"Come over here, I'll introduce you to a few friends..."
Inside the Black Mamba Bar, Johnny Depp called out to Matthew. Matthew put down his drink and followed Johnny Depp to the second floor.
Before coming, he had specifically called Johnny Depp. The two got along well on set, and since Johnny Depp was free, he came to the bar to drink with him.
Matthew followed Johnny Depp up to the second floor and entered a relatively quiet private room. Inside the room, there was only one man and one woman. When they saw Johnny Depp enter, they immediately stood up.
The man was about the same height as him, his clothes were old, and he wore a pair of obviously worn-out boots. Under his unkempt long black hair was a mixed-race face somewhat similar to an East Asian. His appearance was very slovenly.
The woman looked to be in her twenties, with a delicate and beautiful face. Her shoulders were very broad, emphasizing her large frame, but her height was estimated to be close to 1.8 meters. Her large frame did not make her appear particularly robust; instead, it gave her the feeling of a model's clothes hanger.
Matthew recognized both of them, having seen movies starring them before.
Johnny Depp then introduced Matthew to the two, "Sally, Keanu, this is Matthew Horner, my partner on set, and also my friend."
Then he introduced the two to Matthew, "Matthew, this is Charlize Theron, and this is Keanu Reeves, they are both my friends."
Matthew took a step forward and greeted them both.
The first time he came to the Black Mamba Bar for a drink, he heard James McAvoy mention that Johnny Depp, Keanu Reeves, and River Phoenix, who died of a drug overdose, were famous close friends and a drug-using group back then.
It was River Phoenix's death that made Johnny Depp and Keanu Reeves wake up and stay away from cocaine.
Subsequently, at Johnny Depp's invitation, Matthew stayed with him in Keanu Reeves and Charlize Theron's private room. At first, Matthew wasn't familiar with them, and since both were famous stars—Keanu Reeves being a top superstar at the time—he mostly spoke and acted cautiously. However, after a few drinks, they gradually became more acquainted.
"I don't know what Warner Bros. is thinking."
During their drinks, the topic turned to movies. Keanu Reeves complained a bit, "They're actually releasing 'The Matrix Reloaded' and 'The Matrix Revolutions' in May and November next year. The interval is too short!"
Charlize Theron comforted him, "Perhaps they have their own considerations."
Even with Keanu Reeves's star power, he still couldn't participate in the film's distribution and had no say in the matter.
"They've gone crazy wanting to make money," Matthew's words went straight to the point.
Keanu Reeves agreed with him, "Warner Bros. is probably eager to recoup costs and make a profit."
Charlize Theron glanced at Matthew, who then added, "We actors can only watch."
"Who cares!" Johnny Depp patted Keanu Reeves's arm and said, "It's definitely going to be a huge hit, why worry? You've already got your salary anyway."
Keanu Reeves opened another bottle of wine and said, "Alright, let's keep drinking."
The four of them drank a glass together. Charlize Theron took out a cigarette case and asked Matthew, "You don't mind, do you?"
Except for Matthew, everyone else there was familiar to her, which is why she asked.
Matthew smiled and said, "Suit yourself."
Charlize Theron didn't stand on ceremony, took out a cigarette and lit it, then tossed the cigarette case and lighter to Johnny Depp. Depp also smoked; after lighting up, he picked up the cigarette case and gestured to Matthew.
Matthew shook his head, indicating he didn't smoke.
A beautiful woman smoking undoubtedly ruins the aesthetic of the scene. Charlize Theron, in contrast to her delicate appearance, was adept at both drinking and smoking, and her personality was somewhat masculine.
Originally, Matthew thought she and Keanu Reeves were a couple, but during their drinking and conversation, he discovered they were a unique pair of confidantes. According to Johnny Depp after a few drinks, Keanu Reeves and Charlize Theron were very good friends, almost like best friends.
"Cheers!"
Another round of drinks went down for the four of them. Matthew proactively picked up the bottle and poured a small glass of brandy for everyone, then asked Charlize Theron next to him, "Sally, have you ever been a model?"
Charlize Theron's physique clearly indicated professional training.
"Yes," Charlize Theron extinguished the cigarette at her fingertips, "I used to be a model in Europe."
Matthew nodded and said, "You have that aura that only models possess. You must be a red carpet killer."
"It's alright," Charlize Theron didn't act modest. She lit another cigarette, took a puff, slowly exhaled a smoke ring, and said to Matthew, "Your physique isn't bad either."
Matthew smiled and wasn't modest either, "Aside from male models, I haven't really seen many actors with a better physique than mine."
