The Best Movie Actor In Hollywood!

Chapter 787

At five in the morning, Disney's Studio 2 was already bustling with activity. A steady stream of people flowed in—a veritable who's who of the industry, with well-known prop masters, set decorators, cinematographers, and makeup artists all getting to work. By seven o'clock, the actors and actresses had arrived one by one, soon disappearing into their respective dressing rooms.

Once they emerged from makeup, the set inside the soundstage had long been prepared, waiting only for the actors to take their places.

Nini, dressed in a sexy costume for her role, stepped onto the set and looked around with curiosity. The enormous studio felt like a massive auto body shop.

This would be her workplace for a long time to come.

Participating in such a large-scale production for the first time, Nini was understandably nervous, but she quickly composed herself. Getting onto this crew was no small feat, and she had to perform well to make a name for herself.

Using a Hollywood film as a launchpad for her career back home was a proven shortcut, but it was not something to be taken lightly.

She walked further onto the set, her eyes scanning the scene again. The other actors were already there.

A man in his early thirties stood at the center of the set, clearly the director, Justin Lin. Matthew was engaged in conversation with him, the two of them chatting with an easy familiarity.

Another actor approached them—Paul Walker, one of the two male leads, who also seemed to be on good terms with Matthew.

Near a black motorcycle, an actress in a racing suit was checking the bike with a mechanic. The form-fitting outfit accentuated a pair of stunningly long legs, effortlessly outshining every other woman on set.Nini recognized the actress—Gal Gadot, from Israel, who had risen to fame in Fast & Furious. She played the girlfriend of Matthew's character, Shaw, and was, by all accounts, practically the female lead in Fast Five.

She was an enviable figure.

Nini's gaze lingered on Gal Gadot. The Israeli actress was so slender!

Unlike traditional Western actresses, Gal Gadot was willowy and tall, with a frame that looked like it could be swept away by a gust of wind. Yet her face possessed a rare, elegant poise that was exceptionally pleasing to the eye.

Just then, she saw Matthew walk over and exchange a few words with Gal Gadot.

Nini had arrived in Los Angeles from across the Pacific just after the New Year and had attended several training sessions and rehearsals to get a feel for the cast.

Gal Gadot was already pegged as the female lead, and Matthew seemed quite interested in her. Gal Gadot, however, did not seem interested in Matthew...

Nini shook her head. Her goal was to leverage this role for her career back home; there was no need to get entangled in drama here. Whether it was Matthew or the female lead, Gal Gadot, it was best to keep her distance from both of them.

With that thought, she forced herself to look away. Daniel Wu was adjusting his seat in a Lamborghini. The other Asian actor on set had been cold to her from the moment she arrived, as if he wanted nothing to do with her.

They had no common ground, and Nini understood that perfectly well: Daniel Wu was a thoroughly Americanized actor.

Also on set was the remarkable Jordana Brewster, an actress whose mindset Nini particularly admired. Jordana Brewster had been the undisputed heroine of the first Fast & Furious, on par with Paul Walker, but by now, both she and her character, Mia, had been pushed to the margins. Her part in Fast Five was even smaller, certainly nothing compared to Gal Gadot's.

But Jordana Brewster seemed completely unbothered by it. Nini had observed long enough to know that she genuinely didn't care, and it wasn't an act.

As for why...

"If I'd been born into a family as wealthy as hers," Nini sighed to herself, "I probably wouldn't care either."

From what she had gathered, Jordana Brewster treated filmmaking purely as a hobby.

This set her fundamentally apart from Gal Gadot and the rest of the cast, Matthew included.

Finally, Nini's eyes fell on Tyrese Gibson, who was dressed in hip-hop style. He seemed to catch her gaze.

The black actor was a live wire on set and had single-handedly made her reconsider some of her preconceptions about black people.

Nini’s gaze swept over all the main actors, and she suddenly noticed something interesting: the two male leads were white, the female lead Gal Gadot was Jewish, Jordana Brewster was Latina, Tyrese Gibson was black, and she and Daniel Wu were Asian.

It was a truly complex cast. The multi-ethnic lineup, combined with the film's core concept, was as if the film were shouting a message of global unity.

She could only surmise that Hollywood's brand of integration was truly something else. In what other country's film industry could you find such a uniquely diverse main cast?

Just then, Matthew walked over. "We're about to start shooting. How are you feeling?"

Nini managed a smile. "I'm okay. Just a little nervous."

No matter how prepared she was, this was her first time on a stage this big.

"Relax," Matthew said simply. "Just do what you did in the audition. If anything, being on set is easier than auditioning."

Nini nodded cautiously.

Matthew said nothing more and turned back toward the center of the set.

Nini tilted her head slightly, noticing the glances being thrown their way. After more than half a month here, her initial surprise had gradually given way to acceptance.

Since joining the production, she had been completely taken aback by the fact that Matthew Horner made no effort to hide his connection to her.

Weren't things like this supposed to be kept secret?

Even if something was happening in private, one was expected to maintain a professional distance on the surface. But as it turned out, Matthew Horner didn't care if people saw, and he certainly didn't care if they talked.

A true playboy, indeed.

Thankfully, she wasn't harboring any illusions about him.

In the past half-month, the people and things she had encountered had completely upended her previous understanding of the world. For instance, no one seemed to think there was anything wrong with Matthew Horner's behavior.

She then learned that there were many men like Matthew Horner. Among the ranks of Hollywood's famous playboys, Matthew Horner and Leonardo DiCaprio were iconic figures.

And while the current generation of playboys had yet to fade, a new one was already on the rise. As for the old guard...

The older generation of playboys had likely had their fill and settled down. They had all either quit the scene, gotten married, or found steady partners.

"Alright, everyone, get ready!" director Justin Lin's voice suddenly boomed. "Filming begins in five minutes!"

Nini collected her thoughts and walked to the other side of the set. Arriving next to the Lamborghini, she gave the mechanic a friendly smile, opened the door, and slipped into the car.

The actors quickly took their positions. Soon, only Matthew and Paul Walker remained in the repair bay at the center of the set.

Matthew pulled on a pair of gloves, picked up a sledgehammer, and moved to the other side of the repair bay, opposite Paul Walker, who was holding a large wrench.

Justin Lin gave the order, and the first scene of Fast Five began filming.

The camera slid on its dolly toward Matthew and Paul Walker. Paul was trying to loosen a bolt on the repair stand with his wrench but couldn't get it to budge. He looked up at Matthew and said, "Hit it!"

Matthew swung the sledgehammer, bringing it down hard on the workbench, which looked like metal but was actually made of soft resin.

"Did it work?" Paul Walker asked.

At that moment, the sound of a roaring engine cut through the air. Matthew lowered the hammer and Paul dropped his wrench as they both turned to look at the entrance of the workshop.

A black motorcycle sped in and came to a stop. Gal Gadot removed her helmet, revealing her face.

Next, a Dodge Challenger pulled up, and Jordana Brewster stepped out, leaning against the car door.

Then, two Lamborghinis drove in. Nini emerged from one and stood beside Daniel Wu.

The Fast Five family was assembled.

Each member of the cast had a specific function: Matthew was the leader, conductor, and planner; Paul Walker was the lead driver and muscle; Gal Gadot was the weapons expert; Daniel Wu and Nini handled electronics and computers; Jordana Brewster was in charge of logistics; and Tyrese Gibson's character was the comic relief.