With just one glance, Winona Ryder recognized the man she had seen in the office hallway at noon. Recalling her assistant's words, she turned to look at Angelina Jolie. Angelina Jolie was also looking at her, her eyes filled with undisguised contempt. Their sharp gazes collided, and sparks instantly flew.
"Bitch!"
The same thought rose in the minds of both Winona Ryder and Angelina Jolie.
Matthew stood directly opposite Winona Ryder and saw everything. Having heard the verbal conflict between the two stars with his own ears, he guessed that their conflict would only become increasingly sharp.
Suddenly, he saw Winona Ryder's gaze turn back to him. For some reason, he felt a sense of foreboding.
Winona Ryder first looked at Matthew, then turned to glance at Angelina Jolie. She had a suspicion; rumors had been circulating in the industry recently that Angelina Jolie and Jonny Lee Miller were preparing for divorce. Could it be that a third party was involved? This third party... Her eyes turned back to Matthew once more. Given that slut Angelina Jolie's lifestyle, the possibility seemed quite high.
"James!" Winona Ryder suddenly turned around. James Mangold, who was discussing things with the cinematographer, immediately looked up. "What is it?"
Winona Ryder nodded slightly, walked straight over, and pointed at Matthew, saying, "That actor, replace him."
Although under normal circumstances, a director wields great power on a film set, James Mangold knew very well that Winona Ryder was the producer, and her power was far greater than his. Furthermore, as a director who couldn't even participate in post-production, he was essentially just a director of photography on set.
"This..." James Mangold hesitated slightly. After all, the scene had already been designed.
Matthew looked over. The voices of the two weren't loud, but they were sufficient to reach him.
Then, he looked at his Agent, Dennis Coulter. This was his first time participating in a shoot, and he had no idea what to do next. Was he really going to be squeezed out like this?
Dennis Coulter, standing on the periphery of the set, had also heard these words. He immediately backed away, hiding behind a handyman.
Clearly, Winona Ryder had an issue with that fool, and he didn't want to get dragged into it.
He knew something about this Crew. Aside from the producer Georgia Kacandes, who rarely came to the set, the most powerful person in the "girl, interrupted" Crew was Winona Ryder.
To go up against Winona Ryder for an insignificant little extra? He wasn't that stupid.
Dennis Coulter turned a blind eye to Matthew's pleading gaze, wondering if he should retreat early. As for Matthew, he would just let him fend for himself.
Seeing Dennis Coulter hide in a blind spot, Matthew knew he couldn't count on him. He immediately withdrew his gaze and looked at Angelina Jolie. Based on the situation at noon, Angelina Jolie and Winona Ryder were at odds; would she say a few words for him?
Angelina Jolie sat on the long sofa and turned to look at Winona Ryder. Like most actors, her emotions were on display, and her displeasure was practically written on her face.
Although she didn't know why Winona Ryder had suddenly made such a request, she had a faint feeling that Winona Ryder was targeting her.
She could even feel the pleading look the little driver was throwing her way.
However, Angelina Jolie didn't plan to do anything. She and Winona Ryder were indeed having a very unpleasant time, but it wasn't worth having another row over a little driver.
She had already given him a chance and fulfilled their verbal agreement. This kind of unexpected situation could only be blamed on his bad luck.
"I am the female lead!"
As the most powerful person on set, Winona Ryder spoke with great confidence. To avoid leaving a bad impression of being unreasonable,
she pointed at Matthew and found a powerful excuse, "Putting such a handsome orderly behind me will distract the audience's attention from me!"
This was a legitimate right of the female lead and would hold up anywhere.
"You, come here!" James Mangold immediately beckoned to Matthew and said directly, "Don't participate in the filming of this scene."
Matthew was a thousand times unwilling, but he had no choice. No one cared about the feelings of a small character, so he had to walk out of the filming area.
Winona Ryder spoke a few more words to James Mangold and then walked onto the set, pointedly looking at Angelina Jolie, whose expression was very ugly.
While the set was still preparing for filming, Matthew had already turned from a participant into a bystander. He looked around the periphery, found Dennis Coulter's fat figure, and immediately walked over.
"What do I do now?" He stood next to Dennis Coulter.
Dennis Coulter hurriedly took two steps to the side, as if Matthew had some malignant infectious disease.
"I have urgent business to handle with another Crew." He raised his hand to check his watch. "It's about time. I'm leaving first. You stay here until the end of the shift and see if the Crew has any other arrangements."
