The Best Movie Actor In Hollywood!

Chapter 406

Matthew left the negotiations for "I Am Legend" entirely in Helen's hands. He was focused on the final outcome, not the blow-by-blow details of the process.

Although he was aware that Will Smith was also vying for the lead role, he wasn't overly concerned.

During the latest round of talks, Helen had lowered her ask to five percent of the total box office gross. While they hadn't yet reached a final agreement with the "I Am Legend" team, their haggling was having an effect: the studio's salary offer for Matthew had already climbed from fifteen to sixteen million dollars.

The two sides were still far apart, but it was a clear signal that the studio was eager to keep the conversation going.

It was hardly unusual for several actors to be in contention for the lead in a major Hollywood production. Securing the part always came down to a combination of an actor's star power, his connections, and his agent's skill.

In terms of sheer star power, Matthew would have been at a disadvantage a few years ago. But Hollywood producers cared more about recent box office performance, and in that arena—spanning the last three years—Matthew clearly had the upper hand.

Over the past three years, Will Smith had starred in films like "Men in Black II" in 2002, "Bad Boys II" in 2003, and "I, Robot" in 2004.

But when compared to Matthew's track record over the same period, Smith's box office results were clearly lagging.

"Bad Boys II" had even lost money during its theatrical run, only managing to break even after DVD sales.

Considering all the feedback Helen had relayed over the past few days, it was clear that Matthew was still the frontrunner for "I Am Legend".Of course, the world would keep spinning, and Hollywood would remain the most powerful hub of the global film industry, with or without any single star. Matthew never deluded himself into thinking that his friendly acquaintance with Akiva Goldsman on "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" would carry much weight in negotiations involving millions—or even tens of millions—of dollars.

****

As soon as the Oscars wrapped up in March, the promotional campaign for "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" kicked into high gear. Matthew temporarily stepped away from the set of "300" to participate in a series of publicity events orchestrated by Disney Pictures.

At the same time, a new wave of promotional posters featuring Jack Sparrow, Will Turner, Elizabeth Swann, and Davy Jones was released, already appearing in movie theater lobbies across North America.

Matthew also made an appearance at a Los Angeles theater to unveil the new character poster for Will Turner, an event that both he and Disney treated with considerable importance.

No one could deny the power of a movie poster. It could be plastered on city walls, printed in newspapers and magazines, and featured on television, captivating millions of fans with a single image.

A single film could have multiple posters, each with a different focus designed to appeal to various demographics.

For instance, one poster of Will Turner was designed to be action-packed, drawing in an enthusiastic younger audience, while another featuring Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann together highlighted the film's romance to attract female viewers.

A top-tier poster designer could command a hefty fee these days—the one hired for "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" was paid a staggering $750,000.

Next, Matthew flew to New York for a "film picnic" the studio had organized in one of the city's large parks.

Over two hundred entertainment journalists had been invited to the event.

"Let's be honest, entertainment journalists are the absolute worst."

In a makeshift parking area near the park, Keira Knightley grumbled from her seat in the makeup trailer. "What a headache."

Matthew shrugged. "You get paid well to talk to them."

Keira mumbled, clearly annoyed. "Why couldn't Depp be here?"

"The team's holding a similar event at Disneyland Paris the day after tomorrow," Matthew explained. He'd spoken to Depp before flying to New York. "And I think he'll have a tougher time with the European celebrity press than we will."

"So..." Knightley said, chewing on her lower lip. "He got out of it again."

Matthew slipped on his jacket, walked over to Keira, and gave her shoulder a reassuring pat. "It's just business. We give the reporters a few soundbites so they can write some positive press."

Keira sighed. "I know. The press is important for us as actors and for the films we're promoting."

It was a lesson she was learning with age and experience.

Matthew nodded. "The relationship between movies and the entertainment media is symbiotic these days. A studio can't market a film without the press, and its box office numbers will suffer for it. On the other hand, the entertainment media needs access and advertising dollars from the studios to attract more readers and viewers."

The press has infiltrated the entertainment industry, and the industry has infiltrated the press. Any buzz the media generates for a movie translates directly into financial gain.

"Alright, stop showing off the little nuggets of wisdom you picked up from Helen." Keira gave Matthew a light, playful punch on the arm, as she often did, before adding, "It's time. Let's get this over with."

She came over and took Matthew's arm. Guided by a member of the Disney staff, he led her out of the trailer and they made their way slowly onto the vast lawn.

Many of the cast members and Disney executives were already mingling with entertainment reporters. Long tables laden with food and drinks were set up on the lawn, and since it was a picnic, there was a full buffet-style spread.

Matthew and Keira were among the last to arrive, following the unspoken Hollywood rule that the biggest names always make the final entrance.

The press swarmed them almost immediately. At the PR manager's urging, Matthew separated from Keira so they could cover more ground with the reporters and maximize their publicity efforts.

Surrounded by two dozen reporters, Matthew remained perfectly relaxed. Without waiting for them to ask a question, he announced, "Ladies and gentlemen, I haven't had breakfast since I got off the plane this morning. Do you mind if I grab a bite first?"

Even though it was a picnic, the reporters knew they weren't there for the food.

Matthew gestured to an empty round table nearby. "Why don't we all grab some food, sit down, and have a chat? Sound good?"

Without waiting for a response, he headed for the long buffet table, and the journalists parted to let him through.

Matthew picked up a plate, selected a few of his favorite items, poured himself a glass of water, and then walked over to the round table.

The chairs around him filled up quickly. Reporters who didn't get a seat simply sat on the grass nearby.

Matthew took a bite of his salad, nodded in approval, and commented, "Well, the chef did a good job today. This tastes great."

A bald, middle-aged reporter sitting to his left asked, "Matthew, may we ask you a few questions?"

Perhaps it was the casual atmosphere, but all the reporters seemed unusually polite for the moment.

Then again, these were entertainment reporters invited by Disney; they all knew the unwritten rules of the game.

Matthew set down his fork, picked up a napkin to dab at his mouth, and replied, "Of course."

In an instant, a dozen hands shot up around the table, and all the reporters sitting on the grass raised their hands as well.

"You first," Matthew said, pointing to the bald reporter.

The reporter got straight to the point. "Matthew, you're a huge star now. Do you find it difficult to handle your own fame?"

Seeing that it was a friendly softball question rather than a pointed one, Matthew gave a thoughtful reply. "The best part is having people recognize you, come up to you, and say nice things. I've always just seen myself as a professional actor. And even though I get recognized a lot, I don't really think of myself as being that famous, you know? Not on a level where everyone knows who I am."

When he finished, more hands went up. Matthew pointed to a female reporter on the grass, who immediately got to her feet and asked, "How do you bounce back when you're feeling disappointed with work or with life?"

Matthew rubbed his brow. "A sense of humor."

He paused for a moment, then elaborated, "When you're facing a problem, if you can't find the humor in it, you're going to have a hard time getting through it. Taking life too seriously is never a good path. So, maintain your sense of humor. It helps you see the bright side of things."

He then gestured to a young male journalist sitting across the table from him.

His question was more on-topic than the previous two.

"Matthew, my cousin just moved to Los Angeles this month to try and make it in Hollywood. You're famous for having started from the very bottom. Could you offer any advice to him, or to any other new actors and actresses just breaking into the business?"