The richest actor in Hollywood.

"Hollywood's newest $20 million club member—Matthew Horner!"

In an ice cream parlor in Westwood, Daenerys put down the copy of the Los Angeles Times and said to Bryan Lister sitting across from her, "Matthew can now command a $20 million paycheck!"

Bryan Lister stopped eating his ice cream and asked, "For '300 Spartans'?"

Daenerys shook her head, "Not '300 Spartans,' it's for a film called 'I Am Legend.'"

She handed the newspaper to Bryan Lister, who started reading it carefully.

"According to our reporter's reliable sources within Warner Bros., the studio is set to produce 'I Am Legend' and has already signed a formal contract with Matthew Horner. This marks Warner Bros.' second collaboration with Matthew Horner in a short period, following '300 Spartans.' For this project, Warner Bros. has agreed to pay a whopping $20 million."

"Twenty million dollars!" Daenerys opened her ice cream, took a big bite, and mumbled, "How much ice cream could I buy with that?"

Just thinking about the number $20 million made her feel dizzy.

Bryan Lister kept reading the paper, saying, "Matthew will probably make it to the Forbes Celebrity 100 this year."

Although both were fans of Matthew Horner, Bryan and Daenerys had fundamentally different relationships with him. With the help of Angel Agency and Bella Anderson, Bryan had become the head of a hardcore fan club for Matthew in the Los Angeles area, frequently organizing members to support Matthew on site.

Moreover, he was one of the few fan club leaders who got paid.

With such a job, Bryan was more dedicated to managing the fan club and, with his father's help, had learned a lot about Hollywood stars.

The $20 million club isn't just about paychecks; it's a recognition of a star's status, appeal, and overall value.

Although it isn't Hollywood's top echelon, it's definitely among the highest tiers.

Daenerys swallowed her ice cream and asked, "Bryan, how many years has it been since we saw the first film starring Matthew? He's entered the $20 million club so quickly."

Bryan thought for a moment and said, "Matthew's first major role was in 'The Scorpion King,' which was released in 2002. It's only been four years…"

He shook his head, "That speed is incredible."

"Yeah." Daenerys took another bite of ice cream and mumbled, "Tom Cruise did the same back then."

Bryan nodded, continuing to read the paper, as there were other noteworthy points besides the paycheck.

"Warner Bros. seems to be building a long-term relationship with box office star Matthew Horner. Besides offering him a high paycheck, they've also agreed to give him significant producer power in both '300 Spartans' and 'I Am Legend.'"

Reading this, Bryan suddenly felt that Matthew might indeed become a superstar like Tom Cruise or Tom Hanks.

Recently, with his father's guidance, Bryan had been studying Hollywood more deeply. He knew that the $20 million club represented a certain income level, but not necessarily Hollywood power.

Hollywood's producer system is the key part of the industry's value chain. Actors are always a level below; producers and senior marketing strategists are the core forces driving Hollywood's glamorous machine.

Therefore, countless star actors strive to get their names listed as producers in the movies they star in.

A seemingly simple credit can lead to completely different outcomes, and having the producer title, even if just nominally, grants an actor much greater power.

From this Los Angeles Times report, Bryan could tell that Matthew had already embarked on this path.

In the San Fernando Valley, like Burbank, there were numerous sound stages.

However, Hollywood productions rarely used these studios, which were mostly occupied by local San Fernando Valley film companies.

In a studio set up as a makeshift home square, Kaden Kross, who had finished her makeup, sat on a set sofa, flipping through today's Los Angeles Times. She soon found the entertainment section and saw Matthew Horner's name in the headline, prompting her to read more carefully.

The film she was shooting today was related to Matthew Horner, titled "Mr. and Mrs. Smith," in which she played the female lead, Jane Smith.

Seeing the $20 million mentioned in the headline, Kaden Kross couldn't help but feel envious. Even as a top actress in her field, she might not earn $20 million over her entire career.

She had once naively thought that the San Fernando Valley was Hollywood's backdoor, but upon entering this industry, she realized it wasn't.

