He and Keira were on good terms, so he hoped he could persuade her later. Of course, if she refused, there was nothing he could do. He wasn't her family or her agent, after all, and pressing the issue would only risk antagonizing her.
Not everyone had his advantage—knowledge of the future, however vague and hazy it might be. The star producer, Jerry Bruckheir, was at the peak of his career, churning out one successful film after another in quick succession.
All Matthew could do was try.
After discussing Jerry's new project for a bit, Matthew and Helen's conversation shifted back to his PR relationship with Keira.
"The production team has already briefed Disney and Pixar, and they're confident this won't negatively affect the film," Helen explained, updating him on the situation. "Neither studio has made any official comnt."
Matthew nodded. "That's good."
Helen added, "Jamie and I spoke with the press attaché, Anderson Martinez, yesterday morning. There have been so changes to the plan—the team wants you and Knightley to accelerate things."
"Accelerate things?" Matthew asked, not quite following. "How?"
"It needs to be more than just holding hands on the red carpet," Helen explained. "The team will have soone in the press pit to generate so buzz. Your first public kiss with Keira will be on the red carpet."
"Alright," Matthew replied instantly.
He paused to think, then asked, "What about Keira? Has she been inford?"
Helen nodded. "She agreed."
She picked up where she left off. "All the previous plans have been adjusted to so extent. 'Pirates of the Caribbean' has been getting great word-of-mouth from the advance screenings, which is a big boost for publicity, so the team has pushed back so of the other plans."
She lifted her glass of water, took a sip, and added, "The plan for Keira to move into your house has been pushed back a week. It will happen after the movie's opening weekend."
"Sounds good." Matthew was professional enough to play along with the plans devised by the team and his agent. "Just give
the exact timing."
He then brought up another pressing question. "What about the breakup? When are we scheduled to split?"
This kind of PR relationship was great for publicity, but it put a major damper on certain aspects of his life that he wasn't willing to sacrifice long-term.
"Around September," Helen replied, having already considered it. "We'll find the right opportunity and a plausible reason for you and Keira to part ways."
It was standard practice in the industry, where off-screen relationships tended to be fleeting.
Breakups were a di a dozen in Hollywood.
But Helen wasn't finished. "If 'Pirates of the Caribbean' is a success, there will probably be a sequel. Anderson Martinez is suggesting you two could get back together for that, assuming neither of you is in a real relationship by then."
"That's..." Matthew found a new level of appreciation for the shalessness of Hollywood studios. "Let's cross that bridge when we co to it."
In truth, he was far more concerned about the funding issues Jerry Bruckheir was facing, which Helen had ntioned, than he was about any of this.
...
After his eting with Helen, Matthew headed down to the lounge on the first floor of the Angel Agency. He grabbed a cue stick and started a solo ga of pool, his mind carefully weighing the situation. It would take Jerry Bruckheir months to sort out the financing for "King Arthur," and he had already shelved another project in the anti. It seed he wouldn't be able to secure funding for a while, especially since there was no capital injection coming from Disney Pictures.
Could the second project be the breakthrough?
Unfortunately, he had no idea what that other project was. If it turned out to be the wrong genre for his investnt idea, any effort he made now would be pointless.
Matthew decided it was better to wait and see.
Still, he could do so preliminary groundwork. He knew one wealthy man, loaded with cash, who was eager to break into the film industry.
Fox Sherman had only invested in Lakeshore Entertainnt's "Underworld," a small project from a B-list production company. Nibora had told him that Fox was keen to work with one of the six major Hollywood studios on a big-budget picture, but so far, the right opportunity hadn't co along.
In North Arica, plenty of major investors were flashing million-dollar checks, and the big studios hardly paid any attention to so rich kid from a wealthy family.
While Matthew knew next to nothing about investing, his years in the industry had taught him one thing: the people taking the money were the ones who got to choose their investors.
He just didn't know if Fox had enough money.
He imdiately pulled out his cell phone and called Nibora, but there was no answer. He figured Nibora must be busy with a training session at the gym.
Matthew picked up his cue and continued his ga for a good ten minutes before his phone finally rang. It was Nibora calling back.
