The Best Movie Actor In Hollywood!

Chapter 603

Matthew was thrilled with the opening weekend success of 'I Am Legend' and spent the next two days attending promotional events, looking positively radiant.

He also carved out some time from his busy schedule to visit Universal Studios.

A comic book film, starring James McAvoy, was currently in production there.

Having arranged it with James in advance and leveraging his own professional relationship with Universal Studios, Matthew easily walked onto the soundstage. It had been converted into a makeshift shooting range, where a stunning woman was coaching James on how to handle a gun in front of the camera.

Filming paused for a moment. Matthew stood just off-set and waved to James. James saw him just as a large, heavy-set director approached him, seemingly to discuss the scene. Matthew's gaze then fell upon the woman in the form-fitting suit.

That woman had been his very first introduction to Hollywood—Angelina Jolie.

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's affair became infamous after Jennifer Aniston reportedly caught them in bed, but they were no ordinary stars. Both had worked in Hollywood for years and had achieved success from a much higher starting point than most.

Meanwhile, David Ellison had been keeping Matthew updated on Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's activities. Pitt was involved with a project called 'Cloud Atlas' and was angling for a role in 'John Carter,' having reportedly met with the director just that Tuesday. Jolie, for her part, was deeply immersed in charity work, a clear effort to repair her public image.

The two were famous enough that as the scandal faded with time, it didn't seem like Hollywood had any intention of blacklisting them.

Now, for instance, Angelina Jolie had landed a supporting role in a mid-budget film, with a price tag of around seventy million dollars.Matthew stood at the edge of the set, watching them film. James, the lead, appeared to be playing an assassin in training. Angelina was in her element, channeling the same energy as her Tomb Raider days, though she was older now and, at first glance, didn't look quite like Lara Croft.

After another half hour, the director called a break.

“Hey, Matthew!” James waved to him from across the set. “Over here!”

Making his way over to where James was resting, Matthew remarked, “Back in town without so much as a call?”

James grinned. “I got back to LA the day before yesterday, which is why I called you yesterday.”

Sensing someone's eyes on him, Matthew turned his head and met Angelina Jolie's gaze from about ten feet away.

Angelina gave him the same cool nod she always had over the years before turning to chat with her assistant.

Matthew pulled up a chair and sat next to James. “You’ve been busy these last two years, haven’t you? Jet-setting all over the world for shoots.”

James replied cheerfully, “Michael and I both made a name for ourselves after the '300' craze, and since the year before last, the number of production companies reaching out to us with offers has skyrocketed.”

He pointed to the lines on his face. “If this keeps up, I think I’ll be old before my time.”

Matthew, having gone through that stage himself, offered, “Just get through it. Eventually, you’ll reach the point where you can actually enjoy it.”

Then he asked, “And where’s Michael? I haven’t been able to reach him for over two weeks.”

The three of them kept in touch, talking on the phone at least once a month.

“Michael’s busy with a film called ‘Hunger’,” James said, shaking his head. “The director asked him to get down to skin and bones. Michael’s cut off all contact with the outside world and is starving himself in some corner of the globe.”

Matthew was about to comment on how unhealthy that was, but he held his tongue. Michael had always been a more committed actor than either he or James.

The next scene was Angelina Jolie’s, and she soon walked onto the set.

James watched Jolie’s back as she walked away and asked, “What do you think of her?”

“Huh?” Matthew gave James a questioning look. “You’re not thinking of getting involved with her, are you?”

He warned, “She’s a complicated woman. I wouldn’t get tangled up with her if I were you.”

Probably thinking of Brad Pitt, James looked away. “I know.”

Hollywood actresses, after they’ve had their fill of fun, look for a rich man to marry and settle down with.

Of course, Hollywood playboys are no different. Before they get too old, they marry a young, beautiful, and manageable woman who still believes in true love.

James suddenly changed the subject. “It’s been so many years since your first big romance, and you still haven’t found anyone else.”

Matthew paused for a moment before answering, “I’ve got my eye on someone, but she hasn’t noticed me.”

James knew who he was talking about, so he didn't press the issue. Instead, he asked, “But you haven’t met anyone else you’d want to make your girlfriend? There’s no shortage of beautiful women with great personalities in our circle.”

“Buses and trains don’t run on the same track,” Matthew said slowly.

James asked, baffled, “What?”

Matthew spread his hands. “The train is afraid the bus will get run over, and the bus is afraid the train will derail. How are they supposed to stay together?”

“You...” James started, pointing a finger at him, at a loss for words for a moment. Then he declared, “Your weird metaphors are going to leave you single until you’re an old man.”

Matthew brushed off his words and asked, “What about you?”

In reality, James and Michael Fassbender were no better than him when it came to women.

To be precise, the whole circle was like that: men with women, women with men, men with men, women with women—the list was endless.

Expecting such a circle to be as pure as a white lotus blossom, and expecting the people in it to be flawless, was about as likely as winning the lottery.

In fact, it wasn't just Hollywood; any circle associated with fame and fortune was just as messy.

In response to Matthew’s question, James suddenly dropped his playful expression. “I’m going to look for a chance to propose after I finish this shoot,” he said.

“What?” Matthew looked stunned. “Propose?”

James nodded with complete seriousness. “Yes.”

He explained, “I met a woman I really like. She’s nine years older than me, but we’ve been dating seriously for two years, and I’ve decided to propose to her this year.”

Matthew nodded slightly, not saying anything for a moment, then smiled. “Good luck, James.”

It felt a little strange that James—who had once been the one among the three of them with a string of girlfriends—was about to become a married man.

“Michael isn’t about to do the same thing, is he?”

James shook his head. “No, he’s not in a relationship right now.”

Matthew smiled. “So I still have a partner in crime.”

Soon, James was called back to the set. Matthew watched for a little while longer, then got a call from Helen and left Universal Pictures, heading for the Angel Agency in Burbank.

Aside from routine business, Helen’s call was mainly about one thing: Stephen Sommers wanted to meet with him.

He was a director who had helped him in the past, so of course, Matthew agreed.