The Best Movie Actor In Hollywood!

Chapter 521

"Cut!" Guillermo del Toro's voice boomed across the studio. "Matthew, that's not the right emotion!"

Sitting in front of a map of New York, Matthew quickly broke character and looked toward Guillermo del Toro, who was behind the director’s monitor. Del Toro beckoned him over. "Come here, I'll show you."

"Alright," Matthew replied, approaching him.

They had already shot the scene six times, and he was struggling to convey the precise emotion required.

Directors rarely let actors watch the playback, but Guillermo del Toro wasn't so particular. Matthew, for his part, never interfered with his directing, and the two had developed a great working relationship on set.

Guillermo del Toro hit the play button, pointed to the screen, and explained, "All I see on your face is disappointment, loneliness, and pain. There's none of the resilience of the last man alive."

Matthew was silent for a few moments, then nodded. "Let's go again."

"You don't need to take a few minutes?" Guillermo del Toro asked.

Matthew slowly shook his head. "No, I think I've got it now."

"Alright." Guillermo del Toro raised his voice. "Places, everyone! We're going again immediately."At Guillermo del Toro's call, Matthew returned to his mark, settling back into the chair in front of the New York City map and quickly composing himself for the take.

With no assistant director on set, Guillermo del Toro himself called out, "Action!"

Matthew began the monologue, his voice low, reflecting the profound impact of the desolate environment on a human being. "Blood analysis confirms I remain immune to both airborne and contact-transmissible viruses. The dogs, however, remain immune only to the infectious airborne virus."

His voice dropped even lower, laced with a distinct note of disappointment. "The experiment has failed again. I still haven't found a vaccine..."

At that, Matthew fell silent, his head dropping—a portrait of utter disappointment and crushing despair, the final act in the tragedy of an entire city.

***

Just then, Guillermo del Toro's voice called out from behind the monitor. "Cut! Excellent, Matthew! We got it!"

Matthew easily slipped out of character.

"Prepare for the next scene!" Guillermo del Toro called out again. "We're shooting in fifteen minutes!"

During the break, Matthew took a long drink from the glass of water Bella handed him. He had just settled into his chair when she began to speak.

"David Ellison just called. He had the tickets for this year's Victoria's Secret Fashion Show delivered to your estate. It's at the Kodak Theatre, and the tickets also get you into the after-party."

"Hand me my phone," Matthew said. Bella gave him the cell, and he quickly dialed David's number to thank him.

The two of them had been planning to attend this year's show together for some time.

Though not a top-tier industry event, it was the perfect "hunting" ground for Matthew.

Matthew handed the phone back to Bella, who tucked it into her work bag. "Akiva dropped by the set today to watch the filming," she reminded him. "He had a director in tow."

She had been diligently learning and absorbing all kinds of useful information since becoming Matthew's personal assistant. "If I'm not mistaken," she added, "the director with Akiva was Peter Berg."

The name was new to Matthew. "Peter Berg?"

"His directorial debut was the 1998 film Very Bad Things," Bella said, having clearly memorized some of the man's résumé. "More recently, he directed Friday Night Lights."

"Never heard of it," Matthew said, shaking his head. "What's he doing here?"

"I asked around. Akiva and Peter have been watching you, but they're keeping their distance, so I couldn't hear what they were discussing."

She glanced to the side. "They're over at the edge of the soundstage, looking this way."

Matthew followed Bella's gaze toward the lounge area, where

Akiva was chatting with a tall, thin, middle-aged man with brown hair.

"This script has been floating around Hollywood for over a decade," the tall, thin man—Peter—murmured to Akiva. "No studio ever touched it, mainly because the plot is weak."

He made no secret of his opinion: the existing script was weak and would need a complete overhaul. Even then, it would be a risky project.

Akiva, however, brushed off his concerns. "A movie doesn't have to succeed on the strength of its plot alone."

Peter, who had never helmed a top-tier commercial blockbuster, considered this for a moment before replying, "Perhaps."

"Forget about perfecting the plot or injecting some deep philosophical message. This is a commercial movie," Akiva said, his voice gaining a slight edge.

He had a good sense of what Peter was thinking and added, "I know you're worried that a failure could derail years of hard work. But, Peter, what if I could give you a massive star with proven box-office appeal?"

Peter's gaze fell on Matthew. "You want him for the lead?"

"It's not just me," Akiva stated plainly. "Warner Bros. has made it clear that if Matthew Horner isn't the male lead in this new film, they'll pull out of production and distribution."

He glanced at Matthew and added, "You've read the script. We can make adjustments. The whole point of this screenplay is to showcase the lead actor's charisma, and there's no one better for that than Matthew."

Peter watched and listened in silence.

It wasn't that Peter was the only director being considered, but Akiva felt his style was the best fit. He added, "I don't know if you've seen the latest box office numbers for 300?"

He didn't wait for Peter to answer, continuing, "In the four weeks since its release, it has grossed over 250 million dollars in North America and more than 500 million worldwide. Have you seen the film?"

Peter nodded cautiously. "I have."

Akiva asked, "What did you think of the plot?"

"Er..." Peter hesitated before saying, "It was fairly average."

That was a generous assessment. If he were being perfectly honest, he thought the film's plot was mediocre at best.

"But 300 was a massive box-office success," Akiva said pointedly. "And its director, Zack Snyder, is now one of the hottest names in Hollywood."

He looked at Peter and asked, "Why do you think the film was so successful?"

"The director's unique style, and Horner..." Peter instantly recalled the reports from countless market research firms, all of which estimated that Matthew Horner alone had accounted for a third of 300's box office revenue.

Akiva smiled. "It's not always the film and the director who make the actor. Sometimes, an actor can make the director, and Matthew is that kind of actor. To date, every film he has starred in has been a commercial success, and every director he has worked with has seen their career take a significant leap forward."

Peter watched Matthew for another moment before asking, "Is Horner definitely going to be in this film?"

"Generally speaking, that won't be a problem," Akiva smiled and said casually.

"Warner

Bros. has already spoken with him, and he's not opposed to the idea."

Peter nodded seriously. "I'll discuss it with my agent."

Akiva added a word of caution, "This is a rare opportunity. Don't drag your feet."

"Alright..." Peter considered for a moment. "I'll be in touch by the weekend."

They exchanged a few more pleasantries, and Akiva escorted Peter from the studio. In truth, he didn't entirely approve of Warner Bros.'s stipulation—it meant Matthew's salary would rise yet again—but at the end of the day, it wasn't his money on the line.