Chapter 14: Some Talent

After finishing his morning shuttle runs, Matthew hurried to Universal Studios to meet up with his agent, Dennis Kurt. He didn't mention anything about yesterday's events; there was no point in bringing them up now. Accompanied by his agent, he re-signed a contract with the production crew, then got into makeup and a white lab coat, and waited for the shooting to start.

Perhaps because the role included lines, the assistant director even handed him a part of the script, although it was just one page with a few lines written on it.

The role was simple: he was to walk down a hallway, pass by Winona Ryder's character, and enter the room of the supporting actress, Angelina Jolie.

Having lines made Matthew's part more significant than that of an extra but still less than that of a regular character actor.

Matthew, still in yesterday's lab coat, stood outside the set looking over the script. Dennis Kurt peeked over his shoulder at the script.

"Not only a frontal close-up but also two lines!" Dennis Kurt whispered in surprise, his mouth agape. "A role like this usually requires a formal audition, unless there's some insider connection..."

Matthew just shrugged, not saying anything.

Dennis Kurt looked at him in awe. Just yesterday, Winona Ryder had sidelined him, but by evening, there was a 180-degree turn. What exactly was behind this man named Matthew Horner?

Could it be a connection to Angelina Jolie? He shook his head; Angelina was just a supporting actress and couldn't possibly challenge Winona Ryder!

Suddenly, he considered another possibility. Could Matthew be connected to the other producer, Georgia Kennedy?

The more Dennis thought about it, the more plausible it seemed; otherwise, none of this made sense. It couldn't possibly be that someone from Sony Columbia Pictures' upper management had intervened directly?

Unable to curb his curiosity, he leaned closer to Matthew and whispered, "Do you know Georgia Kennedy?"

Matthew turned his head and gave Dennis a slight smile but didn't speak, neither confirming nor denying.

Dennis immediately took this as an affirmation and began to calculate how he could benefit from this relationship. One thing was clear: he needed to keep Matthew Horner satisfied and not repeat yesterday's poor performance.

"Uh... Matthew," he felt the need to explain, "about yesterday, I really had an emergency..."

"I know," Matthew flicked the script, "I'm memorizing my lines."

Dennis immediately raised his hands, "Alright, alright, I won't disturb you."

Matthew didn't respond but focused intently on his script, memorizing every bit of it. The script was straightforward, easy to understand, and the lines were simple.

After a while, Angelina Jolie arrived on set. Matthew smiled at her, and she nodded slightly. As usual, the lead actress and producer, Winona Ryder, was the last to arrive.

Director James Mangold completed the preparations for shooting and called the actors together to walk through the scene. Matthew was also called over.

"Let's run through it," said James, leading the actors into the arranged hallway, stopping at the door of the first room. "In this scene, the lead and supporting actresses are still strangers. Winona, your character is curious about the supporting actress and sees the male orderly walking towards her room."

He pointed at Matthew, "Follow his movement with your gaze until he enters Lisa's room."

Winona nodded; such scenes were too easy for her.

James then pointed to the door, "The two characters pass by each other right here."

He looked at Matthew, "Keep walking down the hallway at a normal pace, not too fast, not too slow, then enter the room, got it?"

"Got it," Matthew responded quickly.

James signaled to an assistant and then said, "Let's walk through it."

An assistant director came over to position them, and Matthew knew he had to follow the crew's instructions to the letter.

Angelina Jolie entered the room, Winona stood at the previous room's doorway, and Matthew received a prop medicine kit, waiting in the hallway where they shot yesterday.

Two cameramen were in place, and someone stood by him with a reflector.

Although it was just a rehearsal, it looked no different from actual shooting.

Seeing all this, Matthew felt a bit nervous; his legs trembled slightly. Although he dreamt of being a Hollywood star, lying in piles of money and surrounded by beauties, this was his first time performing in front of a camera.

Nervousness was a normal reaction.

"Just relax," someone holding a reflector beside him whispered as the crew made final preparations. "Your part is simple. Relax and act naturally."

Matthew turned, smiled slightly, and nodded.

As he waited, he thought to himself that it was easier to add flowers to embroidery than to send coal in snow; everyone had avoided him yesterday, but now someone was giving him advice.

"Action!"

James Mangold's voice

 rang out, and Matthew immediately discarded his distracting thoughts, stepping forward. But as soon as he took his first step, James's voice came again, "Stop!"

