The Best Movie Actor In Hollywood!

Chapter 461

The celebrity members of the Church of Scientology were gathering once again. Inevitably, a crowd of curious onlookers began to form, drawn by the guarantee that stars would be present. Big names always attended, including the likes of Tom Cruise and Will Smith.

Most people, however, kept their distance.

Journalists, however, were a different breed. Not even a terrorist's lair, let alone the Church of Scientology, could deter them from their mission.

From the moment the first limousine pulled up to the Hollywood Celebrity Center, the throng of reporters swelled. They knew this was Tom Cruise's pre-wedding party and were hungry for a sensational story.

Although times had changed—the Church of Scientology no longer dared to make people disappear or physically harm them, and was far more cautious about harassment—it had grown so powerful over the years, amassing a vast fortune and retaining an army of lawyers.

****

Matthew arrived at the Hollywood Celebrity Center by car as dusk settled over the city. When he went to enter, Brown, his bodyguard, was stopped by the Center's security team. They informed him that the church was responsible for the safety of everyone on the premises and that outside security was not permitted.

Matthew was no longer a nobody; he was one of the biggest stars in North America and the Western world. He wasn't worried that the Church of Scientology would dare to do anything that might endanger him.

After a brief word with Brown, Matthew entered the Hollywood Celebrity Center alone. He soon found himself walking down a red carpet that led into a grand hall.

At the entrance to the hall stood Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes. Upon seeing Matthew, they both stepped forward to greet him. As usual, Tom did all the talking, while Katie seemed to be little more than an accessory."I was beginning to think you wouldn't come," Tom said, giving him a firm handshake.

"Tom, I wouldn't have missed it."

"Ha," Tom chuckled. "You're the last guest to arrive."

He gestured down the hall. "Come on, I'll introduce you to some friends."

Tom seemed eager to befriend him, so Matthew followed him deeper into the hall.

As he scanned the room, Matthew couldn't help but feel that the Church of Scientology's roots in Hollywood ran deep.

Tom Cruise introduced him to a series of guests: Lisa Marie Presley, the daughter of Elvis and ex-wife of Michael Jackson; Nicolas Cage; Paul Haggis, the Oscar-nominated director; John Travolta, still a household name; and many others.

These were the people who formed the devout core of the Church of Scientology's celebrity following.

Of course, it wasn't just members of the church in attendance. There were also Tom Cruise's so-called friends, a category Matthew found himself in.

"Matthew, this is David, and this is Victoria."

Leading him to a couple in their thirties, Tom Cruise made a quick introduction. "David, Vicky, this is Matthew."

Even living on the other side of the Atlantic, Matthew was enough of a casual sports fan to instantly recognize the famous David Beckham. He was accompanied by his wife, Victoria, a woman who carried herself with a distinctly imperious air.

The friendship between David Beckham and Tom Cruise had been the subject of intense media scrutiny for the past two years.

Matthew shook David's hand and exchanged a few pleasantries. Beyond the polite formalities, he found he had little to say.

Just then, someone passed by, and Tom Cruise stepped away to exchange a few words. In that brief moment, Matthew overheard Victoria muttering something to her husband. Her voice was low, but a few words still reached his ears.

The gist of it was that Tom had been pestering them lately, sending dozens of text messages a day in an attempt to recruit her and David Beckham into the Church of Scientology.

Matthew was struck by how aggressively Cruise was trying to recruit people into the Church of Scientology.

So Matthew wasn't surprised when Tom Cruise introduced him to another person who was not yet a member, but was clearly in the process of being courted.

Will Smith and his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, stood right in front of him.

"I didn't expect to see you here," Smith said, giving Matthew an odd look.

Matthew smiled. "Will, I can't say I expected to see you here either."

After making the introduction, Cruise was called away, leaving Matthew alone with Will Smith.

Of course, Matthew didn't mind.

"I'm an old friend of Tom's," Smith said, his tone not unfriendly. "He's been dragging us to parties like this since he first hit it big."

It was clear to Matthew that Cruise was trying to recruit Will Smith into the Church of Scientology.

"Actually, I think the Church of Scientology is a good thing," Jada Pinkett Smith suddenly interjected. "There's a certain amount of truth and reason in the ideas they promote."

Her gaze shifted to Matthew. "It's also useful for cleansing the rather filthy minds of certain people."

Matthew's brow furrowed slightly at the comment. Smith, however, turned and shot a look at his wife, and Jada immediately fell silent.

A moment later, Matthew replied with a smile, "Of course. But a good guy like me doesn't need any cleansing."

Jada Pinkett Smith opened her mouth to offer a sharp retort, but Will reached out and gave her a subtle tug. She reluctantly closed her mouth.

Will Smith had clawed his way to the top of his profession; he was no idiot. He understood that competing for a role behind the scenes was one thing, but a public confrontation was something else entirely.

"Jada was just joking," Smith explained, trying to smooth things over. "She likes to kid around sometimes."

"It's all right," Matthew said. "I enjoy a good joke myself."

"Oh, there's a friend of mine," Will said, clearly worried Jada might say something else out of line. "We're going to go say hello."

Matthew nodded politely. "Catch you later."

Watching Will and Jada Pinkett Smith walk away, Matthew suddenly understood that Will's ascent to heights no black actor before him had ever reached was not a matter of simple luck.

Compared to most of his peers, Will Smith was undoubtedly a very sharp man.

****

"I told you to keep your mouth shut around him."

Will whispered irritably to Jada as they moved away. "We're here to support Tom, not to get your head filled with all this Scientology nonsense."

Jada looked annoyed. "But a lot of what the Church of Scientology teaches makes sense..."

Will was baffled. His wife was always so eager to stand up for other black actors in the industry. He had just seen her offering words of encouragement to some of them, speaking about the challenges they faced. Yet now, she was needlessly alienating one of the most powerful people in the room.

Not far from where Will Smith stood, Amber Heard trailed in Tom Cruise's wake. Her eyes scanned the room and landed on Matthew Horner, one of the biggest stars in Hollywood today.

Her gaze quickly dropped, appraising her own appearance. The church's stylists had made her look practically perfect, from her face down to her figure.

If the Church of Scientology was offering her a ladder to climb, she was determined to seize it.

Whether or not Horner actually joined the Church of Scientology was none of her concern.

Then again, if she could truly become for him what Nicole Kidman once was, or what Katie Holmes was now, would she even need the Church of Scientology?

"Matthew, there's someone I'd like you to meet." Tom approached, gesturing to the beautiful young woman trailing him. "This is Amber Heard, a good friend of mine."

Amber stepped forward, her eyes alight with eagerness. "Hello, Matthew."

"Hello," Matthew replied.

His gaze lingered on her for a moment.

Sensing his gaze, a thrill of triumph shot through Amber.

Just a dozen feet away, David Miscavige watched them. With a slight nod, he decided his strategy was working and began to make his way over.

One couldn't be too hasty in these matters; otherwise, the fish might not take the bait.

At that moment, before Tom could make another introduction, Matthew noticed an older man approaching them.