The Best Movie Actor In Hollywood!

Chapter 580

After only a day of rest upon his return to Los Angeles, Matthew dove back into work. The film crew was still moving around the city, shooting on location. During his absence, they had already completed many scenes that didn't require the male lead, including those featuring Charlize Theron and Jason Bateman.

Jason Bateman was a veteran actor who had played significant supporting roles in many films since the early nineties. Though he had never broken through as a leading man, he was precisely the kind of reliable supporting actor that crews and directors were always eager to cast.

Hollywood had many actors of his type—those who might prove to be box office poison in a leading role but were absolutely brilliant in supporting parts.

On his first day back, Matthew followed the crew to a small hill on the northern side of the Santa Monica Valley. The team had been working since June to construct a temporary home for Hancock, fashioned from two large shipping containers.

Matthew stepped out of his makeup trailer and into the makeshift structure. The metal walls between the two large containers forming the shed had been completely removed. One container was dressed as Hancock's residence, while the other housed the filming equipment.

As he walked in, director Peter Berg was coordinating with the lighting technician. Matthew walked straight onto the set and sat down on a sofa.

The moment he settled onto the sofa, a young actress also on set approached him.

"Hi, Matthew."

The actress, wearing slightly heavy makeup, asked shyly, "Could I get your autograph?"

"Of course," Matthew smiled.After all, she was going to be his scene partner in a little while, and he always made a point of being easygoing on set.

The actress brought a hand out from behind her back, offering him a pen and a book. Matthew took them and poised the pen over the page, beginning to write, "To the lovely..."

He glanced up at the actress. She couldn't have been more than twenty, with an infectious smile on her lovely face. She was almost doll-like in her perfection, her body curved as if sculpted. Her limbs were long and slender, and the line of her bust traced a graceful arc.

"Nina Dobrev," the young woman supplied, seeing him hesitate.

Matthew gave a slight nod and finished writing: "May the lovely Miss Nina's smile always shine brightly." He signed his name and handed the pen and book back to her.

Nina accepted the book but made no move to leave. "Thank you, Matthew."

"You're welcome," Matthew replied with a smile. "We're scene partners."

Nina nodded eagerly. "I read the script. Our scene..."

Just then, the director, Peter Berg, walked over. After greeting Matthew, he smiled at Nina. "You two have an intimate scene coming up, and we haven't had a chance to rehearse it. Matthew, you should get acquainted with Nina as soon as possible."

Seeing Matthew nod, he added, "We'll do a walkthrough right before we start filming."

The original plan had been for Matthew and Nina to rehearse in advance, but Matthew's trip to Geneva a few days earlier had forced them to cancel.

Peter wasn't worried about Matthew; he knew the actor had shot plenty of similar scenes and was a veteran at this point. His concern was for Nina, a newcomer who had also gotten the part through her agency's connections.

"Have you ever filmed a scene like this before?" Matthew asked.

Nina shook her head. "No, this is my first time."

Matthew thought for a moment. "Just try to relax and follow my lead during the take."

"Okay..." Nina answered, looking a little embarrassed.

The scene they were about to film was meant to be passionate, but since the movie was aiming for a PG-13 rating, it wouldn't be overly explicit.

***

Matthew had intended to take the lead, but the moment filming started, he realized Nina didn't need him to guide her in the slightest.

It seemed Nina had plenty of real-world experience, and she was channeling all of it into her performance.

In front of the camera, Nina pushed Matthew back onto a long chaise lounge, planted her hands on his shoulders, and straddled him.

That particular move wasn't in the script. For scenes like this, much is often decided on the day with the director and actors, and it appeared Nina had been struck by a sudden inspiration.

The director yelled, "Cut!" but Nina didn't immediately pull away. Instead, she seemed to linger, pressing herself against Matthew.

With her eyes wide, Nina looked like a completely different person from the shy girl who had asked for his autograph. She leaned close to his ear and murmured, "I want to keep going..."

However, a makeup artist approached them just then, and they finally separated, each getting a touch-up for the next take.

Peter came over and exchanged a few quick words with Matthew and Nina before returning to his position behind the camera. Seeing the actors were in place, he immediately had his assistant call for the scene to begin.

Matthew lay back on the recliner, hands laced behind his head as if in a blissful daze. Suddenly, the roof of the container directly above him exploded. A sheet of metal shot into the air and crashed down somewhere outside.

More explosions rocked the container's roof, sending five or six more metal panels flying into the sky one after another.

Matthew closed his eyes, still seemingly lost in the afterglow, unable to snap out of it.

He then sat up and looked over at Nina, who was staring at the mangled roof of the container, her mouth hanging open in a mixture of shock and fear.

"Sorry," Matthew said, taking a few sharp breaths.

"Cut!" Peter shouted, ending the take. He immediately called out.

"Nina, hold that surprised look."

From behind the camera, he scanned the interior of the set, then added, "Get a single on her. We're rolling in three minutes!"

Nina sat on the sofa to straighten her clothes while Matthew stepped off the set. He wasn't needed for the next shot, so he stood at the edge, gazing up at the gaping holes in the container's roof.

"That's over the top." He shook his head.

Filming continued in fits and starts for the rest of the afternoon. By the time the sun began to sink toward the west, they had completed all the scheduled shots for the day. Matthew left the makeshift container set and had just reached the door of his makeup trailer when Nina suddenly came up behind him.

He opened the trailer door and stepped inside. When his makeup artist and her assistant saw Nina follow him in, they discreetly made their exit without a word.

Matthew sat down in the swivel chair before the makeup mirror, looked at Nina and asked, "Is something wrong?"

Nina closed the trailer door and walked over to him, crouching down beside his chair.

"I told you," she whispered, "I want to keep going..."