The Best Movie Actor In Hollywood!

Chapter 403

At five in the afternoon, Matthew finished his fencing practice and returned early to Beverly Hills. As soon as he passed through the gates of the Horner Estate, he saw Lister standing on the driveway, instructing workers who were tending to the trees. He was in the front yard, looking less like a company director and more like Matthew's personal groundskeeper.

The company had been expanding over the past few years, and with Lister's executive position, he hardly needed to handle this kind of work himself. He was here today to show his most important client how serious and responsible he was, hoping to secure more business.

The estate looked incredibly luxurious, but maintaining that appearance was a meticulous and costly endeavor, with over $100,000 spent annually on upkeep alone.

This didn't even cover the cost of maintaining the lush greenery in the front yard and the tall trees that shielded the property from prying eyes.

Just keeping the trees healthy was a challenge, even without a widespread blight.

Pests and diseases were a headache in themselves.

A while back, several trees had been lost to moths, and Matthew had to ask Lister to find someone to deal with the vexing problem.

"Hello, Matthew," Lister greeted him.

Matthew walked over and stood beside him, watching as a few workers sawed down and dug up a dead tree nearby.

"So?" Matthew asked. "Is it a serious problem?"Pointing to the dead tree, Lister replied, "It's all under control. I'm having the most severe cases and any nonviable trees removed. We'll replant new ones afterward."

Matthew nodded. "It's best to choose a species with fewer pests and diseases."

"Right. I'm bringing in someone to spray for white moths tomorrow, so it would be best if you stay away from this area for the next week. The staff at the estate should be told to keep their outdoor activity to a minimum."

"I'll give them the day off tomorrow."

He thought for a moment, then asked, "Are all the public and state permits in order? You've filed the paperwork?"

There were strict regulations on spraying chemicals in residential areas.

Lister quickly assured him, "We have everything sorted."

Without another word, Matthew turned and walked toward the main house, a modest beige building, and Lister followed. He hadn't come here just to supervise the tree removal.

"It's just, Matthew..." Lister glanced at him and said, gesturing toward the vast estate, "Your new home is so large. Don't you find it a bit... cold?"

"Cold?" Matthew didn't quite understand what he meant.

Lister smiled. "You haven't had a party since you moved into the estate."

"That's true," Matthew nodded. "It's about time I had a party, if I can find the time."

He thought about the two charitable foundations Amanda was planning a large fundraising dinner and auction for, and wondered if the Horner Estate would be a suitable venue.

Seeing that Matthew seemed to be seriously considering it, Lister added, "If you need any guests, just let me know."

Matthew couldn't help but laugh. "I'll be sure to let you know when I need someone."

Lister quickly asked, "What about the top tier?"

Matthew knew he was talking about the model who commanded two million dollars a night and was intrigued by Lister's question. "Are you going to tell me who she is? If you don't tell me exactly who she is, how will I know if she's worth two million dollars?"

"That..." Lister hesitated for a moment, but still said, "I can't disclose that. Let's just say she's our company's trump card."

He looked particularly sincere. "In a position like mine, the most important thing is finding the right client."

Matthew smiled. "A client like me?"

Lister nodded. "Yes. She also has standards for her clients. She'll simply refuse if she deems them unsuitable."

Matthew was impressed. "So that's how she emphasizes her status and value?"

"Exactly," Lister admitted. "If she took on just any client, she wouldn't be at the very top."

Matthew was curious but didn't press him on her identity. Instead, he asked, "If the transaction goes through, what's your cut?"

Lister didn't hide it from Matthew. He simply raised a finger. "A hundred thousand dollars, minimum."

Matthew nodded and asked no more questions. After all, the person he was curious about wasn't someone Lister was at liberty to name.

That evening, Matthew packed his things and informed the household staff that everyone except the security guards would have the next week off, starting tomorrow.

****

The next morning, before leaving for Warner Studios, Matthew booked a luxury suite at the Beverly Hills Hilton, where he would be living for the next week.

Meanwhile, work on 300 was progressing smoothly. The script was finished, the cast was set, and preparations were in full swing.

But I Am Legend was moving at a snail's pace.

Akiva Goldsman had been feeling a bit down lately. During negotiations, he never expected the seemingly calm and harmless Helen to demand twenty million dollars plus twenty percent of the box office gross.

While Helen's audacious demand wasn't entirely shocking, Goldsman was still a little taken aback. After all, Matthew had only become a top-tier star after the success of Mr. & Mrs. Smith, and Helen's ask was enormous.

Of course, he understood the tactic behind it; Helen had made such an offer to establish a strong negotiating position.

But it was a far cry from the sum he was prepared to offer Matthew Horner.

As a producer, his job was to manage costs reasonably, and he had a duty to keep expenses in check.

"Is there still no progress in the negotiations?" Goldsman asked his production manager, David Heyman. "Hasn't Helen budged at all?"

David set down his coffee cup and replied, "She made some concessions during this morning's talks. She agreed to reduce his share of the gross from twenty percent to fifteen."

Goldsman frowned. "And that's it? Only a five percent drop?"

"Yes." David sighed. "After that, Helen refused to go any lower, and the negotiations had to be suspended."

He warned, "Helen and Matthew's appetite is too big. They've made an offer that's far beyond our expectations."

Akiva stood up, paced back and forth in his office, and said, "I was too eager."

Then David added, "I think I can get her down to ten percent if I keep talking to her."

Akiva shook his head, still unable to accept that price.

It was true he had worked with Matthew on Mr. & Mrs. Smith, and they had been very successful together. Matthew had done a tremendous job on set and during the promotional campaigns. But he couldn't justify agreeing to Helen's offer. Not by a long shot.

Mr. & Mrs. Smith was over. I Am Legend was a new project, and he wasn't about to let his feelings from the old one carry over to the new.

Apparently, the same was true for Matthew.

Matthew wanted more for himself, while Goldsman represented the interests of the production. The two sides were naturally on opposite ends of the negotiation.

"We showed our hand too early, revealing how much we wanted to work with Matthew," David said, looking at Goldsman. "Matthew is working on 300, where the production and the director have made him the central figure. He's probably taken that sense of importance and carried it over to our project."

"That was an oversight on my part." Goldsman didn't deny it. He took a few more steps around the office. "David, you continue negotiating with Helen. Our first choice for the male lead is still Matthew Horner, but..."

He paused. "Announce to the public that the producers of I Am Legend are interested in finding a suitable lead actor through open auditions."

David nodded immediately. "Good idea. We can use that to put pressure on Matthew and Helen."

Then he cautioned, "But just starting a rumor won't be enough. Helen is a shrewd woman."

"I know." Goldsman made a quick decision. "In that case, reach out to Will Smith, Nicolas Cage..."

He cut himself off abruptly. "No, forget Cage. Send open audition invitations to Will Smith, Matt Damon, and Russell Crowe."