The Box Office King of Hollywood

The new week began, and Helen Herman immediately headed to the Disney headquarters to negotiate with Jerry Bruckheimer about Matthew's role in 'Pirates of the Caribbean'. Matthew didn't attend these potentially confrontational meetings; he simply waited for the outcome.

Despite Jerry Bruckheimer being a top producer and 'Pirates of the Caribbean' a major production, Helen was determined to fight for what Matthew deserved. As an agent, she served as a buffer between him and the production team.

Helen had hinted that with 'The Scorpion King' recently ending its run and boasting box office revenues of $100 million in North America and $200 million worldwide, Matthew's salary for his next leading role couldn't be less than seven figures.

Meanwhile, Matthew arranged to meet with Mira Wang at a café opposite the Angel Agency. Now that he had secured the role of Will Turner, he was looking to hire a personal assistant. Mira, who had just returned to Los Angeles from London, agreed to discuss the details.

"We've worked together twice before," Matthew said, looking across the table at Mira. "I want someone familiar and reliable, and I can't think of a better choice than you."

Mira was silent, clearly contemplating his offer. She had served as a temporary assistant for many actors in various productions, and compared to others, Matthew was the most trouble-free and kindest.

"Do you currently have a job?" Matthew inquired.

"Yes," Mira nodded. "I'm currently working as a general assistant on Stephen Sommers' 'Van Helsing'."

Similar to an actor's assistant, this role in a production team was relatively low-status with modest pay.

"Tell me about your desired compensation," Matthew said, knowing this was crucial. "A monthly salary of $2,500, with a double payment at year-end, and if you join a professional association in the future, I'll cover the membership fees."

This offer was standard for a Hollywood star's personal assistant, much higher than what Mira earned on 'The Mummy Returns' and 'The Scorpion King'.

Matthew couldn't offer a high salary right away; he needed to leave room for future raises. He was conducting a business transaction, not charity.

"I need to know," Mira, seemingly interested, asked, "Am I your personal assistant only during your film shootings?"

"No," Matthew explained. "I'm looking for a long-term personal assistant. As long as you're willing and I don't meet with misfortune, this job can be permanent."

Mira thought it over but didn't decide immediately, saying, "Matthew, I need to think about it."

"By when can you give me an answer?" Matthew asked, ready to search for other candidates if necessary.

"Three days," Mira held up three fingers. "No more than three days."

"Okay," Matthew agreed.

After a half-hour talk, Mira took her leave. Matthew then went to the Actor's Guild to pay next year's dues, a necessity despite his improved financial status. The Guild provided many benefits and protection for its members.

By noon, Helen called. Her negotiations with Jerry Bruckheimer had gone relatively smoothly, and they nearly reached an agreement. There were a few minor details to discuss with another producer in the afternoon, but they expected to finalize the contract that day.

Their clear positioning and the production's sufficient budget facilitated these negotiations.

The primary agreement was about Matthew's salary. His compensation for playing Will Turner was four times higher than for 'The Scorpion King', reaching $2 million.

The payment would be made in three installments, as mandated by the union, without any backend profit shares.

Additionally, they agreed on standard provisions like an independent dressing room, aligning with his status as one of the lead actors in the film.

Helen also secured the right to review and suggest changes for the film's promotional posters and the opening and closing credits. With three main characters and an Oscar-winning actor in the film, competition for promotional resources would be fierce.

Overall, Matthew didn't demand excessive conditions, given his current status in the industry and lack of leverage to ask for more.

Helen shared two more pieces of information: the production had officially chosen 17-year-old British actress Keira Knightley as Elizabeth Swann, and Johnny Depp's salary was five times higher than Matthew's, at $10 million.

Matthew wasn't surprised by Depp's fee. Although not an A-lister, Depp was a high second-tier star. His past salaries never reached $10 million, with the highest being around $5 million. The production likely offered him a high fee to secure his participation.

As for Knightley, since her selection was recent, her salary wasn't discussed, but Matthew guessed it wouldn't exceed his. He remembered her movie 'Bend It Like Beckham', released around the same time as 'The Scorpion King', which had decent box office earnings. However, Hollywood's gender pay gap meant her salary wouldn't be high.

That afternoon, Helen finalized Matthew's actor contract with the production team. The next morning, Matthew, accompanied by Helen and his lawyer, Wilson, signed the contract for Will Turner's role at the Disney headquarters.

With the contract signed, Matthew officially joined the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' crew and was scheduled to begin preparation in July.

To add realism to the film, Jerry Bruckheimer mandated a five-week training program for all actors playing pirates or British navy characters. The production hired top professionals like action choreographer George Marshall Ruge, swordmaster Robert Anderson, and his protégé Mark Ivie to design fight sequences and oversee actor training.

Matthew already knew about Robert Anderson, a legendary figure in Hollywood's swordsmanship community. Anderson had trained actors for 'The Mask of Zorro', and Matthew's previous sword instructor was one of his students. Though contemporary swordsmanship differed from movie fight scenes, both required basic skills like how to hold and use a sword for offense and defense.

That same day, Matthew received a response from Mira, agreeing to become his personal assistant but asking for a few days to resign from 'Van Helsing' and complete the handover process. Matthew told her to report to him before July.

Helen, upon learning Matthew had found an assistant, didn't comment much, likely guessing his motives.

Returning home, Matthew thought of celebrating with a party but remembered to notify Britney first. However, she didn't answer his calls, which had become a common occurrence recently. Their call frequency had decreased, and after finishing her overseas promotion, Britney didn't return to Los Angeles but went to Nashville to prepare for her new tour.

Matthew felt there was a problem between them but had been too busy with 'Pirates of the Caribbean' auditions to visit Nashville.

That evening, he received a text from Britney: "I'm in closed training for the concert and can't take calls."

Matthew replied, informing her of his Thursday flight to Nashville. He also notified Helen of his itinerary to avoid any emergencies. Helen, aware of his relationship with Britney, didn't say much, just reminding him to return to Los Angeles by July for work.

On Thursday morning, Matthew boarded a plane at Los Angeles International Airport, headed for America's renowned music city, Nashville.

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