The Best Movie Actor In Hollywood!

Chapter 679

Stepping onto the Warner Studios soundstage for Inception, Matthew bypassed Christopher Nolan and instead made his way toward an area where a new set had just been constructed, led by an assistant director who was giving him a tour.

"Director Nolan has always insisted on shooting with practical effects."

As they walked, the assistant director explained, "We have to build every set for real or create scale models."

Matthew had heard as much. He gestured toward the elaborate construction and asked, "Is this for a scene in the first act?"

"It is," the assistant director confirmed.

Matthew recalled the script. This was where they would film the sequence in which water from a higher dream level floods a lower one, creating the surreal effect of an entire Japanese palace being inundated by a torrent.

Pointing to a series of enormous water tanks, the assistant director elaborated, "We built a massive palace interior and rigged a total of five thousand gallons of water in twenty-six reservoirs, positioned neatly outside each window of the set. The tanks are triggered in sequence by a mechanism to create the scene of the palace flooding."

Matthew stepped closer for a better look, forced to admit that the film industry had evolved to a point where it truly was a kind of magic.

Shooting with practical effects didn't mean recreating every scene one-to-one in the real world, but rather constructing similar environments or building miniature models for filming.

Compared to the computer-generated imagery so prevalent in modern Hollywood blockbusters, this method was far more labor-intensive and time-consuming.Deeper inside, on another separate soundstage, Matthew saw a large, circular rig that had yet to be fully assembled. Christopher Nolan himself was on the floor, directing the crew as they worked to set it up according to his precise specifications.

Matthew greeted Nolan but didn't interrupt, simply standing back to watch.

From the crew's discussion and the half-assembled interior of the contraption, Matthew guessed it was the rig for filming the zero-gravity hallway sequence.

After giving the crew a few more instructions, Christopher Nolan beckoned Matthew into a nearby office. The topic of their conversation, naturally, was the upcoming film.

"Matthew, I'm going to need you to be thoroughly prepared."

Christopher Nolan stated plainly, "Your performance will determine the caliber of this entire film."

"I'll do my best," Matthew said with a nod.

Christopher Nolan clearly had high expectations, and he continued,

"You need to immerse yourself completely in Cobb's character. Starting now, you must forge a deep emotional connection with him."

As if concerned Matthew wasn't grasping the gravity of his request, he offered an example. "Years ago, I directed Memento. For me, it was a puzzle box, a structural experiment based on a short story by my brother. But it was the actor who brought such a profound emotional depth to the character."

Matthew remained silent, listening intently.

Christopher continued, "I wrote the character's journey, and I tried my best to get inside his head, but my screenplay wasn't the main attraction. If I had cast an actor who couldn't handle the role, who didn't appreciate the pathos of that character's condition, the film would have been dry and dull. Audiences would have hated it. It was Guy Pearce's brilliant performance that truly unlocked the story. He projected an unexpected emotional depth that drew viewers in far more than they anticipated."

Matthew had tried watching Memento once but had never made it past the ten-minute mark. It just wasn't his kind of film.

Consequently, he couldn't personally vouch for the acting prowess of this "Pearce" that Nolan was praising.

Of course, he couldn't very well admit any of this to Christopher Nolan.

"Matthew, what do you believe is Cobb's primary motivation?" Christopher Nolan asked abruptly.

"Family," Matthew answered without hesitation. "Or more specifically, getting back home."

Family was arguably one of the most central themes in Hollywood, a concept that always resonated with audiences. Protecting one's family was a universally accepted virtue.

"What does family mean to the protagonist? I wasn't entirely clear on that in the early stages," Christopher Nolan said slowly. "It was only after I became a husband and a father, after my life changed and my priorities shifted, that I became certain of Cobb's motivation—that his ultimate goal is to fix his life and get back to his family."

He stressed, "It's the most powerful emotion I can imagine."

"I understand," Matthew nodded. "I want to go home just as badly as Cobb does."

Having cast him in the lead, Christopher Nolan had naturally looked into Matthew's background. It was one of the reasons he'd offered him the role of Cobb in the first place; he believed Matthew's own experiences as a teenager would give him a genuine understanding of what it felt like to yearn for home.

