The Best Movie Actor In Hollywood!

Chapter 797: The Hunger Games

Matthew had just returned to Los Angeles when he received an unexpected letter from Rachel.

Mila Kunis—a Hollywood starlet with a knack for stealing her best friend's boyfriend.

But he wasn't surprised. In Hollywood, it was practically a rite of passage.

If men didn't cheat and women didn't stray, could you even call it Hollywood?

Matthew knew perfectly well that this sort of betrayal would drive Natalie Portman insane. Anyone would be crushed and furious.

One could say Natalie Portman was in love with Darren, but it was difficult to gauge the true depth of that love.

Matthew saw it from his own perspective: Natalie Portman's plan was to use Darren, to leverage their collaboration for a breakthrough in the world of literary independent film. And later, she would probably find a way to kick him to the curb.

This summer, "John Carter" was set to be released, with Natalie Portman in the female lead. If the film turned out as he anticipated, her path in commercial cinema would be completely cut off. Without another Oscar to her name, she would likely become genuine box office poison, plummeting several tiers in the casting rankings of various production companies.

At that point, forget becoming a true A-list star; she wouldn't even be able to hold on to her status as a B-lister.

Ultimately, whether Hollywood production companies invested in commercial blockbusters or independent art films, their final goal was always profit.A film like "Black Swan," without the protection of major Oscar awards, would struggle to turn a profit.

After Rachel's last visit, Matthew had specifically looked into Darren's past films. He saw that without prestigious awards, and given Darren's niche style, even small-budget independent films had a hard time breaking even.

Darren's films featured protagonists with self-destructive personalities, and the director had a penchant for portraying the physical self-annihilation of his characters in a sadistic manner, charting their gradual descent into madness and mental ruin. It made for rather difficult viewing.

In Darren's movies, the physical body became an altar for spiritual suffering—ambition, loneliness, desire, and longing all bled out in grim fashion under his camera's gaze.

Within its niche circle, this kind of cinema was highly compelling.

It was no wonder Natalie Portman had taken the initiative the moment she saw Rachel's script for "Black Swan."

After some thought, Matthew called Rachel back. He emphasized the awards potential of "Black Swan" and suggested that, with the situation now developing favorably, they could maximally disrupt the film's awards campaign.

Perhaps, under Rachel's watchful eye, the cast of "Black Swan" would put on a show even better than the movie itself.

He would watch this drama unfold from the sidelines and help Rachel whenever necessary.

Rachel was still in the process of making her move, and Matthew learned that she was planning to temporarily put her career on hold this year to dedicate herself completely to this matter.

Determined women could sometimes be terrifying.

Jennifer Lawrence, for example.

Upon learning that Matthew was back in Los Angeles, Jennifer Lawrence decided to pay him a visit, readily posing for the final stage of "The Hunger Games" auditions for Matthew's latest blockbuster series.

She was an actress who would do anything to become famous.

Although Jennifer Lawrence projected the image of a goofy older sister, Matthew knew she was incredibly sharp. Despite being under twenty, she was more calculating than some stars who had been in Hollywood for years.

That was why, both the last time and this time, he had secretly recorded their encounters as a precaution against her.

He kept the videos, which clearly showed Jennifer Lawrence initiating contact with him, locked in a safe, hoping he would never have to use them.

Matthew was a man of his word. The final round of auditions for "The Hunger Games" was completed, and Jennifer Lawrence landed the lead role of Katniss, just as she had hoped.

Additionally, the emerging British actor Taron Egerton was cast as Peeta, and another British actor, Sam Claflin, secured the role of Gale Hawthorne.

The casting for "The Hunger Games" was now complete. Much like with "Twilight," the main roles were given to new actors with some experience but little fame.

Furthermore, supporting roles were filled by actors with strong skills and more modest salaries, such as Elizabeth Banks, Woody Harrelson, and Donald Sutherland.

Filming was scheduled to begin in mid-April, and if all went well, the movie would be released in North America in April 2011.

Thanks to the success of the "Twilight" series, the teen-centric film "The Hunger Games" was already attracting significant attention, especially since Matthew's investment in the project had raised expectations even higher.

To promote the film, Matthew made a point of mentioning "The Hunger Games" during a press event for "Fast Five," placing special emphasis on its leading lady, Jennifer Lawrence.

"Excuse me, Mr. Horner," a reporter from The Hollywood Reporter inquired. "What made the production team choose Ms. Jennifer Lawrence for the female lead in this film?"

It was no secret that the final decision on the male and female leads rested with him, so Matthew didn't hide it. "Jennifer Lawrence is a creative actress," he said directly. "Director Patty Jenkins is also very pleased with her, and her performance during the audition truly surprised us—it was calm and natural, yet explosive at the same time."

Since Jennifer Lawrence had been cast, Matthew spared no effort in promoting her to generate buzz for the film. "I first saw Jennifer Lawrence several years ago while visiting Charlize Theron on the set of 'The Burning Plain.' She truly has the talent of a first-rate actress, one who delivers convincing performances."

To some extent, he was telling the truth; the tumble Jennifer Lawrence had taken certainly made one remember the young actress.

But this kind of exposure was likely to leave a more lasting impression.

Matthew's words were a mix of truth and fabrication. "I met with Jennifer Lawrence later and discovered she was a gifted actress, so I brought her into the cast. The same goes for some of the other main actors—I sought them out after seeing their work in other films."

The reporter from The Hollywood Reporter glanced at his notes and asked doubtfully, "The information released by the cast and crew indicates that Ms. Jennifer Lawrence is almost twenty. In the novel, the character of Katniss is much younger. Isn't her real age a bit too old? Could this age difference create problems for future filming and for the movie itself?"

The age of the actors was indeed an issue. It was a bit of a stretch for actresses nearing twenty to play fifteen or sixteen-year-olds.

Jennifer Lawrence, for instance, probably seemed more woman than girl, especially after he had recently "developed" her so thoroughly.

But it was an unavoidable problem. Actors in their mid-teens were often in the most awkward phase of their careers in Hollywood. It was similar to how many A-list actresses found themselves relegated to supporting roles with very few parts to choose from once they hit forty.

"On that matter, director Patty Jenkins, the original author Suzanne Collins, and I had a comprehensive discussion. Ms. Collins also observed every actor's audition and has her own opinion on Jennifer Lawrence's age."

Matthew paused briefly before repeating an old talking point. "The fact is, it's practically impossible to find an actor who can portray Katniss as she's depicted in the novel while also being under the age of ten."

He spread his hands. "As things stand, no one is better suited for this role than Jennifer Lawrence in terms of skill, physicality, and character. In fact, in both Ms. Collins's and my understanding, Katniss is not a young girl but a young woman. And Jennifer Lawrence is more than capable of handling that challenge."

Casting Jennifer Lawrence, who was very down-to-earth in her goofy older sister persona, as the film's strong heroine would also help with the future promotion of "The Hunger Games."

Frankly, Jennifer Lawrence wasn't exceptionally attractive. The fact that she had once been so popular had a lot to do with her carefully crafted public image.

If you compared the personas of Jennifer Lawrence and Anne Hathaway, Jennifer Lawrence was considerably more popular with the media and the public.

A sequel to "The Hunger Games" was already planned. Suzanne Collins had finished the second novel, though it remained unpublished and unavailable for now. The book's release date would be timed to coincide with the film's promotional needs.

With the film adaptation about to enter principal photography, Matthew was already concerned about another book, set to hit the market in just over a month, that had already exploded into a major story.