At Chicago O'Hare International Airport, a dozen airport security guards were on high alert, closely watching two distinctly separated crowds. One group, mainly teenagers, numbered over a hundred, while the other, armed with cameras and microphones, was clearly made up of about a dozen journalists.
Security personnel had been notified to prevent these groups from entering the airport interior.
"There are also people here to pick someone up."
Among the journalists, a female reporter looked towards the other side and asked a male journalist from another media outlet, "The film crew is quite popular, isn't it?"
The male journalist pointed towards the fans and said, "Seems like they're here to pick up someone."
He had specifically come for this, and while $2,000 wasn't a lot, it was still half a month's earnings for him. Moreover, the "The Mummy Returns" crew was currently a hot topic in entertainment, and his newspaper was very interested in this news.
"It's about time." At the fans' side, a leader checked his watch and said to those around him, "Let's start!"
The surrounding fans took out various posters from their bags and held them high above their heads. Although the posters were of different styles, most featured the same character—The Scorpion King!
However, there was an outlier at the edge.
A twenty-something fan held a poster not of The Scorpion King, but of an American soldier charging through gunfire and smoke with a Chicago typewriter (a submachine gun)!
"Who are you?"
A girl next to him asked, looking at his poster, "Why hold up such a poster?"
The man pointed at the girl's poster and asked, "Aren't you here for Matthew Horner?"
"Yes." The girl, not new to such activities, proudly said, "We're all supporters of Matthew Horner."
"Me too." The man put down his poster to show the girl, "I really like Matthew's role as Captain Ronald Speirs in 'Band of Brothers.' This is a poster of Ronald Speirs."
"Oh…" The girl realized they weren't on the same page.
The journalists, seeing the fans raising their posters, were puzzled, "The Scorpion King? Matthew Horner?"
"The Scorpion King is very well-received among fans." The knowledgeable male journalist explained to his peers, "Matthew Horner is said to be a rapidly rising new actor in Hollywood. Since his debut, he has appeared in 'Girl, Interrupted' with Angelina Jolie and Winona Ryder, played a supporting role in Ridley Scott's 'Gladiator,' been the lead in a Britney Spears music video, and was personally chosen by Tom Hanks to play the fourth company commander in 'Band of Brothers'…"
He added, "And these roles were all significant, even his first film role in 'Girl, Interrupted' had lines."
Hearing a series of impressive names, many journalists were drawn in, and some said, "With such a resume, this actor is no ordinary person. I'll focus my interview on him later."
Noise from the airport exit grew louder as people began to emerge. After three minutes, the crowd thinned, and a group of men and women, dragging luggage and wearing sunglasses, appeared.
"Here they come!"
A keen-eyed journalist alerted the others that the approaching group was the main cast and crew of "The Mummy Returns."
"Matthew Horner…"
The fans' side immediately burst into chaotic shouts, "Scorpion King! Look this way!"
"Matthew, we love you!"
"I love the Scorpion King…"
These shouts quickly reached the film crew.
Rachel Weisz glanced over and continued walking towards the parking lot with the crew.
Matthew certainly saw the posters held by the fans and marveled at their dedication. The posters mainly featured the Scorpion King, with occasional appearances of Evelyn and Imhotep, which didn't cause any suspicion.
Journalists immediately surrounded them, while fans also tried to approach but were stopped by security.
A journalist blocked Rachel Weisz's path, but more journalists stopped Matthew.
"Mr. Matthew Horner," a journalist loudly asked, "are you surprised by the large number of fans here to greet you?"
"Yes! It's a huge surprise!" Matthew appeared genuinely touched and at a loss for words, "I'm thrilled! I never expected the fans to love my character so much. I can't express how I'm feeling right now…"
As Brendan Fraser, who was among the last to leave the airport, saw only posters of the Scorpion King and heard the media praising Matthew Horner shamelessly, he felt nauseated.
"Are these fans and journalists brainless?" Brendan Fraser glared in that direction, feeling frustrated, "I'm the main character! I am!"
After interviewing Matthew, journalists began to interview others, but the fans' enthusiasm didn't wane. They continued shouting from outside the security perimeter.
"Matthew! Matthew Horner!"
"We love you, Matthew!"
"The Scorpion King is so cool!"