Perhaps due to having a bit too much to drink, combined with her natural personality, Charlize Theron didn't bother with pleasantries with Matthew. She pointed at him and said, "I've noticed, you're very narcissistic."
"Am I?" Matthew had never felt that way. "How am I narcissistic?"
Charlize Theron raised her glass, drained it, let out a burp, took a deep drag from her cigarette, and said, "Want to know?"
"Yes, I do," Matthew said.
Before Charlize Theron could speak, Johnny Depp on the other side said, "Matthew, what are you whispering to Sally about? You're not trying to pursue Sally, are you?"
Keanu Reeves then said to Matthew, "I'm warning you, Sally has a boyfriend."
"You're overthinking it!"
As retaliation for the earlier narcissism question, Matthew put on a very serious expression, even standing up and taking a large step back to create distance from Charlize Theron, and said in an English theatrical stage voice, "The first moment I saw Miss Charlize Theron, I knew she was a goddess-like presence! For me, it was nothing short of Aphrodite appearing!"
Johnny Depp and Keanu Reeves both held back their laughter, while Charlize Theron squinted at them.
Matthew continued in his stage voice, "A goddess can only be admired from afar."
"A brilliant monologue!" Johnny Depp clapped his hands forcefully. "Matthew, you could win next year's Golden Raspberry Award!"
Keanu Reeves also chimed in, "is this an unconventional confession?"
Matthew reverted to his usual speaking tone, "This is merely a man's compliment to beauty!"
He was actually a bit drunk too; if it weren't for the alcohol, he wouldn't normally say such things.
Fortunately, his mind was still clear enough not to do anything excessive, and from Johnny Depp and Keanu Reeves's tone, it seemed they didn't think much of Charlize Theron's boyfriend.
But that was none of his business. After speaking, Matthew sat back down and continued drinking.
"Besides being narcissistic..." Charlize Theron blew a puff of smoke at him, seemingly expressing her displeasure in that way, "you're also quite thick-skinned."
Matthew drank a glass of brandy, and the alcohol was rushing to his head. Without much thought, he said, "Sally, everything I said was the most honest truth!" He waved his finger around, "Don't your fans see it that way?"
Charlize Theron extinguished her cigarette in the ashtray, "Just a pretty face, that's all."
"A pretty face? What's wrong with being a pretty face?" Matthew retracted his finger, pointed at his own nose, and said, "I'm a male pretty face, and look, I live a carefree and happy life. How great is that!"
Charlize Theron glanced at Matthew again and said, "I have to admit, you do look like a pretty good male pretty face."
"Thank you," Matthew took it as a compliment. "Being a pretty-face star is easy and enjoyable!"
He snorted and said, "No need to drastically gain or lose weight, no need to immerse yourself in a role and be unable to pull yourself out, and certainly no need to isolate yourself to study the world of mental patients. You just need to maintain a good physique. This is much more interesting than those who pursue acting effects."
Charlize Theron also snorted, "Everyone has different pursuits."
"Alright, everyone has different pursuits," Matthew picked up Charlize Theron's cigarette case and said, "It's like this. You see it as enjoyment, I see it as torment. You have your pursuits, and I have my enjoyments!"
Taking the cigarette case back from Matthew's hand, Charlize Theron mumbled drunkenly, "A guy with no ambition."
Matthew picked up Charlize Theron's glass and put it in her hand, "Come on, drink!"
Charlize Theron took the glass and raised it to Matthew, "Cheers!"
The four of them drank in the private room until almost one in the morning, then all stumbled out of the Black Mamba Bar. Matthew clearly couldn't drive, so he called for four designated drivers.
One of the designated drivers took him back to his home in Burbank. Matthew had indeed drunk too much; he didn't even shower, just collapsed on the sofa and fell asleep. Fortunately, when he woke up the next morning, his head didn't hurt too much, but the feeling of a hangover was definitely not enjoyable, and he felt lightheaded when walking.
"I can drink..." He swayed to the bathroom to shower, "but in moderation!"
After showering, Matthew found his phone and checked it, discovering that after drinking too much last night, he had exchanged numbers with Keanu Reeves and Charlize Theron. Alcohol, in some ways, is a good thing; sometimes it can quickly bridge the gap between people.
In the following days, Matthew didn't go drinking with Johnny Depp again. After resting at home for a day, he resumed his planned routine until the holiday ended and he returned to the Disney studio to start filming.
The remaining scenes would all be shot in Los Angeles, so there was no need to travel overseas, which would be relatively easier. On the afternoon of the day filming resumed, Helen Herman specifically came to the set to find him.