The Best Movie Actor In Hollywood!

Chapter 153

"Director Scott, thank you for the opportunity you gave me." Matthew approached Ridley Scott, eager to express his gratitude. "If it weren't for your help on Gladiator, I wouldn't be where I am today."

"Don't mention it." Ridley Scott remembered Matthew, and not just because of his connection to Helen. He recalled the actor who had made the strongest impression on him during the shoot in Morocco. He was focused and hardworking, and his physical presence was so authentic that when he looked at the camera, he seemed like a genuine Delta Force soldier of that era. He nodded at Matthew. "You earned it with your hard work."

Seeing that Ridley Scott was receptive, Matthew eased into a conversation with him.

Matthew also cast occasional glances toward Jerry Bruckheimer, who was speaking with reporters.

He exchanged a few more words with Ridley before Jerry finally broke away from the press and came over.

Since Jerry had taken the initiative to approach, Matthew immediately greeted him. "Hello, Mr. Bruckheimer."

"Hello, Matthew," Jerry acknowledged with a nod.

He had offered a polite greeting and could tell that Jerry had business to discuss with Ridley, so without hesitation, he quickly excused himself and departed.

Some things couldn't be rushed, or they were bound to backfire. At the very least, he had caught Jerry's eye.

"Smart kid," Jerry watched Matthew walk away and remarked casually. "I remember you spoke highly of him."Ridley gave a slight nod. "On the set in Morocco, he was one of the strongest actors."

Jerry dropped the subject of Matthew and steered the conversation toward the film's Oscar campaign.

Matthew moved to a corner and watched Ridley and Jerry from a distance. For a producer like Jerry Bruckheimer, his casting criteria weren't too difficult to figure out.

He and Helen had studied the films Jerry had produced in recent years, like The Rock and Pearl Harbor, all of which were, without exception, commercial successes.

All of his films were commercial entertainment blockbusters starring the likes of Nicolas Cage, Sean Connery, Bruce Willis, Ben Affleck, and Josh Hartnett—both established stars and rising actors.

But none of these actors, without exception—not even the Oscar-winner Nicolas Cage—were known for their subtle acting chops. Every single one of them was a rugged man with a strong, angular profile. Not a single pretty-boy among them.

It was easy to see what criteria Jerry Bruckheimer used to select his male actors—or, more accurately, what type he preferred.

So why had that changed for the role of the blacksmith in Pirates of the Caribbean? Was it because Orlando Bloom was English and fit the character's background?

Matthew didn't want to guess, but based on his analysis and the practical realities, his own type was a better fit for Jerry Bruckheimer's aesthetic than Orlando Bloom's.

In any case, this was a good thing. According to Hollywood convention, how could a highly skilled blacksmith, who had to swing a heavy hammer to forge iron every day, be a slender guy?

Matthew was still pondering this as he left the hotel where the press reception had been held. As he was getting into his car, he suddenly saw a poster for The Lord of the Rings on a massive billboard by the road, and in an instant, everything clicked.

Legolas!

The character brought an immense halo effect to Orlando Bloom.

It seemed that Orlando Bloom had landed a string of big-budget films during the peak of The Lord of the Rings trilogy's popularity. Among those Matthew had seen were Ridley Scott's medieval war epic and the film about the prince who started the Trojan War.

Although Helen had said that Walt Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer hadn't even started on the script yet, Matthew assumed the blacksmith character would have to be a muscular man. The problem was Orlando Bloom's Legolas aura.

Matthew scratched his head, started the car, and drove off, hoping that The Scorpion King would be a bigger success than he anticipated. He needed some kind of capital to compete with Legolas.

At this stage, the promotion for The Scorpion King wasn't very active—after all, the film wasn't scheduled for release until April 2002, and it was only December 2001. It was still too early.

The good news, which Helen had confirmed, was that Walt Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer were still in the initial planning stages. The roles and even the script were undefined, and they were a long way from casting.

And as his agent, Helen wasn't fixated solely on the Pirates of the Caribbean project or Stephen Sommers's monster movie, despite her high hopes for them. As far as Matthew knew, she was constantly monitoring new projects entering the market, searching for the next suitable role for him.

...

"Watch your feet!"

On the third floor of a gym in Westwood, a well-groomed man in his thirties reminded Matthew, "Right foot forward, toes out; left foot back, toes in! Feet at a right angle, about shoulder-width apart!"

Holding an antique European-style sword, Matthew immediately assumed the stance the instructor demanded. He had been doing basic training for a while, but this was the first time he had actually practiced holding a sword.

Across from him stood a special fencing dummy, and Matthew, sword in hand, pointed it at the mannequin.

Apparently, his form was off, because the trainer shouted again, "The knee of your front leg should be in a vertical line with the back of your front foot, the knee of your back leg in a vertical line with the toe of your back foot, and your weight balanced between both feet. The palm of your sword hand should face inward and up, the sword aligned with your forearm, the tip of the sword at the same height as your neck, and the sword, forearm, upper arm, and torso should all remain on the same vertical plane!"

Matthew immediately did as the trainer instructed.

Unlike a professional fencer, this trainer specialized in teaching actors for Hollywood film sets. He had been on the team for The Mask of Zorro, and although he was only an assistant, he knew exactly what kind of sword skills were needed for Hollywood movies.

First and foremost, the movements had to be dashing and beautiful, and every pose had to look especially cool.

The trainer had talked at length with Matthew, and Matthew agreed with his assessment that there were two broad types of period action scenes in Hollywood: the realistic, power-based school, and the ornate, beautiful school.

Undoubtedly, Pirates of the Caribbean would lean more toward the latter.

Matthew's training was flexible and varied, and the instructor picked up another sword to demonstrate different stances with him.

There was a degree of practicality to these moves, but they were designed more for aesthetic appeal.

The sword movements had to look good above all else, which didn't require Matthew to have an incredibly strong foundation. In Matthew's mind, it wasn't at all like boxing.

In boxing, you had to find a way to defeat your opponent—to observe and analyze their strengths and weaknesses, avoid their sharpest attacks, endlessly exploit their vulnerabilities, guide them into the most favorable distance and angle for a counter-punch, or even set a trap using their flaws.

Of course, you couldn't use the same tactic over and over unless your opponent was a fool, so you had to constantly devise new plans to break them. It was this part of the training that fascinated Matthew the most.

The session continued until almost five o'clock. After the trainer left, Matthew gathered his things and walked out of the room that Nibora had set aside specifically for his training.

The gym was open for business, and there was no problem providing a space as long as you were willing to pay.

Matthew went down to the first floor, ready to head home. When he entered the boxing gym, he saw Nibora talking to a tall, powerfully built young man.

"Matthew," Nibora called out, looking over. "Where are you off to?"

Matthew walked over. "Heading home. I have an accent coaching session later."

"Before you go, I want you to meet a friend," Nibora said, turning to the sturdy young man. "This is Fox Sherman."

Then he introduced Matthew. "This is Matthew Horner, a future Hollywood star."

Matthew took the initiative to shake his hand. It was the first time they had met, so they were just getting acquainted. After a few polite words, the guy named Fox Sherman left.

"Who's he?" Matthew asked curiously.

Nibora deliberately lowered his voice and replied, "A client I met a long time ago. He's a rich guy—his family is in the oil business and is supposedly interested in investing in the film industry. So when you become a star, you might be able to get an investment from him. Or rather, from his family."

Matthew shrugged. "That would be cool."

With his current level of fame, there was no hope of attracting an investment, but he might be able to make use of the connection in the future.