Standing before the cara in the audition room, Matthew saw none of it: not the cara, not the casting director, not even Jerry Bruckheir. He was Will Turner, a blacksmith who forged his living by hamring iron, yet secretly honed his mastery of the sword.
Since the actors were free to choose any scene from the script for their audition, both the director and Jerry Bruckheir remained silent, waiting to see what he would do.
“Hello, sir.” Matthew held a sword in one hand, offering the proper greeting of an English gentleman. The accent he had been perfecting for the past year rolled effortlessly off his tongue. “I’ve brought the sword you requested.”
Judging by his accent alone, he sounded like soone who had grown up in London.
Matthew held a finely crafted sword. As this was a solo performance, with no scene partner to receive the weapon, he drew it from its sheath himself. “The blade is solid steel,” he announced, “and the hilt is inlaid with gold.”
He had rehearsed this particular scene countless tis, all in preparation for his next move—a feat impossible for any actor without long and dedicated practice.
He and Helen had put an imnse amount of preparation into this, especially for Jerry Bruckheir. As a quintessential comrcial film producer, Bruckheir didn't prioritize acting chops above all else—if he did, he wouldn't have cast the likes of Ben Affleck, Liv Tyler, Josh Hartnett, or Kate Beckinsale in the leading roles of his movies.
“The sword...” Matthew tossed the blade into the air. It spun once before he caught it, balancing it perfectly on the back of his left fist, where the hilt t the blade. It rested there, perfectly still, like a scale. He added, “His Excellency the Commodore will be pleased. The hilt and blade are perfectly balanced.”
Jerry Bruckheir wasn’t watching Matthew directly, but focused on the monitor in front of him. His mind drifted back to Black Hawk Down. He rembered Matthew Horner, the actor who had played Sergeant Hoot—a nimble, dedicated, and hardworking young man.
He recalled visiting the set in Morocco and speaking with the military advisors. They had all agreed that out of the entire cast, Matthew Horner was the most convincing soldier.
Even a director as notoriously demanding as Ridley Scott had offered him high praise.
His only real weakness was a certain stiffness in his emotional scenes.
From what he'd seen so far, Matthew Horner’s emotional range hadn’t expanded much since Black Hawk Down, but his physical prowess was as sharp as ever.
Of course, a role like Will Turner, which was more about looking cool and heroic than deep emotional expression, didn't demand exceptional acting talent.
“I practice with the sword three hours a day.”
Before the cara, Matthew launched into the part of the performance he truly wanted to showcase. “I practice,” he declared, his voice ringing with conviction, “so that when I et a pirate, I can kill him!”
The British accent sharp on his tongue, he lunged forward. The sword in his hand struck out like a viper, its tip aid directly at the cara lens.
Though he faced no opponent, Matthew’s skill was undeniable. The sword beca an extension of his body, flowing with his nimble footwork as he executed a flurry of thrusts and cuts with practiced grace.
His instructor was a master fencer who had spent years in the professional circuit. He had even worked on The Mask of Zorro and knew exactly what kind of swordsmanship translated best to the screen.
The style he taught Matthew prioritized elegant, cinematic poses over the brutal efficiency of a real duel.
Matthew had been training since the previous year, and it showed. Even without a sparring partner, his command of the blade was brilliant.
“Interesting,” muttered the casting director.
This actor was different. He had perford a short emotional piece and followed it with an action sequence. The emotional part was adequate, nothing spectacular, but the swordplay was on another level. He had clearly undergone extensive, specialized training.
Jerry Bruckheir, sitting beside him, overheard the murmur but kept his eyes glued to the monitor. This Matthew Horner is full of surprises, he thought.
On the set of Black Hawk Down, he had been the most convincing actor from a military standpoint. Now, watching his sword fighting, Bruckheir saw that sa agility, the blur of the blade creating a whirlwind of motion.
Matthew's athletic build, heroic features, and upstanding deanor combined to create a powerful effect on cara—an almost intangible quality that Bruckheir found captivating.
He had been on the set of The Mask of Zorro once. Watching Matthew perform this elaborate sword fight now, Bruckheir thought that neither Antonio Banderas nor even his professional stunt double could compare to the young man on the monitor.
The experienced producer imdiately saw how this could benefit the film they were casting. This level of skill could be a major selling point for Pirates of the Caribbean.
Matthew already had the looks, and with a physique to match, he was perfect for a purely comrcial, action-packed blockbuster.
The only question was whether Johnny Depp’s sheer star power and acting prowess would completely overshadow him.
Jerry Bruckheir shook his head with a small laugh. The character needed to be handso and a skilled swordsman; his acting ability was secondary. And for all his shortcomings, Matthew Horner’s acting wasn’t half bad.
Hollywood had plenty of handso actors with decent skills, but very few who possessed this level of swordsmanship.
As Matthew finished his routine, Jerry Bruckheir looked up from the monitor. He did a quick ntal calculation. Considering Horner's solid performance in Black Hawk Down and his existing public profile, casting him wasn't much of a risk. In fact, it would add several new selling points to the film.
He inquired, “Matthew, do you practice swordsmanship?”
Matthew was quick to answer Jerry’s question. “I’ve been training in traditional European fencing for a while now.”
“I rember you boxed, didn’t you?” Jerry confird, a flicker of mory in his eyes. “You have a wide range of interests.”
Matthew offered a smile. “I like to stay active.”
Jerry nodded. “I rember that. You were always insistent on training on the set of Black Hawk Down.”
Beside him, the casting director listened intently to the exchange, sensing that his boss had taken a liking to the young actor from the Angel Acting Agency.
The young actor certainly had his rits. If the decision were his to make, the casting director thought, he would probably choose him as well.
Jerry concluded his questions, straightened his shoulders, and said, “You’ve read the script. Tell us your thoughts on the character of Will Turner.”
Matthew could tell he had made a good impression on Jerry, but he knew this next part was crucial. An actor’s interpretation of a character was paramount. If his take on Will Turner was too far off from the film’s vision, he’d lose major points—and possibly the role itself.
Fortunately, having seen the entire trilogy, he had a complete understanding of the character. He began without hesitation, “Will Turner is a decent, kind-hearted young man, fiercely loyal and devoted in love. It’s Captain Jack Sparrow who pulls him into the world of pirates and adventure.”
Matthew paused, gathering his thoughts. “At first, he’s a bit naive, but he grows throughout the story. Will has always been sincere and loyal. Then, he’s suddenly swept up into an adventure that is as thrilling as it is perilous. For Will, it’s a journey of self-discovery.”
Jerry Bruckheir watched Matthew in silence. With every word, the character seed to materialize before him, a figure of flesh and blood.
“Will grew up without a father’s love, so he looked for role models in the n around him,” Matthew explained, drawing from his understanding of the script. “In Port Royal, his heroes were the naval officers. But when he ets Jack, Jack shows him a different way of life. He teaches him not to blindly follow foolish rules, but to make his own decisions and chase after what he truly wants.”
Matthew finished, his eyes eting Jerry Bruckheir’s. The producer offered a single word: “Excellent.”
The casting director beside him imdiately spoke up. “Mr. Horner, that concludes your audition. We will notify you of our decision within a week.”
“Very well.” Matthew sheathed his sword and gave a slight bow. Maintaining the British accent, he said, “Thank you.”
He hadn’t dropped the accent once since stepping into the room.
As the door closed behind Matthew, the casting director turned to Jerry Bruckheir. “I think he’s a great fit.”
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” Jerry countered. “We’ll see the rest of the candidates before we make any decisions.”
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