Chapter 302: The Right to Suggest the Leading Lady

Four days before the male lead auditions for "Mr. & Mrs. Smith," Helen Herman confirmed from the production team that Brad Pitt had withdrawn from the role of John Smith, citing poor health. The production team appeared to harbor some reservations about him and made no attempt to retain him.

With Brad Pitt out of the picture, Matthew's main competition was eliminated.

The scandal involving Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, and Jennifer Aniston continued to escalate. Pitt was busy managing the fallout, including comforting a pregnant Jolie, preparing for his divorce from Aniston, and engaging in crisis management to at least maintain his public image.

Although Jennifer Aniston had stated she wouldn't ask for a single dollar in alimony, their entanglements, especially their jointly established Plan B company, suggested deeper financial ties.

In comparison, auditioning for "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" seemed less critical to Pitt.

Regardless of how the scandal unfolded, Matthew had achieved his desired outcome.

However, securing the role of John Smith in "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" required passing the production's auditions.

Matthew had prepared extensively for this role. In addition to enhancing his firearms training and maintaining his combat training, he had rehearsed all the key scenes in the script with the help of other actors signed with Angel Agency.

Well-prepared and facing less competition, plus his recent box office successes, Matthew smoothly passed the auditions hosted by Aziva Gossman and Doug Leman. He even performed well in a dramatic scene they had set up.

After so many films, Matthew's acting might not be Oscar-worthy, but he had definitely improved. Handling the typical demands of a commercial film was no longer a significant challenge.

Practice makes perfect, as they say.

After passing the auditions, Helen Herman immediately began negotiations with the production team. As the prospective male lead, Matthew naturally wanted some degree of control.

"I've prepared two salary proposals: one includes a base salary plus backend participation; the other is a flat payment without backend."

In the office, Helen outlined the options to Matthew. "The production has a healthy budget and high confidence in the project's success, so they're unlikely to accept the first option."

She continued, "If they opt for a direct payment, my baseline is $10 million. I'll aim for more than that, but don't get your hopes up."

Matthew nodded in understanding. "I get it. I'm still a second-tier star."

For a sequel, he could demand a higher salary. For an original non-sequel, securing over $10 million was challenging for a second-tier star.

Still, it wasn't impossible. Johnny Depp, for example, had secured nearly top-tier pay for "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl" while still considered second-tier.

A lot depended on the agent's negotiation skills.

If he could secure a $10 million flat rate, Matthew would be satisfied.

Seeing Matthew deep in thought, Helen asked, "Anything you want to add?"

"Yes," Matthew replied. "There's one thing you need to push for on my behalf. The production hasn't started casting for the female lead yet, right? I want the right to make suggestions regarding the leading lady."

Before Helen could respond, he explained, "You've read the script more than once, Helen. This project relies entirely on the lead actors. If there's no chemistry with the leading lady, the movie could flop."

"I've already considered that," Helen reassured him. "In our initial negotiation yesterday, I brought this up with Aziva. They're aware of it too. That's why they're scheduling the female lead auditions after the male lead, to select someone who not only has good chemistry with the male lead but also brings some star power."

Aziva Gossman, although not as successful as producers like Jerry Bruckheimer or Sean Daniel, had extensive experience. Matthew's concerns were already anticipated by him.

"I'll continue to push for your involvement in the female lead auditions during our negotiations," Helen added.

"Good!" Matthew nodded again, pleased he would have a say in the choice of his co-star.

He thought for a moment, then asked, "Who has Aziva Gossman and Doug Leman invited to audition for the female lead?"

"I know of six," Helen replied quickly. "Julia Roberts, Nicole Kidman, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Cate Blanchett, Gwen Stefani, and Aishwarya Rai."

Hearing these names, Matthew quickly reviewed their profiles in his mind.

Julia Roberts needed no introduction, being a top Hollywood actress; Nicole Kidman, an Oscar-winner, also ranked among the top-tier; Catherine Zeta-Jones was well-known, albeit on the lower end of the top tier or the upper second tier; Cate Blanchett, though less famous than the first three, was known for her role as Queen Galadriel in "The

 Lord of the Rings" trilogy.

But the last two? Gwen Stefani? He only knew Gwen Stacy.

And Aishwarya Rai sounded Asian, unfamiliar in the roster of renowned Hollywood actresses.

Curious, Matthew asked, "Who are Gwen Stefani and Aishwarya Rai? They sound unfamiliar."

"Gwen Stefani is a singer but has occasionally acted, gaining some recognition," Helen explained. "Aishwarya Rai is from Bollywood in India, the Miss World winner of 1994, and now transitioning to Hollywood."

"No wonder I don't know them," Matthew muttered. Since his breakup with Britney Spears, he hadn't followed the pop music scene closely. Not recognizing a Bollywood actress like Aishwarya Rai was hardly surprising.

Helen added, "They're likely audition candidates Aziva couldn't refuse due to politeness, but their chances of passing are slim."

"Regarding the other four..." Matthew stroked his chin. "Who does the production team favor?"

"Nicole Kidman," Helen stated. "Aziva and Doug think her demeanor fits Jane Smith well."

Matthew frowned. He recalled that Kidman wasn't particularly favored by North American audiences, her most memorable role being in "The Others." It seemed her career had struggled after winning the Oscar, even resorting to playing villains in commercial films.

This reflected Kidman's less than stellar track record in later years, with most of her films flopping.

However, he kept his opinions to himself for now, as he hadn't yet signed the contract for "Mr. & Mrs. Smith." He was confident that his box office appeal could match, if not exceed, Brad Pitt's, especially now that neither Pitt nor Jolie would be involved in the film.

A leading lady with whom he had strong on-screen chemistry was crucial.

Matthew felt it essential to find a leading lady who clicked with him, and Nicole Kidman, given the age difference of thirteen years and her recent track record, might not be the best choice.

Further discussions on contract details and role preparation continued with Aziva Gossman and Doug Leman. They required the lead actors to be proficient in weapons and basic combat, with systematic training in firearms at least once a week.

The production had hired a former Navy SEAL to teach simplified special forces tactics and counter-terrorism, starting from the basics like weapon handling and moving up to more complex maneuvers.

Additionally, once the basics were covered, the leads would learn how to react intelligently and adapt during action sequences.

While Matthew was already highly skilled in these areas, he had no objections to undergoing training again, which would officially start once the female lead was confirmed.

Not only action training, but Aziva Gossman and Doug Leman also wanted Matthew to learn some dance moves, particularly the tango, to prepare for scenes where the lead actors dance gracefully together.

Negotiations for such a major film project were intricate and prolonged. The final contract often ran dozens or even hundreds of pages, with many clauses to be discussed and negotiated between the production team and the actors' representatives.

As for the crucial issue of salary, reaching an agreement was not easy. The production aimed to minimize costs, while actors sought to maximize their earnings—a typical labor negotiation.

Matthew remained patient, continuing his planned preparations while waiting for Helen Herman's negotiation results.

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