Chapter 423: Matthew's Greatest Enemy

On October 31, 2017, the author Bai Se Shisan Hao requested for monthly and recommendation tickets.

On the slightly old roads of Warner Bros. Studios, a four-wheeled electric cart sped towards the central studio, quickly stopping at the entrance. Francis Lawrence, with slicked-back golden-brown hair, jumped out and hurried inside.

He found Akiva Goldsman in the studio and whispered, "Can we talk for a moment?"

Akiva Goldsman glanced at Francis Lawrence and nodded slightly, "Let's go to my office."

They left the set and entered a temporary office in the studio. Akiva Goldsman asked directly, "What's up?"

Francis Lawrence took a deep breath, suppressing his frustration. "Akiva, we talked a while ago, and you said I could recommend someone for the supporting actress role, right?"

"Yes," Akiva Goldsman remembered his promise. "You can recommend someone."

Francis Lawrence was puzzled but tried to be tactful. "But I heard you made the supporting actress role a part of the negotiation with Matthew Horner?"

Akiva Goldsman frowned slightly but remained patient. "Matthew Horner can recommend someone for the role too, just like you." He coughed softly, "We'll decide who is the most suitable after the auditions."

Hearing this, Francis Lawrence breathed a sigh of relief. As long as the supporting actress role wasn't decided, his recommendation still had a chance. After all, he was the director of the project.

He exchanged a few polite words with Akiva Goldsman and then left the studio to continue his directorial preparations in his office.

Driving the electric cart past the set of "300," Francis Lawrence glanced inside but saw nothing in the dark studio.

Unfortunately, Akiva Goldsman didn't follow his advice and chose Matthew Horner. Will Smith was out.

If he had the casting power, the lead role would have gone to Will Smith or another black actor, and the supporting actress would be his new girlfriend, Paula Patton. For other important roles, he would use black actors whenever possible.

Hollywood has been unfair to black actors since its inception.

Everyone is equal, so why should black actors be treated unfairly? Hollywood should make amends for its past and provide more opportunities for black actors.

Francis Lawrence thought about Matthew Horner's potential co-producer credit and decided he needed to move towards being a producer himself. Most directors in Hollywood don't have the final say in casting, only a suggestive role. To truly elevate black actors' status, more power and like-minded individuals are needed.

After Helen Herman and Akiva Goldsman reached an agreement on Matthew's salary, their collaboration became a certainty.

Around April, Helen Herman led the Angel Agency team to complete all negotiations with the "I Am Legend" production team. Matthew then signed the official actor contract in the presence of his lawyer and the union representative.

As per the verbal agreement, this contract was worth $20 million!

Frankly, Matthew didn't think this salary was excessive. His excellent box office performance over the past few years supported it, and his sense of insecurity played a part.

He knew that his string of successes was not just due to Helen Herman's management and his basic abilities. The most critical factor would likely disappear in ten years. What would he do if his movies started flopping? Would he end up like Nicolas Cage, taking on dubious roles overseas?

Currently, he had millions in annual income. It's easy to go from frugal to lavish, but hard to go back. If he stopped earning, he would have to live off his savings.

So, while he could earn money, he planned to make as much as possible.

Being in Hollywood, he was influenced by the environment.

Though actors' careers are longer than models', most actors also rely on their youth. Matthew himself, though not an idol star, sold his looks and physique to some extent.

With his foresight, he knew that time was his greatest enemy. Maintaining his physique and skills for a decade was a concern. And even if audiences loved him today, would they still like him tomorrow?

Though not as insecure as many stars, Matthew still considered how to accumulate the most money in the shortest time.

As an actor, his main income sources were salaries and endorsements. He aimed for the highest pay possible whenever he could.

Matthew and Helen Herman shared the view that, like Will Smith, long-term benefits sometimes required passing up opportunities rather than lowering their value, especially when it came to staying in the $20 million club.

Of course, he planned to keep an eye on Will Smith.

Due to the nature of their profession, stars often had a stronger sense of rivalry and revenge.

Beyond the $20 million, the contract included other clauses like co-producer credit and the right to recommend the supporting actress, all pre-negotiated. Other terms, like paying for Bella Anderson and Brown Williams' on-set salaries, priority listing in credits, and makeup room requirements, were also standard.

The terms from his "300" contract were mostly transferred to "I Am Legend." Additionally, his agent secured a new clause: during filming, if Matthew left Los Angeles for any reason, the production would provide first-class round-trip tickets for him and six first-class tickets for his staff and companions.

The contract contained over a hundred clauses, mainly covering work, security, insurance, and privacy. Compared to many Hollywood stars, Matthew's demands were fairly reasonable.

This was because, compared to most Hollywood stars, Matthew had fewer eccentricities.

The booming film market of the 1990s not only allowed stars to ask for higher pay but also fostered many peculiar habits.

For example, Jennifer Lopez, though she rarely made movies, was known for her demands. She wouldn't travel in anything but a Mercedes, claiming other cars caused her back pain.

These quirks often sparked a competitive spirit among stars.

Hollywood is a small circle. Any news spreads quickly, and stars always knew if someone received royal treatment on a film set.

Thus, everything from the level of on-set accommodations, vehicles, makeup trailers, to pet treatment and flowers, became points of competition. Stars would ask for multiple makeup rooms: one for themselves, one for their gym equipment, and one for their entourage.

Besides personal makeup artists and hairstylists, some even hired personal shoppers at exorbitant daily rates.

Compared to these demands, Matthew was quite reasonable for an A-list star.

After signing the contract and gaining the right to recommend the supporting actress, Matthew found time to call Alexandra Daddario in New York.

"Hi, Anna."

Sitting by the large living room window, overlooking Beverly Hills and Los Angeles, Matthew spoke into the phone, "It's me, Matthew."

"Hello, Matthew." Alexandra Daddario's voice came through. "What's up?"

Matthew smiled, "I remember during our lunch in Manhattan, you mentioned wanting to continue developing in Hollywood and asked me to look out for suitable opportunities, right?"

"Yes!" Alexandra Daddario replied, then asked, "Do you have a role for me?"

"Yes, I do." Matthew switched the phone to his other hand. "I just signed a contract with the Warner Bros. production 'I Am Legend,' a $150 million project. There's a supporting role I think you're perfect for."

"Really?" Alexandra Daddario's voice was filled with surprise. "I can be in a project like that?"

Matthew replied, "I talked to Helen Herman about it when I got back from New York. Amanda in Los Angeles also spoke to Helen. Helen should call you soon."

Alexandra Daddario's voice rose with excitement, "That's great!"

"Don't get too excited yet, Anna," Matthew cautioned. "You'll need to audition, and there's a black actress also vying for the role. You have a fifty percent chance."

"That's already pretty good." Alexandra Daddario, who had been in two films, understood the basics. "Without your recommendation, I wouldn't even have an audition."

She added, "Thank you, Matthew."

"You're welcome," Matthew laughed. "We're friends, Anna."

After chatting a bit more, Matthew hung up. He had discussed recommending Alexandra Daddario with Helen Herman beforehand. It wasn't a big deal, and Helen had agreed readily.

After recommending Alexandra Daddario to the production, Matthew received a piece of news that filled him with dread.

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