He looked at Matthew, "You're too slow!"

Matthew, embarrassed, smiled awkwardly and was about to say something when James shouted, "Back to one, let's start again!"

No one spoke further; whether actors or crew, everyone quickly resumed their initial positions. This time, Matthew didn't let his mind wander and focused on waiting for the director's command.

"Action!"

Upon James's cue, the crew sprang into action.

Matthew walked down the hallway as Winona Ryder approached from the opposite direction. As they were about to pass each other, Winona turned her head to look at Matthew, and the camera, like her eyes, also turned.

The camera moved, and Matthew immediately noticed.

"Cut!" James shouted, "You looked at the camera!"

Matthew knew he was the one being addressed and quickly apologized, "I did it subconsciously..."

"Be mindful next time!" James seemed in a good mood, "Everyone back to positions, let's do it again!"

He might just be a director on set, but he was very aware of the dynamics. Winona Ryder had apparently conceded to Angelina Jolie, and rumors had it that it was this very extra, along with Jolie, who had entered Winona's office last night. Whatever had happened there was unknown, but the outcome was clear.

James Mangold didn't want to get involved in such messes; a mere extra was the least of his concerns.

Matthew returned to the starting point, and to his surprise, Dennis Kurt was nearby. Seeing him return, Dennis said, "Don't be nervous! And don't overact! Walk and talk as you normally would. Don't think of it as performing!"

Matthew took a couple of deep breaths and nodded lightly. This agent might be questionable, but his current advice seemed genuine.

As the other crew members took longer to reset than the actors, Matthew stood there, adjusting his breathing, letting go of all the messy thoughts, and his mind gradually cleared. He kept his nerves under control for a few seconds, and the slight trembling in his legs stopped. His anxious heart also began to relax.

When James Mangold called for action again, all of Matthew's nervousness had vanished. He walked forward, his gaze empty of cameras, directors, agents, and even the approaching Winona Ryder. He was simply moving forward on his own.

As he passed by Winona, he walked straight toward Angelina Jolie's room. Winona turned to look at Matthew, and the camera followed her gaze, capturing Matthew's tall figure as he entered the room.

Inside, he spoke in his normal tone, "Lisa, you must take your medication on time! Otherwise, I will report to Dr. Potts."

Those were his two lines.

"Cut!"

Hearing that, Matthew shook his head and then heard James Mangold announce, "We got it!"

Matthew puzzled, "We got it? Wasn't this just a rehearsal?"

"It's normal," Angelina Jolie, seemingly hearing his remark, stood up. "If the rehearsal captures the right shot, the director might use it."

She got up, "In Hollywood, time is money."

Matthew smiled and politely said, "Thank you."

Although Angelina Jolie always made it clear she was above him and sometimes acted high and mighty, she was relatively kind to him on this set.

Matthew guessed that perhaps he really had helped Angelina Jolie somewhat with both his actions.

As Angelina Jolie left the semi-closed room to prepare for the next scene, Matthew's work on this set was declared complete.

However, since he had signed a daily wage contract, even if he worked less than half a morning, he still earned two hundred dollars.

"If only every day paid two hundred dollars," Matthew mused sentimentally. "An income of over five thousand dollars a month would be quite comfortable."

Unfortunately, such job opportunities were not daily occurrences, especially for a novice extra; it might be months before another such chance arose.

"You performed great!"

Outside the set, Dennis Kurt followed Matthew, his fat face so smiley his features were almost indistinguishable, "Not many new actors can nail a scene within three takes!"

"Really?" Matthew asked, then laughed. The plump man was clearly trying to flatter him.

Dennis Kurt, however, was serious, "Based on my experience, you have some talent! I can't say it's exceptional, but it's above average."

Matthew didn't take his words seriously. Dennis asked him, "Are you leaving?"

"I'll stay and watch a bit longer," Matthew wasn't eager to leave, not knowing when he would next step onto a set.

Dennis hesitated but then said, "I have to go handle your pay."

Matthew nodded, "Go ahead."

As the crew prepared for the next shot,

 Matthew stood at the edge of the set, his gaze mostly on Winona Ryder and Angelina Jolie. These famous stars were targets for learning.

Suddenly, someone approached him and asked, "Are you Matthew Horner?"