In the makeup trailer, Matthew leaned back in his chair, eyes unfocused as he looked at Nina Dobrev. For a moment, he seemed lost in thought, but he quickly regained his composure. He watched as Nina wiped her face and mouth with a few wet wipes from the makeup table, then stood up, smiling broadly.
Matthew quickly composed himself, gesturing to the makeup chair beside him, "Please sit, Nina."
Frankly, he hadn't expected the young actress to be so forward or ambitious. She had approached him with an offer, and now, after what had just happened, she seemed to be reminding him of their agreement with a smile.
"We still have another scene together in a few days," Nina said, emphasizing her capabilities. "I used to be an Olympic-level athlete in Canada's national rhythmic gymnastics team. I can do a lot of high-difficulty moves."
"Oh?" Matthew raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Did you compete in the Olympics?"
Nina just smiled, not answering directly. From the moment she joined the project, she knew her scenes with Matthew were rare opportunities. She had her agent research Matthew's reputation in this area and learned that he was known for his good character and reliability.
Coming from Canada's gymnastics scene and then entering the entertainment industry, Nina lacked significant advantages or resources. She joined the project partly due to her agent's previous favor with Peter Berg. She chose a straightforward, effective approach to advance her career, using a tactic familiar to her from her gymnastics days. Many Hollywood actresses had ascended this way.
Matthew, understanding the implicit agreement, was neither naïve nor unwilling to honor the unspoken deal. Nina's earlier remarks had set clear terms, and by not refusing, he had tacitly agreed to this exchange of favors.
Curious about the skills of an Olympic-level gymnast, especially one from rhythmic gymnastics, Matthew pondered how flexible Nina's body might be.
"Nina, are you interested in racing movies?" Matthew asked, not waiting for her response. "I'm preparing a sequel to 'Fast & Furious,' and there's a female role with about a dozen scenes."
"Sure," Nina agreed, though she was a bit disappointed. She hadn't expected a lead role, but had hoped for something more substantial than a minor part.
Matthew, pragmatic, wasn't going to risk the "Fast & Furious" franchise by casting an untested actress in a major role. The fourth installment had a budget of $120 million, and no new actor could justify such an investment.
"There's a big media event planned next month, with over a hundred media outlets expected to attend," Matthew continued. "I'll talk to the publicity team to include you for interviews."
For Matthew, arranging this was a simple matter, a favor easily granted.
Nina, aware of the event from the crew's schedule, knew it was a significant promotional opportunity. Having understood the importance of visibility since her gymnastics days, she eagerly accepted.
"Great! Thank you!" Nina exclaimed, ensuring Matthew remembered their agreement. "I'm looking forward to our next scene together."
She stood up, "See you then."
Matthew nodded slightly, "See you."
As Nina left the trailer, Matthew stood and stretched, feeling relaxed. Despite her inexperience, Nina's skill in their brief encounter had been impressive.
Reflecting on their conversation, Matthew noted that while Nina was in her prime, Hollywood was never short of beautiful women. Additionally, as an Eastern European, specifically from Bulgaria, she might struggle with maintaining her looks as she aged, especially given her athletic background.
Athletes, accustomed to intense physical activity, often gain weight rapidly when they stop, even with careful dieting. Nonetheless, Nina was currently at her best.
After removing his makeup, Matthew left the trailer and returned to Beverly Hills. He spoke briefly with Bella Anderson before considering some details about "Fast & Furious 4."
With a production budget of $120 million, Matthew and David Ellison each held a 50% stake. Producer Jack was handling daily operations, and they had secured director Justin Lin. Negotiations were underway with Paul Walker and Jordana Brewster's agents over their salaries.
Both actors were expected to return, but their agents sought higher pay due to the film being a sequel. Matthew stayed out of these negotiations, trusting professionals to handle them and avoiding unnecessarily inflating the actors' salaries.
In addition to casting, the writing team was working with Justin Lin to refine the script. Jack was also preparing for auditions later in the year, aiming to finalize casting before the new year.
This required Matthew and David Ellison's funds to be ready. Personal investment was complicated by tax and profit-sharing issues, and Matthew had considered using his charitable foundations for investment. However, advice from Helen Herman and Amanda had led him to abandon this plan.
Taking their advice, Matthew decided to establish a film studio to manage his investments. Unlike Ellison's Skydance Productions, this studio would be more of a shell company.
Operating under a corporate entity offered tax benefits and policy advantages in many states, streamlining various processes.
Helen Herman was already working on setting up the studio, which Matthew planned to name Studio 13. They chose Delaware for its favorable tax policies and business-friendly courts, a common choice for major companies like Apple and Disney, as well as many Hollywood stars' studios.
In the business-savvy U.S., setting up a company wasn't overly complicated. Preliminary arrangements were handled by professionals hired by Helen Herman, with an estimated timeline of one to one and a half months for the official establishment of Studio 13.
Once the studio was operational, Matthew could channel his existing and future investments through this entity. Like typical shell studios, Studio 13 would likely share office space with other companies and hire a shared receptionist in Delaware, while also employing a few professionals in Los Angeles.
Accounting matters would be managed by PwC, a firm Matthew had worked with satisfactorily over the years.
With this setup, Matthew would also be able to negotiate with Disney and Andrew Stanton on "John Carter." He wondered how things were progressing with Natalie Portman.
Matthew had never explicitly pursued Natalie or initiated conversations on the topic. Their encounter in Geneva was unremarkable, both attending as UN goodwill ambassadors alongside Emma Watson.
Upon returning to Los Angeles, Matthew had contacted Emma Watson, reminding her to reach out when she visited, promising to host her in the city.
Given the good impression he had made, Emma Watson had assured him she would indeed get in touch when in Los Angeles.
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