After leaving Sydney, Matthew and the American Sniper cast traveled to London, where another grand premiere awaited them. The film continued to perform strongly, earning nearly $9 million in its opening weekend in the UK.
Despite Helen Herman's earlier conversation with him, Matthew found it hard to change his ingrained habits. While in London, he met Emma Watson, and the two spent an entire afternoon chatting. Their discussion naturally concluded at Emma's London apartment, where they quickly moved to the main event.
Old habits die hard.
With the London premiere complete, the cast prepared to board their flight to continue the promotional tour in other countries.
Margot Robbie pushed her luggage through Heathrow Airport. She asked her assistant to purchase the latest issue of Vogue before heading through a VIP entrance into the lounge.
Because the group had arrived in separate vehicles, Margot and her assistant were the first to reach the airport.
The lounge was still empty. Margot glanced at her phone and chose a seat far from the entrance. She placed her luggage down and opened the magazine she'd just acquired.
Back in Sydney, she had heard that Matthew had done an exclusive interview with Vogue.
Sure enough, the cover featured Matthew. His calm gaze, striking features, and the figure barely concealed by his tailored suit exuded masculine charm, even in a still image.
"'You don't truly know Matthew Horner until you've seen how his trials forged him into a real man,'" read the cover tagline.
"More like how they turned him into Hollywood's ultimate playboy," Margot muttered to herself. Hollywood was full of playboys, but Matthew was undoubtedly in a league of his own.
Shaking her head, she decided to move on from the thought and began reading the article.
The interview wasn't structured as a simple Q&A but was crafted into a polished narrative by Vogue.
When asked why Clint Eastwood thought Matthew was such a good actor, Clint's answer was succinct: "He enjoys the process of acting."
When Matthew was asked, "What truly makes you happy?" he shrugged and replied, "I think I've always been happy."
The article delved into whether one of the world's most famous men ever felt the pressures of life or how he approached decision-making. Matthew had reportedly talked about how he lived a carefree and relaxed life.
He offered his take on contentment: "In recent years, I feel freer than before. At some point, you realize—if people don't like you, so be it. What can you do? It's a form of surrender to life, but it's also a deepening of self-awareness. I've matured enough that I no longer need anyone else's approval. Of course, you ask yourself: What do I want? What makes me happy? I've figured out where I should be and what I should do. But I still ask myself—what do I really want to achieve?"
Margot rolled her eyes as she read this. What does Matthew Horner want to achieve? Seduce one woman after another, obviously.
At this rate, she thought wryly, nearly every attractive Hollywood actress of the next generation would have a story involving Matthew Horner.
Sighing, Margot continued reading.
The article described Matthew as a "king" in the world of cinema.
Margot nodded at this. It was hard to argue otherwise. Matthew's dominance in the industry was unparalleled, and he had shown a command over Hollywood that few stars ever had.
Reflecting on his career, she thought he must have accumulated the highest box office gross of any actor in Hollywood's history. There was no doubt about that.
Just then, the lounge door opened, and the rest of the cast began to trickle in, though Matthew was still absent.
"Where's Matthew?" Margot asked Tyrese Gibson, who seemed like a diehard fan of Matthew.
Tyrese grinned, flashing his teeth. "He went to see off his agent, Helen Herman."
Margot knew of Helen Herman—Hollywood's most renowned female agent, and thanks to Matthew, she was at the pinnacle of the entertainment management world.
For any other agent, simply working with Matthew would be enough to establish themselves as a top player in the industry.
Before long, it was time to board. Margot grabbed her luggage and headed toward the gate, pausing briefly to look around. Still no sign of Matthew.
He must have a really close relationship with his agent, Margot thought. It made sense, considering Helen had been Matthew's only agent since his rise to fame. Their personal bond was likely very strong.
On the plane, Margot stopped at the first-class cabin. Only a handful of cast members were seated here: Sean Bean, Tyrese Gibson, and herself. Her seat was next to Matthew's, but it was still empty.
After stowing her luggage, Margot sat down and glanced at the window seat beside her. Still no sign of Matthew.
Maybe he changed his plans? she wondered before shaking her head. Pulling out the Vogue issue again, she resumed reading the interview.
"Outside of movies, we don't truly know Matthew Horner. It feels like we know what he's doing, but he seems to have built a purely emotional world for himself. He does interesting work, makes interesting friends, and molds films to his liking. He chooses directors and even his co-stars."
Margot paused to consider. She realized she didn't know much about Matthew outside of his acting career. Was he just a playboy, or did he have another side?
You can't really know unless you get close, she thought. Shaking off the curiosity, she returned to the article.
"Matthew can go anywhere he wants. He's not only talented but also knows how to use his gifts effectively. He tackles every task with determination. Even those with no formal education can learn a lot from his story."
The article also touched on Matthew's friendships and his relationships with beautiful women.
"Matthew shares his success with friends who have now found fame of their own—James McAvoy rose to prominence with Wanted, and Michael Fassbender became iconic as Magneto. While his friends have built their own lives, Matthew has his own journey. He's encountered many beautiful women, but he says, 'Spending so much time on film sets makes it hard to maintain a stable relationship.'"
Margot felt the urge to scoff but held back as the article continued.
"Matthew is a gifted and famous yet ordinary man. He's a loyal and generous friend. Having friends who have stayed the same for ten years is rare in Hollywood, where relationships often fade. For Matthew, little has truly changed."
Margot's initial snark faded. In Hollywood, maintaining long-lasting friendships was nearly impossible. Even she couldn't imagine doing it.
Just then, the first-class cabin door opened, and Matthew stepped in.
"Please, this way," a flight attendant said after checking his boarding pass. She gestured toward Margot's section. "We're about to take off."
"Thank you," Matthew replied politely. As he approached his seat, he smiled at Margot before placing his luggage in the overhead compartment and sitting by the window.
"You almost missed the flight," Margot teased.
Matthew nodded. "Something came up with my agent, and it delayed me a bit." Noticing the Vogue issue in her hands, he asked, "Is my interview in there?"
Margot closed the magazine and showed him the cover. "You're the cover star."
"Did they say anything bad about me?" he asked curiously.
"All praise," Margot replied, handing him the magazine. "They called you the king of Hollywood cinema."
Matthew waved it off. "Reading that would give me goosebumps."
Margot withdrew the magazine. A chime echoed through the cabin, signaling that the plane was about to take off.
Both of them fastened their seatbelts, put on their headphones, and switched their phones to airplane mode as the plane began its ascent.
The Boeing aircraft picked up speed on the runway, soon lifting into the skies above Heathrow Airport. Even through their headphones, the roar of the engines was unmistakable.
Matthew gazed out the window, watching the clouds drift past as the plane climbed higher into the stratosphere.
Once the seatbelt sign turned off, he removed his headphones and unbuckled his seatbelt.
"Takeoff is always the worst," Margot complained. "It makes me dizzy."
Matthew checked his watch and said, "We've got a long flight ahead. You should try to sleep—it'll help."
Margot nodded, requesting a blanket from a flight attendant. While she settled in, Matthew, unable to sleep, continued staring out the window. Beyond the blue sky and white clouds, he could see the engine mounted on the wing.
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