The Best Movie Actor In Hollywood!

Chapter 93: The Premiere

Diesel went completely off-script. Matthew was caught off guard as a hand clamped around his neck like a steel vise, shoving him backward. Vin Diesel was putting real force behind it, but Matthew forced himself to hold back, to not resist, trying to stay in character and follow the scene’s intended direction.

Though the action scene had veered from the script, the overall direction remained unchanged.

As an actor whose career was on the rise, Matthew had no desire to stir up unnecessary trouble.

However, patience often fails to yield the desired results.

Matthew stumbled back three or four steps when he suddenly felt Diesel's grip tighten on his neck. He was slammed hard against the support column of the workshop lift. Even though the lift was just a prop and the column wasn't the metal it appeared to be—the crew had crafted it from resin—a sharp jolt of pain still shot through him.

A toolbox on the lift then tipped over, showering Matthew’s face and body with tools.

The tools were props as well, but that didn't make them any less painful than the real thing.

One wrench, in particular, caught Matthew square on the cheek, instantly raising a bruise.

Diesel pulled his hand back and stepped away just before the tools rained down, his face a cold mask as he looked at Matthew, a clear smirk playing in his eyes.

Everyone has a breaking point, and Matthew's anger flared instantly. But before he could act on it, the director’s voice cut through the air.“Cut!” the director shouted, his voice loud and tinged with excitement. “Good! Very good! That was a brilliantly realistic scene!”

The corners of Diesel’s mouth tightened into a smirk. He shot Matthew a knowing look, then turned and walked away.

Matthew shifted, testing his back. It was fine, but his cheek throbbed with a fiery sting.

“How was that?” Diesel asked, approaching the director.

“Better than I expected,” Director Rob Cohen admitted honestly. “Incredibly realistic.”

Then he added, “Matthew’s performance was great.”

Matthew heard every word, but he didn’t look their way. The assistant director had already brought over the on-set medic, who was examining him to ensure the injury wasn’t serious enough to halt production.

The last thing Matthew wanted was to stop filming. According to the script, his character was supposed to get angry and fight back in the very next scene.

And that was when he would get his payback.

The director called Matthew and Diesel over, gave them a few notes, and sent them back to their marks. Filming resumed.

Surrounded by the scattered tools, Matthew glared at Diesel, whose face seemed permanently fixed in a cold, emotionless mask.

Diesel raised his fist and threw a punch at Matthew’s face, just as he’d pictured doing when he imagined the guy messing with his car.

Matthew clenched his jaw, the corner of his eye twitching with fury. He saw the fist flying toward him, dodged, and ducked his head low.

He’d been sparring with Nibora at least five times a week for months, facing off against professional-level fighters just like him.

Effortlessly evading Diesel’s punch, Matthew didn’t wait for his next move before striking back with lightning speed.

The punch landed squarely on Vin Diesel's left kidney.

Vin Diesel gasped in pain, hunching over.

Matthew gave Vin Diesel no time to recover, following up with a hard backfist.

He was well aware that improvised scenes weren’t uncommon in Hollywood, but he also knew the director could call “cut” at any second.

Of course, he still had his wits about him. The man in front of him wasn't a pro with a high pain tolerance like Nibora; he was just a cowardly bastard.

With his second strike, however, Matthew chose not to hold back.

The fist slammed into Diesel’s floating ribs. He let out a pathetic cry, his usual composure shattering as his face contorted in agony. He crumpled to the ground, struggling to breathe, his bald head instantly beading with sweat.

“Oh yeah!” Paul Walker yelled from the sidelines, pumping his fist. “That’s it! Get him! Hit him harder!”

Jordana Brewster looked just as thrilled, making a few silent, encouraging gestures in Matthew's direction.

It wasn't just them. Many of the other actors and crew members gathered around suddenly broke into laughter.

“Cut! Yes! Perfect!” the director yelled, calling a halt to the scene. “Brilliant!”

Those two punches were pro-level. Filmed with such realism, he knew that with some sharp editing, the effect would be incredible.

Vin Diesel, however, was in no state to appreciate the artistry. He was doubled over on the floor, drenched in a cold sweat, the pain making him feel as if his ribs had been shattered.

“Are you okay?” Matthew hurried over, his voice laced with false concern. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to hit you that hard.”

