The Best Movie Actor In Hollywood!

Chapter 298

It wasn't just Charlize. While discussing the script and his role with the director, Doug Liman, Matthew learned that other actresses would be auditioning for the female lead. After a few A-list stars had the nerve to turn down their invitations, "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" lowered its standards slightly, and five or six B-list stars interested in the role of Jane Smith received audition invitations.

Among them were well-known names like Penélope Cruz, Milla Jovovich, and Jessica Biel.

Charlize, the previous year's Oscar winner—though not yet commanding a top-tier salary—also received an invitation to audition.

Despite being an Oscar winner, Charlize’s box office record wasn't exactly impressive. Her best film to date was a standout performance in "The Italian Job," a role that was purely about making a splash.

Of course, Charlize had the advantage of her Oscar win, and many productions were still eager to invite her.

A Best Actress Oscar was indeed a powerful charm, but a look across Hollywood revealed a curious trend. While actresses who won the award became highly sought-after, many of them seemed to be plagued by bad luck, facing a continuous string of failures.

As Matthew prepared for his role, he also kept up with the times, following the astonishing gossip surrounding Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, and Jennifer Aniston in his spare time.

Angelina Jolie, with her high profile, was constantly appearing before reporters and the press, and she inevitably mentioned Pitt every time she opened her mouth.

Jennifer Aniston, on the other hand, was far more reserved and hadn't appeared in public since her agent and publicist announced her divorce.

In a way, her silence helped Brad Pitt. His PR campaign to whitewash his image in the media was having some effect; Pitt's fans used the anonymity of the internet to accuse Jennifer Aniston of hiding her inability to conceive a child from him.Jennifer never spoke out, simply having her spokesperson release another statement about the divorce.

"...I wanted to have a relationship that was the most enduring, but he thought otherwise."

After releasing the statement, Jennifer's side once again emphasized that she would not ask Pitt for a single cent.

Jennifer had the strength and influence to back it up. "Friends" had just ended in May, and she surpassed Brad Pitt in both wealth and fame.

But Matthew couldn't help but wonder, without malice, if Jennifer Aniston's value would decline now that "Friends" had ended. Had Brad Pitt intentionally chosen this moment to end their marriage?

Frankly, he couldn't be blamed for speculating. Throughout Brad Pitt's rise to fame, one woman after another had served as a stepping stone. Matthew had to admire Pitt for his ability to leverage one girlfriend after another to climb to the pinnacle of superstardom—a feat not everyone could pull off.

This incredible story would be told for years to come, becoming one of the most famous in Hollywood history.

At the time, Matthew was still trying to figure out how to convince Akiva Goldsman not to cast Nicole Kidman in the lead role, but to his surprise, just like the actresses before her, Nicole also pushed back her audition for Jane Smith until after the early screenings.

Her decision to postpone, however, was a matter of choice.

According to reliable information Helen had obtained, Nicole had struck a deal with Sony Columbia Pictures to star in the film adaptation of the 1964 ABC series "Bewitched" for a salary of $20 million.

Nicole Kidman would never agree to the much smaller fee offered for "Mr. & Mrs. Smith," so it was only natural that she would withdraw.

This would allow Nicole to join the exclusive club of stars paid $20 million per role, and it would also be a great promotional tool for the film.

For an actress, the $20 Million Club was an almost unattainable goal, making the lead role in "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" seem far less attractive by comparison.

The box office poison was left to wreak havoc on another cast and crew, and Matthew could breathe a sigh of relief. Even if Charlize didn't end up as the lead actress, the other options wouldn't be any worse.

Just as Matthew was preparing for the filming of "Mr. & Mrs. Smith," he received a call from James McAvoy, who had arrived in Los Angeles from the UK with Michael Fassbender.

The three had kept in touch but hadn't seen each other in a while due to their busy schedules.

"Hey, Matthew."

Inside a club in Burbank, James McAvoy spotted Matthew and immediately walked over to give him a hug. "You son of a gun, you're bigger than ever!"

Matthew hugged James back, then embraced Michael who was standing beside him. "You two finally decided to leave England?" he asked.

Michael had originally stayed in Los Angeles to develop his career but had returned to London last year to do some theater.

James shrugged. "There's nothing wrong with England. At least it's not as competitive as Hollywood."

Michael added, "But the weather is awful."

Matthew laughed. As they settled at a table, a waiter brought over a fine, specially selected wine, and the three of them chatted and drank.

Compared to Matthew, James and Michael's careers hadn't progressed as smoothly. Matthew had wanted to help them, but they had both turned him down.

They both cherished the hard-won camaraderie they shared with Matthew and knew that many friendships could quickly sour if tainted by personal gain.

Matthew understood this as well. He had only wanted to help them as much as he could, and since James and Michael weren't on board, he certainly wasn't going to force them.

"Matthew, be honest." Michael put down his wine glass, a signature shark-like smile on his face, and asked, "How many actresses have you slept with?"

"Not many, just a few," Matthew replied, feigning modesty.

James, however, pressed him. "Not many?"

Before Matthew could say anything, he began counting. "Let me see, which actresses have the English tabloids been writing about? Keira Knightley would be one, Jessica Alba is two, and Scarlett Johansson..."

He glanced at Michael, who said quietly, "If you actually count them, it really isn't that many."

"Not many? It's too few!" James looked scornful. "You've been famous for over a year, haven't you? And you've only been with a few actresses?"

Surprised by James's disdain, Matthew felt rather indignant. "James, what do you know? It's called quality over quantity!"

James grumbled, "You don't know how to charm women, do you? Don't be ashamed to admit it."

He pointed to himself. "You're sitting in front of a master. You can ask for advice anytime."

Matthew waved a hand dismissively. "You? Really? You're probably still a virgin!"

Michael interjected, "I can assure you, James is not."

Matthew shot a deliberately surprised look first at Michael, then at James.

James scowled. "Go to hell, Matthew. That's not funny."

Matthew looked innocent. "Did I say something?"

Michael picked up his glass and nudged it into Matthew's hand. "Matthew, if you make one more wild assumption, I promise James and I will get you drunk and dump you in a gay bar."

Matthew took a sip of his drink before changing the subject. "Alright, let's talk about why you two left London."

"Simple." Michael picked up the bottle and poured Matthew a drink. "James got a role and was coming here to film. I was auditioning too, so I came with him."

"Oh?" Matthew asked curiously. "James, what role did you get? And in what film?"

"It's a Disney Pictures movie," James answered right away. "A children's film based on 'The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe' by C.S. Lewis. My character is a half-human creature."

Matthew nodded and then asked Michael, "And you?"

Michael smiled. "A role in a small production from Paramount Pictures."

Since he didn't want to elaborate, Matthew didn't press him. They hadn't seen each other in a long time, so they spent the time drinking, talking, and occasionally bragging about their success with women.

It was late when they finally left the club. Matthew got a driver to take James and Michael back to their hotel before heading home himself.

In the days that followed, Matthew didn't see them again. He had to attend the auditions for the lead actress in "Mr. & Mrs. Smith," which included a mandatory scene with him to test for that subtle, all-important chemistry.