After a shower and changing clothes at the gym, Matthew went to the Los Angeles School of Performing Arts. He was there five nights a week, practicing his British accent for two hours each night under the guidance of a professional teacher. Over time, with persistent effort, his British accent had become quite convincing.
Before Christmas, Matthew left Los Angeles and flew to Toronto, Canada, intending to see Brittany. Brittany's schedule was extremely tight. Since the release of her second album, she had been constantly moving between hotels, planes, and event venues. Except for the time Matthew specifically went to see her, they hadn't met again.
Matthew had planned to spend Christmas with her, but upon landing and turning on his phone, he received an urgent text from Brittany sent half an hour earlier. Her record company had changed her schedule last minute, requiring her to attend a New Year's event at Times Square in New York, and she was leaving Toronto.
He immediately called Brittany, but her phone was switched off, probably on a flight already.
Checking the flights to New York at the airport, he found one that had left for New York about half an hour ago. After calling Brittany's hotel in Toronto, he learned that her party had already checked out.
Sitting on a bench in the airport terminal, Matthew was a bit puzzled. He tried calling Brittany's work phone, but it was also switched off.
After a long wait, when he assumed her flight would have landed, he called Brittany again, and this time someone answered quickly.
"I'm sorry, Matthew," Brittany's voice was low, "The record company just received the invitation, and I had no choice."
"It's okay," Matthew replied, feeling relieved to hear her voice, "Work is important."
"Yeah," Brittany said, "I'm about to leave the airport, and there are fans everywhere, so I have to hang up."
She added, "Once I'm done with this busy period, I'll come to Los Angeles to see you."
Knowing there was no other option, Matthew responded, "Alright, I'll wait for you in Los Angeles."
After Brittany hung up, Matthew put away his phone, changed his ticket, and returned to Los Angeles that afternoon.
His life resumed its usual routine: training, studying, and nightly phone calls with Brittany, occasionally helping with the promotion of "The Scorpion King."
Time quickly moved into 2002. In the three years since Matthew had arrived, he had undergone many changes. The most significant was his transformation from a penniless youth to a man with hundreds of thousands of dollars and from an extra to a leading actor. He was undoubtedly getting closer to fame.
However, failure would mean falling into an abyss.
He also had his first girlfriend, Brittany. Although they were both very busy and met only a few times a year, she was now a part of his life in America.
Over these three years, Matthew had gradually adapted to the American social environment and Western lifestyle. His thoughts and ways of problem-solving were evolving due to the influence of his surroundings.
But Matthew was clear about one thing: his goal hadn't changed, and he was one step closer to it.
Entering 2002, Matthew's primary concerns were threefold: keeping up with Brittany's schedule, the Pirates of the Caribbean project, and the release of "Black Hawk Down."
After the New Year, Sony Columbia Pictures expanded the release of "Black Hawk Down" to more cinemas in North America, from 5 to 3,110, but the box office results were not as impressive as expected.
Despite decent performance in limited screenings, its box office per theater plummeted during the first weekend of wide release, falling short of Sony's expectations.
The film's critical acclaim did not translate into outstanding box office results, and professional agency Cinema Score predicted a final North American box office of around $100 million.
Compared to the film's $92 million budget, this was far from breaking even.
However, Sony was confident about the film's eventual profitability, partly due to overseas ticket sales and several Oscar nominations it received, which could boost its performance.
As "Black Hawk Down" received Oscar nominations, Helen Herman tried to get Matthew on the Oscars red carpet, and Universal Studios considered it for promoting "The Scorpion King."
However, implementing this was challenging. The "Black Hawk Down" crew had limited Oscar attendance quotas, prioritizing those nominated and their families.
Universal Studios quickly abandoned the idea, deeming it unfeasible given Matthew's modest fame and the expected promotional impact.
Matthew himself had no such expectations. Though "Black Hawk Down" and "The Scorpion King" kept him somewhat in the public eye, he was still an ordinary actor, not a star.
...
In Burbank, on North Buena Vista Street, a black BMW slowly parked at the curb. Matthew got out, put on his sunglasses against the bright midday sun, and walked towards the coffee shop where he had arranged to meet Helen Herman.
Not far ahead was the Walt Disney headquarters, connected to the Disney Studios across the street by a pedestrian overpass, a well-known sight on North Buena Vista Street.
The coffee shop was beside the Disney headquarters, diagonally opposite the Disney Studios.
Entering the coffee shop, Matthew immediately saw Helen Herman sitting at a window seat, gazing at the Disney Studios.
"What are you looking at so intently?" he asked as he sat opposite her.
Helen Herman turned her gaze away from the window and asked, "What would you like to drink?"
Matthew leaned back in his chair, "I'll have a tea." He then asked, "You're usually so busy. What brings you out for coffee today?"
Their interactions had always been strictly professional.
Helen Herman stirred her coffee slowly, took a sip, and said, "Universal Studios has set the premiere date for 'The Scorpion King' for April 9th, at the Chandler Pavilion in the Los Angeles Music Center."
Matthew asked, "When will they start ramping up the promotion?"
The promotion for "The Scorpion King" had been tepid so far, and as the lead actor, he had only attended two press events, receiving lukewarm media response.
"Promotional resources will be concentrated in the month before release," Helen Herman had a clear understanding. "Universal Studios has allocated only $12 million for marketing and distribution, which has to cover numerous copies. They can't afford the same lavish promotion as 'The Mummy Returns', so they'll focus on a big push."
She set down her coffee cup and added, "If you had agreed to the fake relationship with Kelly Hu, Universal Studios would have already started promoting that angle."
Matthew shook his head, "You know that's not possible." He preempted her further argument, "It's not just about me. If it only involved me, I'd have no problem with whatever you do. But it involves another person, and I can't make decisions for her."
"Let's not talk about that," Helen Herman saw Matthew's firm stance and didn't press further. She changed the subject, "The studio has given you a few spots for the premiere. If you have friends with some renown, you can invite them to support you."
Matthew thought for a moment, "I'll let my friends know."
He planned to call James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender to see if they would attend. And Orlando Bloom, who was incredibly popular at the moment.
Helen Herman continued, "Just wait for the crew's instructions about the promotion, no need to rush." She turned to look at the Disney Studios again, "I heard Disney has officially greenlit Jerry Bruckheimer's project, titled 'Pirates of the Caribbean', with a budget of $140 million."
Matthew perked up, "Any news about the script or roles?"
"No," Helen Herman shook her head slowly, "Jerry Bruckheimer has brought on 'Shrek' writers Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio to start writing the script."
Matthew didn't know these writers, but he was familiar with 'Shrek'. Being the writers of such a film meant they were no ordinary talents.
Helen Herman pointed towards the Disney Studios, "Today, in Studio 2, Jerry Bruckheimer has already started designing and constructing sets."
Matthew scratched his head, "They're building sets without a script?"
"In Hollywood, and in Jerry Bruckheimer's hands, nothing is impossible," Helen Herman said, crossing her arms on the table. "Right now, they don't even have a director confirmed."
"And the actors?" Matthew asked about his main concern.
"They'll wait for a director to be in place," Helen Herman replied. "From what I know, the crew won't start casting until June, with filming set to begin in October."
Hearing this timeline, Matthew suddenly remembered something, "Doesn't this conflict with Stephen Sommers' project?"
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