Vin Diesel's actions were entirely different from what he had previously described, catching Matthew off guard. Diesel's grip on his neck was like a vise, pushing him backward with considerable force. Matthew felt the pressure but did not fight back, choosing instead to follow the script's direction for the scene.
Even though the action scene had shifted to improvisation, the plot's direction remained unchanged. And the force Diesel used was within Matthew's tolerance. Compared to his training sessions with Nie Bo, Diesel's efforts were significantly lacking.
As an actor in the rising phase of his career, needing both reputation and experience, Matthew preferred not to invite unnecessary trouble.
However, forbearance doesn't always lead to the desired outcome.
After being forced back several steps by Diesel, Matthew suddenly felt Diesel's grip tighten dramatically. His back slammed against the support pillar of the garage's lift. Despite the lift being a prop made of resin by the set team, not actual metal, the impact was still painfully sharp.
Then, a toolbox from the lift toppled over, scattering tools all over Matthew. Though the tools were also made of resin, they hurt upon impact.
Especially a prop wrench that hit Matthew's cheek, leaving a small bruise almost immediately.
Diesel had withdrawn his hand before the tools fell, his face looking exceptionally cold as he watched Matthew, his eyes filled with mockery.
Everyone has their breaking point, and Matthew's anger surged at that moment. But before he could react, the stunt coordinator's voice rang out.
"Cut!" the stunt coordinator called out with a hint of excitement in his voice. "Good! Very good! That was very realistic and impressive!"
Diesel smirked at Matthew, giving him an ambiguous smile before walking away.
Matthew checked his body; his back was fine, but his face burned with pain.
"How is it?" Diesel asked, moving towards the director at the monitor.
"Better than I expected!" Director Rob Cohen admitted honestly. "The action was fierce and impactful!"
The stunt coordinator added, "And Matthew Horner did a good job too."
These comments reached Matthew's ears, but he didn't look their way. The assistant director had already brought over a medic for a quick check-up, ensuring no serious issues so filming could continue.
Matthew didn't want to halt production. According to the script, his character was supposed to react angrily and fight back next.
And he was genuinely furious.
The stunt coordinator gathered Matthew and Diesel again, briefing them on some safety precautions before they resumed their positions to restart the shoot.
Surrounded by scattered tools, Matthew glared at Diesel, who seemed incapable of showing any expression other than coldness.
As Diesel raised his fist to strike Matthew's face, mimicking the action of hitting his car, Matthew, fueled by pain and anger, dodged swiftly.
Having trained in boxing with Nie Bo at least five times a week for a long time, Matthew found Diesel's fast and heavy punches no match for Nie Bo's.
Easily dodging Diesel's punch, Matthew didn't wait for Diesel's next move. His counterpunch, though only at sixty percent of his full strength, was too fast for Diesel to avoid.
The punch landed squarely on Diesel's shoulder, causing him significant pain.
Without giving Diesel a chance to react, Matthew's follow-up punch was swift.
He knew that improvisational action scenes and performances were common in Hollywood, and the director could call cut at any moment.
Still, he was careful, aware that Diesel lacked the professional resilience to withstand such hits. The second punch, also moderated to seventy percent strength, targeted not Diesel's face but his ribs.
Boom—The punch landed on Diesel's ribs, eliciting a scream from Diesel, who could no longer maintain his cool demeanor. Clutching his side, he collapsed to the ground, struggling to breathe as sweat covered his bald head.
"Yes!" Paul Walker cheered from the sidelines, whispering, "That's how you do it! Beat him hard!"
Jordana Brewster also showed her excitement, silently mouthing words of encouragement for Matthew.
Not just them, but many onlookers from the crew laughed, enjoying the scene.
"Cut! Excellent!" The stunt coordinator called cut, praising the sequence for its professionalism and promising great potential with proper editing.
Diesel, in pain on the ground, had no thoughts of commendation, feeling as though his ribs were broken.
"Are you okay?" Matthew rushed over, concerned, "I... I'm so sorry, I..."
Diesel looked up to see Matthew extending a hand, seemingly offering help while apologizing for getting too into the character.
"Great!" The stunt coordinator and others applauded, "Fantastic action scene!"
Walker, seeming to cheer for the thrilling performance, clapped enthusiastically, "Cool and thrilling action! Much better than those softies!"
The crew joined in the applause, creating a wave of support for the scene.
Diesel, observing the crew's reaction and then looking at Matthew, told Director Rob Cohen and the stunt coordinator, "Let's postpone this scene. We'll revisit it another day."
"Are you hurt?" The stunt coordinator asked, concerned, "Do you need a doctor?"
"I'm fine," Diesel said, glancing at Matthew before walking off.
He was physically and mentally distressed, aware that he couldn't retaliate physically. Reporting Matthew for intentional harm was out of the question since the entire crew had heard him insist on the scene, and it was performed as directed.
After Diesel left, Matthew shot one more scene, getting arrested while lying on the ground. Since he only needed to stay still, the scene was completed in one take, wrapping up his work for the day.
Exiting the set, Matthew encountered numerous greetings, appearing popular among the crew. He understood that Diesel's actions over just two days had alienated many, his reputation insufficient to command respect.
If someone as professional as Tom Cruise had been involved, the crew's reaction might have been different, but Diesel's behavior was incompatible with his status.
After removing his makeup, Matthew left the studio, with only a couple of scenes left in "Fast and Furious," including a background role and a scene with Paul Walker. Without filming the next day, he planned to finish these scenes and then head to the UK for "The Mummy Returns."
Meanwhile, Diesel entered his makeup room, inspecting his shoulder and ribs in the mirror. Though no visible injuries were apparent, touching them caused him pain.
"That jerk!" Diesel muttered, dressing and heading to producer Neil Moritz's office.
After a brief discussion, Moritz called a high-ranking executive at Universal Pictures, and together with Diesel, they joined Director Rob Cohen in the screening room to review the day's footage.
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