"What's up, Matthew?" Nibora asked.
"Yeah," Matthew replied. They were on good terms, so he got straight to the point. "How much do you know about this Fox Sherman fellow?"
Nibora answered from the other end of the line, "I used to be his fitness instructor. Depends on what you want to know."
Matthew considered for a mont before asking, "His financial resources. How much cash can he pull together?"
"I don't know for sure." There was a pause on Nibora's end before he continued, "He told
once that he ca to Hollywood looking for a business venture to invest in. He's got a lot of cash on hand and wants to put it into the biggest projects from the major studios."
As he listened to Nibora, Matthew beca increasingly convinced that this could be the solution.
"Thanks, Nibora," Matthew said. "I'll swing by your gym tomorrow afternoon. Lunch is on ."
After hanging up, he considered telling Helen, but after a mont's thought, he decided to wait. It would be better to hold off until he had so concrete information about Jerry Bruckheir's new project.
He checked the ti, then called Keira and arranged to et her at the café inside the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills, where she was staying.
Matthew left the Angel Agency and headed straight for Beverly Hills, eting Keira at the coffee shop shortly after.
"You wanted to see ?" Keira asked.
"I just heard from my agent," Matthew said, getting straight to it, "that you've taken the female lead in 'King Arthur'."
Keira nodded. "Yes."
Then she added, "Jerry Bruckheir was originally interested in you for the male lead, but your agent turned it down. She said you were already committed to a new project."
"Yeah, the lead in a small production," Matthew said vaguely, then changed the subject. "When does 'King Arthur' start shooting?"
"September, or thereabouts," Keira replied, a hint of regret in her voice. "It's a sha we won't get to work together on it."
Matthew hesitated, unsure how to phrase it. After a mont of silence, he said, "Keira, let
let you in on a little secret."
Keira's eyes glinted knowingly. "Go on. I can keep a secret. My reputation is much better than yours, after all."
The jab made Matthew flush, but he was thick-skinned enough to press on. "I asked my agent to turn down the lead in 'King Arthur,' but not because I had another project. It was because I was worried about getting typecast in historical epics."
"Fair enough." Keira considered his point and seed to agree. "Your breakout role was the Scorpion King, and now you have Will Turner. If you played King Arthur, people might start thinking you can only play muscular heroes in period pieces."
Matthew pressed, "Doesn't that worry you? You're basically going down the sa road."
"It's only my second period piece, so why worry?" Keira replied with a broad grin. "Besides, even if I were worried, it's too late now. I've officially signed the contract with the 'King Arthur' production. It would be a huge ss to break it without a valid reason."
Hearing that, Matthew knew there was no point in pressing the issue. The contract was already signed.
Then again, with the "Pirates of the Caribbean" franchise to fall back on, one flop wouldn't end her career. He recalled that she was in all three "Pirates" films, but his mory of her career after that was hazy.
He figured that, like many actresses, she probably achieved comrcial success and then, worn down by the press and the critics, pivoted away from blockbusters to hone her craft in independent films.
Isn't that what most actresses do?
They chatted about other things for a while before the conversation turned to their upcoming, so-called cohabitation.
Keira asked, "Have you picked out a room for
yet?"
"Not yet." The house Matthew was renting had several bedrooms, but aside from his own and one he used as a study, the rest were just used for storage. "Don't worry, I'll clear one out and get new furniture before you move in."
"Make it quick," Keira instructed. "And don't forget to take the door off my room."
Matthew froze, confused. "Take the door off? Why?"
Keira gave him a look. "I'm going to have a security door company install a new, heavy-duty one."
She muttered, "Who knows what you'll try to pull once we're living under the sa roof."
Matthew snorted indignantly. "You're overly suspicious. Don't you know the aning of the word 'trust'?"
He spread his hands. "Have I done anything inappropriate this whole ti we've been 'dating'?"
Keira bit her lower lip, not trying to argue.
"I'll tear that door right off for you," Matthew said, getting to his feet. "Just make sure you order one with Swiss bank-vault-level security."
He turned to leave but then rembered the upcoming 'Finding Nemo' premiere. "And wear sothing stunning for the premiere next week," he reminded her.
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