The richest actor in Hollywood.

Upon seeing Brad Pitt, Matthew instinctively hit the brakes. As the golf cart stopped beside Brad Pitt, he realized there wasn't much to say to him. Just as he was about to start the cart again, Brad Pitt turned his head and looked over.

Matthew wasn't the type to avoid confrontation and greeted him, "Hi, Pitt." Brad Pitt wasn't aware of what he had done in the past, so Matthew pointed to the cart, "Want a ride?"

Brad Pitt, thinking about his recent actions, hesitated slightly but then nodded, "Sure, if you have a ride, why not?"

He got into the passenger seat of the golf cart.

In the brief moment Brad Pitt was getting in, Matthew had already decided what to say. He started the cart and drove slowly forward, then said, "Pitt, we're not friends, but we haven't been enemies either, right?"

Brad Pitt crossed his arms, speaking politely, "We weren't before, and we aren't now."

"Oh..." Matthew elongated the sound, then asked, "Since we're not enemies, I can't understand why you've been targeting me?"

He raised one finger, "The Wachowskis and 'Cloud Atlas'!" Then he raised a second finger, "Andrew Stanton and 'John Carter'!"

"You can't say it like that," Brad Pitt laughed and countered, "Did the Wachowskis promise you anything? Did you sign an agreement with them? Did Andrew Stanton promise to cast you as the lead? Did 'John Carter' have to accept your investment?"

Without waiting for Matthew's response, he continued, "As far as I know, they didn't, right?"

Matthew seemed stumped and fell silent.

Brad Pitt went on, "This is normal business competition. The Wachowskis and Andrew Stanton were in talks with you and me. They chose the better terms and..." he emphasized, "the stronger partner."

Matthew glanced at Pitt, who quickly added, "By the way, didn't you have two projects in the works? What were they called... 'Fast & Furious 4' and 'Twilight'? You weren't the only one interested in those projects, were you?"

"No, I wasn't," Matthew admitted.

Brad Pitt pointed ahead, "By your standards, couldn't I say you were targeting others too?"

Matthew was momentarily speechless, seemingly blocked by Brad Pitt's words.

"Hollywood directors and producers choose the best partners to work with. I offered better terms, so they chose to work with me. That's the choice of the Wachowskis and Andrew Stanton."

Then, Brad Pitt said earnestly, "Matthew, I heard your film studio just got started. As someone with experience, I advise you that investing and producing is different from just acting. You have a lot to learn."

"Maybe," Matthew replied casually. The cart reached the entrance of Disney's studio. He parked and added, "Okay, I admit, you won these two competitions."

Brad Pitt laughed heartily, "Goodbye, Matthew." He jumped off the cart, "Hope we get a chance to work together."

Matthew deliberately said, "Let's hope that never happens."

Brad Pitt, seemingly unaffected, waved casually and left the studio.

Matthew sat in the cart, watching Brad Pitt leave. If these two traps could really work, there was no way he would ever collaborate with Brad Pitt. Such opportunities should be left to others.

He then left the studio and switched to a waiting Mercedes, asking the driver to pick up Nina Dobrev from Angel Agency before heading to Beverly Hills together.

"How are you preparing?" he asked Nina Dobrev.

"I've been a bit nervous lately," Nina Dobrev, at nineteen, was all youthful beauty. "I've been doubting if I even have a chance to compete for the lead role in a $40 million film."

Matthew leaned back in the comfortable car seat and said, "If you're too nervous, it will affect your audition performance."

Nina Dobrev had been preparing well, "I know, I've been seeing a therapist recently." She then asked, "Will you attend the 'Twilight' auditions like today?"

"No," Matthew said directly, "The auditions are entirely handled by Sean Daniel and Sofia Coppola. I won't let my personal feelings influence the auditions."

The two most important female roles in the auditions were being contested by people he knew well, Nina Dobrev and Lily Collins, both with the right looks and age.

But suitability for the role couldn't be guaranteed.

Nina Dobrev was easier to gauge as he had acted with her before and knew she had basic acting skills. Lily Collins was less certain, as hosting and acting were different.

Matthew glanced at Nina Dobrev beside him. She was at a beautiful stage of life, tall, slim, and full of youthful energy.

From his impression, the Eastern European countries seemed to produce many beauties. They were stunning and sexy in their youth, arousing envy and jealousy.

All the beauty seemed to be concentrated in their late teens to early twenties. Once they aged a bit, their decline and weight gain were often quite rapid.

If Nina Dobrev became the lead, the "Twilight" series should ideally be completed within five or six years.

These romance films were simpler compared to top-tier action and sci-fi productions. If everything went smoothly, it should be manageable.

If Nina Dobrev aged faster than expected, there were always the world's best cosmetic and plastic surgery techniques and drugs available in Beverly Hills.

As he had learned before, almost all known Hollywood actresses had undergone some form of minor cosmetic enhancement.

Returning to Horner Manor, another round of special gymnastics was inevitable. With a chance to become the lead actress, Nina Dobrev felt her previous efforts were richly rewarded, leading to a variety of performances.

She seemed to have resumed some gymnastics training, performing many incredible moves with ease, much to Matthew's enjoyment.

In the following days, Matthew visited Disney's studio daily but no longer attended the auditions. He left those entirely to the producers and directors of the two crews. Preparing for "Fast & Furious 4" and potentially taking on the role of Duke in "G.I. Joe," he increased his regular training and changed his visits to the shooting club from thrice a month to twice a week.

These preparations were for future filming. With his current acting skills, handling roles in commercial films was manageable. Action scenes became the primary focus.

Though he was self-aware and seldom involved in specific crew affairs to avoid causing more harm than help, Matthew kept a close eye on the crew's movements. Information from both crews reached him promptly.

The "Fast & Furious 4" crew had finished all actor auditions. The stunt coordinator had gathered all the main actors, including him, for pre-shoot training. This training wasn't meant to make them actual car racing experts but to ensure they appeared convincing on camera and understood the dangers and self-protection.

No crew ignored actor safety, not even for extras.

Matthew, Paul Walker, Jordana Brewster, Daniel Wu, and Gal Gadot would form the first racing team in "Fast & Furious 4," introducing the concept of "we are family."

The Black character would join in "Fast & Furious 5," forming a multi-ethnic super movie family.

No matter the real situation in the USA, the multi-ethnic relationships in the movie would be harmonious and beautiful.

As for the main villain in "Fast & Furious 4," bearded Jack and Justin Lin decided to use an old actor who often played villains in Hollywood. This safe choice was something Matthew wouldn't oppose.

In the "Twilight" crew, the auditions continued. The female lead and supporting actress roles were decided, with Nina Dobrev and Lily Collins emerging as winners. They weren't the best performers in the auditions, but their looks added points, and their acting met the basic requirements, making Sean Daniel and Sofia Coppola's choice straightforward.

For the male lead, Sofia Coppola favored a young actor named Liam Hemsworth, who had just arrived in Los Angeles from Australia. He had good looks but a thin resume, similar to Nina Dobrev's.

He was temporarily the first choice, pending the emergence of a better candidate.

By mid-January, the Hollywood screenwriters' strike continued, affecting the Oscars. This year, the Oscars skipped the nominees' luncheon and directly announced the nominees.

Previously, Warner Bros. had submitted "I Am Legend" for several awards, including Best Actor. Without any lobbying from Matthew, he was naturally not nominated for Best Actor. "I Am Legend" only received a nomination for Best Makeup.

Soon after the Oscar nominations were announced, a heavyweight Hollywood actor made major news in the media.

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