The Best Movie Actor In Hollywood!

Chapter 489

The roar of an engine echoed from a distance as a red Mercedes-Benz G-Class SUV raced into view. As it approached an intersection, it suddenly screeched to a halt, then swerved onto a road flanked by barren fields, accelerating as if in pursuit of something.

This was an open-air set in western Burbank, a sprawling lot of several dozen acres where the film crew had constructed a number of post-apocalyptic New York City street scenes for close-up shots.

As Matthew's sponsor, Mercedes-Benz had provided most of the vehicles for the cast and crew, especially the one driven by the lead actor.

The distinctive red SUV was being driven hard, and the crew expected to shoot several more takes to ensure they had enough footage for the editing process and options in post-production.

However, Matthew was not behind the wheel. No production would put its lead actor on set for such dangerous stunt driving. Even if the crew had agreed, the third-party completion bond company would never have allowed it.

Every film production takes out massive insurance policies on its principal actors, particularly for accidents. With Matthew’s personal accident policy valued at five million dollars, any incident involving him could force the bond company to pay out an enormous sum.

But that wasn't even the biggest problem. As the lead actor, if Matthew were injured, the entire production would have to be suspended. The most critical responsibility of the completion bond company was to guarantee that filming would be completed, no matter what.

Matthew stood watching for a moment before Bella Anderson approached him.

"Is everything taken care of?" he asked.

Bella whispered, "Yes. Lister drove Ms. Daddario himself."Matthew nodded. "Is Anna happy?"

"Yes. Ms. Daddario said the rent will be paid by the end of the year."

"There's no rush," he said.

After a brief pause, she asked uncertainly, "Did you tell Ms. Daddario about the... previous occupants?"

Hearing this, Matthew gave a slight smirk. "I forgot about that."

He truly had forgotten, mainly because the fact that a murder had occurred in the house had never bothered him in the first place.

Bella whispered, "Me too."

Matthew shook his head. "It's not a big deal. I'll see Anna sometime soon and just tell her then."

He clearly didn't consider it a serious issue.

Bella changed the subject. "I saw Amanda. She asked me to tell you that the shipping date for the charity supplies has been set for October 24th."

"Got it. Bella, could you talk to Guillermo and Goldsman this afternoon to coordinate the shooting schedule?"

Bella nodded.

"How are the media contacts coming along?"

"Helen updated me yesterday," she reported. "At least thirty media outlets will be there, and Warner TV, which is owned by Warner Brothers, will also be covering the event."

"Oh, right," she added. "Steven Spielberg's assistant called your office line and invited you to the premiere of Flags of Our Fathers on October 25th, on behalf of DreamWorks."

"Contact them and let them know I'll be there. And please stay in touch with them over the next two days to confirm."

"Understood."

Although he couldn't recall the film, Matthew decided to attend. Spielberg had not only accepted an invitation to his charity dinner but had also made a generous donation.

Accepting DreamWorks's invitation to the premiere was a simple way to return the favor.

The fact that the two events were on consecutive days also helped the production adjust its schedule. There were scenes in the film that didn't require his presence, which Guillermo del Toro could now film over those two days.

Once again, the red Mercedes-Benz SUV sped past. The color had been specifically chosen by the company to boost the vehicle's appeal to a younger demographic.

As the face of Mercedes-Benz's entire consumer vehicle lineup, Matthew was at least vaguely aware of their marketing strategy.

With the Mercedes endorsement, Matthew had essentially pushed as far as he could. The only thing left was to extend the partnership for as long as possible to maximize its value. After all, an annual income of twelve million dollars from a single endorsement was certainly a significant sum.

As long as his film career didn't take a downturn, there shouldn't be any problems with his partnership with Mercedes-Benz.

Unfortunately, Rolex tended to favor sports stars for its endorsements, and he and Cindy Crawford were just two among many celebrity faces for the brand.

Then there was the Armani underwear line. The executives had yet to make a final decision, although Helen's recent contacts with the company suggested they were leaning away from their initial preference for David Beckham.

In reality, Matthew and Helen both knew that Armani was waiting for the release of 300. The posters and trailers had been well-received, and if public buzz around him intensified, Armani would undoubtedly speed up the negotiation process. If not, they would simply choose someone else.

It was a typical business partnership, always driven by profit. There was no point in discussing a partnership with someone who couldn't deliver value.

Conversely, if Armani had only offered him a one-million-dollar endorsement deal, Matthew would have rejected it without a second thought.

It was the same principle behind why he hadn't lowered his salary demands for Iron Man. Marvel wouldn't even offer twenty million dollars for the film, so of course he wouldn't agree. Accepting a lower fee once would trigger a cascade of negative consequences down the line.

Just then, the red G-Class came to a stop, and a crew member approached Matthew to let him know it was time to get ready for his scene.

Matthew made his way over to the temporary set, where another red Mercedes G-Class was mounted on a large platform designed to shake and simulate movement.

Picking up an M4A1 rifle, Matthew glanced at the car, where a German Shepherd named Abby was already sitting in the passenger seat. He slung the weapon over his shoulder and prepared to step onto the platform.

Guillermo del Toro came over and whispered, "Watch your emotions."

Matthew nodded slightly. "I understand."

Guillermo del Toro clapped him on the shoulder. "The trainer gave the dog a bath this morning, so there shouldn't be any shedding."

Matthew stepped onto the platform and slid into the driver's seat of the Mercedes. He turned his head to look at Abby, and the German Shepherd suddenly let out a low growl, its hostility palpable.

"Abby!" The trainer hurried over and held the dog's head. "Quiet, quiet."

Matthew was puzzled. He and the dog had gotten along perfectly well before filming began, so why was Abby showing such aggression now that they were on set?

Could the dog somehow sense that he wasn't particularly a dog person?

The thought crossed his mind, but he dismissed it. Humans couldn't read minds, let alone dogs, which were a step below humans on the evolutionary ladder.

Abby's hostility only grew more apparent. Matthew narrowed his eyes slightly just as Guillermo del Toro shouted, "Get the dog out of the car!"

The trainer quickly opened the door, but Abby refused to budge, her eyes fixed on Matthew.

At that point, Matthew pushed his own door open and got out of the car.

He unslung the rifle from his back, preparing to step off the platform. The moment his hand touched the weapon, a thought struck him: in all his interactions with the German Shepherd before shooting started, he had never been carrying a weapon. He had been armed during the bathroom scene they filmed earlier, and he was armed today.

Could the gun be the issue?

Mulling it over, Matthew glanced back into the car. Abby was already being led away. He thought for a moment but decided not to voice his suspicion about the weapon.

After stepping off the platform, he walked over to Guillermo del Toro.

"This isn't working," Matthew stated.

Del Toro nodded, but before he could respond, a representative from the completion bond company approached them and said preemptively, "Director, please do not let Mr. Horner have any more direct contact with that dog. There's a chance she could harm him."

"I'm worried about that too," del Toro agreed.

Guillermo del Toro made a quick decision. "We'll change our shooting method. We'll use a model for her close-ups and add her in with CGI during post-production."

This approach was acceptable to all parties, and the shoot proceeded smoothly from there.

Before the day wrapped, Bella came to inform Matthew that she had cleared it with the production team. He wouldn't need to be back on set for the next two days.