Matthew was thrilled with the opening weekend success of 'I Am Legend' and spent the next two days attending promotional events, looking positively radiant.
He also carved out so ti from his busy schedule to visit Universal Studios.
A comic book film, starring Jas McAvoy, was currently in production there.
Having arranged it with Jas in advance and leveraging his own professional relationship with Universal Studios, Matthew easily walked onto the soundstage. It had been converted into a makeshift shooting range, where a stunning woman was coaching Jas on how to handle a gun in front of the cara.
Filming paused for a mont. Matthew stood just off-set and waved to Jas. Jas saw him just as a large, heavy-set director approached him, seemingly to discuss the scene. Matthew's gaze then fell upon the woman in the form-fitting suit.
That woman had been his very first introduction to Hollywood—Angelina Jolie.
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's affair beca infamous after Jennifer Aniston reportedly caught them in bed, but they were no ordinary stars. Both had worked in Hollywood for years and had achieved success from a much higher starting point than most.
anwhile, David Ellison had been keeping Matthew updated on Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's activities. Pitt was involved with a project called 'Cloud Atlas' and was angling for a role in 'John Carter,' having reportedly t with the director just that Tuesday. Jolie, for her part, was deeply imrsed in charity work, a clear effort to repair her public image.
The two were famous enough that as the scandal faded with ti, it didn't seem like Hollywood had any intention of blacklisting them.
Now, for instance, Angelina Jolie had landed a supporting role in a mid-budget film, with a price tag of around seventy million dollars.
Matthew stood at the edge of the set, watching them film. Jas, the lead, appeared to be playing an assassin in training. Angelina was in her elent, channeling the sa energy as her Tomb Raider days, though she was older now and, at first glance, didn't look quite like Lara Croft.
After another half hour, the director called a break.
“Hey, Matthew!” Jas waved to him from across the set. “Over here!”
Making his way over to where Jas was resting, Matthew remarked, “Back in town without so much as a call?”
Jas grinned. “I got back to LA the day before yesterday, which is why I called you yesterday.”
Sensing soone's eyes on him, Matthew turned his head and t Angelina Jolie's gaze from about ten feet away.
Angelina gave him the sa cool nod she always had over the years before turning to chat with her assistant.
Matthew pulled up a chair and sat next to Jas. “You’ve been busy these last two years, haven’t you? Jet-setting all over the world for shoots.”
Jas replied cheerfully, “Michael and I both made a na for ourselves after the '300' craze, and since the year before last, the number of production companies reaching out to us with offers has skyrocketed.”
He pointed to the lines on his face. “If this keeps up, I think I’ll be old before my ti.”
Matthew, having gone through that stage himself, offered, “Just get through it. Eventually, you’ll reach the point where you can actually enjoy it.”
Then he asked, “And where’s Michael? I haven’t been able to reach him for over two weeks.”
The three of them kept in touch, talking on the phone at least once a month.
“Michael’s busy with a film called ‘Hunger’,” Jas said, shaking his head. “The director asked him to get down to skin and bones. Michael’s cut off all contact with the outside world and is starving himself in so corner of the globe.”
Matthew was about to comnt on how unhealthy that was, but he held his tongue. Michael had always been a more committed actor than either he or Jas.
The next scene was Angelina Jolie’s, and she soon walked onto the set.
Jas watched Jolie’s back as she walked away and asked, “What do you think of her?”
“Huh?” Matthew gave Jas a questioning look. “You’re not thinking of getting involved with her, are you?”
He warned, “She’s a complicated woman. I wouldn’t get tangled up with her if I were you.”
Probably thinking of Brad Pitt, Jas looked away. “I know.”
Hollywood actresses, after they’ve had their fill of fun, look for a rich man to marry and settle down with.
Of course, Hollywood playboys are no different. Before they get too old, they marry a young, beautiful, and manageable woman who still believes in true love.
Jas suddenly changed the subject. “It’s been so many years since your first big romance, and you still haven’t found anyone else.”
Matthew paused for a mont before answering, “I’ve got my eye on soone, but she hasn’t noticed .”
Jas knew who he was talking about, so he didn't press the issue. Instead, he asked, “But you haven’t t anyone else you’d want to make your girlfriend? There’s no shortage of beautiful won with great personalities in our circle.”
“Buses and trains don’t run on the sa track,” Matthew said slowly.
Jas asked, baffled, “What?”
Matthew spread his hands. “The train is afraid the bus will get run over, and the bus is afraid the train will derail. How are they supposed to stay together?”
“You...” Jas started, pointing a finger at him, at a loss for words for a mont. Then he declared, “Your weird taphors are going to leave you single until you’re an old man.”
Matthew brushed off his words and asked, “What about you?”
In reality, Jas and Michael Fassbender were no better than him when it ca to won.
To be precise, the whole circle was like that: n with won, won with n, n with n, won with won—the list was endless.
Expecting such a circle to be as pure as a white lotus blossom, and expecting the people in it to be flawless, was about as likely as winning the lottery.
In fact, it wasn't just Hollywood; any circle associated with fa and fortune was just as ssy.
In response to Matthew’s question, Jas suddenly dropped his playful expression. “I’m going to look for a chance to propose after I finish this shoot,” he said.
“What?” Matthew looked stunned. “Propose?”
Jas nodded with complete seriousness. “Yes.”
He explained, “I t a woman I really like. She’s nine years older than , but we’ve been dating seriously for two years, and I’ve decided to propose to her this year.”
Matthew nodded slightly, not saying anything for a mont, then smiled. “Good luck, Jas.”
It felt a little strange that Jas—who had once been the one among the three of them with a string of girlfriends—was about to beco a married man.
“Michael isn’t about to do the sa thing, is he?”
Jas shook his head. “No, he’s not in a relationship right now.”
Matthew smiled. “So I still have a partner in cri.”
Soon, Jas was called back to the set. Matthew watched for a little while longer, then got a call from Helen and left Universal Pictures, heading for the Angel Agency in Burbank.
Aside from routine business, Helen’s call was mainly about one thing: Stephen Somrs wanted to et with him.
He was a director who had helped him in the past, so of course, Matthew agreed.
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