The Best Movie Actor In Hollywood!

Chapter 636

A long motorcade of black Mercedes-Benzes arrived at the Hollywood Heights Center, waiting patiently in the staging area to be admitted to tonight’s premiere. Warner Bros. had spared no expense for the event at the Kodak Theatre, where thousands of people were now packed against the barriers, screaming with excitement and clutching their cameras, hoping to capture the day’s biggest stars.

Tonight, they would not be disappointed, for a long list of Hollywood stars awaited them: Johnny Depp, adored by pirate fans; Keanu Reeves, once the savior of the world; Keira Knightley, the love of pirates; Robert Downey Jr., the face of Iron Man; and Charlize Theron, who arrived looking every bit the queen.

But as talented and celebrated as they were, they were not the stars of the day, nor were they the reason the frenzied crowd had been waiting so long behind the barricades.

When Matthew walked the carpet alone, a hush fell over the crowd, followed by a deafening roar of screams.

The other stars shone brightly, but tonight belonged to Matthew.

After a six-month hiatus, he had made a grand return with his latest film.

For the fans gathered on both sides of the red carpet, for people like Phyllis Beretta and Kristen, tonight was a night of celebration.

Countless fans they had rallied through their support websites were gathered here. They knew they were a real part of making this premiere happen and, more importantly, they knew that Matthew knew it too.

The opportunity to help their idol, to work on Matthew's behalf, was a joy they could barely put into words.

The high-profile guests moved quickly down the red carpet, though they all seemed to understand that this premiere truly had only two main stars: Matthew Horner and Charlize Theron.On the red carpet, Charlize went first, with Matthew following behind.

As Charlize entered the interview area, Matthew stepped onto the red carpet right on cue.

The two of them, one after the other, brought the scene to a perfect crescendo.

Camera flashes illuminated the darkening sky like daylight, and the relentless clicking of shutters was drowned out by the frenzied screams.

Phyllis stood relatively close to the red carpet viewing area, raising her camera and standing on her toes, trying to capture Matthew’s every move so she could upload the photos to the website later.

Since she would be going into the theater later, Phyllis didn't try to push her way to the front. Instead, she watched from a distance as Matthew made his way down the carpet and said to Kristen, "Tonight's premiere is going to be a huge success!"

Kristen nodded eagerly in agreement. "A successful premiere and a successful movie!"

Just as Matthew was about to pass the press area, a single chant started up from somewhere in the crowd. It was quickly joined by the entire audience, as if by some unspoken agreement.

"Matthew! Matthew! Matthew!"

The chant quickly transformed from a scattered few voices into a powerful, unified roar, so loud it felt like it could split the heavens and be heard all the way in Mexico.

The cameras of the countless media reporters on site captured every second. As she watched the astonishing scene unfold, one female reporter murmured to herself, "Horner's popularity has to be at the absolute peak of the industry."

Despite the fans' cheers, however, Matthew didn't break his stride, moving down the red carpet at his usual brisk pace.

His posture was erect, his gait firm, and his short hair stood on end.

Matthew entered the interview area, projecting his usual image.

The interview was unavoidable, but he didn't linger, simply answering a few routine questions.

Matthew was the last of the cast members to walk the red carpet, but he wasn't the last person there. Following him, Nina Dobrev, Lily Collins, and Liam Hemsworth made their way down the carpet one by one.

They were there to build buzz for "Twilight," which was scheduled for release that November.

Not only did the three actors walk the red carpet, but thanks to Matthew's efforts, the promotional trailer directed by Sofia Coppola would also run as an ad before the screenings of "Hancock."

For "Twilight" to become a hit, it wasn't enough to rely on the book's fanbase alone, just as a superhero film can't become a blockbuster by appealing only to comic book readers.

It was getting late, and there were still several parts of the event to get through, so Matthew kept his interview brief. He then moved to the photo area to pose in front of the backdrop with the rest of the cast, crew, and sponsors for a group picture—a standard procedure at any premiere.

After that, Matthew found Johnny Depp and Keira Knightley and chatted with them for a moment. He confirmed they weren't leaving Los Angeles anytime soon and made plans to host a party at his estate after the busy Independence Day holiday to thank all the friends who had come out to support them.

As they were entering the theater, someone suddenly came up behind them.

"Hi, Matthew."

Hearing the clear voice, Matthew turned to see Lily Collins approaching, dressed in a white gown.

Matthew stopped and waited for Lily to catch up, then continued on with her. "Who picked out your dress?" he asked. "It's beautiful."

"My mom." Lily walked beside Matthew, complaining playfully, "I asked you to help me pick an outfit, but you refused to come."

Matthew spread his hands. "I haven't had any time. I just got back from Australia two days ago."

He had been swamped with promotional duties for the movie lately.

"Hancock" had taken him on a tour of numerous famous cities overseas, not just in North America.

They had arrived late, and most of the guests were already in the auditorium. Matthew was about to head for the VIP entrance, but just as he and Lily were about to go inside, another young woman approached from behind.

"Good evening, Matthew."

Nina glanced at Lily, but made no move to greet her.

Lily shot her a cold look in return and snorted softly.

"Good evening, Nina," Matthew said with a smile, nodding to her.

Nina came up to stand on Matthew's other side. "Let's go in together," she suggested.

"Of course," Matthew replied with a casual, welcoming gesture.

The three of them entered and soon arrived at the auditorium entrance. Nina shot another glance at Lily, then leaned close to Matthew's ear and whispered, "I'll be waiting for you tonight," before walking away.

Matthew didn't reply, but Nina smiled at him and headed into the auditorium.

"What did she say?" Lily asked insistently.

Matthew shook his head. "Nothing."

Lily huffed again, but didn't press the issue.

Then, as Matthew walked down the aisle toward the front row, he ran into an acquaintance.

"Hello, Matthew."

In the third row, in the seat nearest the aisle, Charles Roven quickly stood up to greet him. Matthew shook his hand and said formally, "Thanks for coming to the premiere."

Charles smiled. "No need for formalities."

Although Matthew had turned down "Green Lantern," Warner Bros. was still eager to work with him, and the two parties were slated to collaborate on the upcoming Christopher Nolan film, "Inception."

"I've seen the internal screenings for this movie—it's brilliant," Charles Roven remarked. "It's a shame you won't take on a comic book superhero role."

Matthew replied, "If this role hadn't been an original character, but one from a comic book adaptation, I would have turned it down as well."

Recalling their previous meeting, he asked casually, "How's it going? Have you found the right actor for the lead role yet?"

"Not yet," Charles replied. "Warner Bros. and DC Comics are planning to change the roles around a bit, so casting will be delayed for a while. But it will definitely be settled before the end of the year."

Matthew nodded and didn't ask any more questions.

Charles, however, added, "I made a proposal after our last meeting, and after Warner Bros. and DC Comics did their research, both are interested in using a black version of Green Lantern as the male lead."