The Best Movie Actor In Hollywood!

Chapter 596

This winter season in New York was exceptionally cold. A heavy snowfall a few days prior had given way to a period of severe frost. However, the biting wind couldn't dampen the enthusiasm of the movie fans. Under the weak afternoon sun, they gathered in Washington Square, passed through the iconic arches, and found themselves on Thompson Street on the south side, where a long red carpet awaited, leading to the premiere of "I Am Legend".

The fans' enthusiasm reached a fever pitch, especially with the arrival of Phyllis Beretta. They swarmed her, peppering her with questions, and the answers they received only deepened their adoration for the star they had come to support.

As evening approached, the red carpet was finally opened. One by one, stars made their appearance, drawing waves of cheers and applause from the crowd.

When a black Mercedes pulled up to the edge of the red carpet, the atmosphere hit its absolute peak.

Matthew, dressed in a sharp black tuxedo, stepped onto the carpet and waved to the crowd, unleashing a roar of cheers so loud it felt like thunder rolling across Manhattan.

A photographer, his camera clicking nonstop, muttered as Matthew approached, "Horner's popularity is insane."

A journalist beside him remarked, "He's unwavering in his affection for his fans, and of course, they adore him for it."

Hearing this, the photographer recalled the recent incident involving the gift of a house and nodded in agreement. "You rarely see stars like Matthew in Hollywood."

Even if it was all an act, it was an act that had reached a whole new level.

As Matthew walked the red carpet alone, the entirety of Washington Square was thrown into a frenzy.Washington Square is nestled between Greenwich Village and the East Village, surrounded by the most bohemian and decadent parts of New York City. To the west, Greenwich Village has been a haven for writers and artists since the square's inception. The East Village, slightly more rough around the edges, is a common haunt for punks and musicians. Within a kilometer radius of the square, you can find excellent cafes, bars, and restaurants, as well as jazz clubs that stay open all night.

Normally, Washington Square is always teeming with life: street performers, students from the nearby New York University, photographers, and people catching a nap during their lunch break. But now, the square had been completely conquered by a group of visitors. These people had come from New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Phoenix... they had journeyed from all over North America, and even from every corner of the globe, for one reason alone: Matthew.

Tonight's premiere was being broadcast live, an event for which Warner Bros. had prepared meticulously. The advance ticket sales for "I Am Legend" had been extraordinarily successful, promising an explosive opening week at the box office. This gave them all the confidence they needed.

An ABC journalist, standing before the camera, delivered a few opening lines before signaling for the cameraman to swing the lens toward Matthew on the red carpet.

Then, in a voiceover, she continued, "Studio executives, of course, prefer to sign actors who will bring them the biggest returns. In a Hollywood of aging stars like Tom Hanks, Tom Cruise, Harrison Ford, and Bruce Willis, the younger Matthew has become an increasingly reliable box office guarantee. From 'The Scorpion King' and '300' to 'National Treasure' and 'Mr. & Mrs. Smith,' every film Matthew has starred in has delivered box office success for the studio heads."

Seeing Matthew enter the press area, the female reporter immediately led her cameraman over to interview a few studio executives. And since Matthew had been the focal point of the entertainment industry lately, nearly every question she asked was about him.

Paul Dergarabedian, president of the box-office tracking firm Media by Numbers, had this to say: "In 'I Am Legend,' Matthew plays the last man on Earth, a loner, no doubt about it. But in real life, he's anything but alone, because he has so many fans who show up at the theater to see him on the big screen."

And Dan Fellman, the head of distribution for Warner Bros., added, "Matthew is one of the most bankable actors in the business right now. He can do it all. Audiences love him almost as much as they love Tom Hanks, and the advance ticket sales for 'I Am Legend' prove he's worth every dollar we pay him."

The leadership at Warner Bros. desperately needed "I Am Legend" to be a major success to prove their vision and competence to the shareholders.

Just two weeks ago, Warner Bros. and its subsidiary, New Line Cinema, had released one of the worst Hollywood box office disasters of the new century: "The Golden Compass." Released over Thanksgiving, the film had a budget of $180 million and pulled in a pathetic $25 million in its opening weekend. Its current total was a mere $40 million...

It was a bitter disappointment and proved once again that Nicole Kidman was truly deserving of the title "box office poison."

***

Near the theater entrance, the renowned producer Charles Roven watched Matthew make his way toward the interview area. He turned to Christopher Nolan, who stood beside him, and remarked, "The crowd looks like the zombies from the trailer, ready to eat him alive."

Christopher just smiled.

The sight of Matthew sparked an idea in Charles's mind. "Isn't Christian Bale doing 'Terminator 4'? We need a superstar, and Matthew would be a strong candidate."

"Yes," Christopher agreed with a serious nod. He thought for a moment before adding, "But that project is a long way off. We'd better focus on finishing post-production for 'The Dark Knight' first. We can talk about everything else after it's released."

The plot of that other project was complicated, and the review board at Warner Bros. had expressed some reservations, which meant the studio hadn't offered it their full support.

Charles nodded and said no more. Warner Bros. wanted him to move on to producing their latest DC superhero project, which meant Christopher Nolan's next film might not be produced by him.

***

Inside the press area, Matthew was already in front of the ABC cameras.

The female reporter extended her microphone toward him and asked, "If you were the only person in the world, what would make you feel comfortable?"

Matthew replied with a wry joke. "A gun and a bullet, because I wouldn't be able to stand being alone."

Then his smile faded as he added, "I sometimes have this childish thought, a desire for everyone to just go away and leave me as the only person in the world. But while people can be a nuisance in your daily life, if everyone else actually vanished, it would be the most miserable experience you could possibly go through. During filming, we cleared six blocks of New York City, and I was walking completely alone down Fifth Avenue. It was cool, but it was only cool because there were thousands of people on the other side of the street watching me. For me, there's no pleasure in being alone."

Knowing her time was short, the reporter quickly asked, "Do you have a positive outlook on life?"

"Yes, absolutely. The cornerstones of my life are books and sports; they help with that," Matthew said naturally. "Think about it, billions of people have lived before us. They had problems, and they've already solved those problems, describing the entire process in a book somewhere. There are no problems we face now that we have to solve on our own. There isn't a single issue that hasn't appeared in a book a thousand years ago."

He continued to smile. "And sports have given me a healthy body, helped me overcome weakness, and provided me with the energy to face the challenges of work and life."

A staff member nearby hurried her along, so the reporter rushed to ask her final, best question. "There's been a lot of buzz recently about you gifting a house to one of your fans. Everyone is saying you're a good person. How do you feel about that?"

Matthew simply replied, "My philosophy is to help those who need help, as much as I possibly can."

Though he had ulterior motives for his charitable work, Matthew had genuinely helped many people. "Good and bad can't be so easily defined; they depend on each person's choices. I've always believed that if you do good things, good things will happen to you, and if you do bad things, bad things will happen to you."

He praised himself indirectly, concluding, "That's why I'm always met with fans who love and support me, and I love them right back."

Bella approached to remind him of the time. Matthew finished the interview and made his way to the group photo area to join the rest of the cast and crew before heading into the theater.