Producer Sean Daniel, seeing this, nodded approvingly and suggested to Matthew, "Go sign some autographs."
Matthew broke away from the journalists and went over to the fans, taking a pen from one of them and signing notebooks and posters handed to him. Some fans even requested autographs on their T-shirts, which Matthew gladly provided.
He maintained a warm and friendly demeanor towards the fans throughout.
Meanwhile, some journalists approached Brendan Fraser. Just as Brendan was thinking these journalists were not foolish and had some sense, one of them asked an embarrassingly pointed question.
"Brendan…" the journalist's voice was loud, "Your character's reception is not as good as the Scorpion King's. What do you think?"
"How do I think?" Brendan Fraser, who had been accumulating a lot of anger recently, was quick to light up, but managed to keep his cool, "I have no comment!"
After that, he turned and walked towards the parking lot.
The journalist deliberately shook his head, "Seems he has quite an opinion on Matthew Horner."
Another agreed, "Having the spotlight stolen by a supporting actor must be infuriating. But this is even better for us; we've got something to write about."
The journalists laughed, knowing that gossip like this was far more interesting to their readers than bland, harmonious team news. After all, even the most mundane corporate environments had their struggles, let alone Hollywood, where fame and fortune were magnified exponentially.
As other actors left, Matthew continued interacting with fans, with journalists taking photos. Sean Daniel, for his part, did not rush him, choosing instead to wait nearby with a staff member.
The other actors gradually entered the parking lot and boarded the car provided by the hotel where the crew was staying—a luxurious, large van far more comfortable than ordinary cars.
Brendan Fraser sat in the spacious seat with a sullen face. Throughout the journey from Los Angeles, countless fans and media had been chasing after Matthew Horner, as if he was the film's leading man.
Compared to Matthew Horner, Brendan felt sidelined. At every location and during every interview, journalists frequently asked about the leading man being overshadowed by a supporting actor, ruining any good mood he might have had.
Moreover, he noticed a shift in Matthew Horner's attitude towards him. Initially, during filming in London's Pinewood Studios and up to the premiere, Matthew was just a junior member of the crew to him.
Now? Matthew Horner no longer seemed to regard him at all.
The van was silent, with no one speaking. Two seats near Brendan remained empty, as no one dared to sit there, clearly not wanting to provoke him.
"Why aren't we moving?" Brendan suddenly asked, "What are we waiting for?"
No one responded until the driver turned around and said, "Sorry, sir, we're not all here yet."
Brendan saw that producer Sean Daniel had not arrived and held back from saying anything further, growing more restless as he thought about the scenes at the airport and the situations in each city.
If it weren't for his contract, he would have wanted to drop out of the promotional tour.
Suddenly, the driver opened the door, and an assistant came in first, followed by Matthew and Sean Daniel, still chatting and laughing as if they were having a great time.
As they got on the van, they looked around and sat down near Brendan.
Matthew, with an apologetic face, said to everyone, "Sorry, sorry for making you all wait."
This was a common occurrence in the crew, and the others shook their heads and smiled, indicating it was no problem.
Only Brendan Fraser remained tense, hearing Matthew say to Sean Daniel, "The fans and journalists were too enthusiastic, and I lack experience in dealing with them…"
It sounded like bragging about a benefit received.
Brendan Fraser instantly became furious, turning his head and saying, "Do you have any sense of time? Making a whole car of people wait just for you?"
"Sorry." Matthew turned to Brendan, deliberately showing a smug smile, "I'm very sorry to have kept you waiting."
The apology seemed sincere, but Brendan could see the smugness on Matthew's face, which infuriated him even more, "Matthew Horner! You…"
"Enough!" Producer Sean Daniel interrupted Brendan, telling the driver, "Drive!"
Brendan Fraser glared at Sean Daniel but said nothing more.
The van left the airport and soon arrived at the hotel booked by the crew. The hotel entrance was also crowded with many fans, a significant number holding Scorpion King posters.
The crew's disembarkation almost mirrored the scene at the airport...
"Is the Scorpion King this popular?" Arnold Vosloo was curious, "In every city we've passed through, there have been large numbers of supporters."
The rest of the crew nodded, clearly indicating through the media's reaction and fan support that the Scorpion King was indeed a highlight of the film and very popular.
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