The Best Movie Actor In Hollywood!

Chapter 704

Trapped between the two walls, he couldn't pull himself free.

Christopher Nolan noticed Matthew's predicament. If it had been an ordinary director, he might have just called a cut.

But this long take had been going so well; he didn't want to break it in the middle. Glancing at Michael Fassbender, who was standing nearby, an idea struck him instantly.

“Michael, go,” Nolan whispered. “Hurry.”

With limited time, Christopher Nolan couldn't say much. Fortunately, Michael Fassbender had been watching the scene from the sidelines and immediately understood what Nolan meant, rushing toward Matthew.

He reached Matthew in a few quick strides and held out his hand.

Matthew was still inching forward, and there was no way he could take off his suit jacket in that tight space.

Seeing Michael's outstretched hand, he didn't hesitate and gripped it tightly.

Michael pulled hard. Using the momentum, Matthew surged forward. With a tearing sound, he finally broke free of the walls.

He stumbled out from between the walls just as the two actors playing assassins rushed to the other side.The moment Michael Fassbender entered the scene, the shoot veered into unknown territory.

Christopher Nolan said nothing. This turn of events was completely different from the script. Now, everything depended on the actors' improvisation.

A black Mercedes-Benz pulled up from behind and stopped. The door on Matthew's side swung open from within.

“Get in!” Ken Watanabe waved to Matthew from inside the car.

Without a word, Matthew sprinted for the car, shouting to Michael, “Eames, get in!”

Michael kept pace with Matthew and jumped into the car. As the Mercedes door slammed shut, they sped away.

“Cut!” Christopher Nolan yelled, stopping the shoot. When the Mercedes came to a halt, Matthew and Michael Fassbender got out of the car.

Matthew looked down at his suit jacket. It was torn in two places, a button was missing, and the whole thing was covered in dirt, looking ragged.

He quickly took off the jacket; the heat was intense.

“Wow, you were really stuck in there,” Michael Fassbender said, walking over with another grin. “If I hadn’t helped you, you might have needed a demolition crew.”

Matthew shrugged. “To show my thanks, drinks are on me.”

Michael winked and lowered his voice. “I know a pretty good bar. Lots of girls there. The local beauties really have a thing for Hollywood actors.”

“Forget it.” Matthew shook his head firmly. “Michael, this is Africa. AIDS is rampant here.”

Michael Fassbender added, “You should find a local beauty. They’re really something else...”

Matthew had heard him say this before. He hadn’t been interested then, and he decided it was best to just forget about it now.

A costumer took the jacket from Matthew’s hands. Michael Fassbender took his own jacket off and handed it over as well. Like Matthew, his shirt underneath was nearly soaked through from the heat.

“Nolan loves his suits,” Michael Fassbender whispered. “All the important characters have to wear formal suits, even a guy like Eames who’s just hanging around in Africa.”

Matthew nodded in agreement. “It’s a common trait for characters in his films. It’s probably connected to Christopher Nolan’s personal preferences.”

To create the character of Cobb, he had studied several of Christopher Nolan’s films, starting with Batman Begins. The characters in them were almost always in formal suits. Bruce Wayne wore full business attire when he wasn't Batman, as did the villains, the servants, and even the Joker.

It had almost become a signature symbol and a hallmark of Christopher Nolan's films.

***

The crew had to move to another location for the next scene. Matthew and Michael Fassbender got into the same Mercedes-Benz, and as the cool air from the air conditioner washed over them, they both felt much more refreshed.

“Mercedes seems to follow you around now,” Michael Fassbender said, adjusting the AC vent. “You can see Mercedes sponsorships in all your films.”

Matthew replied casually, “Mainly because Mercedes-Benz has had great sales results over the last two years.”

Michael Fassbender, however, said, “Well, the word in the industry is that Mercedes-Benz found the best possible brand ambassador.”

“That’s no exaggeration,” Matthew replied smugly.

It was true. Over the past year, other car brands had approached Helen, trying to poach him for endorsement deals—the British SUV brand Land Rover, for example.

But he had turned them all down. First, his contract with Mercedes-Benz hadn’t expired yet. Second, those other brands, including Land Rover, didn’t align with his image and positioning.

In the last two years, besides becoming the face for the full range of Armani, Mercedes-Benz, and Rolex products, Matthew hadn't taken on any new advertising projects.

They didn't even consider low-end brands, and for high-end ones, they had to wait for the right opportunity.

***

The next filming location wasn't far. Michael Fassbender chatted with Matthew for a bit, and the topic soon shifted to work.

“Matthew, there’s something work-related...” Michael Fassbender seemed a little hesitant. “I’m not sure which way to go.”

“Tell me about it. Maybe I can help.” Matthew could tell that Michael wanted his opinion.

Michael Fassbender thought for a moment, choosing his words. “Twentieth Century Fox has a project. James’s and my agent got us an audition, and we both tried out a while ago. Filming doesn't start until next year, but James and I are pretty sure we can get the parts.”

Matthew’s interest was piqued, and he asked curiously, “What kind of project?”

“A superhero movie,” Michael Fassbender replied. “It’s a Marvel superhero film, X-Men. I’m basically guaranteed the role of Magneto, and James’s character is Professor X.”

Matthew nodded. “Is Twentieth Century Fox making a sequel to the X-Men trilogy, or is it a reboot?”

Michael Fassbender thought for a moment and answered, “A reboot. It’s centered on the characters of Professor X, Magneto, and Mystique during their younger years.”

Matthew vaguely remembered seeing a few of the rebooted X-Men films, so Twentieth Century Fox’s reboot must have been successful. But superhero films weren't so simple. He thought for a moment before saying, “The X-Men series is very popular. They’re the most popular superhero team in the Marvel Comics universe. If the adaptation has a good script and a good director, the chances of success are very high.”

Michael Fassbender added, “The director is the same one who directed the first and second X-Men films.”

“There are pros and cons to taking this role,” Matthew said directly to Michael Fassbender. “Michael, if the film is successful, you’ll become a true star. Contracts and salary will no longer be an issue.”

He stated the pros first, then moved on to the cons. “But superhero roles can be very limiting for an actor's image. Afterward, you’ll be inseparable from Magneto. You might even find yourself typecast by the role, like Hugh Jackman.”

Michael Fassbender frowned slightly. That was definitely something he couldn't just brush aside.

Matthew sighed softly. “I can only offer an outsider’s perspective on the pros and cons of this choice. You have to think it over carefully yourself.”

“I understand.” Michael nodded. “I’ll think about it.”

Matthew said no more. Because it was Michael, he had said this much; if it had been someone else, he wouldn’t have said nearly as much.

The era of superhero movies had arrived, and superhero roles were becoming the fastest path to fame. Actors like Michael Fassbender were still in a good position; after all, they had years of experience behind them. But for actors who didn’t have a solid foundation of skill, even if they became famous from a superhero role, they wouldn’t be able to achieve much once they stepped away from it.

Soon, the crew’s convoy of vehicles entered a village in the Atlas Valley and stopped in front of a shanty that stretched for dozens of meters. The group of actors got out of their cars and headed for the makeup trailer to prepare for the next shoot.

Since there weren't many scenes to shoot, the crew only spent a week in Morocco before heading to London. Matthew, however, stayed behind with a few bodyguards and traveled to Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, to prepare for his meeting with the team from the UN.

This time, it wasn't just the UNHCR team arriving, but also a large number of staff from various women's and children's foundations.