Vin Diesel looked up to see Matthew extending a hand to help him up. Forcing his features back into their usual mask, he muttered, “It’s nothing. I’m fine.”

“That was awesome!” another voice chimed in approvingly. “Great fight scene!”

The one shouting was Paul Walker, who looked like he was cheering on a spectacular fight, clapping his hands together enthusiastically. “Awesome action scene!”

Beside him, Jordana followed suit, applauding and calling out, “Great job, Matthew! Great job, Vin! That was amazing acting! Especially from you, Vin!”

The two of them exchanged a glance and burst out laughing, finally releasing all the frustration that had been building since the day before.

At first, it was just Paul Walker and Jordana Brewster clapping. But within seconds, the entire set erupted in applause. From the other actors to the lighting crew, from the set dressers to the camera operators, nearly everyone—save for a select few—was cheering.

It was as if they were all blown away by the spectacular performance.

But Matthew knew better. He knew exactly why they were all clapping and cheering.

Vin Diesel didn’t think so, either. Clutching his ribs with one hand, he slowly pushed himself to his feet. After a moment, the worst of the pain seemed to subside, and his cold gaze swept across the set, his expression growing darker by the second.

Finally, his eyes landed on Matthew, who was wearing an “apologetic” expression.

Diesel’s hand tightened into a fist, but a sharp pain lanced through his side. He remembered Matthew’s two blows and slowly, deliberately, relaxed his fingers.

He was arrogant and insolent, but he wasn’t a complete idiot.

Just then, the producer and Rob Cohen walked over. “Everything okay?”

“Sorry, director,” Matthew cut in. “It’s my first time shooting a scene like this. I didn’t have much control.”

There wasn't much Rob could say. It wasn't even technically an accident. Minor injuries happened all the time on set, and no one could really fault an actor for it.

The director answered nonchalantly, “It’s just improvisation. There are always surprises.”

He told Matthew, “Don’t worry about it. It’s no big deal.”

“Yeah! A great action scene!” Paul Walker cheered again. “Way better than it was supposed to be!”

A chorus of voices echoed Paul Walker’s sentiment, as if the entire crew was celebrating the scene that had just played out.

Diesel glanced at the crew members on the sidelines, then back at Matthew, before turning to director Rob Cohen and the producer. “We’re done with this scene for today,” he announced. “We’ll shoot the rest another time.”

“Are you hurt?” the producer asked, concerned. “Do you need to see a doctor?”

“I’m fucking fine!” Vin Diesel snapped, shooting another glare at Matthew before stalking off the set.

He was humiliated and furious, but there was nothing he could do about it. What was he going to do, call the cops and have Matthew arrested? The entire crew had heard him; this was the scene he had insisted on.

And claim that Matthew had intentionally hurt him? That was even less plausible.

After Vin Diesel left, Matthew shot one more scene, the one where his character is lying on the ground being arrested by the police.

Since all he had to do was lie motionless, they got it in one take. With that, his scenes for the day were complete.

As Matthew left the set and headed for the dressing room to have his makeup removed, several crew members greeted him with surprising warmth and enthusiasm.

In reality, he knew exactly what was going on. Despite only being on set for two days, it was clear that Vin Diesel had managed to make himself almost universally disliked.

If someone like Tom Cruise had been showing up late and demanding script changes left and right, Matthew suspected the crew wouldn't have been nearly as resentful.

To put it bluntly, Vin Diesel’s behavior was completely out of proportion to his actual level of prestige.

After getting his makeup removed, Matthew left the studio. Not counting the unfinished fight scene with Diesel, he had two scenes left to film on this picture—one as a minor character and the other in a confrontation with Paul Walker’s character.

He wasn't scheduled to shoot tomorrow, so if things went smoothly, he could finish his last two scenes the day after. Then he could fly to the UK to begin final preparations for The Mummy Returns.

...

Meanwhile, Diesel stormed into his dressing room. He stripped off his shirt and immediately examined his ribs in the mirror. There were no visible marks, but he winced in pain the moment his fingers brushed against the sore spot.

“That bastard!” He threw on his clothes and stalked out of the dressing room, heading straight for the producer’s office.

After a brief exchange, the producer made a call to an executive at Universal Pictures. Then, with Diesel in tow, he went to find director Rob Cohen, who was in the screening room reviewing the day's footage.