The Best Movie Actor In Hollywood!

Chapter 718

In addition to being the lead actor, Matthew was also a producer, so he made a point of learning as much as he could about the operational aspects of filming. In truth, he was well aware that the explosion scene, which looked incredibly stylish on camera, was a one-shot deal, as Christopher Nolan had no other choice.

The location was a small bakery that the art department had transformed into an elegant roadside café, only for it to be reduced to rubble during filming.

The biggest obstacle for the shoot was London's city hall, which refused to allow the film crew to use real explosives, even under strict supervision.

For this reason, the crew had to use high-pressure nitrogen to simulate the series of explosions.

Matthew and Emma Roberts were filming at the center of the blast, so the props surrounding them were crafted from the lightest and most cost-effective materials available.

Overall, the shoot was conducted safely and efficiently.

The debris on set was, of course, handled by a cleaning company hired by the production. As it was approaching noon, most of the crew headed to a nearby restaurant for lunch before moving to a location on the other side of the Thames for the afternoon shoot.

Matthew sat at a table with Emma.

"You were remarkably calm during that scene," Matthew commented, his extensive experience lending a particular weight to his praise. "I've filmed countless action and explosion sequences, and I've never seen an actress as composed as you were."

Emma Roberts smiled sweetly. "Did you think I was going to be scared?"Matthew nodded earnestly. "I expected you to be screaming in terror, maybe curled up on the floor with your hands over your head, or at the very least, jump a little..."

"But I wasn't," Emma replied, a hint of pride in her voice. "It takes more than that to scare me."

Matthew set down his knife and fork, dabbed his mouth with a napkin, and offered a compliment. "You're special, Emma. Not like most other actresses your age."

Emma Roberts let out a clear, bright laugh that carried across the restaurant.

Across the room, Anne Hathaway watched them, her pale face grim.

She hadn't been scheduled for the morning shoot, but her afternoon scenes were with Matthew and Emma Roberts, so she had arrived early to meet with them and prepare.

Watching Matthew chat and laugh so easily with Emma Roberts, Anne Hathaway was reminded of what a shameless playboy he was.

He'd slept with her, then with Emma Watson—who had only just left London—and now he was moving on to Emma Roberts?

At that moment, she finally accepted one thing: she stood no chance of ever tying down Matthew Horner.

She had tried to keep her distance, but the sight of Emma Roberts made her anger flare up all over again.

Her eyes remained fixed on Emma Roberts. She'd taken a dislike to the younger actress from the moment she was cast.

She was more famous than Emma Roberts, so why was her role so much smaller? Why? Was it simply because Emma's aunt was Julia Roberts?

On top of that, everyone on set seemed to like Emma Roberts far more than they liked her.

Why? She couldn't understand it. She was more elegant, more stylish, more of a princess than Emma Roberts. She was superior in height, beauty, acting ability...

"I'll be right back," Emma announced.

Matthew nodded. "Watch out for the paparazzi outside."

Emma Roberts smiled. "I'm not leaving the restaurant."

With that, she stood up and headed for the restroom.

Matthew finished his glass of water and waited a few moments. When Emma Roberts returned, they headed for the exit together.

As they walked and chatted, their proximity allowed Matthew to catch the distinct scent of cigarette smoke clinging to Emma. It seemed she'd used her trip to the restroom for a quick smoke.

He'd known for a while; during rehearsals, Emma Roberts often found a moment to slip away for a cigarette.

Stepping out of the restaurant, he saw Brown Williams waiting. Realizing his bodyguard must have something to report, Matthew said goodbye to Emma and got into the car alone. The driver's seat was occupied by another bodyguard with a British license.

The car set off along the riverbank, heading toward the film set on the other side of the Thames.

"Two paparazzi from The Sun and the janitor who was our mole have been temporarily detained by the police for the last two days for repeatedly assaulting each other," Brown Williams reported, updating him on the latest developments. "Both parties sustained injuries of varying severity."

Matthew nodded. "It can't be traced back to us, can it?"

"No," Brown Williams said confidently. "We all have alibis, and this is a minor case. The London police won't waste their resources on it."

