Chapter 15 |
At the sound of the question, Matthew turned. The first thing he saw was a surprisingly plain face. If he hadn't seen it in countless acclaimed films, he never would have guessed it belonged to a Hollywood superstar.
"And you are..." Matthew took a step back to get a better look. "You're Matt Damon?"
"You're Matthew Horner?" he countered, not needing to confirm his own identity.
Matthew nodded. "Yes."
He was surprised to be approached by Matt Damon. "Was there something you wanted to ask me?"
He recalled that Matt Damon was an Oscar winner, a distinction that arguably placed him on a higher rung than Jolie.
"Winona seems to have had a bit of a misunderstanding with you yesterday."
Matt Damon’s tone was polite. "She's been fuming ever since she got home and won't say a word, no matter how much I ask her."
A flicker of animosity crossed Matt's face, though it was unclear if it was directed at Matthew or Winona.
"You and Miss Winona Ryder...?" Matthew looked at Matt Damon questioningly.
"Winona's my girlfriend," Matt Damon confirmed, returning Matthew's look. "And you and Miss Jolie...?"
The previous evening, Winona had screamed herself hoarse, accusing the two of them of being secret lovers.
Matthew shook his head. "There's nothing between me and Miss Jolie."
"Oh? Then I'm sorry." Matt Damon gave an uneasy smile. "Looks like I misunderstood her."
Beneath the seemingly guileless smile, however, Matthew sensed something else:
"What do you want from me?"
Matt Damon's uneasy smile remained. "I just wanted to ask if perhaps there was some kind of misunderstanding between you and Winona."
"Oh, not at all," Matthew began, "It's just that something—"
He snapped his mouth shut. The real reason for his clash with Winona Ryder was off-limits. He had signed a non-disclosure agreement.
"Oh? What was that?" Matt Damon leaned in, his expression one of earnest curiosity.
Matthew quickly backpedaled. "Just a small misunderstanding. Nothing important."
After just two days on set, Matthew had already witnessed the subtle power plays of Hollywood. He knew he couldn't afford a single misstep.
"A trivial little misunderstanding, huh?" Matt Damon's face still held a smile, with no hint of A-lister arrogance.
"Since it's such a minor misunderstanding, and you seem like a gentleman, Mr. Horner, perhaps you could just apologize to Winona? That would clear the whole thing up."
Matthew also smiled brightly. "I'm just a small-time actor, not a gentleman." He was being deliberately self-deprecating. "A lot of people say I'm just a country boy from Texas."
The smile slowly faded from Matt Damon's face.
"It's not that I'm unwilling to reconcile," Matthew said, not wanting to pick an unnecessary fight with Matt Damon. "There are some things you're better off asking Miss Ryder about directly."
Matt's expression darkened. He couldn't fathom how a star of Winona's stature, who wielded considerable influence on set, could lose a conflict with a mere bit player.
He glanced again at Matthew, a man who seemed to have nothing going for him besides his good looks.
"I'll ask Winona," Matt Damon said, "though I hope she doesn't throw another fit. She's my girlfriend, and if..."
His tone suddenly shifted. "I'll remember you, Matthew Horner."
Matthew could only laugh to himself. It was a good thing Matt Damon wasn't some brainless hothead, or this could have gotten ugly.
Then again, Hollywood was a cutthroat world. A pretty face alone wasn't enough to make a living, unless you were one of the few with powerful connections. Anyone who managed to climb to the top, he figured, was no fool.
They exchanged a few more brief words before Matt Damon turned and walked away.
After observing a scene, Matthew felt the makeup on his face begin to itch and left the soundstage, heading for the makeup trailer to have it removed.
After leaving the Columbia Pictures lot, he called Dennis. His agent was still schmoozing at the production office. Matthew told him his pay was due soon and that he'd let him know when the check came in.
Two hundred dollars was pocket change in Hollywood, but to Matthew, it was a significant amount.
His job at Red Penguin Services paid only fifty dollars a day, barely above minimum wage in Los Angeles. Even with the extra pay for night shifts, he brought home less than eighteen hundred dollars a month.
Besides, if Angelina Jolie and Jonny Lee Miller's divorce turned ugly, Miller would undoubtedly trace the source of the video. It wouldn't take a genius to figure out Matthew was involved. Then Miller would file a complaint, and Matthew would be out of a job at Red Penguin Services.
Still, Matthew had no regrets. The risk had not only opened a door into Hollywood for him, but it had also forged a valuable connection.
According to Dennis Coulter, the vast majority of extras who came to Hollywood chasing their dreams could go for years without an opportunity like this, doomed to remain part of the scenery.
Faced with the choice between wasting years of their life and taking a gamble, most people would choose to gamble.
He took the bus to Hollywood Boulevard. It was still too early for his shift, so he grabbed a bite to eat and strolled along the boulevard, mulling over his next move.
He now had experience as an extra. According to Dennis, it would be relatively easy to find more work—even a small role with a few lines—if he put in the effort.
But the morning's shoot had also been a harsh reminder that his professional skills weren't just bad—they were abysmal.
His next step had to be professional training. It wasn't optional.
Thankfully, Angelina Jolie had agreed to help him with that. The woman might be a little unhinged at times, but from what he'd seen, she was also someone he could count on.
The other issue was his agent. He needed a new one.
Kissing up to the higher-ups was standard practice in show business, but Dennis Coulter was willing to grovel before practically anyone with a shred of influence.
Matthew was certain the man would sell him out in a heartbeat for the right price—or even for a small one. After yesterday's incident, he knew he couldn't rely on Dennis for anything.
If it weren't for his desperate circumstances, Matthew would never have signed with him in the first place.
He wasn't exactly in a position to be picky, but the memories of his predecessor told him there were plenty of other agencies in Los Angeles. It was definitely possible to find someone else.
Changing agents in the middle of filming "Girl, Interrupted" would be tricky, but once the job was done, nothing would be stopping him.
After wandering along Hollywood Boulevard for an hour, Matthew headed to work. In the office, he bought a few newspapers, nodded to the receptionist, and went into the drivers' lounge. He flipped straight to the classifieds and started reading.
He had two reasons for buying the papers. First, it kept up his daily reading habit and let him see which industries were hiring people with his limited skillset. Second, he was hoping to find ads for acting workshops or agencies like the Starlight Agency that were looking for new talent.
His predecessor had found the Starlight Agency through a newspaper ad, but he'd had the misfortune of ending up with the "wonderful" Dennis.
He scanned several papers but found no casting calls. He did, however, find ads for three small agencies looking for extras. He jotted down their numbers and called each one. The response was always the same: come in, leave your personal information, a headshot, and a resume to register with them. If a suitable role came up, they would contact him.
Matthew decided he would visit all three agencies after his shift the next day.
He set the paper aside, thinking again how much of a problem it was not to have a car. The public transit system in Los Angeles was a joke compared to his home country. Buses were infrequent, and hailing a cab off the street was nearly impossible unless you called a service.
He briefly considered buying a used car, but a quick reality check made him dismiss the idea.
There was his debt, for one. Plus, Jolie had promised to find him a good acting school, which was bound to be expensive. The money he had left might not even cover that.
He would have to wait until tomorrow, call Dennis, and ask when he could expect his two hundred dollars. He'd have to be careful not to reveal his true intentions until he had the cash in hand.