The Best Movie Actor In Hollywood!

Chapter 642

The question had been arranged in advance, and Helen had prepared an answer for him—one that wasn't crass, but rather a realistic take on catering to the market's tastes.

"I've discussed this with many people. You know, if it seems risky, it's only because you don't understand the 'rules of the game' yet."

Matthew explained, "I think a lot of people misunderstand because they confuse two different concepts: the film itself and the film's success. You see, there isn't much of a connection between a movie's success and the movie itself."

He offered a specific example. "Back in the 1960s and '70s, there were people in America selling things like pet rocks. They actually sold them for a profit, and some people paid to have a rock sent to them by mail as a pet. So, success has very little to do with the product itself. Of course, it's easier to succeed if you have a very good product, but having a good product doesn't guarantee good sales, and vice versa. They are two different and independent things."

He paused for a moment, as if gathering his thoughts, before delivering the point he'd been preparing for. "So, I believe that once you separate the 'selling' from the 'product,' you can see both things more clearly and thoroughly. And in doing so, you can look at art in a completely different way."

After that question, Julie Vuurst asked a few standard questions about other aspects of his business before moving on to questions from the online audience.

"We're conducting this interview online, and we have nearly a million viewers from all over the country watching right now." Julie feigned a look of disbelief. "This is amazing!"

Matthew responded appropriately, "Thank you to everyone for sitting in front of your computers and watching the two of us chat."

Julie quickly agreed, "Yes, thank you!"

She then added, "We're now going to take a few questions from our online viewers.Matthew, are you ready for this?"

Matthew smiled. "I hope they won't be too difficult."

"Alright, our first lucky question has come through." Julie didn't waste any time and got straight to the point. "The question is: 'Matthew, when your fans get into trouble, do you help them the same way you helped Phyllis Beretta?'"

"I would help them appropriately." Matthew emphasized the word "appropriately" before explaining, "Anyone can face difficulties, and when they do, it's not just about outside help—it's about your own efforts. She is now working with her own two hands to support herself and get her life back on track."

After a brief pause, he added, "I don't help with general hardships, because those are part of life's experience. A situation like the one Phyllis was going through is no longer just a hardship; that's when a person needs help the most."

Julie glanced at her computer screen. "Let's move on to the next question. This user seems to be a big fan of yours, and they said: 'Matthew, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say you're favored by God. You've had a very smooth path to stardom with few ups and downs. What was the most important thing you did to get to where you are today?'"

"Hard work and luck. Over my years in Hollywood, I've faced more difficulties than you can imagine, but they didn't break me. I worked hard to overcome them one by one, and I was lucky enough to end up where I am now."

In truth, there were many extras who had worked harder than he had, yet none of them had succeeded, and the reasons for that were obvious.

Just as talent can be buried, hard work isn't the key to success in Hollywood; it's merely a fundamental prerequisite.

The interview then inevitably turned to gossip, but Matthew remained calm and collected, taking every question the netizens threw at him in stride.

The forty-minute interview concluded with Matthew shaking Julie's hand and leaving the interview room.

As soon as he returned to the adjacent break room, Ilana approached him.

"Any big inside scoops lately?" she asked.

Gathering his things, Matthew replied, "Does the fact that a movie is coming out in November that's going to be a huge hit not count?"

"That 'Twilight' movie of yours?" Ilana immediately shook her head. "The subject is long out of fashion. Good luck making back your tens of millions in investment."

Matthew glanced at his watch. "Let's talk another time. I'm heading back."

Ilana asked curiously, "In such a hurry?"

"I arranged a phone call with someone for later." Matthew took out his phone and waved to Ilana. "Bye, Ilana."

Leaving the TMZ office, Brown Williams pulled the car up to the door. After Matthew got in, he told the driver, "Home."

---

On the way back to Beverly Hills, he received a call from Emma Watson.

Emma had messaged him yesterday to arrange a call for around this time today.