"Alright, Matthew," Christopher continued, his tone serious. "As of today, you are officially part of the cast. There are two things I need to make clear right from the start."

Matthew replied immediately, "Go on."

Christopher Nolan stressed, "Starting today, you are no longer Matthew Horner. You are Cobb. Everyone on this set, myself included, will no longer call you Matthew. We will only address you as Cobb."

Matthew understood this was a method to help him fully inhabit the role and forge that emotional connection with the character. He nodded and replied, "No problem."

But Nolan wasn't finished. "The set is a work environment," he added. "I need you to create Cobb's atmosphere in your personal life as well. I need you to think of yourself as Cobb even when you're not here."

This presented a problem. Matthew wasn't just an actor; he had other business to attend to. He couldn't simply disappear for the next six months and live as Cobb, neglecting all his other responsibilities.

Seeing Matthew's silence, Christopher guessed his hesitation. After all, Nolan himself was more than just a director; he ran his own production company.

"I don't mean your entire life has to become Cobb's," Christopher Nolan clarified, realizing such a request was impossible. "But you do need to dedicate a portion of your time outside of work to maintaining that emotional connection with him."

He softened his tone. "We'll be signing the actress who plays Cobb's wife very soon. I'm hoping the two of you can spend a good amount of time together, interacting in your daily lives, to build the kind of rapport that should exist between the characters."

"I can try," Matthew agreed with a nod. "Can you tell me who the actress is?"

Christopher answered without hesitation, "Anne Hathaway. The studio is in contract negotiations with her now."

A thought flashed through Matthew's mind: wasn't it Marion Cotillard in the original film? Then again, Nolan did work with Anne Hathaway eventually, but that was for her role as Selina Kyle.

Christopher rose to his feet and extended his right hand.

Matthew quickly stood and shook Nolan's hand.

"I'm very glad to have you on board," Christopher Nolan said with a smile. "Mr. Cobb."

Not a trace of a smile touched Matthew's lips. His expression was somber. "The honor is all mine."

Since Nolan had already begun addressing him as Cobb, Matthew had to respond with Cobb's demeanor.

As he understood it, Inception was a complex, intellectual thriller. The character of Cobb was burdened by unsavory and increasingly oppressive secrets, and in their previous discussions, Nolan had repeatedly instructed him to add more somber layers to the portrayal.

Christopher glanced at his watch. "I have auditions this morning, and it's about time to start. Feel free to look around the set some more. I'm heading to the audition room."

A shadow of seemingly irresolvable sorrow crossed Matthew's features.

"Goodbye, Cobb." Christopher left the office and, on his way to the audition room, instructed his assistant, "Starting today, everyone in the cast and crew will address Matthew Horner as Cobb."

***

Matthew left the office and took another look around the soundstage, surveying the other sets before heading across to the smaller studio where the crew was holding auditions.

He had just reached the studio door when two women, one tall and the other petite, came out, nearly running into him.

Recognizing the taller of the two, Matthew took the initiative to greet her. "Good morning, Julia."

Both women noticed him at the same time. The taller one stopped and returned his greeting with a smile. "Good morning, Matthew."

The tall woman was Julia Roberts, whom Matthew had met at a few industry events. Her companion was clearly younger, perhaps seventeen or eighteen, with a resemblance to Julia Roberts, but with more delicate features.

He instantly recalled the rumors circulating in the industry and guessed the girl must be Julia Roberts's niece.

Matthew didn't mention it, though. They weren't well acquainted, after all. He simply exchanged a few pleasantries with Julia Roberts for a minute before heading into the studio.

In that brief exchange, he learned that Julia Roberts had brought her niece, Emma Roberts, to audition for a part.

Matthew entered the studio and headed for the waiting area, where actors were auditioning for supporting roles. James McAvoy was there today as well.

Just as he turned down the corridor, an actor who had been standing ahead of him suddenly hurried past.

Matthew's sharp eyes caught the man's face clearly. His eyebrows shot up in recognition. "Tom!"