The Best Movie Actor In Hollywood!

Chapter 520: Goddess

Inside a well-appointed studio, spotlights blazed down on a young man and woman. Clad only in intimate apparel, they moved through a series of poses at the photographer's direction: sitting back-to-back, locked in a close embrace, whispering to one another, and gazing tenderly into each other's eyes.

They were posing for the latest Armani underwear campaign.

Gisele was the consummate professional. As one of the top models of her generation, this kind of work was effortless for her. Matthew, by contrast, made the occasional mistake—he was, after all, no expert in this field.

After wrapping one set of photos, Matthew and Gisele headed to the dressing room to change into the next ensemble before returning to the set to continue the shoot.

The video commercial had been shot two days earlier, so this final day was dedicated primarily to the print campaign.

An underwear campaign might sound provocative, but the actual shoot was somewhat tedious, especially since Matthew was not a professional model.

Of course, while the work itself was tedious, there was a certain excitement that came from the two of them working in such minimal attire, their bodies in constant contact.

When it was time to shoot the final set, Matthew slipped into the same dressing room as Gisele, and the door swung shut behind him.

No one in the studio batted an eye. It seemed everyone had grown accustomed to this sort of thing.

***"The modeling world is, by its very nature, messier than Hollywood."

On the flight back to Los Angeles, Helen glanced around the half-empty first-class cabin before turning to Matthew beside her. "You'd better be careful you don't catch something."

She felt compelled to add, "And don't you forget about Jessica Alba."

Matthew pulled the blanket provided by the flight attendant up over his chest.

"Safety is paramount. I always use protection."

He shrugged. "And I already called Jessica. She'd gone to the gynecologist that day and got snapped by the paparazzi. They just spun some nonsense to sell the photos to the tabloids."

Helen turned to look at him. "And you believe that?"

"I'd sooner believe her," Matthew said, his tone perfectly serious, "than the press."

Even North America's biggest entertainment trades, like Variety and The Hollywood Reporter, had a reputation for doing whatever it took to sell covers and fill pages, especially during awards season.

Helen, who had also been at the studio the day before, asked, "What does Gisele want?"

Matthew considered his words for a moment. "She wants a stable relationship. Maybe even marriage down the line."

"I heard her mention she wants a relationship like Victoria and Beckham's."

"Well..." Matthew continued, recalling yesterday's conversation. "Yes, she wants a stable relationship, but not with just anyone. An ordinary guy would conflict with her career plans. She needs someone rich, famous, and on her level in terms of looks."

He raised a finger and tapped his own forehead. "I'm rich, famous, handsome..."

Helen remained silent.

Matthew concluded, "So she figured it wouldn't be a bad idea to try starting a relationship with me."

Helen considered this. "Beckham and Victoria are certainly a model of success. A power couple is more effective than two individuals. Gisele is a smart woman."

"You should consider it," she said bluntly. "You're at the top of your game in Hollywood, and Gisele is the best of the new generation of models. The two of you together would have unimaginable potential."

"Let's just drop it." Matthew slowly shook his head. "That's what she's desperate for, but it's not something I'm obligated to provide."

Helen had only meant it as a suggestion, and seeing that Matthew had no desire to pursue the topic, she let it drop.

Matthew's thinking was simple: if Gisele wanted something physical, he'd welcome it with open arms. But if it turned into a serious relationship, he'd rather forget the whole thing.

He wasn't even thirty yet. There was no need to rush toward stability or tie himself down to anyone.

It was too soon for Matthew to be thinking about a serious relationship, a steady girlfriend, and the responsibility that came with it.

Helen changed the subject. "I met with Giorgio Armani and a few of his executives. If you can live up to their expectations, there's a good chance you could become the new face of Armani menswear when the current spokesman's contract is up."

Matthew asked, "Who's the current face of Armani menswear?"

"George Clooney," Helen replied. "His contract still has some time on it, so we don't have to rush our planning. But of all the elite menswear brands, Armani's contract with Clooney is the one set to expire soonest. That's why I targeted them."

A thought seemed to strike her. "They say George Clooney is a lot like Brad Pitt."

"Brad Pitt?" Matthew remarked. "Haven't heard his name in a while."

Helen nodded slightly. "After that last incident, he took a beating from the public and has been focusing on work behind the scenes."

She was right, of course. "But Hollywood isn't a moral institution. It's not hard to wipe the slate clean with a good project."

Matthew was in complete agreement.

"Let's stick to George Clooney." Helen didn't dwell on Brad Pitt, who wasn't relevant to Matthew's career. "He's probably one of the most successful male stars in Hollywood when it comes to selling his persona."

Turning to Matthew, she added, "On your level, in fact. Clooney is known as 'the perfect man,' and that's a huge reason he's been the face of Armani for so many years."

George Clooney was also an A-list star, which only worked in his favor.

They sat in silence for a moment. Then Matthew, unable to sleep, suddenly asked, "Helen, am I the most successful person in the entire entertainment industry?"

"You think too highly of yourself," Helen replied coolly.

"Compared to some people, you don't even come close."

"Like who?" Matthew asked.

Helen said nonchalantly, "There's a woman who conquered all of America, became the talk show queen of her generation, and built a legacy that has lasted for decades."

Matthew didn't immediately catch her reference. "Oprah Winfrey?"

Helen corrected him gently. "Audrey Hepburn."

"The goddess," Matthew breathed, his mind immediately filled with images of her.

Whether in photographs, on film, or in news reports, Hepburn was the image of perfection—an absolute goddess in his mind.

It was a shame they hadn't been born in the same era. With her, he might have actually considered a long-term relationship.

***

Back in Los Angeles, Matthew met again with David Ellison, who was still undecided. After all, the idea of taking the sequel rights to a mega-hit like "300" and trying to exchange them for the rights to a pared-down series

of "The Fast and the Furious" seemed like a less-than-advantageous deal.

However, instead of dismissing the idea outright, David had begun to conduct his own market research, and Matthew's influence was clearly working its magic.

It would have been impossible to persuade David if Matthew hadn't already starred in a string of successful, highly profitable films that created the impression he had a unique instinct for picking projects.

There was no point in rushing things like this; being too hasty could be counterproductive.

If it weren't for the sheer amount of money it would take, and the risk that his personal involvement could trigger unforeseen consequences, Matthew would have wanted to buy the rights himself.

But he knew it was a foolish idea. Buying the rights from Universal would likely require him to liquidate all his assets and take out massive loans from the bank. He could end up bankrupt.

Getting David Ellison to share the risk was the best option.

After his talk with David, Matthew turned his attention to DreamWorks. Helen had already begun official negotiations for a role in "Transformers." Voice-over work was a quick paycheck, a job big Hollywood stars often took for a short-term commitment. Even if the film flopped, it would have virtually no negative impact on his career.

Naturally, Helen had gone in with a typically aggressive ask: ten million dollars.

The final figure would undoubtedly require some negotiation, after which

Matthew returned to the set of "I Am Legend."