The Best Movie Actor In Hollywood!

Chapter 355

A hush fell over the grand ballroom as dozens of guests stood in the center, watching the Hollywood couple on stage.

The engagement ceremony was structured like a cocktail party, with no assigned seating or formal banquet arrangements.

A cameraman appeared from a spot just below the stage, capturing a close-up of the priest before switching to a wide-angle shot that included Matthew and Charlize.

Matthew wasn't religious; the priest had been invited largely as a formality.

Standing to the priest's left, Matthew glanced down at the cameraman from TMZ, who had previously arranged a deal with Charlize for the exclusive video and photo rights to the engagement ceremony for $1.5 million.

Of course, neither Matthew nor Charlize were foolish enough to pocket the money. They planned to issue a joint public statement donating the full $1.5 million to the UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) once the TMZ story was released.

This way, they would achieve their primary goal of generating buzz and publicity while simultaneously earning a benevolent reputation at someone else's expense—a truly profitable arrangement.

With Helen orchestrating things behind the scenes and Matthew being sufficiently thick-skinned, it was only natural to find a way to maximize the benefits.

Otherwise, wouldn't this whole spectacle be a waste of time?

The engagement ceremony was simple, consisting of two main parts: the priest's exhortation and the exchange of engagement rings.A well-known wedding officiant from Beverly Hills stepped forward and declared loudly, "In the presence of God, I exhort this couple to remember that love and faithfulness are the cornerstones upon which joy is built. I hope that you will always honor the solemn vows you have made, that you will steadfastly seek and follow a righteous path, and that your life will always be happy, harmonious, and joyful, so the future family you build may withstand any change."

Matthew stood in solemn silence, feigning rapt attention.

Charlize, in her white dress, stood quietly, her thoughts unreadable.

The priest enunciated each word clearly, his voice resonating. "Remember that you do not embark on this new path of life alone, and you should not hesitate to ask for help when you face a difficult situation. Your friends, your other half, and your community will all extend a helping hand. Accepting help is not a disgrace; it is an act of sincerity."

The officiant concluded, "Most importantly, we are all here together to witness the union of this couple. Amen."

The priest stepped back and smoothly announced, "You may now exchange rings."

Matthew and Charlize moved to the center of the stage. Michael approached from the side and handed a small ring box to Matthew.

Matthew took out the diamond ring and slipped it onto Charlize's finger.

Next, Charlize's mother appeared. She first hugged her daughter, then placed an elegant ring box in Charlize's hand.

Charlize took out the men's ring and slid it onto Matthew's finger.

The ballroom erupted in applause from all the guests, and Matthew kissed Charlize, concluding the simple yet solemn engagement ceremony.

...

Down below the stage, Ilana sidled up to the cameraman and asked, "How did it go?"

The cameraman nodded. "Everything went smoothly."

Ilana relayed Matthew's instructions, saying, "You don't need to record the rest."

The cameraman didn't hesitate, immediately shutting off his camera as Ilana added, "Get back to the office right away, edit the video, and wait for me."

"No problem," the cameraman replied, beginning to pack up his equipment.

As he finished packing and exited through a side door, he glanced back at the stage, where Gerda, Charlize's mother, who was speaking on her daughter's behalf, was finishing her brief speech and descending the steps.

"You're up," Michael said from the side of the stage, nudging James McAvoy, who adjusted his bowtie. "I know."

He walked toward the center of the stage.

James had been a good friend of Matthew's long before he was famous, knew a great deal about him, and was aware he had no family. So when Matthew asked him to be his representative, he agreed without hesitation.

Besides Michael, he felt no one was better suited for the role.

"Ladies and gentlemen."

Standing at the center of the stage, James projected the serious demeanor characteristic of the British. "Matthew Horner is my good friend, and I was thrilled when he asked me to be his best man."

Matthew watched James, having no idea what he was about to say.

"Who is he?" Ilana asked Helen curiously.

"A close friend of Matthew's," Helen replied, pointing to Michael at the side of the stage. "And that guy, too. The three of them have been friends for years. Matthew's friendship with them is much deeper than his friendship with Johnny Depp."

Ilana nodded thoughtfully.

James continued, "I am honored and pleasantly surprised, and I promise Matthew that I will do my best to fulfill this duty—a task that has proven more challenging for me than any I have faced before."

He then smiled. "Thank you also for his faith in me. In a way, I am touched."

Matthew smiled back.

"Matthew is a very special person," James said, turning to look at him. "He's not a good guy in the traditional sense, but he is the best of friends, and I consider myself lucky to be his."

This speech couldn't be long, and after these words, James grew serious again. "We are all gathered here today to congratulate Matthew and Charlize on the upcoming adventure of their marriage."

James looked at Charlize. "Charlize, you've earned him!"

Hearing this, Charlize felt an urge to roll her eyes, but she knew this was not the time. She not only forced herself to hold back but also turned her head to look at Matthew beside her.

Matthew looked at her as well, and their eyes met, gazing into one another's.

Once again, the ballroom erupted in applause.

Matthew and Charlize also clapped along with the crowd, offering their applause to James.

When James left the stage, the engagement ceremony was officially over. Matthew and Charlize changed their clothes, and each holding a glass of wine, they entered the ballroom to thank the VIPs who had come to congratulate them.

"Let's have a drink!"

Johnny Depp looked at Matthew and said to Keanu Reeves, "A toast to Matthew and Charlize."

Keanu raised his glass to Matthew. "Congratulations."

"Thank you," Matthew replied with a smile.

Charlize nodded and joined Matthew in taking a small sip.

Just as Depp and Keanu were leaving, Zack Snyder approached with David Ellison.

Zack offered his congratulations, then said to Matthew, "Once you're finished with 'Mr. & Mrs. Smith', David and I will be waiting for you on set."

Matthew nodded. "It might be a while. I'm scheduled to be on the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' set by June, and the shoot will likely last more than six months."

Zack and David were aware of this and spoke with some anxiety. Now that 'Mr. & Mrs. Smith' was a hit, Matthew would undoubtedly be inundated with film offers, and they feared a situation where he might break his agreement for a more lucrative project.

It wasn't an impossibility. After the failure of 'Kingdom of Heaven', many in the media were writing off the epic genre. Although Matthew had signed a contract, his commercial appeal was now so immense that some producers might be willing to pay the breach-of-contract penalty just to cast him.

Matthew was no fool. He stated firmly, "Zack, David, we have an agreement. I will absolutely play the male lead."

After receiving these words of reassurance from Matthew, Zack and David felt significantly relieved and soon departed.

"Are you talking about the graphic novel adaptation?" Charlize asked curiously.

Matthew nodded cautiously. "Yes, '300'."

"You'd better not think about that right now," Charlize changed the subject. "You should be thinking about how we're going to break up later."