The Best Movie Actor In Hollywood!

Chapter 415

A figure hurried down a weathered road on the Warner Studios lot, making a beeline for one of the soundstages. Moments later, Francis Lawrence rushed inside.

He found Goldsman on the set and whispered, "Can we talk for a minute?"

Goldsman glanced at Francis and nodded. "Come to my office."

They left the set and entered a makeshift office inside the soundstage. Goldsman got straight to the point. "What happened?"

Francis took a deep breath, trying to quell the frustration rising in his chest. "We spoke a while ago," he began. "Didn't you promise that I could recommend my choice for the supporting actress role?"

"Yes," Goldsman confirmed, recalling the conversation perfectly. "I said you could make a recommendation. Of course."

Francis pressed on, keeping his tone as polite as possible. "But I heard you gave Matthew his pick for the supporting role?"

Goldsman's brow furrowed slightly, but he answered with practiced patience. "Horner has the right to recommend a supporting actress, just as you do."

He cleared his throat softly. "The role—and who is ultimately best for it—will be decided after the auditions."

Hearing this, Francis felt a wave of relief. As long as the role hadn't been cast, his candidate still had a chance. After all, he was the director.He excused himself and left the office, intending to get back to his own preparations for the film.

As he drove his electric cart past the entrance to the soundstage for 300, Francis glanced inside, but it was too dark to make anything out.

It was a shame Goldsman hadn't listened to him and had ultimately chosen Matthew Horner. Will Smith was already out of the running.

If he'd had casting authority, the lead would have gone to Will Smith or another Black actor. The supporting actress, naturally, would have been his new girlfriend, Paula Patton. He would have filled the other significant roles with Black actors whenever possible.

From its very inception, Hollywood had been deeply unfair to Black actors.

Why should Black actors face such injustice when all people are created equal? Hollywood had a duty to correct the wrongs of the past and provide more opportunities for them.

Francis thought about the producer credit Matthew Horner was getting and realized he needed to move in that direction himself—becoming a producer. The vast majority of Hollywood directors had no real say in casting their leads; at best, they could offer suggestions. To truly improve the standing of Black actors, one needed power. And allies.

****

Once Helen and Goldsman reached an agreement on Matthew's salary, their collaboration was a foregone conclusion.

Toward the end of April, Helen led the team from the Angel Acting Agency in finalizing all negotiations for I Am Legend. Afterward, Matthew signed the official contract in the presence of his lawyer and representatives from the Screen Actors Guild.

Just as they had verbally agreed, the contract stipulated a salary of a cool twenty million dollars.

Frankly, Matthew didn't consider the fee excessive in the slightest. He was well aware of what underpinned his success—beyond Helen’s strategic maneuvers and his own innate talent.

In another decade or so, the biggest factor driving his success—his youth and looks—would likely be gone. And what would happen then, when his films started bombing one after another at the box office? Was he destined to become another Nicolas Cage?

He was now earning tens of millions a year. It's easy to go from a life of frugality to one of luxury, but it's much harder to go the other way.

Therefore, while he could still make money, he was determined to make as much as possible.

Besides, being immersed in the Hollywood scene, he couldn't help but be influenced by its pervasive atmosphere.

While an actor's career might last longer than a model's, for many it was still a young person's game. This was true even for Matthew. Though he wasn't purely an idol, to a large extent, his looks were his primary commodity.

Factor in his secret advantage—his foreknowledge—and time became his greatest enemy. Whether his body could hold up over the next decade was another looming concern.

And while he didn't suffer from the deep-seated insecurity that plagued many stars, he was still constantly calculating how to amass the most wealth in the shortest amount of time.

As an actor, his primary income streams were film salaries and endorsements. Wherever possible, he was determined to command the highest fee.

Both Matthew and Helen, much like Will Smith, shared the same philosophy: it was better to turn down a project than to devalue their brand for long-term earnings, especially when it meant voluntarily leaving the exclusive $20 Million Club.

Of course, he would have to keep a close watch on Will Smith.

The climb from the bottom to the top in this industry was brutal, and those who made it often carried more than their share of resentment and a thirst for payback.

Beyond the twenty-million-dollar salary, the contract included other key provisions that had been negotiated beforehand: a producer credit, the right to recommend the supporting actress, and stipulations that the production would cover the salaries of Bella Anderson and Brown Williams during filming. Other clauses, such as top billing in the credits and specific requirements for his dressing room, were also essential.

Nearly all the conditions from his 300 contract were carried over to I Am Legend. One of the agency's agents had even secured a brand-new clause: if Matthew had to leave Los Angeles during filming for business or personal reasons, the production was required to provide a round-trip, first-class ticket for him, plus six more for his staff and companions.

The contract was a document comprising hundreds of clauses, but the majority dealt with work, safety, insurance, and confidentiality—all relatively standard demands for an A-list Hollywood star.

This was also because, compared to most Hollywood stars, Matthew's list of eccentric demands was quite short.

The booming film market of the 1990s had emboldened stars, leading to a host of unbelievable excesses.

For instance, Jennifer Lopez, despite having a relatively short filmography, had a well-known habit of refusing to be chauffeured in anything but a Mercedes-Benz for shoots or publicity events.

The reason was simple: riding in any other brand of car supposedly made her back hurt.

The Hollywood scene was a small world where rumors spread like wildfire. Stars were always the first to hear about the royal treatment another actor was receiving on set.

And so, everything became a point of comparison: the quality of their accommodations, the luxury of their cars and trailers, the size of their entourage, and even the way the crew treated their pets, handled their wardrobe, and prepared their food.

Beyond personal makeup artists and hairstylists, what truly incensed the crew were the stars who received a contractual "per diem" of thousands of dollars for miscellaneous expenses.

Compared to people like that, Matthew was considered a genuinely professional A-lister.

After officially signing his contract and securing the right to recommend an actress for the supporting role, Matthew found time to call Alexandra Daddario, who was all the way in New York.

"Hello, Anna."

Matthew rose from his seat in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows of his large living room. He gazed out at the sprawling view of Beverly Hills and Los Angeles as he spoke into the phone. "It's me, Matthew."

"Hi, Matthew." Alexandra's voice came through the line. "How are you?"

Matthew smiled. "I remember when we had dinner in Manhattan, you mentioned wanting to come back to Hollywood, right?"

On the other end of the line, Alexandra replied, "Yes!"

Matthew switched the phone to his other ear. "I just signed a deal with Warner Bros. for a hundred-and-fifty-million-dollar project called I Am Legend*. There's a supporting role in it that I think you'd be perfect for."

"Really?" Surprise colored Alexandra's voice. "A project that big? You think I could get a part?"

Matthew quickly replied, "I spoke with Helen when I got back from New York. Amanda's in L.A. now and she's talked to Helen as well. You should be getting a call soon."

Alexandra's voice was noticeably higher with excitement. "That's amazing!"

"Don't get too excited just yet," Matthew cautioned. "You'll still have to audition to get the part. There's another actress in the running, so as of now, you've got about a fifty-fifty shot."

"That's more than enough," said Alexandra, who, having worked on a couple of films, knew the ropes. "Without your recommendation, I wouldn't even get in the door for an audition."

Then she added, "Thank you, Matthew."

"You're welcome," Matthew replied with a smile. "We're friends, Anna."

They spoke for a few more minutes before Matthew ended the call. He had already discussed recommending Alexandra with Helen, who had readily agreed. It hadn't been an issue at all.