Chapter 121: Intensive Training

"Who?" Matthew was curious. There weren't many people who could be considered a common enemy by the three of them, prompting him to ask, "Is it Tom West, that drill sergeant?"

"No," James McAvoy shook his head, looking at Michael Fassbender. "It's Tom Hardy! His agent managed to get through to the producer Jerry Bruckheimer, and through an internal audition, he landed a minor role."

"Internal audition?" Fassbender frowned slightly.

"Yes," McAvoy said. "I heard that Tom Hardy's participation in 'Band of Brothers' played a significant role in his audition."

Matthew shared what he knew, "Director Ridley Scott took over this project from Simon West, and there's a tight schedule. All actors are selected through internal auditions. It's a war movie based on true events, and even the mandatory military training for actors has been shortened. So, actors with recent experience in similar themes have an advantage in the auditions."

"Which role are you auditioning for?" McAvoy asked.

Matthew shook his head, "Sergeant Hoot, if all goes well."

"That's one of the significant roles, heavier than mine," McAvoy confirmed.

"Watch out for Tom Hardy!" Fassbender warned. "That guy is always arrogant and cocky. He got a taste of his medicine last time with us. James, and Matthew, if you get through the auditions, be wary of him on set."

Matthew emphasized, "This is Ridley Scott and Jerry Bruckheimer's project. If he doesn't start trouble, we better not do anything either."

Fassbender and McAvoy agreed, "Matthew is right."

Despite their youthful exuberance, both McAvoy and Fassbender had their share of social experience.

"Look at us talking…" Matthew shook his head, "as if we've already passed the auditions and got the roles."

McAvoy and Fassbender laughed, with McAvoy suggesting, "Michael, why don't you try auditioning too? Then the three of us might be on the same set again."

Fassbender considered it seriously, "I'll talk to my agent, but the chances are slim. My agent isn't well-connected with Ridley Scott and Jerry Bruckheimer."

Matthew and McAvoy had the opportunity to audition for "Black Hawk Down" thanks to their agents' connections but couldn't offer any help to Fassbender.

The lunch lasted until nearly 2 PM before they went their separate ways.

Matthew didn't leave Burbank but went to see Helen-Herman at Angel Agency. Helen had already secured an audition invitation for "Black Hawk Down," scheduled for the following Tuesday due to the tight timeline.

Helen used the days leading up to the audition to meet with Ridley Scott at the temporary headquarters in Pasadena. While Jerry Bruckheimer had more say in casting significant roles, Matthew's chance of passing the audition was still relatively high.

According to her, there was a fifty percent chance — an exceptionally high probability for a non-star actor in Hollywood.

"Don't relax…" Helen warned Matthew not to be complacent. "If Jerry Bruckheimer directly rejects you during the audition, Ridley Scott won't be able to do anything."

"I understand." How could Matthew be careless? He was determined to give his all. "Don't worry about that."

After discussing the "Black Hawk Down" audition, Helen suddenly changed the subject, "How are things with Britney Spears?"

"Good."

Matthew was surprised by Helen's inquiry into his personal life, "Since when do you care about things outside of work?"

"Things outside of work?" Helen's tone slightly rose. "Matthew, do you think personal life is outside of work?"

She smiled enigmatically, "For actors, especially star actors, there's no such thing as 'outside of work.' Your personal life is part of your job!"

Matthew had to admit, Helen made a valid point.

"Then rest assured," he replied straightforwardly. "Britney and I are stable, with no plans to go public yet. No media reporters have noticed."

In reality, Matthew knew their relationship went unnoticed mainly because he and Britney rarely met, due to their busy schedules.

Helen was curious but didn't press further.

She considered that such a relationship, marked by infrequent meetings and great distances, wouldn't last long. Time and distance were notorious relationship killers in Hollywood.

Surprisingly, Matthew seemed confident about his relationship with Britney.

She glanced at Matthew, pondering rumors about Britney's low EQ and naivety in daily life. She couldn't be sure about Britney, but Matthew...

Sometimes, Helen wished she could peek inside Matthew's head to understand how someone so shamelessly pragmatic yet principled thought.

Matthew stayed at Angel Agency until closing, then went home. After a simple dinner, he started reviewing "Black Hawk Down: A Story of Modern War," a detailed account based on interviews with many involved.

Aware of the differences between the report and the screenplay, Matthew knew "Black Hawk Down: A Story of Modern War" was only a significant reference.

According to news from Ridley Scott's bearded assistant Jack, the internal audition would focus on the resume and physical appearance.

Remembering Hawk-Breton, who had trained him before the Ronald Speirs audition, Matthew quickly found his phone number and called. Breton remembered their training session upon hearing Matthew's name.

Matthew explained his current situation and hired Hawk-Breton for a few days of intensive training before the "Black Hawk Down" audition.

Breton agreed readily, as Matthew was paying for his services, not seeking free advice.

Though unsure of its impact, Matthew, adopting the mindset of 'better late than never,' spent the next two days at Helen-Herman's farm for short-term basic military skills training, in addition to studying materials provided by Angel Agency.

Helen supported his approach, and Matthew had her take several training photos with a digital camera.

The intensive training continued until the day before the audition. Despite its brief duration, Matthew felt as if he had returned to the "Band of Brothers" filming days.

After the final half-day of training and settling Breton's fees, Matthew returned to Westwood, got a haircut, and grew out his beard to match Sergeant Hoot's look.

Back at his apartment, Matthew went online to check for any "Black Hawk Down" casting calls but found none, indicating the casting was confined to a specific circle.

He browsed several movie websites and a box office tracking site, noting "Gladiator" had recently concluded its North American run, earning over $187 million domestically and nearly $400 million globally, with international screenings still ongoing.

After reading a few "Gladiator" news articles, Matthew learned the film was among the top forty global box office hits and a strong contender for the year's highest-grossing film.

These differences highlighted the era's technological advancements, with Matthew recalling the surge of billion-dollar movies after 2010.

Preparing for an early night, Matthew uploaded a training photo to his blog with the caption "Waiting! Witness!"

With five followers but only Elena Poliar commenting, Matthew shut down his computer and went to bed, ready for the "Black Hawk Down" audition in Pasadena the next morning.

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