"Natalie Portman was spotted holding hands with New York Ballet's principal dancer Benjamin Millepied on the streets of New York. It's rumored they met during the filming of Black Swan and have since fallen in love..."
Shortly after returning to the set of G.I. Joe 2: Retaliation, Matthew saw numerous entertainment outlets stirring up rumors about Natalie Portman. The Jewish actress from Long Island seemed to have quickly moved on from her heartbreak in Venice, now finding a new love of her own.
There were even tabloid reports that Benjamin Millepied had dumped his previous girlfriend to be with Natalie Portman.
Although Natalie Portman might not have the best body proportions, with notably thick legs, most men would find it hard to resist being pursued by such a famous actress.
Besides, Natalie Portman has some wealth as well.
Although she's not on par with business celebrities, any Hollywood star who has had their moment in the spotlight can easily earn far more than a dancer at the New York Ballet, as long as they don't make reckless career choices.
Many stars, including Matthew, are never fully satisfied with the amount of money they make. The level of wealth celebrities have is often unimaginable for the average person. Not to mention the A-listers, even supporting actors in TV shows with high ratings can earn enough from a few episodes to buy a mid-upper class, three-story house in Los Angeles.
Stars with a higher status often have other sources of income, such as endorsements and advertisements.
Female celebrities, in particular, have a lucrative source of income in designing women's clothing or other products. Of course, the star doesn't actually do the designing. A company hires designers, and the celebrity just lends their name.
It gives the impression that the product or brand belongs to the actress, and the marketing results are excellent.
In reality, it's often just a name on the brand with some profit-sharing involved.
The Olsen twins and Jessica Alba are prime examples of success in this area.
The Olsen twins, needless to say, are a model of success with their nationwide girls' fashion brand; Jessica Alba's brand is valued at over a billion dollars. Many fans think Jessica Alba herself is worth a billion, but in reality, she's not as wealthy as the Olsen twins.
Even Natalie Portman tried her hand at designing shoes, partnering with a company to create a brand. However, it quickly got lost in the waves of the market due to a pricing misstep—the prices were too high, and Natalie Portman's fame was far greater than the actual market value.
The average person wasn't interested and couldn't afford it. Meanwhile, those with money wouldn't care for shoes designed by Natalie Portman.
Of course, celebrities' spending habits are just as staggering as their earnings.
Take Nicolas Cage, for instance—he's so used to extravagant living that cutting back is almost unbearable for him.
Thus, whether on the other side of the Pacific or in Hollywood, many fallen stars shamelessly make a comeback, often to pay off debts or to regain their accustomed lifestyle.
Fame and fortune are more addictive than drugs; once hooked, it's impossible to quit.
Matthew admitted he was already a severe addict when it came to fame and fortune.
Someone like Natalie Portman would certainly not give up the luxuries she had enjoyed so easily. Her entanglement with Benjamin Millepied might just be her final gamble.
Did Benjamin Millepied even know that Natalie Portman was pregnant? Or are foreigners generally more indifferent to becoming a stepdad or taking on another man's child?
Matthew, influenced by his Eastern mindset, couldn't accept such things. However, he couldn't predict how an American man might think about it.
Maybe in the face of true love, none of this matters?
Suddenly, a knock on the door broke his thoughts. Matthew set down the gossip magazine featuring "Natalie Portman's latest love affair" and said, "Come in."
This was his producer's office on the G.I. Joe 2: Retaliation set, so it was likely someone from the crew.
The door opened, and Stephen Sommers walked in. After greeting Matthew, he asked, "Did you watch the audition tapes we sent over?"
Matthew had returned to the crew and watched some audition tapes for the new characters, so he nodded, "Yes, I did."
"What do you think of the role of Miss Jay?" Stephen Sommers asked tentatively. "Who do you think fits best?"
"They're all pretty good," Matthew responded vaguely.
In truth, he had no particular preference. Among the candidates, he was somewhat familiar with Cobie Smulders and Margot Robbie. The former had just signed a long-term contract with Marvel Studios to play Agent Maria Hill, and he'd seen Robbie's portrayal of Harley Quinn, which left a deep, lasting impression.
However, he had no personal ties to either of them, so he didn't care who got the role.