Still, Matthew cautioned, "Be careful."

Brown Williams's long career in the military and counter-terrorism had instilled in him a cautious nature. "I know," he assured him. "I'll keep monitoring the situation."

"And the law firm?" Matthew asked.

With Bella and Helen away, Brown Williams had effectively taken on the role of a part-time assistant.

Brown Williams answered promptly, "The law firm has already begun preliminary preparations. They're just waiting for the contract to be signed on Saturday to officially file the lawsuit." He paused for a moment before adding, "The lawyer, Alma Alamuddin, received the surveillance footage from both the hotel and the police today. I also gave her a copy of everything I have."

Hearing Brown Williams mention Alma's name, Matthew was suddenly reminded of the promise the lawyer had made to him.

In a sense, it was a special kind of deal.

"Brown, find me the best miniature camera available," Matthew said quietly. "And handle it yourself."

Though he didn't understand Matthew's intentions, Brown Williams replied without hesitation, "I'll find one today."

Then Brown spoke up. "There was something I wanted to ask you about."

Matthew glanced at him. "Go ahead."

"I'd like to request some time off, starting in early May." Brown Williams rubbed the back of his neck. "I haven't taken a vacation in the last two years. My wife wanted to take the kids on a trip around the world last year, but I couldn't get away because of that business with the Tijuana drug traffickers..."

"Of course," Matthew agreed immediately. He knew Brown Williams hadn't taken any significant time off since he'd started working for him. "I'll have Bella find the best travel agency and have them arrange everything for you."

Matthew was always generous with his capable staff. "All expenses will be on me," he added.

Brown Williams opened his mouth to object, but Matthew raised a hand to stop him. "Don't argue. You've earned it."

Brown Williams didn't press the issue, simply offering a grateful smile. "I'll get everything squared away before I go."

Matthew would be back in Los Angeles in May, where there were far fewer aggressive British paparazzi to deal with. It wouldn't be an issue for Brown to take some time off then.

Matthew understood perfectly well that if you wanted your people to perform, you had to take care of them.

The man wasn't a machine; he deserved a break.

The car pulled up near Buckingham Palace, on the west side of St. James's Park. Before getting out, Matthew asked one last question.

"How much time are you taking?"

Brown Williams replied, "Two weeks."

Matthew nodded and said no more, disappearing into the makeup trailer parked by the curb.

The location was just over a hundred meters from Buckingham Palace in a bustling part of the city. The crew had only a single day for the shoot, so everyone, not just Matthew, was working at a frantic pace.

Getting the actors through makeup, adjusting the cameras, setting up the props, and coordinating the large number of extras took over an hour before filming could officially begin.

The focus was on scenes featuring Cobb and Ariadne, and the actors continued their excellent form from the morning. Most shots were completed in just one or two takes.

The entire crew operated with impressive efficiency.

By around 4:30 p.m., the final shot for the location was successfully in the can.

Anne Hathaway, in her role as Mal, stepped onto the set.

At the entrance to Buckingham Palace, Matthew shoved away an actor who was dragging Emma Roberts. "Hey, get off her!"

Several other actors seized both him and Emma Roberts.

"Hey, Cobb! Cobb! Let go!" Emma struggled.

"Don't touch her! Mal!" Matthew yelled.

"Wake me up! Please, wake me up! I'm begging you, wake me up!" Emma shrieked as she saw Anne Hathaway closing in.

Suddenly, Anne Hathaway's figure pushed through the crowd of extras, her dark expression menacing. Even more terrifying was the knife clutched in her hand.

"Mal!" Matthew cried out.

But it was useless. Anne Hathaway swiftly closed the distance to Emma Roberts, and the prop knife in her hand plunged into the other woman's stomach.

Emma Roberts let out a cry of pain.

"Cut!" Christopher Nolan shouted, bringing the shoot to a halt. "That's the one! We're wrapped!"

At his words, the extras released Matthew. Anne Hathaway shot Emma Roberts a final glance before turning and walking off the set.

Emma Roberts, however, crumpled to the ground, rubbing the spot where she'd been stabbed and wincing. "Ow, that hurt..."