Before Matthew could speak, Dennis Coulter turned around and walked away quickly.
Filming began, and the surroundings became quiet. Matthew stood alone on the periphery of the set. The Crew members seemed to consciously keep their distance from him, and no one told him what to do next.
"is this Hollywood?"
Matthew suddenly smiled. No wonder many people say the entertainment industry is the most snobbish place; he was truly experiencing it now!
Anyone else might have just left at this point, but Matthew had endured hardships since childhood. He could compromise temporarily for survival, but he wouldn't be easily defeated!
No one in the Crew told him to stay on set, but no one kicked him out either. It seemed everyone had forgotten the existence of this small character.
Therefore, Matthew didn't plan to leave on his own. He stood on the periphery, watching the filming on set, his eyes constantly lingering on Winona Ryder, pondering how to create an opportunity for himself.
Having finally managed to create an opportunity, he was truly unwilling to leave so dejectedly.
Filming was intermittent, with the director calling for stops from time to time. Winona Ryder's power on set was indeed great; Matthew saw her go over to consult with the director several times. In contrast, Angelina Jolie could only follow the director's commands.
The difference in their status within the Crew was immediately apparent.
However, during the filming, it was the opposite. Winona Ryder's performance was quite average, while Angelina Jolie was very explosive. Strictly speaking, Matthew was still an outsider and didn't know how to judge acting, but when Winona Ryder and Angelina Jolie shared the frame, even though the former was far more in line with his aesthetic than the latter, his eyes unconsciously followed Angelina Jolie.
Matthew felt this might explain a few things, especially what Angelina Jolie had said about Winona Ryder wanting to cut her scenes.
After watching for a while, he was also a bit puzzled. Since Winona Ryder had so much power on set, why did she choose Angelina Jolie to be the supporting actress?
But after thinking for a moment, he had the answer. He had heard that snobbish little man Dennis Coulter mention before that the producer of this film was Sony Columbia Pictures, and there was another producer. It was likely they had chosen Angelina Jolie.
The afternoon passed in a flash. Except for going to the bathroom, Matthew stood here alone waiting. But as the Crew was about to finish work, no one remembered him, the extra.
"Cut!" Director James Mangold called a stop to the last shot of the day. "This one's a wrap!"
Then, he gathered the main actors for a short meeting to determine tomorrow's filming tasks. Other Crew members began packing up their items, preparing to leave.
"What!"
At that moment, Angelina Jolie's angry voice rang out in the studio, "My two scenes for tomorrow are canceled? Why?"
James Mangold explained, "This is for the needs of the whole movie..."
Angelina Jolie didn't listen to him at all and turned to look at Winona Ryder. "You actually dare to cut my scenes!"
Winona Ryder's voice was still cold and calm, "This is a normal filming adjustment."
Everyone in the Crew looked over, but there was no surprise in their eyes. It seemed this kind of thing had happened more than once.
Matthew watched from there, his mind racing.
"I will call Georgia Kacandes!" Angelina Jolie had no way to deal with Winona Ryder right now. "I will report the situation of the Crew to Sony Columbia!"
Winona Ryder must have had something to rely on to dare to do this. Her fair face didn't change at all as she said directly, "Whatever. Call whoever you want."
She turned to James Mangold and said, "Tomorrow, we film according to the new plan."
Angelina Jolie looked like she was about to explode, but she had nowhere to vent her anger. Winona Ryder was clearly bullying her, yet she couldn't think of a way to strike back.
"Let's go!" Angelina Jolie called to her assistant, turned around, and strode toward the dressing room.
Matthew stood there without moving, looking at Winona Ryder and then at the departing Angelina Jolie, hesitating for a moment. He believed in what he saw. He could fight for another chance. He wouldn't dream of a major role, but was a small role with lines possible?
Should he go find Angelina Jolie or go directly to Winona Ryder? He didn't know which one to choose.
There were certainly downsides to doing this, but he was at the very bottom of the Hollywood pyramid and society itself. He had no capital and nothing to lose. If he didn't take a gamble with unconventional means, he might have to wait for a very long time.
What he had seen and heard in the Crew today made him realize even more that opportunities were truly rare.
Who should he choose? Matthew considered for two minutes and made a decision.
In his limited memories of Hollywood, Angelina Jolie was famous in the future. His only impression of Winona Ryder was that she was Captain Jack's ex-girlfriend, and he didn't even know what she looked like... "It seems I'm going to become a snobbish person too."
With a sigh, Matthew walked in the direction Angelina Jolie had left.