"You called at just the right time," Matthew told Emma, who was far away in London. "I just finished attending an event."

Emma's voice came through the phone. "I'll be in Los Angeles next week. Have you thought about how you're going to entertain me?"

Matthew replied with mock seriousness, "In a few minutes, I'm going to notify all the local entertainment media outlets one by one and tell them that Emma is coming to the City of Angels, and we'll organize a grand reception for you."

"You..." Emma gritted her teeth. "If you do that, you're dead meat."

"Since you don't like to have a good time," Matthew dropped the joke, "then keep it quiet, and I'll come pick you up myself."

"Of course," Emma replied.

Curious, Matthew asked, "Why the sudden trip to Los Angeles?"

"Next week, Warner Bros. is holding a big premiere for 'The Dark Knight'," Emma explained over the phone. "They invited me, and since I'm on my summer break, I agreed. I want to get swept up in the Batman craze."

Matthew adopted a deliberately disappointed tone. "I thought you were coming to see me."

Emma's laugh tinkled through the receiver. "I'm coming to see you and just happening to stop by the premiere."

Matthew then asked for her arrival time and flight number, agreed to pick her up, and ended the call.

Warner Bros. was clearly taking "The Dark Knight" very seriously. They had done so much for the film after Heath Ledger's passing, even before it was released, turning the Joker into a myth.

Matthew had also received an invitation from Warner Bros. and, with his upcoming film "Inception" with Christopher Nolan, he would be attending the premiere of "The Dark Knight."

He then made a special call to Bella Anderson and asked her to inform Armani to prepare an all-black suit for him.

Regardless of the actual circumstances, showing proper respect for the dead was never a bad thing.

Both audiences and the media tend to maximize their tolerance and sympathy for someone who has left this world.

In the middle of a busy week, "Hancock" also celebrated its second weekend in North American theaters. Thanks to an outstanding first week, the film's release had already expanded to over 4,400 theaters across North America, holding a firm first-place position.

This weekend, the only film that could pose any real competition to "Hancock" was "Mamma Mia!", starring Amanda Seyfried and Meryl Streep.

Based on the stage production of the same name that premiered in London in 1999, "Mamma Mia!" was a typical song-and-dance movie, financed and produced by Tom Hanks's company, Playtone, with a reported production cost of $52 million and a premiere in just under 3,000 theaters in its first week.

This film, from its investment and lead actors to its genre, was unlikely to pose a serious threat to "Hancock."

Matthew and Meryl Streep were in completely different leagues. In terms of acting, Matthew was no match for her, but when it came to commercial appeal, three Meryl Streeps combined couldn't compare to him.

So, as the weekend progressed, "Hancock" continued to confidently lead the box office.

Compared to last weekend, the film's box office dropped by fifty-one percent, earning $41.1 million, well ahead of "Mamma Mia!" which took second place with $27.75 million.

With "Mamma Mia!" in second place, the third spot went to the robot "WALL-E," which brought in another $18.7 million.

Thus, after two weeks in North American theaters, "Hancock" had grossed $162.6 million, surpassing the $161.15 million earned by "WALL-E," which had been in theaters for three weeks.

In addition, the film had been released in overseas markets, including the Pacific Rim, expanding its distribution to nearly eighty countries and territories and grossing $146.2 million at the international box office.

"Hancock" easily surpassed the $300 million mark at the global box office and continued to aim for even higher numbers.

Behind the high box office numbers, of course, was relatively mediocre word-of-mouth.

Matthew, among others, knew that the film was unlikely to have the same staying power as "I Am Legend."

But it was by no means a problem for the film to turn a huge profit.

Meanwhile, "Iron Man," which Matthew had co-financed, surpassed $300 million at the North American box office and over $500 million worldwide after two months in theaters.

The first film independently produced by Marvel Comics was undoubtedly a massive success.

It was against this backdrop that Matthew received a call from the CEO of The Walt Disney Company, Robert Iger.