Standing in front of the makeup room, the female stylist took a look at Matthew, then unbuttoned one more button of his shirt, making his muscular chest slightly visible.
"Alright," the stylist stepped back.
Matthew glanced at the mirror opposite him, nodded in satisfaction, and thought highly of the stylist, who was the same one he used last time. She had a great sense of male styling, which is why he sought her out again, and he was very satisfied with the result.
"Mr. Horner," the female stylist said politely, "I'll be leaving now, I need to rush to the next appointment."
"Okay," Matthew smiled at her, "Thank you."
He considered hiring her as his personal stylist once he had enough status and funds in the future.
After the stylist left, the door to the makeup room was pushed open from the outside, and Helen-Herman walked in, asking, "How's the preparation going?"
Matthew knew she was asking about more than just his styling and pointed to his head, "It's all up here."
Helen-Herman glanced at her watch, "It's about time, let's go."
The two left the makeup room and headed towards the press room at Universal Studios.
This was a press conference held by Universal Pictures for "The Scorpion King," and after some time of planning, the crew had begun to take shape. Besides Sean-Daniel and Stephen-Somos leading the production team, Matthew was officially confirmed as the leading man, with Chuck-Russell as the director.
Despite a recent downturn, Chuck-Russell was a seasoned director in the industry, having directed hits like "The Mask" and "Eraser." Unfortunately, his last two films had been mediocre, which is why he was directing a film like this.
According to Helen-Herman, Sean-Daniel and Universal Pictures chose a director like him, who was on a downward trajectory, because of his ability to produce formulaic commercial films.
Without a doubt, "The Scorpion King" was going to be a very standardized Hollywood factory line product.
From a risk management perspective, such films would use past successes to avoid areas that audiences disliked, significantly reducing the chance of failure.
Matthew liked directors like him; if his first film as the lead had poor box office performance, it would likely deter others from casting him in the future.
He had signed the official contract with the crew two days ago, which included a payment of $500,000, along with a series of treatments that matched the leading role, negotiated by Helen-Herman.
Additionally, Helen-Herman reached another agreement with the crew: the crew would prioritize actors from the Angel Agency for significant supporting roles.
Matthew and Helen-Herman entered the press room's lounge, one after the other, with Sean-Daniel and Stephen-Somos already waiting there.
"Hi, Sean. Hi, Stephen," Matthew greeted them, "Long time no see."
He shook hands with both men, and Stephen-Somos looked him up and down, commenting, "You look even more robust!"
"You're pushing me as the leading man; I can't let you down," Matthew replied, always articulate, "I've been keeping up with my fitness, boxing training, and recently, I've started practicing mixed martial arts."
Stephen-Somos nodded in approval, "I like actors like you."
Sean-Daniel came over and lightly patted Matthew's arm, "I told you, choosing Matthew would save us a lot of trouble."
Matthew smiled, about to humbly reply, when the door to the lounge opened, and director Chuck-Russell walked in. Matthew had only seen him in materials provided by Helen-Herman before. They exchanged polite greetings after being introduced by Sean-Daniel.
Since they would be working together for a long time, they all wanted to maintain a harmonious relationship if possible.
Then, led by a press officer from Universal Pictures, they entered the press hall and sat opposite the media.
The press room had dozens of reporters, not many, and the atmosphere wasn't very enthusiastic, as it was just a medium-scale commercial film lacking a well-known director and lead actor.
The press conference involved just four people from the crew side. After the press officer made a few routine remarks, Sean-Daniel began introducing the basic information about the film, which was all procedural, about the film's investment, expected release time, etc.
In early Hollywood, crews would read the script at such press conferences, but as scripts became increasingly confidential, this practice was phased out.
"The Scorpion King" was expected to have a $40 million investment and aimed for a mid-April release next year to avoid the competitive summer season.
Then came the inevitable question time, where Matthew, Sean-Daniel, Stephen-Somos, and Chuck-Russell, despite not having rehearsed, coordinated extremely well.
"Director Somos, I'm Elena-Poyar from Yahoo Entertainment..."
