Chapter 367: Idol Taboos

The sun had just crested the horizon when Matthew arrived at the Disney studio. Today, there would be no filming; instead, the main purpose was to gather the key cast and crew for a preliminary meeting.

Due to internal power struggles at Walt Disney, the preparation for these two sequels of "Pirates of the Caribbean" had been slower than planned. To date, aside from the confirmed return of the original cast, many new roles, including Davy Jones and a voodoo priestess, were still uncast.

Additionally, these two sequels would use over a thousand extras.

Entering the Disney studio, Matthew was struck by the sheer number of people. Near the entrance, several sound stages were crowded with extras, hundreds of whom were queued up, awaiting auditions.

Having experienced "The Curse of the Black Pearl," Matthew knew it was not easy for an extra to land a pirate role. One needed a distinctive look. If someone with his appearance were to audition as an extra, it was almost certain he wouldn't make it.

For instance, the casting call for "pirates" this time had quite peculiar requirements: aged 18 to 50, either very thin or outright skinny, preferably with uneven teeth—if one happened to have a lazy eye, that would be perfect. The meaner and more rugged-looking, with long hair and a big beard, the better.

Someone like him wouldn't even need to show up for the audition; he wouldn't stand a chance.

Matthew didn't head toward the sound stages but looked from afar before walking towards an office building near the entrance of the Disney studio, where the meeting would take place in a large conference room.

Additionally, the director's and casting director's offices were located in this building.

Entering the building, Matthew first checked the casting director's and director Gore Verbinski's offices but found them empty, so he proceeded to the conference room.

Helen Herman's words were always on his mind, and within his capabilities, Matthew intended to help her out.

Moreover, due to differences in gender and type of roles, Eva Green wouldn't pose a competitive threat to him.

Walking down the long corridor, Matthew pushed the door open to the conference room and found someone had arrived even earlier than he had.

"Hi, Keira," Matthew saw Keira Knightley turn to look at him and walked over, casually greeting her, "You're early."

Keira smiled at him, "You're quite early yourself."

Matthew pointed at Keira's hair and asked curiously, "Last time at the manor was too hectic, I didn't get to ask, why did you cut your hair short?"

He had noticed at the engagement party that Keira's normally long, golden-brown hair had been cut into a short, choppy style, which didn't fit with the image of Elizabeth Swann.

Keira touched her short hair and explained, "I took on a role recently that required short hair, so I cut it." She thought for a moment, then added, "I consulted with the production team, and they didn't object. With the quality of hair extensions these days, it won't affect Elizabeth Swann."

Matthew pulled up a chair and sat next to Keira, commenting, "With this hairstyle and your distinct facial features, you really look sharp."

Keira rolled her eyes, "Are you complimenting me, or mocking me?"

"Definitely a compliment," Matthew said earnestly. "You were beautiful with long hair, but with short hair, you look dashing and energetic."

"No match for Charlize Theron," Keira suddenly remarked.

Matthew shrugged, "My fiancée..."

"Come on, Matthew," Keira cut him off, "You think I can't see that you're both just acting?"

Matthew smiled, not denying it.

Keira continued, "Sometimes, I really admire you. Our last faux romance, now this fake engagement with Charlize Theron, what's next? Planning to stage a fake marriage?"

"There won't be a next time," Matthew spoke frankly, aware no one else was around, "It wouldn't work as well if there was."

Helen had already informed him that they couldn't use the same publicity tactic in the short term, and with one foot in the door of the A-list and the fan organizations being established with the help of Bella Anderson at the agency, there would be little need for such tactics in the future.

"What are you afraid of?" Keira bit her lip, "You're not following the idol route, so you don't have to worry about fans going crazy."

Matthew still shook his head, "Even if we were to use it again, it would have to wait another seven or eight years." He had never been overly concerned about fans' reactions. "For something like the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' sequels, there's no need to pull any special stunts for promotion."

Keira nodded, giving Matthew another look. Despite his

 good looks, he had never taken the path of a teen idol.

Not being pigeonholed as a teen idol was fortunate for any actor.

Matthew then changed the subject. In America, unlike on the other side of the Pacific, celebrity relationships were minimally impacted by fan reactions. Except for some typical teen idols, few fans would overreact or feel betrayed if a star revealed a romantic relationship.

Of course, even in the relatively liberal society of America, there were extreme fans, like those who had killed John Lennon or attempted to assassinate Reagan for Jodie Foster.

By this era, such extreme fans were rare, and the most fervent fans remained focused on teen idols. Even in modern Hollywood, when teen idols reveal their relationships, losing some fans was inevitable.

Over the years, Matthew's close collaboration with Disney, known for creating teen idols, had exposed him to certain scenarios. Combined with his experiences on the other side of the Pacific with the manipulation surrounding traffic stars, he had his own insights.

In Hollywood, there was a saying about teen idols from Disney — "Mickey Mouse never takes off his head in public."

In a way, teen idols, especially those from certain countries across the Pacific, faced severe backlash and career risks if they engaged in romantic relationships, breaking away from their crafted public personas.

From an industry perspective, teen idols differ from actors or singers. They don't offer substantive content or skill but rather sell a crafted image that appeals to fans' romantic fantasies or even fulfills their sexual fantasies, making fans willingly spend money.

Why are teen idols so popular? Reflecting on his years of experience, Matthew understood that idols represent an ideal romantic partner for fans, satisfying certain psychological and emotional needs. For some, following and spending on idols might even be their most mature way of addressing certain needs.

In other words, teen idols stimulate sexual awakening in fans, providing them with a fantasy space and outlets for expression while profiting from it.

As for what constitutes a fantasy space and outlet? That wasn't hard to understand.

When Matthew was living on the other side of the Pacific, merely a consumer of films and entertainment gossip, he hadn't been directly involved in the industry and knew little about the teen idols from those countries. Based on what he saw from Disney's idols, lacking mature works and solid skills, it was hard to measure the concrete value of an idol.

However, within the industry, it was clear that any image crisis for an idol, like underage drinking, drug use, or scandalous relationships, could quickly alienate fans and potentially end their careers.

This could lead to two outcomes: complete downfall or a transformative rebranding, stepping away from the teen idol category.

The specific commercial value of a teen idol could thus be quantified — maintaining a stable and effective public image.

The situation in Hollywood was somewhat better, with a more relaxed environment for teen idols.

In those countries across the Pacific, perhaps due to cultural or historical reasons, teen idols had to be public, pure, unblemished, and perfect.

They couldn't be seen as belonging to any one person privately, as that would severely damage the product's value, almost depriving it of its use — if female fans thought about an idol romantically and realized there was a 'legitimate partner,' they might feel like a third party, which could evoke a sense of immorality.

For male fans, it was simpler: "Don't tell me you love me with lips that have kissed another."

Even more daunting was the reaction of fans who had spent money, time, and effort supporting an idol, buying albums and merchandise. When they discovered the idol wasn't using their contributions to advance their career but instead was spending on other romantic interests, the collapse in trust was profound.

Matthew guessed that in those countries, prohibiting idols from dating might be an unwritten rule or an unspoken regulation, essential for both the idols and their management to maintain their livelihood and growth. Youth idols were different from actors or singers; they survived by selling some control over their physical image, which directly impacted their commercial success.

An idol stepping beyond these boundaries might open up greater opportunities in the future.

Perhaps someday, youth idols will break these taboos.

"Matthew…" Keira suddenly changed the subject, asking, "We're still friends, right?"

"Of course!" Matthew responded emphatically, "We've always been good friends."

Keira bit her lip again, "I have a friend who's auditioning…"

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