Since Stephen Sommers had come to ask him, it seemed like he already had a preferred candidate in mind.
For a supporting role like this, Matthew wasn't too concerned. He asked directly, "Stephen, do you have someone in mind?"
The two of them were on good terms, so Stephen Sommers didn't beat around the bush. "Adrianne Palicki is a strong choice."
Matthew recognized the name; she was the tallest among the candidates for Miss Jay.
"I met Adrianne Palicki a while ago," Stephen Sommers continued. "She's nearly six feet tall and quite strong."
Matthew nodded slightly. A woman standing six feet tall, with a build like Charlize Theron's, wouldn't have any issues playing a tough female soldier.
Stephen Sommers added, "The most important thing is that Adrianne Palicki comes from a military family. While she didn't serve in the military, she's very familiar with weapons and firearms."
"Okay." Matthew nodded lightly. "As long as Paramount Pictures and Hasbro approve, I have no objections."
In fact, once the two of them agreed, the decision would be nearly finalized. Although Paramount and Hasbro had their reservations about the high fees the two were charging, they still trusted their film expertise.
After chatting a bit more, Stephen Sommers, who had a lot of work to do, left. Matthew watched as the door opened and closed, sighing. The environment in Hollywood has a subtle but powerful influence on people. Even someone like Stephen Sommers, known for valuing family, seemed to have fallen into its trap.
As for whether Adrianne Palicki had actually been seduced by Stephen Sommers, Matthew didn't care to investigate. These kinds of transactions were all too normal in Hollywood.
During his time on the other side of the Pacific, he'd seen naive questions on the internet asking if Hollywood had casting couches. Some even confidently stated that Hollywood had strict industry standards and absolutely no such thing.
In truth, Hollywood doesn't have any hidden rules about sexual relationships; it's just common knowledge.
From Matthew's personal experience, the real "hidden rules" in Hollywood involve money. Whoever has the most money gets to the top.
This applies to more than just actors; directors, producers, and investors all play by this rule.
If you have enough money, even someone like David Ellison, who disdains the Big Six studios, can buy his way into the industry.
Securing major roles or even landing the lead through investment or family connections is common.
Of course, money and connections alone don't guarantee success.
Actors still need to collaborate with many others and prove their acting skills. Relationships with top directors and producers are crucial, making things more complex.
As for the casting couch, it's more prevalent in the art-house scene and television than in big commercial productions.
Television, being somewhat rougher around the edges and not filmed live, allows for actors with weaker skills to get by.
But in film, especially in blockbuster productions with budgets in the hundreds of millions, just sleeping with a director won't cut it. You have to be able to act and fit the role for anyone to be interested.
Someone at Matthew's level was fully aware of how Hollywood worked. Women threw themselves at him in droves.
But someone of his stature wouldn't be interested in just anyone.
As a diligent "lumberjack," it wasn't just about quantity; the trees had to be of rare and valuable species.
Maintaining both quality and quantity—that's what makes a lumberjack's work truly taxing.
Of course, not everyone in Hollywood is sleazy. There are still directors and producers who keep their integrity.
Stephen Sommers used to be one of them, but now… Matthew wasn't so sure.
Another person widely regarded as the most upright and professional director in the industry is Christopher Nolan.
This British director, who has already reached the pinnacle of the field, has never been involved in any scandals with actresses. Matthew had never heard of any gossip about his personal relationships.
Many times, Matthew admired Christopher Nolan.
He's talented, confident, ambitious, and has the ability to execute his vision. How could he not be impressive?
Perhaps it's because Matthew himself struggled in these areas, which made him admire those who could manage it even more.
But admiration aside, Matthew had no intention of following Christopher Nolan's example. That kind of life would be unbearable for him.
The cast of the film was finalized in mid-September, and two months were set aside for weapons training, action scenes, and military skills.
During the training sessions, there were also rehearsals for the more dramatic scenes.
While managing his investments in several projects, Matthew also participated in the training and rehearsals. Being familiar with military-action themes, he didn't encounter any major challenges.
By mid-October, Matthew temporarily left the set because Insidious, directed by James Wan, had a limited release in North America across 120 theaters.
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