The richest actor in Hollywood.

Meanwhile, as Keira Knightley and Natalie Portman continued to showcase their deep sisterhood, Matthew had finished paying the bill and left the restaurant with Alexandra Daddario. They chatted a bit more before Alexandra had to leave for another engagement in the afternoon, and she quickly drove off.

Just as he had mentioned to James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender, Matthew had plenty of patience and wasn't in a rush.

After seeing off Alexandra Daddario, Matthew was about to return to his hotel when he noticed Keira Knightley and Natalie Portman exiting the restaurant.

Keira Knightley saw him and waved.

Matthew walked over and asked, "Finished so soon?"

"I have a meeting with a director at four in Long Island," Natalie Portman replied.

Matthew nodded politely, "Work comes first."

A taxi pulled up to the curb, and Natalie Portman said to them, "Goodbye, Keira. Goodbye, Matthew."

"Goodbye," Matthew waved.

Keira Knightley walked Natalie Portman to the car, and after it drove off, she returned.

"B@#$!" she muttered. "I've never seen someone as hypocritical as Natalie Portman!"

Matthew shrugged, "I have."

"Who?" Keira Knightley asked.

"Me!" Matthew pointed to himself, then to Keira Knightley. "And you."

Despite their brief interaction, Natalie Portman had left a good impression on him: humble, low-key, and cultured. She didn't seem at all like the person Keira Knightley described. As for what she was really like, Matthew didn't care to find out. Since Natalie Portman was unlikely to pose a conflict of interest with him, his negative impression stemmed mostly from Keira Knightley's complaints about her.

Keira Knightley snorted, "I was thinking of inviting her and you out for drinks tonight. Once she's drunk, you could hit on her."

Matthew grabbed her arm and started walking towards the hotel. "Even if I were drunk, I'm not interested in her." He reminded Keira, "If you want to go against Natalie Portman, I'll cheer you on, but don't drag me into your catfight."

In a mock-serious tone, he added, "That would lower my class!"

Following behind, Keira Knightley deliberately said, "I knew you weren't a loyal friend."

Matthew stayed an extra day in New York before returning to Los Angeles. Once back, he went to Angel Agency to meet with Helen Herman.

"The negotiations are ongoing," Helen Herman updated him on the progress of "I Am Legend." "I'm managing the pace and scope. Don't worry."

Matthew trusted her completely, "What about Will Smith? Any new maneuvers?"

"Yes, he and his agent contacted director Francis Lawrence," Helen replied, "but according to my inside sources, Francis Lawrence hasn't expressed any opinion on the lead role to Akiva Goldsman."

"Better if he stays silent," Matthew acknowledged the director's significant influence on a project.

"So far, it seems Francis Lawrence doesn't intend to voice an opinion on the lead role," Helen continued. "But remember, his contract with the production company includes actor recommendation rights, even though his director fee is only a million dollars."

She took a sip of water and added, "Ultimately, the final decision lies with Akiva Goldsman."

Matthew pondered for a moment, "Can you arrange a meeting with Francis Lawrence? Perhaps under the pretext of discussing the script."

Helen thought for a few seconds, "Sure. I'll try to arrange it."

Changing the subject, she spoke in a curious tone, "A German director has sent you an invitation."

"A German director?" Matthew was puzzled, then remembered his encounter in Munich. "Uwe Boll?"

"Yes," Helen confirmed with an odd emphasis. "It's him."

Matthew was surprised, wondering if this German director was extending another role invitation. Due to their previous interaction, he had kept an eye on Uwe Boll. Boll's two video game adaptations, "BloodRayne" and "Dungeon Siege," were released in North America and Europe last year and early this year, respectively. Both films were heavily criticized, especially by professional critics, who wrote that "BloodRayne" and "Dungeon Siege" had reached new depths of bad filmmaking.

After seeing the reactions, Matthew was glad he hadn't been swayed by Uwe Boll, which could have left a permanent stain on his career.

The lead actress of "BloodRayne," Kristanna Loken, who had a promising future after "Terminator 3," had her career derailed by Boll's film. As for the lead actor in "Dungeon Siege," Jason Statham, Matthew was initially surprised he had taken such a role, but then it made sense. Statham often starred in mid-budget productions, earning him a reputation as a B-movie star.

Managing to attract Kristanna Loken and Jason Statham showed that Uwe Boll had some pull.

Helen then added, "It's not an acting offer. It's an invitation to a boxing match."

"A boxing match?" Matthew was baffled. "Why would Uwe Boll invite me to a boxing match?"

Did he know about Matthew's boxing training and wanted to bond over it?

Helen's next words clarified the situation.

"After 'Dungeon Siege' was released, Uwe Boll faced heavy criticism from critics worldwide. He issued a challenge to professional critics globally," Helen explained. "He invited male critics who despised him to face him in the boxing ring three months later."

She handed Matthew a beautifully crafted invitation, "He also invited you, Charlize Theron, Diane Kruger, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Johnny Depp, among others, to witness and attend the event."

"Is this for real?" Matthew was astonished, reading the invitation. "This director is something else."

While he also disliked critics, he wasn't as extreme as Uwe Boll. 

However, he could see that this event could boost Uwe Boll's fame if it gained enough attention.

"Several entertainment media outlets are hyping this up," Helen said. "TMZ even called it a 'historic boxing match,' dubbed 'Angry Uwe' by Ilana Boyar."

"This is..." Matthew was at a loss for words. "Are there professional critics participating?"

Helen nodded, "Yes! About a dozen have signed up so far." Adjusting her glasses, she added, "It's not just Uwe Boll seeking fame. Many professional critics want to make a name for themselves too."

Matthew recalled the critic Rex Reed, who once kissed a donkey's rear and realized Helen was right. Just as actors used any means to gain fame, so did critics.

"Do you want to attend?" Helen asked.

Matthew hesitated, "I'm curious. It sounds interesting."

He didn't answer directly, as it involved professional critics.

Helen, understanding their rapport, said, "If you're interested, just go. Don't worry too much. You're just a spectator. Just be mindful of what you say."

"Got it." Matthew nodded.

With the invitation in hand, Matthew left Angel Agency and returned to Horner Manor. He searched online for more information about Uwe Boll and was stunned by what he found.

"There may not be a best director on Earth, but there is a worst—German director Uwe Boll holds this 'honor!'"

This was from an article by Ilana Boyar on TMZ.

Other websites had similar content about Uwe Boll, calling him the enemy of gamers and the laughingstock of professional critics, consistently proving his stupidity and terrible filmmaking skills.

Over 300,000 fans had signed a petition for him to stop making movies, to which Uwe Boll had responded, "When it reaches a million signatures, I'll quit."

After the release of "Dungeon Siege" this year, critics worldwide lambasted Uwe Boll. In response to the overwhelming criticism, Boll became furious and wrote a blog post attacking his critics: "You people have no balls. You don't understand my movies at all. Go f*** yourselves..."

Thus, the historic boxing match was born. One side aimed to defend their reputation in the film industry and vent their frustration at the constant criticism, while the other side sought to teach this disrespectful director a lesson.

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