The Best Movie Actor In Hollywood!

Chapter 621

Seeing Paul sitting across the table, Matthew finished the last bite of his food, picked up a napkin, and wiped his mouth. "Paul, if you have a question, just ask."

Paul seemed to weigh his words for a moment before speaking. "It’s actually something I've been thinking about for a while."

Matthew gestured for him to take the seat opposite him.

"Here's the thing." Paul no longer hesitated, scratching his head as he sat down. "When the production team was finalizing my contract, they included a special clause. I heard it was your idea."

Matthew knew what he was about to be asked and immediately nodded.

"That's right."

Paul asked curiously, "So why did you ask them to include a clause restricting drag racing?"

"Like I've said before, I don't just want to make the fourth *Fast & Furious* film, but many more after that. I want to keep this going, if possible."

Matthew had prepared a suitable, yet reasonable explanation when he first asked the crew to add the clause. "Paul, real life isn't a movie, but I'd like for all of us to keep making movies. Any accident in the future would be a loss for the entire production."

Paul nodded in agreement.Matthew added, "It's not just you. Jordana, Gadot, and Daniel have the same clause in their contracts."

This wasn't a rebuke aimed at Paul. Several of the other main actors had the same provision, as Paul wasn't the only one who loved to race. Gal Gadot, the Israeli actress, was a bit of a daredevil on motorcycles, probably because of her time in the military, and she rode them often.

Unfortunately, these clauses were only enforceable during the production period. Once they left the set after filming wrapped, the contract held no power until they officially signed on for the next sequel.

It was a legal matter, and there was nothing he could do to change it.

"You really think about the big picture," Paul couldn't help but smile. "Looking ahead and thinking long-term. I'm not even thinking about the next movie yet. But don't worry, I won't be racing while we're filming."

Matthew nodded and said nothing more.

***

Meanwhile, the two lead actresses were sitting at the same table for dinner.

Gal Gadot glanced over at Matthew and Paul's table and asked Jordana Brewster, "Are there clauses in other Hollywood productions that restrict actors from riding motorcycles to and from work?"

Jordana shook her head. "Not that I know of."

"How strange." Gal Gadot cast another look in Matthew's direction.

"You mean Matthew?" Jordana asked, following her gaze. "Big Hollywood stars have plenty of eccentricities, but Matthew is definitely one of those with very few."

Gal Gadot nodded. "I can tell, after working with him for almost two months. He doesn't have the slightest air of a big star. He's kind to people."

Jordana couldn't resist shooting her a sideways glance. "You're not attracted to him, are you? Matthew is a famous Hollywood playboy."

"I'm not interested in him," Gal Gadot said bluntly. "He's not my type."

Generally, when a cast includes two actresses in similar roles, they often end up feuding. But Gal Gadot and Jordana Brewster got along well. One had just arrived in Hollywood from Israel; the other came from a wealthy family and treated acting as more of a hobby, a casual attitude that had left her a minor star even after nearly a decade in the business.

Jordana had known Matthew for a long time. "Falling for a man like Matthew is just asking for trouble," she commented.

Gal Gadot remained silent, though she glanced over again at Matthew, who was chatting cheerfully with Paul.

***

After dinner, filming resumed. The first scene of the afternoon was between Matthew and Gal Gadot.

In the center of the newly arranged set, Matthew walked slowly into a large garage, his eyes immediately landing on a brand-new Mercedes-Benz sports car. His gaze lingered.

He didn't need to look to know that the camera behind him had focused on the Mercedes, just as he had.

The sports car was a new SLR coupe, built by McLaren in Woking, UK. The company had a long history of creating and competing in Formula 1, and the car's design incorporated elements from the 2003 "Silver Arrows" F1 racer.

Then his gaze shifted, falling on another brand-new Mercedes parked nearby.

"Interested in the car?" Gal Gadot's voice called out.

Matthew didn't answer, his eyes fixed on the Mercedes.

It was a new Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG design that incorporated some features of American muscle cars. Its enlarged V8 engine could produce a staggering 1020 horsepower, and its enhanced front end gave the entire vehicle an aggressive, combat-ready look.

Depending on the film's needs, Mercedes-Benz had customized several vehicles for the production, including not only production models but also a number of concept cars.

The newly designed Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG, in particular, was a departure from the brand's traditional vehicles and was a special model created by Mercedes-Benz for the North American market.

Of course, if the film was well-received, Mercedes-Benz would use the North American market as a starting point before launching it worldwide.

Compared to a supercar like the Bugatti Veyron, this car was relatively inexpensive for the production, likely costing less than 350,000 euros.

As one of the film's sponsors, Mercedes-Benz was primarily responsible for providing cars for Matthew's and Gal Gadot's characters, while the vehicles for Jordana Brewster, Paul, and Daniel were mostly from Dodge.

After all, the muscle car concept was born in America.

The Dodge Challenger was Dominic Toretto's car, which created a conflict with Matthew's sponsor. As a result, the team decided to let Paul's character inherit Dom's signature car.

"Are you the kind of guy who loves cars more than women?"

Gal Gadot glided out from behind Matthew. With her arms crossed, she looked exceptionally sexy in a tight white t-shirt and black leggings that complemented her lovely face.

Matthew sized her up and delivered his line as written. "I like cars with perfect lines."

His gaze returned to the Mercedes-Benz as he asked, "Is she yours?"

"No, she belongs to Phoenix." Gal Gadot leaned against the car. "You'll see him at the garage; he'll show you the way."

She watched him. "Now I know your taste in cars. So tell me, what kind of women do you like?"

Matthew looked back at her and began, "She has to have eyes like yours, eyes that can see past a person's exterior."

It was as if he could see right through Gal Gadot. "Able to see a man for who he truly is. Two parts angel, eight parts devil."

Gal Gadot suddenly stood up straight, moved close enough to Matthew to whisper, "Doesn't sound like me at all."

A hint of a smile touched Matthew's face. "Who knows."

With that, he broke his gaze from Gal Gadot and started toward the garage exit.

"Cut!" Justin yelled, stopping the take. "Matthew, Gadot, you two aren't interacting enough!"

Matthew looked at Gal Gadot questioningly, and she just shrugged in response.

Justin walked onto the set and addressed them. "You two are supposed to become a couple by the end of the film. There should be this inexplicable feeling pulsing between you right now, but I didn't see any of what I wanted. Your eyes and expressions basically told the audience you have no special connection and definitely aren't getting together."

Gal Gadot smiled sheepishly. "I understand."

Matthew sighed. "I'm still not over the morning's action scenes."

Filming had only just begun, and he wasn't in top form yet. While he excelled at fight scenes, emotional scenes weren't his strong suit, unless it was the kind where he took off his clothes and let his body do the talking.

The film would have plenty of sexy scenes, but no detailed, passionate ones.

Justin gave Matthew and Gal Gadot three minutes to adjust, and Matthew had a brief chat with her. During their preparations, they had mostly rehearsed the action sequences and spent relatively little time on the dramatic scenes.

The last part of the scene was a bit tricky, but Matthew had plenty of filming experience. He genuinely found Gal Gadot to be a true beauty, and when he pictured Wonder Woman—a combination of beauty and intelligence—his eyes immediately lit up.

But Gal Gadot was still a novice actress, and her emotions were inconsistent. It took nearly ten takes before Justin finally approved the shot.

As is always the case with actors and film crews, there were times when things went smoothly and times when they didn't. The first five days of shooting were filled with all sorts of issues, and they just barely managed to complete Justin's minimum schedule.

On the sixth day of filming, a director who came to visit Justin caught Matthew's attention.