew set his glass on the table. "I don't pick up when Miller calls, and I recently blocked his number."

James seemed lost in thought for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Are you going to be at the promotional events for Black Hawk Down?"

Matthew shook his head. "I don't know. My agent and I haven't heard anything."

"If you do go, be careful," James warned. "You might run into Miller."

Michael chimed in, "Matthew, don't underestimate him. Miller is a big deal in the British actor clique here in Hollywood."

James agreed, "I can vouch for that."

He was a British actor himself.

"I'll keep an eye on him." Matthew was certainly not one to underestimate Miller.

"Alright, enough about that," Michael said, changing the subject. "Let's drink."

Before he could raise his glass, a short man passing by their table came to a sudden halt. He stared at Matthew and asked in surprise, "Matthew?"

Recognizing the voice, Matthew turned to see a familiar face: the director of Britney's music video. He quickly got to his feet and responded politely, "Hello, Mr. Snyder. I didn't expect to run into you here."

He took the initiative and extended his right hand, and Zack Snyder shook it, saying, "Call me Zack. I come here for a drink pretty often."

It wasn't every day you ran into a director, so Matthew politely offered, "Would you care to join us for a drink?"

Zack shook his head. "Some other time."

Matthew nodded. They made small talk for a few more minutes, sticking mostly to shop talk since it was all they had in common. After a brief pause, Zack excused himself and left.

"Who was that?" Michael asked curiously.

"Zack Snyder," Matthew said simply. "A music video and commercial director."

"He's a big name in the advertising world," James chimed in. He always seemed to be in the know and was clearly familiar with Zack. "He makes these really unique commercials, known for his widescreen, cinematic style. He's shot ads for Nike and Reebok with Michael Jordan and the tennis star Martina Navratilova. A British magazine, Media Arts, once named him one of the most talented commercial directors out there."

Only then did Matthew realize that Zack had made a name for himself even before breaking into the film industry.

During their conversation, Zack had casually mentioned he was looking to move into feature films and was searching for the right project.

But even with his reputation in advertising, landing a directing gig for a film with any kind of significant budget was a tough leap to make.

What was Zack Snyder's first movie? As Matthew chatted with James and Michael, he wracked his brain trying to remember.

It definitely wasn't a superhero film. He was pretty sure it was 300.

He couldn't recall with certainty. After all, he’d stopped watching films from the DC universe after Batman v Superman.

The trio stayed at the Viper Room until ten, finishing off an entire bottle of whiskey and a few cocktails before stumbling out of the bar in a haze.

To be safe, Matthew called for a driver service and then walked James and Michael to a nearby parking lot.

Just across the intersection, James pointed to a spot on the sidewalk. "That's where River Phoenix died from a drug overdose," he said.

Matthew had never heard the name and asked curiously, "Who's River Phoenix?"

Michael explained, "A true acting genius who, unfortunately, got addicted to drugs. He's Joaquin Phoenix's brother."

"Drug addiction." The thought left an impression on Matthew, bringing to mind an old PSA slogan: "Treasure your life, stay away from drugs."

While getting high was practically a pastime in Hollywood, it was still a road straight to hell.

Matthew could never wrap his head around the mindset of people who did drugs. Especially celebrities.

The driver soon arrived at the parking lot, got into Matthew's BMW, and after dropping James and Michael off at their hotels, took Matthew back to his house in Burbank.

...

Over the next few days, aside from flying to Washington to see Britney, Matthew stuck to his usual routine. The only change was that he ramped up his training, spending every afternoon at the gym in Westwood boxing, sparring, and working with a fitness instructor.

Matthew also got a call from Kelly Hu. She'd landed a new gig playing a mutant in the 20th Century Fox superhero movie X-Men 2, and she'd reportedly have a lot of scenes with Hugh Jackman's Wolverine.

Then, an opportunity came Matthew's way from 20th Century Fox, also for a superhero film.

When Helen learned that 20th Century Fox was developing a film project based on the Daredevil comics, she immediately submitted Matthew's resume for a shot at the lead role.

It was exactly the kind of major superhero production that could launch its lead actor into stardom if it was a commercial success.

Matthew was a little perplexed when Helen told him about it. He used to be a big fan of superhero movies, but he had no memory of a Daredevil film.

A superhero movie of that scale should have made an impression on him if he'd seen it. The fact that he couldn't remember it probably meant it was completely forgettable.

In the end, he didn't even get an audition. A few days after Helen submitted his resume, a polite email arrived from the Daredevil production team, informing them that the lead role had already been cast.

They had cast Ben Affleck as the lead as soon as the project was greenlit.

When she heard Ben Affleck's name, Helen was disappointed. Matthew simply didn't have the clout to compete with an actor of his stature.

Matthew wasn't too bothered. Since he couldn't remember the film at all, wasn't there a good chance it was a flop? Diving headfirst into a bomb could be disastrous for his career.

The fallout from a big-budget flop is completely different for a minor supporting actor than for the leading man.

If a rising actor stars in a major production that fails, what will production companies think the next time they see his name?

Besides, there was no shortage of actors in this business eager to make a name for themselves.

After nearly two weeks of quiet, Matthew got a call from Helen, summoning him to the Angel Agency to discuss a work matter.

"You sounded urgent on the phone," Matthew said as he sat down opposite her desk. "Got a new role for me?"

Helen replied, "The Black Hawk Down team sent over a schedule. They want you to attend several promotional events in North America this December."

Matthew instantly thought of Miller and nodded.

"There's one more thing," Helen added. "While you're there, try to connect with Jerry Bruckheimer."