"What?" Helen Herman couldn't help but ask in surprise, "When did this happen?"
Matthew shrugged, "Just this morning, we officially became a couple right before I met you."
Helen Herman didn't speak immediately, but thought for a while before saying, "You've leaked the news to Elena Boyar, I..."
"No need." Matthew interrupted her. "Britney is my girlfriend now, and we got this role. I think that's enough."
Helen Herman was stunned for a moment. Matthew knew when to stop; she had known that for a long time. After thinking for a bit, she said, "Good. This way we can also avoid conflict with Britney's agency and record company."
She then warned, "You won't be able to hide it for too long."
Matthew shrugged, "Let nature take its course."
The two left the Warner Bros. studio. Matthew was in Helen Herman's car, and before they even reached Angel Agency, he received a call from Britney. Matthew briefly explained, telling her that he had already signed the contract with the production crew.
They exchanged a few more words. Matthew heard other voices on Britney's end, as if she had things to do, so he proactively hung up the phone.
Helen Herman seemed to have no intention of asking about Matthew and Britney for the time being. Instead, she brought up another matter, "It's still over a month until the production crew pays you your first installment. Don't go back to part-time jobs. Focus on your acting and language classes. I remember the classes are almost over, right?"
"Yes, they end in mid-October." Matthew had already decided, "I'll go back to the Los Angeles Academy of Dramatic Arts to resume classes tomorrow."
"If you don't have enough money..."
After getting the role of Ronald Spiers, Helen Herman's attitude towards him seemed to have changed. "You can temporarily borrow some from the company's account. Once your first payment of twenty thousand dollars arrives, I'll have the finance department deduct that amount."
Matthew didn't have much money left. Originally, he was quite frugal, and his basic living expenses weren't high, enough to last until he went to the UK next month. But with Britney as his girlfriend, his expenses would inevitably increase significantly, and the money would definitely not be enough.
"Alright." He didn't stand on ceremony. "Lend me three thousand dollars for now."
Although Helen Herman didn't explicitly say it, Matthew could sense that his agent's attitude towards him was shifting. Before he landed the role of Ronald Spiers, Helen Herman would never have let the company lend him money.
Could this role really turn his acting career around?
The car parked in front of Angel Agency. Helen Herman didn't get out immediately and said, "Also, this is just the beginning. Don't relax your demands on yourself! Continue the effort you put into this role."
Matthew unbuckled his seatbelt, "I know."
This small supporting role was still very, very far from his goal of becoming a Hollywood superstar.
Getting out of the car and following Helen Herman into Angel Agency, Matthew went to the finance department to complete the three-thousand-dollar loan procedure, finally becoming a debtor.
In the following time, Matthew resumed a very regular daily routine: waking up for exercise every morning, attending acting classes at the Los Angeles Academy of Dramatic Arts in the morning, taking time to read newspapers at noon, attending language classes in the afternoon, and after language classes, returning to his apartment to read books, watch videos, and imitate former Oscar winners... He lived a very fulfilling life every day, which was also thanks to Britney not being an ordinary person.
Although the two had just established their relationship, under normal circumstances, this would be the height of their honeymoon period. However, after the audition, Matthew had only seen Britney once, and that was in the VIP lounge at the airport when Britney was leaving Los Angeles. Their conversation didn't even last five minutes.
Britney was still in the promotional period for her first album, and she had to run promotions across the United States, as well as prepare for next year's world tour.
Her free time was extremely scarce.
There was nothing that could be done about it; a popular singer was far busier than a movie star.
In Helen Herman's words, a popular singer's time and schedule could be summarized by a few locations: recording studio, airplane, hotel, and performance venue.
As for time for herself, it was pitifully little.
Aside from Helen Herman, his agent who had to know, Matthew hadn't told anyone about him and Britney. However, he also didn't deliberately hide it; everything was left to chance.
Britney's promotional schedule was unimaginably busy, only allowing her fifteen minutes each day to talk to Matthew on the phone. Fortunately, her recorded MV was about to be released, and the record company had also invited Matthew to attend the MV's premiere in New York, where the two would finally be able to meet.
This audition experience for the role of Ronald Spiers, especially the long and arduous preparation period, made Matthew more composed and also made him realize something: while external factors influenced auditions, the audition performance itself was equally crucial.
