The Best Movie Actor In Hollywood!

Chapter 161

"Gossip? About us?" Matthew shook his head. "They must be running out of things to write about."

Then it occurred to him that this might be the handiwork of The Scorpion King's publicity team. Hollywood crews didn't care whether their tactics were cheap or cutting-edge, as long as they generated buzz.

Ilana wasn't overly concerned. She had thick skin and knew Matthew was even more unflappable than she was. Their so-called "romance" was a non-issue.

Matthew pulled out his phone, typed out a quick text, and sent it to Helen as usual.

A moment later, his phone buzzed. He glanced down to see Helen's reply.

"Got it."

The reply was brief; Helen clearly wasn't giving it a second thought.

"Let's begin," Ilana prompted.

Matthew put his phone away. "Absolutely."

Before Ilana could ask her first question, the photographer snapped a picture of her and Matthew sitting across from each other and uploaded it to the live chat feed.Then the web interview began.

"Two trailers for The Scorpion King are out, and they're packed with fight scenes." Ilana didn't go easy on him just because they were friends, getting straight to the point. "We can all see the action has been taken to a whole new level compared to The Mummy Returns. How challenging was the shoot? Were you surprised by your own performance?"

Matthew answered with equal seriousness. "If it wasn't challenging, I wouldn't have been interested in the project, much less poured so much time and effort into it. I've seen so many films by great directors where the fight scenes are used to tell the story, not just for the sake of violence. That's the kind of filmmaking I'm drawn to, and I wanted to give it a try."

The questions had been pre-approved, and the answers largely crafted by the publicity team. Matthew was simply delivering the lines in his own words.

"The creative team had some incredible ideas, but bringing them to life took a tremendous amount of work."

Then Matthew launched into the kind of carefully crafted anecdote designed to resonate with the audience. "You know, there were so many mornings I'd get to the set and could barely get out of my car. The driver would have to wait patiently while I slowly eased myself out because every muscle in my body was screaming in pain."

The answer was designed to highlight his dedication. "But by the time I pushed through that phase, I noticed my body had changed. I could feel myself getting stronger, more flexible. Once I realized that, it gave me the confidence to push the intensity even higher, all to make the film that much better."

Ilana posed the questions and Matthew answered them, playing his part with earnest and "honest" conviction. They worked in perfect tandem, and many of the users in the live chat were clearly moved by their interview.

A user named "LoveTheMummy" commented: "He was just as dedicated on The Mummy Returns, but he only had two short action scenes in that movie. It wasn't enough! This time looks so much better."

Another user, "MuscleLover," chimed in with an off-topic request: "Can we see the abs? Take off your shirt!"

Ilana continued, "Is it true you were known for sparring on set during filming?"

"To be precise, I started sparring long before we even started shooting."

This time, Matthew didn't have to embellish. "I actually started boxing before I even auditioned for The Mummy Returns," he said honestly, "and I discovered I had a knack for it."

"No wonder the fight scenes in the trailer look so convincing," Ilana offered, giving him a proper compliment before asking, "Did you have professional trainers?"

Matthew nodded. "Yes, and they were all fantastic teachers. Each one was an expert in their own discipline, and they were completely dedicated to training me."

More people were flooding into the chat room. Matthew glanced at the live viewer count—it had already surpassed fifty thousand.

Ilana pressed on, "Was there any particular moment from the filming of The Scorpion King that left a lasting impression on you?"

"The crew designed this one long-take fight scene that was just incredible," Matthew said, touching his jaw. "I actually got injured and chipped a tooth."

He gave a slight shrug. "But luckily, it wasn't a serious injury."

Matthew added, "The whole crew was incredibly ambitious. They designed several action sequences that lasted for minutes on end, which is almost unheard of. Usually, fight scenes are filmed in two or three-second bursts and then edited together in post. But our team designed these long takes to be performed live, without relying on editing tricks or slow-motion. They put that trust in me and the other actors to deliver."

"Are scenes like that difficult to film?" Ilana asked, right on cue.

"You have no idea!" Matthew exclaimed with a touch of theatricality. "To make a long-take fight scene work, the actor has to be constantly moving while making sure they never leave the frame or turn their back to the camera. It meant I had to do almost everything myself, without a stunt double. But I felt free to push myself because the stunt team created such a safe environment."

They talked a bit more about the cast and the film before opening the floor to questions from the online audience.

The first user question was selected: "Your physique looks incredible. Was it enhanced with special effects?"

Matthew saw the question pop up and replied, "No enhancements whatsoever. What you see on screen is what you get in real life."

The next user's question was about his career trajectory: "I noticed you've been working with major stars and famous directors since your very first role. Do you have connections in Hollywood? Or a wealthy background?"

"I'm just a regular actor," Matthew said, adopting a humble tone for his fans. "I'm from a small town in Texas, and I've been incredibly fortunate to work with so many talented people. If I had to say why, I'd just have to chalk it up to good luck."

Another user posed a more pointed question: "I've heard stories about the casting couch in Hollywood, directors offering roles in exchange for sex. Is that true? I know it's usually women who face that, but have you ever experienced it?"

"That sort of thing does happen."

These situations were common knowledge in Hollywood, an open secret. Matthew didn't deny it, but he was certainly not foolish enough to name names or specific events. "I did run into it once," he admitted. "A director invited me to his hotel room to discuss a role, and then his real intentions became clear. I left as soon as I realized what was happening."

Ultimately, such topics were too sensitive. The moderators quickly steered the conversation back on track, selecting questions from Yahoo Entertainment insiders that were mostly related to The Scorpion King. After all, the interview's entire purpose was to market the film.

The rest of the interview went smoothly. Thanks to the careful moderation by Yahoo Entertainment and Ilana's professional guidance, Matthew didn't have to face any of the truly difficult questions that the general public was no doubt eager to ask.

The interview was published on Yahoo Entertainment and subsequently picked up by print media, as Universal's promotional campaign for The Scorpion King intensified in the run-up to its release.

Both Universal Pictures and the film's cast were keenly aware that for The Scorpion King, the box office was everything. While Hollywood films have numerous revenue streams, a straightforward action blockbuster like this needed a strong theatrical run. If it couldn't guarantee a solid box office performance, there was little hope of it generating significant income from television rights, DVDs, and home video sales.

That was simply out of the question.

The studio also held an exclusive screening for the press and critics. Matthew didn't attend, but the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Nearly every journalist and professional critic at the event showered the film with praise.

Matthew, however, wasn't overly optimistic about the results. Helen had made it clear to him that most of these advance screenings in Hollywood were just another part of the business.

And since it was a business, money played the leading role.

He didn't get involved in that side of things. As an actor, it wasn't his job, nor was he in a position to participate.

It was no exaggeration to say that throughout the entire promotional campaign for The Scorpion King, he was a puppet in the hands of the studio and the production team. Given his current status compared to the film's investors and producers, that power dynamic was perfectly understandable.

Neither Matthew nor Helen complained. At this stage, nothing was more important than ensuring The Scorpion King performed well at the box office.

The promotional push for The Scorpion King didn't stop there. With about ten days remaining until the premiere, and with Matthew and Helen's agreement, the studio dispatched a professional publicist to New York to persuade a key figure to participate in the upcoming publicity blitz.