Chapter 96: The Actor with Potential (Edited)
"Oh—ah—wow—ha—"
In the screening room, a thunderous and rough shout echoed, a voice full of boldness and majesty, brimming with an unstoppable momentum, reminiscent of Leonidas standing at Thermopylae as told in legends.
Of course, this was Matthew's thought, as the person who let out the roar was the barbarian leader he portrayed!
The screen zoomed in from a distance, with the barbarian warriors in the background blurred out, focusing solely on the barbarian leader.
The shot transitioned from a wide to a close-up, focusing entirely on Matthew's character, the barbarian leader, who raised his totem-adorned war hammer and let out another angry roar.
"Oh—ah—wow—ha—"
What others felt, Matthew did not know, but he himself thought the roar was quite soul-stirring.
Compared to his fleeting appearance in "The Soul Transferrer," this role's close-up shots alone exceeded five seconds!
Matthew glanced around; the actors from the crew, none of whom he recognized, made him sigh inwardly. What he really wanted to do was point at the barbarian leader on the screen and tell others—see, that's me!
But, such actions were only thoughts in his head; he would never actually do them, as that would be too embarrassing.
Licking his lips, Matthew continued to watch. Soon, another close-up of his character appeared, the barbarian leader gloriously dying in battle surrounded by Roman legions.
With that, his role in the film was concluded.
Matthew estimated that including the two close-ups and various other appearances, his character was present in the film for about four to five minutes.
"Less than five seconds in the first film, over four minutes in the second." He silently mused, "Not bad at all."
Although he envied stars like Joaquin Phoenix on the red carpet, Matthew was well aware that compared to most people entering Hollywood, he was indeed lucky.
For the rest of the time, Matthew watched the movie intently, especially paying attention to the performances of Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix.
To reach their level, luck alone was insufficient; their skills definitely surpassed the average.
Especially Russell Crowe, described by Helen Herrman as a representative of the performance school in Hollywood, "Gladiator" being considered his pinnacle work.
Whether it's the performance or method school, becoming a superstar meant there were aspects worth learning for Matthew.
He knew that Russell Crowe was notoriously difficult to deal with, causing headaches even for Ridley Scott, a star who transformed once in work mode, performing most of the action scenes himself.
It was rumored he even broke a bone during a fight scene.
Of course, this was what Matthew heard, and there might be embellishments by the production team or Crowe's side to create hype.
Having participated in "Band of Brothers'" media promotion, Matthew gradually understood that many behind-the-scenes anecdotes used for publicity were exaggerated, with a lot of fabrication based on some truths, a common phenomenon in Hollywood productions.
The film was captivating, at least to Matthew, evoking a sense of epic tragedy.
After the screening, the main cast and crew were to hold a press conference, which Matthew was not qualified to attend. He called his Cadillac and went straight home.
The next day, after returning his costume to the rental company and settling accounts with three companies, he bought a bunch of newspapers and magazines at a newsstand, grabbed a McDonald's meal, and settled in a quiet corner to read while eating.
Finishing a burger, Matthew didn't immediately turn to the newspapers but first organized all the entertainment pages before putting the rest in a bag for later.
As expected, "Gladiator" made the front page of many entertainment sections.
Skimming through, Matthew noticed the focus was on director Ridley Scott and lead actor Russell Crowe, with mentions of Joaquin Phoenix, but no word about him or even the female lead, Connie Nielsen.
Flipping through other newspapers, he realized there was no mention of him, despite photographers capturing him on the red carpet.
Feeling a bit down but understanding his fame was not enough to warrant attention, Matthew remembered the entertainment industry's fleeting memory.
Storing away the newspapers, he picked up "Entertainment Weekly," a prestigious magazine from Warner Brothers with significant influence.
Not expecting much, he was surprised to find a full-page photo of himself from the red carpet.
"I made it onto 'Entertainment Weekly'?"
Recognizing the photo from the day before, Matthew realized the significance of his appearance in such a major publication, marking an important step in his career.
Despite the focus on promoting "Band of Brothers," the magazine hailed him as a rising talent in Hollywood, a moment of validation for Matthew amidst the industry's chaos.
Storing the magazine in a special case filled with meaningful items, Matthew continued his disciplined lifestyle while eagerly seeking new opportunities, aware that his journey in Hollywood was far from over.
Receiving a call from Helen Herrman about potential auditions, Matthew was ready to take the next step, hopeful for the future.
, becoming a superstar meant there were aspects worth learning for Matthew.
Crowe, known for being difficult to handle, transformed into a completely different person when working, performing most of his stunts personally, even suffering a fracture in one fight scene.
Of course, Matthew knew these stories might be embellished by the crew or Crowe's team for publicity.
Having participated in "Band of Brothers'" media promotion, Matthew understood many behind-the-scenes stories used for film promotion were exaggerated to attract attention.
The film was captivating, at least to Matthew, evoking a sense of epic tragedy.
After the screening, the main crew held a press conference, which Matthew, lacking the credentials, did not attend. He called his Cadillac and headed home.
The next day, after returning his costume and settling accounts with three companies, Matthew bought a bunch of newspapers and magazines, settled in a McDonald's with a burger and fries, and began reading.
Despite not finding mentions of himself in the newspapers, his attention was caught by a full-page photo in "Entertainment Weekly," showcasing him on the red carpet, a significant moment worth commemorating alongside his roles in "The Soul Transferer" and "Gladiator."
Returning to his apartment, Matthew placed the magazine in a special case, a collection of meaningful milestones in his career.
Over the next few days, while keeping an eye on "Gladiator," Matthew lived a planned life and urged his agent, Helen Herman, to find him new roles, knowing well that "Band of Brothers" was in the past and striving towards his Hollywood star dream.
One Monday morning, after breakfast and some writing, Matthew received a call from Helen, inviting him to the agency to audition for several roles, a new chapter in his burgeoning career.
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