The Best Movie Actor In Hollywood!

Chapter 253

"Eat first," Helen said, gesturing to the plate in front of Matthew. "We'll talk after."

Matthew didn't object. He'd been busy all morning and was ravenous. He speared a piece of beef with his fork; it tasted fine. After swallowing, he asked, "Have you eaten?"

Helen replied simply, "Yes."

Alexandra tucked a strand of her long, dark brown hair behind her ear and said, "We already had lunch at the hotel."

Matthew nodded and fell silent, focusing on his meal.

Alexandra glanced at Matthew, taking in the red stains on his shirt, neck, and face. Her blue eyes shifted away as she leaned closer to Helen's ear and whispered, "Why is he eating like that?"

"It's fake blood," Helen answered. "Made from syrup mixed with a special ketchup."

The fake blood on his body looked unsettling, but it didn't actually have an odor—just the sweet scent of corn syrup.

Ten minutes or so later, Matthew finished his lunch. He picked up a napkin, wiped his mouth, and looked at Helen and Alexandra. "I'm done."

Helen didn't beat around the bush. "Something unexpected came up at the agency," she said. "I have to leave Toronto this afternoon."She looked at Alexandra. "Alexandra has only worked on one set and doesn't have much experience in this field. Matthew, please help look out for her."

Matthew glanced at Alexandra, who offered him a shy smile.

Alexandra was no fool. With her agent gone, Matthew was the best person to rely on. He was the lead actor on set, after all; with him backing her, no one would dare give her any trouble.

The last time she was in a film, "Underworld," she had a small role she was happy with, but the set had left a very bad impression on her, especially when Rachel McAdams, who shared her dressing room, started pressuring her.

"Alright," Matthew replied.

Alexandra had been brought into the Angel Agency by Amanda. Her father's position had played a significant role in Amanda's parents' careers, and Helen and Amanda were cousins.

You had to look at the backstory to understand why Helen cared so much about Alexandra.

To put it bluntly, it was a classic American-style case of collusion between government and business.

"Excellent." Helen glanced at her watch. "I'm heading back to the hotel. Take Alexandra to the set."

Matthew nodded.

Helen turned her head to Alexandra. "I'll be back in a week. You can relax as much as possible with Matthew around."

After a moment's thought, she added, "If you run into any trouble, talk to Matthew. He can help you."

"Okay," Alexandra said.

"I'll speak to the right people on the crew," Matthew offered. Having worked his way up from the bottom, he certainly knew that even the most outwardly harmonious set wasn't free from discord. "I'll let them know you're a friend of mine."

Alexandra was a little nervous, but she smiled at Matthew. "Thank you."

Matthew smiled back. "Aren't you and Amanda friends? Any friend of Amanda's is a friend of mine."

Helen shot Matthew a wary glance but said nothing. She stood up and told the two of them, "I'm leaving. Call if you need anything."

Watching Helen leave, Alexandra turned and asked, "Is the atmosphere on set good?"

"Hmm?" Matthew looked at her curiously.

Alexandra explained, "Last time, for that role you introduced me to, I left right after filming, but that crew..."

"What about that crew?" Matthew asked.

"How should I put it?" Alexandra paused to think before continuing. "It felt like everyone had particularly awkward relationships with each other. Kate Beckinsale, the lead actress, was acting strangely with the director, the investors, and one of the male actors. And Rachel McAdams, who I shared a dressing room with, was like she was covered in thorns."

She adopted a relieved tone. "It's a good thing I wasn't there for long."

"That's normal for a Hollywood set." Matthew pushed his empty plate aside. "I've been on plenty of troubled crews. Even 'Pirates of the Caribbean' had its conflicts."

Alexandra, who was just starting out in the business, didn't know much about the Hollywood scene and listened intently.

Matthew continued, "There are hundreds of actors involved in this production. How many of them have positive scenes? How many have lines? How many can actually make an impression on the audience? And what about all the actors vying for a spot in the main cast or a significant supporting role?"

Alexandra said nothing, just listened to Matthew.

"There could be thousands of them, or even more." Matthew shrugged lightly. "If you want to move up, you have to step on people's heads like rungs on a ladder. That's how everyone does it here."

"But..." Alexandra seemed to have a different opinion. "I didn't feel any competition when I got the role."

Matthew was speechless for a moment. He was talking about actors who came from a background like his, not someone like Alexandra, who had a much better shot at making a name for herself from the start.

"That's because you're starting from a higher place than everyone else," Matthew said.

Alexandra thought for a moment and seemed to understand what he meant.

She wasn't even eighteen yet, but she had grown up with astute parents and had learned a thing or two about society.

"Right!" Alexandra nodded vigorously, and whether intentionally or not, she straightened her back, pushing out her ample chest. "Now that Helen is gone... Matthew, I'm counting on you."

Hearing this, Matthew felt that something was a little off, but he didn't dwell on it.

He stood up. "Let's go to the set. I'll introduce you to the director."

He led the way to the restaurant exit, thinking about Alexandra. Of all the young women he knew, she seemed to be the more introverted and reserved type.

Alexandra followed behind Matthew, her bright blue eyes fixed on his back, confident that she now had someone even more reliable than Helen to depend on while on set.

She picked up her pace and caught up to Matthew on the way to the exit, walking silently beside him.

Arriving at the outdoor set, Matthew introduced Alexandra to Zack Snyder and the executive producers, telling them she was a friend of his and that they should take care of her.

They readily agreed.

Matthew did this not just to introduce Alexandra to the key people in the cast and crew, but also to send a clear message. As long as people were in their right minds and didn't want a head-on confrontation with the film's leading man, they naturally wouldn't cause any trouble for Alexandra.

When Alexandra went to the makeup trailer, Matthew deliberately had his assistant accompany her. An actress at Alexandra's level certainly wouldn't get a private makeup trailer, and having his assistant with her would undoubtedly smooth over potential problems behind the scenes.

Matthew understood perfectly well that even though Alexandra came from a good background and had Helen's special protection, no Hollywood set was ever perfectly calm and pristine. Those who seemingly leaped to the top in a single step were far more vulnerable to jealousy and attacks than those who climbed the ladder slowly.

In that respect, Tom Cruise, in his early days, was a classic example.

Soon, the crew was assembled. Matthew hadn't removed his makeup, and after a quick touch-up, filming began.

That afternoon, they would be shooting part of the scene where he fights off zombies while meeting Alexandra's character.