"We have a tightly-knit team, and that's why we were able to produce such an excellent movie," Matthew declared in an interview outside a hotel near the theater, just before he went in, lavishing praise on his colleagues. "Sean Daniel's talent is beyond doubt, and although it's Zack Snyder's first time directing, he did an outstanding job…"
Being the most well-known person in the crew, he spoke on behalf of everyone, and his comments were fitting.
After a brief interview, Matthew, under the protection of security personnel, prepared to enter the hotel to attend the post-screening party. However, the media were not ready to let him go so easily and continued to ask questions as he entered the building.
Just as he was about to enter the hotel, a scream from outside the hotel caught his attention. Turning to look, it appeared that Jessica Alba had tripped over the red carpet coming from the theater and fallen onto the plush carpet, emitting a crisp cry.
This diverted the attention of the journalists from Matthew to Jessica, with many rushing over to capture the moment. In just a few seconds, Jessica was surrounded by reporters.
Shaking his head with a smile, Matthew entered the hotel, noting to himself how falling seemed to be an effective attention-grabber for actresses.
He faintly recalled a Hollywood actress representative of the 90s who frequently used this tactic—falling at the Oscars, on red carpets, at premieres, during interviews, and even while meeting fans. It was clear to all insiders that she was performing, yet she played the naive and sweet persona to the hilt.
After all, celebrities are all about appearances.
Some stars are straightforward, some are naive, some are playboys, some are seductive, some are sunny, some are eerily gentle, and many are the quintessential naive and sweet...
These images, like Matthew's own sunny and approachable demeanor, were carefully crafted.
Guided by hotel staff, Matthew reached the elevator area. With all the lifts at the top floor, he had to wait. Before the elevator arrived, Jessica Alba approached him, her heels clicking on the floor.
"Hi, Matthew," she greeted him directly.
"Hi, Jessica," Matthew responded politely.
Jessica lowered her voice, "You're quite the heartbreaker, huh? Why didn't you bring Scarlett Johansson to the premiere?"
"She's not my girlfriend," Matthew stated plainly.
"Oh, so it was just a temporary setup, like us then," Jessica realized.
As the elevator arrived and the doors opened, Matthew entered first, followed by Jessica.
He pressed the button for the top floor and asked, "Did you hurt yourself when you fell?"
Jessica smiled, "It was fine."
She had gradually gained some notoriety for her falls, which, along with the media hype, helped spread her naive and sweet persona.
Alone in the elevator, Matthew commented, "Using the falling tactic too often might backfire, possibly leading to negative effects."
Jessica didn't hide her intentions, "I can't help it, I'm just a third-tier celebrity. I need to find ways to draw media attention."
She glanced at Matthew, "If you let me be your girlfriend, I wouldn't need to resort to these little tricks."
Matthew looked at her briefly, dismissing the suggestion without a word.
Jessica then tried a different approach, "How about this, Matthew? Let me be your girlfriend for a while, I can... well... you decide."
Matthew had already dismissed the idea, and besides, he wasn't foolish, "I'm actually planning to pursue someone seriously."
"Could it be..." Jessica ventured, "Alexandra Daddario?"
Matthew had only mentioned pursuing someone to rebuff Jessica, shaking his head, "No, it's not her."
From some perspectives, Jessica Alba was indeed attractive—tall, beautiful, outgoing, easygoing—but he saw clearly that she had no genuine feelings for him; she was merely trying to leverage his rising fame.
Seeing Matthew unmoved, Jessica dropped the subject.
Upon reaching the top floor, Matthew was the first to step out of the elevator and enter the banquet hall. Besides representing the crew in interviews, most of the crew were gathered there. Sean Daniel approached him and spoke quietly, guiding him through the hall to mingle, especially with the film critics, whom they deliberately engaged in conversation.
The film had a limited investment budget, so the guests were mainly local Los Angeles film critics and columnists, not heavyweights like Roger Ebert or Richard Roeper.
