The US Open is one of the four most prestigious tennis tournaments globally, with Rolex being the main sponsor this year. According to Helen Herman, Rolex has arranged for Matthew, as their brand ambassador, to present the championship trophy. However, whether he will present for the men's singles, women's singles, or doubles is still undecided.
With the US Open still some time away, Matthew was in no rush to head to New York. Instead, he decided to meet up with Rachel McAdams, who had called him saying she had something important to discuss.
Compared to Jessica Alba and Scarlett Johansson, who were more casual running buddies, Matthew had known Rachel McAdams for much longer. They had almost become close friends like he and Amanda.
Unfortunately, Hollywood's environment had a profound impact on people. Both Rachel McAdams and Matthew had changed over time.
As a result, they ended up on the common path of transactional relationships in the industry, making it impossible for them to be true friends again.
"So urgent to meet me," Matthew remarked as he poured a small glass of wine for Rachel McAdams across the table at the Black Mamba bar on Hollywood Boulevard. "What's up?"
With the evening not yet upon them, the bar was relatively quiet. Rachel McAdams took a small sip from her glass, a smile dimpling her face. "If I said I missed you and wanted to have a drink, would you believe me?"
Matthew didn't answer directly but raised his glass to clink it against Rachel's. "Cheers!"
After taking a sip, Rachel smiled again and took another sip from her glass.
"I've been here a few times," Rachel mentioned, glancing around the bar. "But I've never seen Johnny Depp."
"Depp sold most of his shares after moving to France," Matthew replied leisurely, placing his glass down. "He doesn't come here much anymore."
In reality, even Matthew, Keanu Reeves, and Charlize Theron rarely visited the Black Mamba these days.
Rachel's gaze wandered around the bar before settling back on Matthew. "Since 'I Am Legend,' it seems you haven't taken on any new projects, right?"
"No," Matthew said, lightly swirling his glass and joking, "Recently, no productions are interested in me."
Rachel McAdams smiled, her dimples deepening. "More like very few productions can afford your high fees."
With a $20 million fee, there were only about a dozen or so stars in all of Hollywood commanding such a hefty paycheck.
"You're not bad yourself," Matthew smiled back at Rachel. "You're on the B-list now."
"Just barely," Rachel shook her head modestly. "After 'Mean Girls,' where Lindsay Lohan stole the spotlight, and 'The Notebook,' which faced harsh reviews despite its $80 million North American box office, 'Wedding Crashers' finally solidified my place in Hollywood."
However, compared to Matthew, all of this seemed minuscule.
Rachel, despite a growing sense of pride in her budding stardom, was acutely aware of the vast gap between herself and Matthew.
She quickly changed the subject. "Back when we were in acting class together, I never imagined we'd get to where we are today."
Matthew nodded slightly. "It is a bit unbelievable, thinking about it."
He could tell that Rachel had something specific to discuss, and it wasn't just a casual catch-up.
Rachel took another sip of her drink, then poured a bit more for both of them before speaking again. "It's been a long time since we had a drink together. Do you remember, Matthew?"
"Hmm?" Matthew looked at her curiously.
"After our acting classes ended," Rachel began, a nostalgic smile on her face, "before I returned to Canada, we once talked about partnering in a film someday."
Matthew tapped his head, remembering. "Yes, we did talk about that," he admitted. "But we were pretty drunk then."
Rachel's dimples stiffened for a split second before returning to normal. She quickly realized that the current Matthew Horner was no longer the seemingly innocent and passionate classmate from their acting school days.
Accepting this, Rachel got straight to the point. "There's a project where they're interested in casting you as the lead."
"Interested in casting me?" Matthew stopped swirling his glass. "Rachel, why is this coming from you?"
Rachel understood the implication. "If everything goes as planned, I'll be the female lead in this project," she explained, her dimples reappearing. "I've always wanted to partner with you in a movie to celebrate our... uh, our friendship."
Matthew didn't buy into her pretense of sentimentality. He asked directly, "Which studio is producing this film? Who's directing? Who's the producer? What's the budget? Am I the only candidate for the male lead?"
"No," Rachel answered his last question first. "Nicolas Cage and Tom Cruise are also being considered."
She added, "But the production leans more towards you. They know we're friends and asked me to gauge your interest first."
Matthew raised an eyebrow. Any project that could attract Nicolas Cage and Tom Cruise must have significant allure.
"It's a major production with a budget of around $150 million," Rachel said, looking at Matthew earnestly. "It's a sci-fi action film, which is right up your alley. The rest I can't disclose due to confidentiality."
Matthew nodded understandingly. Confidentiality clauses were standard. He pondered over it, recalling that Helen Herman had been monitoring major studios closely. If it was a major project from one of the big six, she would have likely heard something.
Sci-fi action was one of Matthew's strongest suits. If a significant project like this was in the works at a major studio, Helen would have known. This led him to suspect it might be an ambitious project from a smaller or mid-sized studio.
Rachel watched Matthew carefully. She was confident she could secure the female lead, having signed a provisional agreement with the producers who were quite satisfied with her. However, she had learned that Steven Spielberg's goddaughter was also interested in the role, posing a potential threat given her influential connections.
Feeling the pressure, Rachel knew she needed a heavyweight supporter like Matthew to ensure she got the part. This wasn't just any role; it was the lead in a major production, far surpassing her previous films in scope and influence.
So, when the producer approached her, she agreed without hesitation.
If Matthew could secure the male lead, it would virtually guarantee her place as the female lead.
Regardless of anything, her history with Matthew worked in her favor.
"Rachel, with so little information," Matthew finally said, "I can't make a judgment call. So... I can't give you a definite answer."
"I understand," Rachel nodded softly. "Some things I can't discuss. I'm just passing along the message."
Her dimples appeared again. "The producer wants to meet you. They don't know you or have your contact info, so they asked me to see if you'd be interested."
Why didn't they approach Helen Herman? Matthew wondered briefly but quickly figured it out. They likely thought it would be easier to negotiate with Helen if they could first secure his interest.
Seeing his silence, Rachel glanced at his face for any sign of emotion but found none. She hesitantly asked, "Matthew, would you... like to meet him?"
Matthew thought it over. Since finishing "I Am Legend," he hadn't taken on any new roles. A $150 million project was undoubtedly a major production, and a sci-fi action film suited him well. There was no harm in meeting to see what it was about.
He might even stumble upon a project he had seen before. If that were the case, he could have Helen negotiate further.
"Okay," he decided quickly. "Tomorrow morning, I have training."
His regimen of fitness and mixed martial arts training was ongoing. "How about we meet at 3 PM tomorrow at the Mathieu Café on South Beverly Drive?"
Rachel immediately agreed. "Perfect! The producer said he's free any time over the next few days."
Having set the meeting, Matthew lost interest in drinking further, and Rachel seemed eager to leave as well. They exchanged a few more words before parting ways outside the Black Mamba bar.
"Take me back to Beverly Hills," Matthew instructed his driver as he climbed into his black Mercedes SUV. He then called Helen Herman, filling her in on the situation.
After hearing him out, Helen responded promptly, "It's probably not a project from one of the big six. More likely, a smaller or mid-sized company aiming to hit it big."
She paused briefly, then added, "Meet with them tomorrow and see what they have to offer. We'll go from there."
"Got it," Matthew agreed. "I'll keep you updated."
The next day, after spending the morning at the gym and having lunch at a nearby Chinese restaurant, Matthew arrived at the Mathieu Café five minutes before the 3 PM meeting time. There, he spotted Rachel McAdams.
Sitting with her was a man in his mid-thirties, presumably the producer she had mentioned.
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