For figures at the level of Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg, for example, ordinary people and events could hardly impress them anymore. They had been famous for a long time, held high status, and cherished their reputation and good name more than ordinary people. Unless there were people or events with special connections, the performance in the audition room was the decisive factor.
Just as when he started, Matthew cherished his acting classes. Over five months of study, he had made noticeable progress. However, due to starting too late and not having exceptional talent, by the time the acting class concluded, David Astor still believed his acting remained at the most basic, superficial level, only average among the dozen or so students in the class.
At the same time, the language class also finished all its courses.
In any case, these six months of courses had benefited Matthew immensely.
"All the classes are over."
Walking out of the language classroom together, Matthew put on his backpack and asked Rachel McAdams, "Are you still going back to Canada?"
He had only been back in class for a few days when Rachel McAdams told him she planned to return to Canada to develop her career after acting classes ended, and then aim for Hollywood later.
"Competition is less in Canada," Rachel McAdams seemed to have made up her mind, "and there are more opportunities."
She smiled, showing her two dimples, not without envy, "If I could get a role in a Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg production like you, I would also stay in Hollywood."
Having attended classes in the same acting class for half a year, Matthew and Rachel McAdams were considered friends, but he was preoccupied and couldn't help at all. He could only say, "It's good to come back when you have a suitable opportunity."
That's a hundred times better than staying in Los Angeles and achieving nothing, ultimately becoming another Rachel.
The two walked out of the school gate. Rachel McAdams stopped, looking in the direction of the Hollywood Hills, and suddenly said, "I really don't want to leave here."
She showed her dimples again, "I will definitely come back."
"I'll treat you to a big meal when you come back," Matthew said with a smile.
Rachel McAdams withdrew her gaze and turned to Matthew, "Okay, it's a deal!"
Matthew held out a hand, and Rachel McAdams slapped it, confirming their agreement.
Afterward, Rachel McAdams got into her car and left the Los Angeles Academy of Dramatic Arts, planning to return to Canada that very night.
Watching Rachel McAdams's car drive away, Matthew felt that he was still a lucky person.
There are so many struggling actors in Hollywood; how many can go from a newcomer to a relatively important role in a production with a total investment exceeding 100 million dollars in just over half a year?
Matthew didn't linger and quickly returned to his apartment. He first called Helen Herman. Recently, following Helen Herman's advice, he had called Angelina Jolie's number several times. Only once was it answered, but the person who picked up wasn't the previous assistant; it was someone else. The person spoke to him for only a few sentences before hanging up, and then he could never get through to that number again.
Helen Herman had tried to contact Georgia Kakendis, the producer of the 'Girl, Interrupted' crew, hoping for Matthew to attend the premiere red carpet ceremony of 'Girl, Interrupted,' but Georgia Kakendis had never responded.
The call went to Helen Herman. Matthew listened to his agent for a few sentences, then hung up. Georgia Kakendis had emailed Helen Herman this afternoon, politely declining her request.
In other words, the premiere of 'Girl, Interrupted' had nothing to do with Matthew anymore.
Matthew hadn't held out much hope anyway, just trying his best. He was just a small supporting actor with two simple lines, so being rejected was a normal situation.
Presumably, neither of the two big stars, Angelina Jolie and Winona Ryder, wanted to see him.
Neither Matthew nor Helen Herman entertained the idea of continuing down the Angelina Jolie route. Matthew, in particular, aside from the anticipated Britney MV premiere, had focused all his energy on preparing for the role of Ronald Spiers.
With so many roles in this drama, to leave an impression on the media and audience, he had to perform exceptionally well.
To this end, after several phone calls with Hawk Bruton and Eric Polk, Matthew formulated a simple plan for himself.
Every morning, he exercised. Limited by funds and equipment, his workouts mainly consisted of running in a small park and push-ups. Afternoons were for reading and studying the script and character. Evenings were spent watching carefully collected actor videos, imitating their performances. Before bed, he would call Britney.
For a long time, Matthew didn't even leave Westwood. The preparations he made for the role of Ronald Spiers were even more extensive than before the audition!
Matthew didn't understand many grand principles, but he believed that opportunities were for those who were fully prepared.
Although he stayed diligently in Westwood, some things were unavoidable.
In late October, attorney Wilson and Helen Herman successively called. The out-of-court settlement negotiations with the company behind the 'Forbidden Tarot' production had made significant progress. Both parties had basically reached an agreement, requiring Matthew, as the party involved, to attend the final negotiation and sign the settlement agreement.