Although film criticism had become a commercial enterprise in North America, with a complete industrial circulation system, and despite accusations that "critics could praise anything for money," Matthew maintained polite interactions. A few flattering words cost him nothing and could earn favorable reviews, a worthwhile exchange.
Of course, if any critic made excessive demands, Matthew would firmly decline.
During a conversation with a particularly influential female critic, she hinted they could find a room
downstairs to discuss how the review should be written.
Matthew, having heard from Helen Herman about some women in Hollywood and its surroundings who collected male stars, was interested in collecting but not being collected.
He promptly rejected the female critic's suggestion.
Whether she would retaliate in her column was beyond his control, and a single critic's opinion typically didn't sway the success of a commercial film.
After mingling with the critics, Matthew's face felt almost stiff from smiling. Finding Helen Herman, he noticed Doug Reiman was still there.
"Hello, Director Reiman," he greeted politely.
Doug extended his hand, "A fantastic film, and your portrayal of the protagonist was impressive."
"Thank you," Matthew modestly replied, "It's largely thanks to Director Zack Snyder."
"Your action scenes were excellent!" Doug remarked directly, "But the action editing didn't quite match your stellar performance."
Matthew scratched his head, "You're too kind, Director Reiman."
In truth, Zack Snyder was also dissatisfied with the film's editing but had only advisory power during post-production, not control over the editing, which was entirely directed by Sean Daniel.
Sean was an established producer who wouldn't necessarily adopt Snyder's approach, and sometimes maturity could also mean conservatism. The filming and post-production of "Dawn of the Dead," especially the editing, followed typical Hollywood conventions.
Matthew had seen the final version of "Dawn of the Dead" and found none of the distinct styles of films like "300" or "Batman v Superman."
Zack Snyder was still a newcomer with very limited fame and influence.
Doug then inquired, "It seems like you were specially trained for hand-to-hand combat and gun handling?"
Matthew smiled, still modest, "I've been committed to fitness since 2000, practicing freestyle fighting at least twice a week when not shooting."
"Oh?" Doug showed interest, "No wonder you look so professional on camera."
"For firearms, I received professional training on the sets of 'Band of Brothers' and 'Black Hawk Down,'" Matthew continued, highlighting his strengths, "I'm now a member of the Normandy Military Firearms Club and have a legal gun license. I practice shooting almost monthly."
Doug seemed enlightened, "That explains why your action scenes are so spectacular."
Such an actor could save a lot of trouble for related movie projects, recalling how Matt Damon almost drove him crazy during the action and gunfight scenes of "The Bourne Identity."
However, Doug didn't elaborate further. Azizah Gossman had mentioned waiting for the box office results of "Dawn of the Dead" before making any decisions.
While Matthew Horner's protagonist had shined in the film, it was uncertain if audiences would respond positively.
His visit was to preliminarily touch base with Matthew, and after a brief chat, he quickly excused himself and left the banquet hall.
"The first step was quite successful," Helen Herman remarked as she watched Doug disappear from the banquet hall entrance. "I spoke with both Azizah Gossman and him after the screening, and they both think highly of you."
Matthew nodded lightly.
"I'll keep in touch with them to ensure you stay at the top of their list," Helen continued, withdrawing her gaze, "Now, we just wait for the box office results of 'Dawn of the Dead' and the script from Summit Entertainment."
If "Dawn of the Dead" was successful, they would have a slight advantage.
Of course, if the script wasn't suitable, they would simply reject it.
"Helen," Matthew asked again, "When can we get the script?"
"I'm not sure," Helen pondered. "Even though my father knows Azizah Gossman, we can't just ask for the script outright. If 'Dawn of the Dead' performs well, it'll be much easier to work with Gossman's side."
Matthew trusted Helen's abilities and didn't press further, returning to mingle at the party. The success of "Dawn of the Dead" was now crucial; if the film failed, his chances of landing a major role in future productions would be significantly diminished.
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