"Hey, Michael!"

"Michael, you look great today!"

Hearing the greetings on set, Kaden Kross looked up to see Michael Sheen, who played the male lead John Smith, walking over.

He was a handsome guy, well-known in the industry.

Michael Sheen walked confidently across the set, looking every bit like the leading star of the crew. And indeed, he had earned the right to act that way.

Shooting "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" had given him a paycheck of over $50,000 for a single film, putting him among the top actors in his field.

With this film's earnings, his total income for the year had exceeded $200,000!

$200,000 might not seem like much to others, but in this industry, it was a significant sum. Only the director and the female lead earned as much on this set.

Michael Sheen planned to buy a new car by the end of the year, eyeing a luxurious BMW SUV, which he believed would give him a lot of face.

"Hey, Kaden."

Michael Sheen greeted Kaden Kross first, then sat on the sofa beside her. Kaden Kross nodded and smiled back, "Hey, Mike."

"Anything interesting?" Michael Sheen pointed at the newspaper in Kaden Kross's hand, asking, "You seemed pretty engrossed."

Kaden Kross shrugged, "Another member joined Hollywood's $20 million club."

"Oh?" Michael Sheen, who had spent some time in Hollywood, asked curiously, "Who is it?"

Kaden Kross pulled out the entertainment section's front page and handed it to him, "See for yourself."

Michael Sheen took it, and at first glance, he saw a familiar name on the headline—Matthew Horner.

Seeing this familiar yet distant name, he quickly skimmed through the report, his hand trembling slightly as he confirmed that this was indeed the Matthew Horner he knew.

Even if the report was wrong, he couldn't mistake the person in the accompanying picture.

Over the years, Matthew Horner had entered the $20 million club? Michael Sheen found it hard to believe, but the newspaper in his hand was the Los Angeles Times, not some tabloid.

He let out a long sigh. Just moments ago, he was thrilled about his $200,000 annual income, but how far was that from $20 million?

Michael Sheen knew he could never catch up to Matthew Horner.

Then, more memories of reading about Matthew Horner's successes surfaced in his mind, and a bitter smile formed on his handsome face.

He earned $200,000 a year, while Matthew Horner made $20 million per film! He wanted to spend a fortune on a flashy BMW SUV, while Matthew Horner drove a custom-made Mercedes-Benz G-Class, sponsored by Mercedes.

Like taking the lead role in "Mr. and Mrs. Smith," Michael Sheen frequently checked up on the familiar yet distant Matthew Horner.

He once tried to make some noise about Matthew, but no one believed an actor from the San Fernando Valley. The more respectable media wouldn't interview him, and a few unscrupulous tabloids that published his accusations couldn't stir up even a tiny wave.

Over time, Michael Sheen's desire to attack Matthew Horner faded, as he gradually realized that someone of his status had little chance of bringing down a star like Matthew.

This industry had given him the financial rewards he wanted but not the glamorous exterior.

In contrast, Matthew Horner not only gained fame and fortune but also became a United Nations goodwill ambassador after the success of "Mr. and Mrs. Smith," elevating him into high society.

A crude, uncultured scoundrel had turned into a big-name celebrity!

When a company offered him the lead role of John Smith in "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" earlier this year, Michael Sheen agreed without hesitation.

Because he knew he could no longer stop Matthew Horner. If it were just one or two levels apart, he might have held onto hope, but now the gap was too wide.

He was still on Earth, while Matthew Horner had landed on Mars.

After years of struggling in the San Fernando Valley, Michael Sheen had come to terms with many harsh realities.

"A $20 million club superstar!" Michael Sheen handed the paper back to Kaden Kross, "If only it were us."

Kaden Kross shook her head, "That's impossible." She stood up and walked towards the set, "Shooting is about to start."

Michael Sheen also stood up, looking at the poster mimicking "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" once again, confirming the fact that he could never compare to Matthew Horner.

_________________________

[Check out my Patreon for +200 additional chapters in all my fanfics! $5 for all!!] [[email protected]/INNIT]