The Best Movie Actor In Hollywood!

Chapter 480

"Why did you choose Matthew as the new global ambassador for Mercedes-Benz?"

Inside the press hall at the Mercedes-Benz headquarters in Stuttgart, the company's president replied in English, his words tinged with a German accent. "Simply because he, like Mercedes-Benz, embodies a strength you can trust. He has good looks, an excellent reputation, and substance on the inside."

Matthew wasn't swayed by the lofty compliments.

Of course, now that he was the face of the entire Mercedes-Benz passenger car lineup, any praise directed at him was, in a sense, praise for the brand itself. By complimenting Matthew, the president was simply polishing his own product.

Hundreds of journalists from around the world applauded in unison.

Next, a reporter from the Daily Graphic directed a question to Matthew. "Mr. Horner, we've all noticed you've been driving a Mercedes-Benz G-Class for the past two years. Could you share your experience with the vehicle?"

It was an obvious plant from the company's own PR team.

"The Mercedes-Benz G-Class is a reliable and exceptional car."

In the time it took to utter those first few words, Matthew mentally sorted through a catalogue of praise-filled adjectives and constructed his answer. "It radiates an aura of sunlight, a unique temperament of inner resilience forged into strength. It’s the natural expression of a rare character defined by positivity and self-improvement, a manifestation of a righteous, bold, and resolute personality—a masculine and untamable spirit."

The Mercedes-Benz president turned his head slightly to glance at Matthew. He had expected some kind words, but not a description so elaborate.That alone could have served as the copy for a new G-Class commercial.

In truth, this was the pinnacle of praise Matthew could muster. He had a habit of meticulously memorizing descriptions of appearance and temperament from books he read, and some of those phrases were now permanently filed away in his mind. The convenient part was that those very descriptions fit both his own image and that of the Mercedes-Benz G-Class.

Another reporter stood up. "Could you disclose the value of this endorsement?"

The Mercedes-Benz president didn't hesitate. "We have extended our contract with Matthew Horner for another three years at a rate of twelve million dollars per year."

It was, without a doubt, a top-tier commercial deal.

The press corps, clearly stunned by the figure, broke into murmurs.

The president simply laughed, well aware that announcing the endorsement fee was a marketing move in itself.

The press conference and signing ceremony concluded smoothly. Back in the reception area, Matthew shook hands with the Mercedes-Benz president once again.

"Mercedes-Benz has gained another outstanding global ambassador," the president said, his words impeccably polite.

Matthew smiled. "I'm confident this will be mutually beneficial."

Someone brought champagne, and Matthew and the president each took a glass.

"What you said just now was the perfect description for the G-Class."

"Of course," Matthew replied with a smile, hiding his boredom.

Then he recalled the president had just mentioned wanting to make some changes.

The new contract with Mercedes-Benz launched Matthew into the top echelon of Hollywood endorsement earners. Starting next month, his image could be used to advertise Mercedes-Benz sedans, sports cars, SUVs, and commercial vehicles.

However, only the G-Class SUV and the flagship business sedan would feature him in television and video commercials, while the other models would only use his image in print and visual ads.

In other words, the twelve-million-dollar fee was well-earned for the scope of his duties.

It was a lucrative contract. Helen had already negotiated with Mercedes-Benz that the first year's twelve-million-dollar fee would be paid within five days of Matthew shooting the commercial.

In other words, he was already more than halfway to closing his twenty-million-dollar funding gap.

Mercedes-Benz would provide him with a flagship business sedan, a G-Class SUV, and a commercial vehicle for the shoots, as well as various sports cars and SUVs for seasonal commercials designed to boost his visibility.

Naturally, he was only given use of these cars, not ownership.

After signing the contract, Matthew remained in Stuttgart for another five days to shoot all the commercials for Mercedes-Benz. He was ready to return to Los Angeles, but to his surprise, an issue arose with the footage on the second day, forcing the director to order a reshoot.

Although he'd once had to stage a sit-in to protest an employer not paying him, his years in Hollywood had taught him the importance of getting paid for his work.

Hollywood had grown to a point where competition was fierce, and a lot of dirty business went on beneath the glamorous surface. But the spirit of the contract was held in such high regard that signing one and then deliberately breaking it could be disastrous.

When a star with enough leverage signs a contract, their agent will often negotiate an exit clause. Sometimes the studio includes one as well, so if something goes wrong with the actor, they can be replaced for a small fee without breaching the contract.

Take Rachel McAdams and the cast of Iron Man, for example.

Without an exit clause, it would have been incredibly difficult for the Iron Man team to replace Rachel with Gwyneth Paltrow.

In Hollywood circles, the spirit of the contract is almost as sacred as copyright.

And everyone knows how crucial copyright is to Hollywood.

You could even argue that the entire modern Hollywood system is built on copyright.

Hollywood stars doing drugs, getting drunk, and sleeping around is considered a minor affair, but breaking the spirit of a contract is treated like statutory rape—an offense that earns widespread condemnation.

Take the agreement between an actor and a production company. During filming, every aspect of the actor's work is stipulated in the contract, and failure to comply can lead to losing the job and even their reputation.

They are also required to set aside a certain amount of "free time" for post-production dubbing, be available on specific dates if the producer decides to reshoot scenes, and participate in the film's promotional tour as agreed.

Of course, these rules don't always apply to superstars, who form a special minority within the Hollywood ecosystem.

After wrapping up the Mercedes-Benz commercial, Matthew returned to Los Angeles and met with David Ellison.

"Why the sudden need to borrow money?" David asked curiously. "You make a fortune and you're not usually a big spender."

"I'm about to make an investment, and my cash is tied up at the moment."

In reality, he was far from frugal. He enjoyed fine dining and lived well, but unlike Leonardo DiCaprio, he wasn't spending millions on art.

He also hadn't purchased any real estate beyond his estate and a small house in the northern suburbs of Burbank.

Matthew knew nothing about art, and from what he'd heard and seen, it was a world with plenty of pitfalls.

As for real estate, Los Angeles was a bit better, but if you bought a mansion in New York, the property taxes alone would be a massive headache.

And aside from the purchase of Horner Manor and the twenty million he kept for emergencies, the rest of his income had been mostly funneled into Apple stock.

Hearing the vagueness in Matthew's answer, David didn't press further. "You said ten million on the phone earlier?"

Matthew thought for a moment. "Eight million will be enough."

"Perfect," David agreed without hesitation. "At the standard bank rate."

"No problem."

A mortgage would have been more complicated, and he needed the cash immediately.

Marvel was also concerned that Matthew's funds wouldn't arrive on time and had made a specific request: the forty-million-dollar investment had to be deposited into the account of a third-party guarantor company within twenty-four hours of signing the agreement.

David was happy to lend Matthew the money. With post-production on 300 in its final stages, the film had received a standing ovation at an internal screening at Skydance. Two of the company's veteran executives, who had spent years at Paramount Pictures, believed the film had blockbuster potential.

Unlike his sister, Megan Ellison, David was convinced that his relationship with Matthew would yield returns far greater than ten million dollars.

Having raised the forty million faster than expected, Matthew was now all in, waiting for Helen and her negotiating team to finalize the deal with Marvel Entertainment.