A tall and robust female reporter stood up to ask, "With 'The Mummy Returns' grossing over $200 million in North America, why did you decide against continuing the 'Mummy' series and instead make a film about a side character, casting the relatively unknown Matthew Horner as the lead?"
Stephen-Somos was prepared, starting with a well-crafted lie, "After 'The Mummy Returns' was released, both media and audiences felt that the Scorpion King was a highlight. The character suits Matthew's strengths perfectly, and we witnessed the birth of a new action star."
The room was silent except for Stephen-Somos' praise for Matthew.
Matthew remained poised, knowing that such fabricated stories for media attention were common in every production and press encounter.
Stephen-Somos continued, "Matthew's first scene on the set of 'The Mummy Returns' stunned us all. Despite speaking in Ancient Egyptian, his performance and charisma were captivating, leading us to discuss the new film on the spot."
According to him, "The Scorpion King" project had been planned during the shooting of "The Mummy Returns," which obviously wasn't the case.
However, those aware of the actual situation, like Matthew, would never tell the truth.
These statements finally stirred some interest among the initially lukewarm audience.
Another reporter asked, "So, you had the idea to produce 'The Scorpion King' while filming 'The Mummy Returns'?"
"The Scorpion King, despite being a character with less than twenty minutes of screen time, was undoubtedly a highlight."
This time, Sean-Daniel answered, also a master of publicity, "Indeed, we approached Matthew Horner during the filming of 'The Mummy Returns' to star in a movie truly his own."
"Mr. Matthew Horner..."
Finally, a reporter turned their attention to Matthew, asking, "If I'm not mistaken, this will be your first time as the lead in a film. Can you share your thoughts?"
"I'm extremely excited!" Matthew's smile was radiant, "The appreciation from Sean and Stephen is an honor. I've been waiting for such an opportunity, and I won't let them down or disappoint the fans of the Scorpion King."
"I'd like to add," Stephen-Somos interjected, "Matthew's charm is not only evident on the big screen but also his professionalism on set."
He looked at Sean-Daniel, "Both Sean and I are his loyal fans."
"Yes, indeed," Sean-Daniel adeptly seized the moment, as the buzz around "Band of Brothers" grew by the day, "Apart from the Scorpion King, I also adore Matthew's portrayal of Ronald Speirs in 'Band of Brothers,' a character brimming with endless charm."
The reporters then remembered that this seemingly inconspicuous actor had appeared in significant works.
More reporters interviewed Matthew, bombarding him with questions, which he handled gracefully, covering all bases.
Finally, the reporters turned their attention to director Chuck-Russell, whose recent work had not been well-received, and being a behind-the-scenes role, he wasn't as appealing.
When asked why he took on this film, Chuck-Russell aligned with the previous statements made by Matthew, Sean-Daniel, and Stephen-Somos.
"I've always been passionate about films that cleverly blend wit, action, romance, and adventure, especially classics like 'Robin Hood' and 'The Crimson Pirate.' I've wanted to direct a period action-adventure film."
Chuck-Russell, experienced in dealing with the press, "The Scorpion King' fits my criteria perfectly. The script and Stephen's description convinced me; it's a story that not only promises a thrilling adventure but also showcases heroic virtues and a positive spirit."
He noted Sean-Daniel and Stephen-Somos's high regard for Matthew, the lead actor, and since the actor was decided before him, he too praised Matthew, "I've seen Matthew's work, and he has great acting potential, whether as the Scorpion King or in 'Band of Brothers'..."
Chuck-Russell hadn't actually seen the work and forgot the character's name, mistakenly saying, "Whenever these characters appear on screen, you can't take your eyes off Matthew. He performs with heart, and the effect is excellent. I believe he will continue to surprise many more people."
Everyone was praising each other, fabricating the most beautiful lies, while the reporters below took it all seriously, as if this were the truth.
After two years in Hollywood, Matthew had his own feelings and judgments. The entertainment industry seemed like a man-made garden, a greenhouse created amidst chaotic and barren life, housing exotic animals and rare plants, making people forget the outside troubles, as if this were the only world.
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