The Best Movie Actor In Hollywood!

Chapter 778

In the quiet living room, Rachel Weisz sat with her brow furrowed, cradling a cup of coffee as she carefully chose her words.

Matthew could see she was deep in thought, so he waited patiently.

He didn't need to guess why Rachel Weisz had come to him. While it was bound to be a bit of a hassle, he had already decided to lend a hand.

After all, she had helped him when he was just starting out.

A man like him didn't do good deeds for their own sake. But if someone who had once done him a favor came asking for help, he would do everything in his power to assist, provided the situation allowed it.

Matthew was perfectly aware that in the eyes of many, he was an asshole, but he was an asshole with his own set of principles and goals.

Moreover, the person Rachel Weisz was up against was Natalie Portman—the same woman who had once captivated him with her on-screen persona in Léon, but had since tried to undermine him on several occasions, albeit unsuccessfully.

Though on the surface he and Natalie Portman maintained a cordial relationship, Matthew wouldn't hesitate to dig a grave for her if the opportunity presented itself.

Squandering money, buying mansions and luxury cars, drowning in debt and taxes, not to mention a string of divorces that cut one’s fortune in half...

These were all lessons Matthew had learned, stark reminders that while there was nothing wrong with extravagance, it was crucial to practice it in moderation.Then there was marriage. For the rich and famous, marriage was something to be approached with extreme caution.

Matthew wasn't even thirty yet; marriage was still a distant prospect. For someone like him, such commitments were exceptionally difficult anyway.

As these thoughts crossed his mind, Matthew’s gaze fell on Rachel Weisz. She and Darren Aronofsky had met on the set of The Mummy, falling in love almost instantly. Their relationship had lasted for years, their bond seemingly deep. Rachel had even borne his child. And what had come of it all?

It had taken Natalie Portman only one month to tear Darren Aronofsky and Rachel Weisz apart.

"Matthew..." Rachel Weisz finally spoke. "I've come to you for help again."

"Whatever you need," Matthew said, seeing no reason to beat around the bush.

Rachel set down her coffee cup. "They start filming Black Swan after the New Year."

Matthew wasn't surprised. Darren Aronofsky had been preparing the film for a long time. Now that he and Natalie Portman were an item, and with the William Morris Agency backing them, they were undoubtedly pushing to make next year's Oscar race. Further delays were out of the question.

"Where are they filming?" Matthew asked.

"New York," Rachel Weisz said, her brow tightening. "The story is set in New York, and the interiors are being shot in a theater in New Jersey. Natalie Portman, the supporting actress Mila Kunis, and the others are all getting professional ballet training. A choreographer from New York is coaching them..."

Matthew nodded as Rachel continued, laying out everything she had managed to learn.

"I don't know where to start," Rachel admitted through gritted teeth. "But I can't just stand by and watch them march step by step toward their goal!"

"Calm down, Rachel," Matthew cautioned.

Rachel Weisz's voice was ice-cold. "I can't calm down. I'm going to make Natalie and Darren pay for everything!"

"But I know I can't do anything to stop them on my own right now. That's why I came to you."

Matthew didn't reply immediately. He mulled over the situation Rachel Weisz had described, the names she mentioned flashing one by one through his mind.

"I spent years with that bastard Darren, so I can use my connections to find out what's happening with the cast," Rachel added. "But I don't know what to do..."

She clenched her jaw, forcing the words out. "The only thing I really want is to finish them."

"Don't," Matthew said bluntly, then quickly advised, "Rachel, calm yourself. It's not worth putting yourself on the line for them."

Rachel Weisz looked at Matthew again. "Besides you, I don't know who else to ask for help."

Matthew lifted his teacup, took a sip, and asked calmly, "Rachel, so you're aware of the situation inside the Black Swan production?"

Rachel nodded hastily.

Matthew spoke slowly. "Based on what you've just told me, I have a plan. But it's hard to say whether it will succeed or not."

No one could guarantee success in this kind of affair.

Rachel Weisz said immediately, "Tell me."

"Two main points," Matthew began, raising a finger. "According to you, Natalie Portman's goal is to win the Oscar for Best Actress next year."

Rachel suddenly closed her eyes. "I can't let her win that award."

Matthew nodded gently and continued, "That's our minimum objective."

"Exactly!" Rachel chimed in. "The most important thing is to stop Natalie Portman from achieving her goal!"

Matthew set his cup down. "I've skimmed the script you gave me. The film has a lot of ballet scenes, so Natalie Portman will have to work hard at her professional training."

Matthew added, "But the professional demands of ballet are incredibly high. To achieve a reasonably good effect is not something that can be mastered in just a few months of training. In other words, they will definitely have to use a large number of professional ballet dancers as doubles."

Rachel gradually understood what Matthew was getting at.

"I've interacted with Natalie Portman a lot," Matthew said slowly. "I understand her a little. She will definitely strive for a perfect dance sequence, which means the extensive use of doubles is inevitable."

Rachel flinched. "Like Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady?"

Matthew nodded calmly. "You know better than I do that for the Oscars, having your voice dubbed or using extensive body doubles is fatal."

Rachel seemed to consider this, frowning slightly. "In that case, they'll definitely have everyone sign a non-disclosure agreement."

Matthew reminded her, "Since you can keep tabs on the crew's dynamics, you should be able to strike up a conversation with the dance doubles, right? It all depends on how you talk to them in private."

"I see." The tight knot of Rachel's brow eased slightly. "I understand what to do."

Matthew added, "As long as the cast situation is roughly what we expect, it's quite possible that Natalie Portman will have nothing to show for it during next year's awards season." He spread his hands. "Ideally, we won't have to do anything at all, and the movie will just turn out to be a bad film."

"But that's highly unlikely," Rachel Weisz sighed. "That bastard Darren Aronofsky always manages to layer his films with so many ideas."

Matthew considered Natalie Portman's ambitions and realized the chances of Black Swan failing were indeed slim.

From what he knew, Darren Aronofsky was far more popular with the Academy than Christopher Nolan. He was Jewish, and some of the old guard in the Academy even hailed him as the leader of Hollywood's new directorial wave of the past decade.

When Christopher Nolan had pitched his plans to Warner Bros., the studio had at one point considered keeping the plans, kicking Nolan out, and letting Darren Aronofsky direct the new Batman film instead.

Aronofsky, however, had turned down the idea and chosen a different directorial path, one with a style the Academy favored.

Rachel Weisz fell silent for a moment, lost in thought, before adding, "Is there anything else? Something more than the minimum objective?"

Matthew held up a second finger. "The second part won't be easy. It's just an idea for now, and whether we can pull it off will depend on your own efforts—and whether Lady Luck is on our side."