The Best Movie Actor In Hollywood!

Chapter 347

"How many people showed up in total?"

In the theater lobby, Brian, flanked by six helpers, approached the entrance carrying two large boxes. Maria, a backpack slung over each shoulder, answered, "One hundred and sixty-seven. The two hundred seats are almost full."

Brian nodded. "Not bad."

They reached the ticket counter, where a staff member opened the boxes and gave them a quick glance before waving the group through.

The group headed toward the seventh screening room. Without a word, Brian quickly called for help and began distributing the T-shirts. The fans who received them immediately pulled them on. They were good quality shirts, emblazoned with a close-up shot from the "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" trailer of Matthew with a gun pointed at his head.

"Brian, did you buy all of these?" someone asked aloud.

"Of course not." Brian deliberately raised his voice. "They're all free!"

He explained briefly, "I know some people at the studio. They heard we were holding this spontaneous event and decided to sponsor us, but on one condition."

Seeing Brian pause, the same person asked, "What's that?"

Brian immediately replied, "They want a group photo of us in these shirts. It'll show the world that we support Matthew.""Okay!"

"Let's take a picture!"

The screening room buzzed with excitement. Brian called for order, then organized about thirty people for a group photo. The space at the front of the room was limited and couldn't accommodate hundreds of people at once.

Finally, as showtime drew near, a hush fell over the theater. Brian found an empty seat next to Maria, a thrill of excitement running through him.

Organizing an event like this was no small feat for the young man, but he had no intention of giving up.

...

At Hollywood's Kodak Theatre, the red carpet ceremony had concluded. The main cast and crew of "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" stood together before the sponsor backdrop, posing for a final group photo.

After the photo, Matthew escorted Charlize Theron into the theater.

On the way, she asked in a low voice, "What did Akiva Goldsman want?"

Just before the cast had assembled for the group picture, Goldsman had pulled Matthew aside to speak with him for a few minutes.

Matthew lowered his voice as well. "He has a new project. He wants to work with me."

"Oh?" Charlize asked curiously. "What kind of project?"

Matthew shook his head. "I'm not sure. He didn't say."

Since they were running late, the crew skipped the VIP lounge and headed straight into the screening hall, led by Goldsman.

As he passed through a side door into the front row of the theater, Matthew glanced back at the seats behind him. The auditorium, with its capacity of over a thousand, appeared to be completely full.

"Hey, Matthew!"

A familiar voice called out from the guest seating. Matthew stopped, took two steps over, and hugged James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender as they stood up.

"And this is?" James asked, looking at Charlize.

Taking the cue, Matthew gestured to James and Michael. "Let me introduce two of my best friends."

He introduced them one by one. "The shorter one is James McAvoy, and the taller one is Michael Fassbender. They're actors too."

Then he introduced Charlize. "James, Michael, this is Charlize, my... uh... fiancée."

Saying the word felt more than a little awkward.

James and Michael greeted Charlize politely. Not knowing them, she simply nodded and whispered to Matthew, "I'll go wait for you by the entrance."

Matthew nodded.

As soon as Charlize was gone and no one else was nearby, Michael leaned in and whispered, "The last time we were out drinking, you said you had a phobia of marriage. What changed?"

"Well..." Matthew didn't want to lie to either of them, but he couldn't just tell them the truth. He replied vaguely, "It's not something I can explain in just a sentence or two."

James, however, was more concerned with something else. "Matthew, how did you manage to land an Oscar winner?"

Matthew sidestepped the question. "You guys got the invitations, right?"

"Yeah, we did." Michael nodded. "Don't worry, I'll be there."

James added, "I definitely won't miss it. I have to give a speech on your behalf, after all."

Matthew smiled and checked his watch. "Come over for a drink in a few days, once I'm done with all this."

Michael grinned. "No problem. James and I will be sure to drink your entire stash."

After saying goodbye, Matthew returned to the front row and sat down beside Charlize.

Seeing him return, she said with curiosity, "I've never heard you mention them before. I thought your best friend was Depp."

"I've known them since I first came to Hollywood," Matthew explained. "James and Michael are my closest friends."

Unlike his friendship with Depp, his bond with James and Michael had been forged side-by-side in the trenches.

As the start time for "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" approached, a steady stream of people filed into the theater for the premiere.

...

In New York City, at the Empire Entertainment cinema near Manhattan's Central Park, Rex Reed stood in the middle of the lobby, staring at the posters hanging on the walls. They featured a man and a woman striking a rather dramatic pose with their weapons.

The woman was the Oscar-winning actress Charlize Theron, and the man was Matthew Horner, one of Hollywood's leading action stars.

As a professional film critic for the New York Observer, Rex naturally recognized both of them. Matthew Horner, in particular, had left a lasting impression on him.

He remembered that time, amidst a storm of publicity, when he had been compelled to kiss a donkey's ass because of Matthew Horner.

But it was worth noting that the incident had made a name for him. He had become a highly sought-after figure in the world of film criticism and was even named one of New York's Top 10 professional film critics by The New Yorker this year.

Undoubtedly, the publicity stunt back then had benefited him greatly. He was now considered a success.

For the past couple of weeks, the buzz surrounding Matthew, Charlize, and "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" had dominated the entertainment media, making it impossible to ignore.

Rex had taken notice, which was why he was here today to check out his "old friend's" new film.

Of course, as a professional critic, he had to review the movie.

When Rex approached the ticket counter, he didn't have a ticket. Instead, he pulled out his New York Film Critics Association membership card and handed it to the attendant.

"Hello, Mr. Reed." The ticket attendant examined the card carefully, then picked up a pen, ready to make a note in his logbook. "Which film will you be seeing?"

Rex took back his membership card and replied, "The new Universal Pictures release, 'Mr. & Mrs. Smith.' I'd like to see it."

The attendant immediately made a note. "You can go right in, Mr. Reed."

By the time Rex entered the screening area, the attendant had made another special mark in the log. According to industry practice, the distribution company typically covered the cost of admission for professional film critics.

Entering the screening room, Rex glanced around and saw that attendance was quite good. With showtime fast approaching, nearly half the seats were already taken.

Based on past experience, a summer commercial blockbuster with fifty percent attendance before the trailers even started was likely to be a sellout, or even a supersold-out event.

Rex found an empty seat, sat down, and habitually took out a pen and notebook, ready to jot down his thoughts as he watched.

"I doubt Universal is going to show us anything original," Rex mused, already feeling a familiar cynicism toward major studio productions. "Probably just another standard popcorn flick."

The overhead lights suddenly dimmed. A bright glow filled the massive screen as the iconic Universal Studios logo appeared.

The theater fell silent, all eyes fixed on the screen.

At that very moment, thousands of viewers across America were holding their breath, waiting for "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" to begin.