The Best Movie Actor In Hollywood!

Chapter 172

Hearing Helen's words, Matthew straightened up and leaned back against the sofa. "Go on."

Helen had clearly been preparing for this and launched right in. "First, whenever you leave the house, you must be meticulous about your appearance. Don't worry about how other celebrities carry themselves—you need to look impeccable. Our goal is to make you more than just another star."

She paused for a moment in thought. "To put it simply, my goal is to turn you into a stylish, commercial superstar."

Matthew nodded. "I like the sound of that."

It didn't contradict his own ambitions in the slightest, but Matthew remained a bit skeptical. "I thought taking roles in more artistic films and winning Oscars was the way to elevate your status in Hollywood."

"Who told you that?" Helen shook her head. "There's a kernel of truth in that, but it's not the whole story. Let me ask you: who do you consider a bigger star, Tom Cruise or Kevin Spacey?"

Matthew spread his hands. "Is that even a question?"

Helen explained, "Once you reach the A-list, commercial value is what truly matters. Why do you think stars kill themselves trying to win an Oscar? It’s simple: it’s the fastest way to make their commercial value skyrocket."

She seemed determined to keep Matthew on this track, adding pointedly, "If your own commercial value is high enough, prestige and style will naturally follow."

Matthew nodded cautiously.Helen added, "Remember, this is Hollywood."

Matthew accepted her point.

The film industry was a complex world, and everyone had their own perspective and priorities.

"You need a professional stylist," Helen continued, picking up where she left off. "The clothes you wear for any public appearance, the accessories, even your haircut, sunglasses, rings—everything needs to be curated by a professional. You'll also need to learn the basics of how to present yourself to the media and the public."

Matthew caught her meaning. "Are you trying to turn me into a male god?"

"A male god?" Helen raised an eyebrow, puzzled for a moment, then a smile of understanding crossed her face. "Yes, that’s an apt way to put it."

For some reason, Matthew's mind immediately went to Hollywood stars like Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt.

They were once the biggest commercial stars in Hollywood. Even a small-town kid like him knew them inside and out, a testament to their incredible influence.

What was so bad about becoming a star like that?

"Now, for the second point," Helen continued. "You're going to need a personal assistant soon to help with your affairs, especially on set. You've been on film shoots; you know that having a professional assistant allows you to concentrate fully on your work."

"Definitely." Matthew had felt the need for one himself.

The last film he'd worked on was a period piece, and it took hours to get into makeup and costume. Once he was all geared up, even simple tasks became incredibly awkward.

Helen, perhaps thirsty, went to get a glass of water. After taking a sip, she said, "You're a star now. Your personal space can be monetized, and that means the assistants provided by the crew are no longer trustworthy enough."

She paused briefly. "Of course, we don't need to rush it. We can wait until your next project starts."

Matthew nodded; a personal assistant under a non-disclosure agreement would certainly be more reliable than a random crew member assigned to him.

Helen set down her glass. "Third, in the future, if you run into any kind of unexpected situation, you need to inform me immediately. You have to remember that."

Matthew didn't object.

"Fourth, don't make promises to anyone or any company. You're a hot commodity now; things aren't the same as they used to be."

...

They talked in the room for a good three hours, with Matthew even ordering takeout for lunch. After they ate, the press outside had thinned out a little, so he and Helen drove to the Screen Actors Guild to finalize the remaining contract details.

Late that evening, Matthew arrived at Universal Studios for a press conference. There, Universal's director of production, Philip Cranston, and Stephen Sommers jointly announced a massive project: a $160 million fantasy-adventure blockbuster with Van Helsing as the lead. The film was intended to bring together a host of Universal's classic monsters, and the script, being overseen by Sommers, aimed to incorporate The Mummy and The Scorpion King into the new universe.

This major announcement from Universal Pictures was clearly intended to give a significant boost to The Scorpion King's ongoing box office run, hence the timing of the press conference.

On one hand, a $160 million production budget wasn't unheard of in modern Hollywood, but it was certainly rare. On the other, it raised questions about how they could possibly integrate and balance so many famous characters in a single film.

After the press conference ended, Matthew didn't linger, leaving Universal Pictures ahead of the crowd.

He did notice, however, that Stephen Sommers barely seemed to acknowledge him, and guessed the director might have already found a more suitable candidate for the role of Van Helsing.

After all, he was still a relatively minor star with limited box-office draw for a $160 million picture.

What Matthew wanted most was for Sommers and Orlando Bloom to meet... no, to join forces. If that happened, the likelihood of Orlando competing for the blacksmith role in Pirates of the Caribbean would be much lower. And even if he did, Matthew suspected the Pirates team would have their doubts.

As things stood, the production schedules for Van Helsing and Pirates of the Caribbean—from planning and prep to the actual shoot—were bound to conflict. It was highly unlikely, not to mention unmanageable, for one actor to take the lead in both.

Matthew hadn't seen Orlando since he'd deliberately introduced him to Sommers at The Scorpion King's premiere, so he had no idea how much progress the other actor had made.

However, he had made a point of asking around and learned that Orlando and his agent had been frequenting Universal Studios lately. He’d also seen newspaper reports of Orlando having dinner with Sommers. The man was clearly working every angle to land the Van Helsing role.

He hoped the two of them were hitting it off.

Casting for Van Helsing hadn't officially started yet, so anything was possible.

Unlike Sommers's new project, Pirates of the Caribbean seemed to be moving more slowly. The film hadn't been officially announced yet, but Matthew and Helen had been keeping a close watch on Jerry Bruckheimer for some time.

In reality, under Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer, the as-yet-unannounced Pirates of the Caribbean project was moving much faster than Van Helsing, which was still little more than an idea on paper.

Helen had visited Disney Pictures and seen that filming for some minor scenes was already underway. Jerry Bruckheimer had also recently traveled to Rosarito, Mexico, planning to shoot sea scenes in the massive water tank where James Cameron had filmed Titanic. However, the tank had been booked by 20th Century Fox for Master and Commander, so Bruckheimer was now planning to shoot some scenes on location in the Caribbean Sea.

Helen estimated that the project would be announced and casting would begin by the end of May at the latest.

From the London accent to the rather quirky fencing style, Matthew had done his homework. Now, his greatest wish was to not see Orlando Bloom's name on the audition list.

...

In Beverly Hills, Orlando Bloom stood in the enormous, sun-drenched living room of his newly purchased mansion, looking energized and full of confidence.

The Lord of the Rings had grossed over $300 million at the North American box office, the character of Legolas was a sensation, and wherever Bloom went, he was the center of attention.

Orlando felt that if his next major solo film was a box office success, he would be guaranteed a spot on the A-list. A few more years of hard work, and he might even find himself in the same league as Tom Cruise.

In the corner of the living room, his agent hung up the phone, walked over, and said, "Universal Pictures has officially announced the Van Helsing project."

Orlando nodded. "We'll have to move faster, then."

His agent sounded confident. "You've been very well received at Universal Pictures. Sommers is impressed enough to agree to an audition. If you nail it, there's a very good chance we'll get the part."

"I'd be surprised if I didn't get the part," Orlando stated confidently.

Judging from his few meetings with Sommers, the director admired him to some degree and seemed genuinely fond of his portrayal of Legolas.

The only problem was the competition.

"What about Matthew Horner?" he asked, a note of concern in his voice.

"I'm told he's still busy promoting The Scorpion King. It was this week's box office champion, so he'll be a strong contender if he decides to go for the role."

Orlando said nothing, but he privately hoped that The Scorpion King's box office would soar high and then crash hard. That way, Matthew would have limited leverage, even if he did decide to compete.