Lights cascaded from above, illuminating Matthew's surroundings with a warm hue that added an approachable quality to his otherwise wild and robust appearance. His impeccably tailored white shirt was unbuttoned at the top, subtly showcasing his near-perfect muscular definition. Even seated at the bar, there was an unmistakable manliness about him.
This scene was filmed in a long take, and the director had specifically instructed Matthew that the male lead needed to exude a cool, almost staged demeanor.
He adjusted the sunglasses perched on his nose and took a sip from a beer bottle, all the while keeping his eyes fixed on a book in his hands.
In the background, extras moved back and forth, creating a lively scene.
Suddenly, the sound of rapid footsteps filled the air as armed police in uniform burst into the hotel, speaking rapidly in a language that was unintelligible to Matthew.
The setting for this scene was Colombia, and Matthew knew the rapid speech was Spanish.
"Are you alone, sir?" the bartender whispered from behind the bar, cautioning, "Be careful if you're on your own."
An armed officer noticed Matthew and approached him, speaking Spanish. Matthew took off his sunglasses, looked toward the officer, and pretended to listen attentively while subtly turning to lean back against the bar, his hand stealthily reaching for the gun at his back.
Just then, the hotel door swung open, and Charlize Theron, dressed in a daringly scant outfit, entered. She was immediately stopped by the police, who questioned her loudly.
"No! I'm not alone!" Charlize spotted Matthew, and as he looked back at her, she walked over quickly, saying, "No, no…"
Pointing at Charlize, he said, "I'm not alone."
Just as he finished his line, director Doug Liman called cut. "Cut! Matthew, Charlize, your expressions and eye contact are all off."
Matthew looked towards Doug Liman, and Charlize slightly furrowed her brows.
Doug approached them, explaining, "You're supposed to be love-struck! It's like Mr. Smith meeting Mrs. Smith for the first time on Christmas morning. You need to project warmth and romance to the extreme."
"Do you understand?" he asked.
Charlize nodded without saying a word.
Matthew also nodded.
Doug then announced loudly to everyone on set, "All departments, get ready to shoot again in five minutes."
After the director walked away, Matthew and Charlize quietly discussed their characters to better capture the "love at first sight" chemistry.
Since signing her official acting contract, Charlize had trained with Matthew for nearly a month, focusing mostly on action scenes with only brief rehearsals for the dramatic parts.
Aziva Gosman, the producer, watched from the sidelines. It was the first day of shooting, and he was somewhat anxious. The shoot was not going smoothly, with frequent stops, but this was normal as the production was just beginning and the crew needed time to gel.
Another take was halted by Doug. The leads had yet to find the right reactions; their chemistry was crucial for the film.
Soon, Doug called cut again.
Aziva understood why Doug had chosen such a challenging long take for the first scene. It was a way to signal to the leads and the entire crew that it was time to get serious.
Numerous issues arose on set. Matthew's gaze was too sharp, Charlize was too cold, the lights flickered unexpectedly, and the prop gun jammed the door...
After numerous takes, the crew gradually found their rhythm, and Matthew and Charlize's performances improved.
"We're together."
Hearing Matthew's line, Aziva looked up to see Matthew pulling Charlize to the edge of the set.
At that moment, he couldn't help but follow their movements, sensing a spark between the two leads.
Honestly, he hadn't seen much appeal in Charlize before, but now she looked better than any carefully shot photograph, her pose crisp and demeanor free-spirited, a perfect blend of androgynous charm and feminine allure.
Matthew, in turn, matched Charlize perfectly. His unruly and wild side fully unfolded in her presence, his charisma off the charts.
Even Aziva felt fortunate that he and Doug had chosen the right leads.
After the difficult first take, Doug, seeing Matthew and Charlize energized, urged the crew to pick up the pace to capitalize on their current form and shoot more scenes.
The next scene started quickly.
Matthew opened the door to his room, escorting Charlize inside. Curious armed police peered in before Matthew closed the door. Charlize leaned against it, and Matthew leaned in close.
Charlize turned to Matthew, her face and eyes filled with undisguised admiration for a man she found appealing. Matthew returned her gaze, his eyes full of inquiry, curiosity, and excitement.
"My name is Jane," Charlize introduced herself, extending her hand. Matthew took her hand, "I'm
John."
Their eyes locked, and although their palms eventually separated, their fingers remained intertwined...
Perhaps spurred by Doug's earlier pressure, Matthew and Charlize's emotions were fully engaged in their roles. After Doug called cut, their hands remained intertwined, neither seeming inclined to let go.
After a few seconds, Matthew was the first to break character, followed by Charlize. They both stopped, their hands still together for a moment longer.
Matthew smiled at Charlize, who nodded back at him, and they turned to walk to the resting area together.
Charlize, familiar with Matthew, spoke candidly, "You know, your acting isn't as bad as the media and critics say."
"Really?" Matthew turned to her, whispering, "Maybe it's just a great vibe acting with you that brings out the best in me."
They sat down in the resting area, and as he took a sip of water handed to him by an assistant, he said to Charlize, "Honestly, I still don't understand the standards by which these people judge acting."
Charlize shrugged, "Neither do I. I just know one thing: they love to see good-looking men and women hurting themselves on screen. So I give them what they want, and the results aren't bad."
Matthew nodded, "I've read most of the professional reviews and fan comments about movies I've starred in, and I've never seen anyone say they were pulled out of the movie because of me."
"I haven't seen that either," Charlize confirmed, adding, "To get through the audition for this role, I watched every movie you've been in since 'Black Hawk Down.' You're not as bad as they say, and you can see your improvement."
She spoke earnestly, "By my standards, Matthew, your acting is more than sufficient for most commercial films. As for art films..."
Charlize gestured towards herself, "From my experience, many roles in art films don't really require acting."
Matthew laughed, "I agree."
It was well known that Charlize's acting wasn't exceptional, and he even thought she wasn't much better than himself.
After a brief rest, Matthew and Charlize returned to filming, focusing on scenes set in Colombia, including a particularly steamy dance sequence.
This dance was a vibrant release of passion, with the strangers' allure sparking adrenaline. Full of flirtation and competition, the dance was intoxicating, their slightly tipsy state only conveyed through their expressive movements and poses.
After the first day's filming ended, they were interviewed by the media under the guidance of the production's PR officer.
"In the past, Matthew has often worked solo in action films, but this time he had to partner with me, which is completely different," Charlize expertly recited the lines prepared by the production team to the reporters' microphones. "We had to learn to advance with loaded guns, covering each other, moving and shooting at targets. It's crazy, but we learned to trust each other."
When it was Matthew's turn, he added, "We're using a lot of new high-tech weapons in filming, from tasers and stun guns to MP5 submachine guns with optical sights and high-capacity magazines. We've really honed our skills with these firearms. The instructor demanded authentic actions, not just make-believe, even down to knowing the exact range of the weapons."
Though it was an era dominated by movie special effects, "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" was not a sci-fi but a gun-fighting action film. Audiences in this genre expect to see actors performing their own stunts because this isn't a video game. The production team was willing to spend a lot of time before shooting allowing Matthew and Charlize to rehearse and test, aiming to match the realism of the scenes as closely as possible.
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