Matthew's long hair had been transformed into a messy buzz cut. He wore a pair of random sunglasses, and stubble sprouted like early spring grass. His gray coat, which looked dirty and greasy, seemed like it hadn't been washed in ages. This scruffy look was how Matthew appeared on set. In contrast, Charlize Theron, though dressed in casual home attire, looked clean and beautiful.
Exiting the makeup room, Matthew walked with Charlize Theron towards the set, eyeing her as they walked. "I must have offended the stylist," he remarked.
Charlize glanced at him, her face expressionless. "This look suits you perfectly."
The two walked onto the set, where the crew had already set everything up. Director Peter Berg came over to greet them and gave some simple instructions before filming began.
The shooting did not go smoothly. The first take saw repeated NGs. Not only did Matthew and Charlize Theron struggle to get into character, but the rest of the crew, including director Peter Berg, were also in an adjustment phase. Nearly half an hour passed without completing the first take.
The next hour saw lighting adjustments, changes in camera positions, and issues with both Matthew and Charlize, leading to numerous interruptions. Peter Berg was clearly also adjusting himself.
Around eleven in the morning, after some fine-tuning, the crew finally completed the first long take, though Peter Berg was still dissatisfied and wanted to shoot another.
"Is your hand scratched?" Charlize Theron stood behind the kitchen counter, grabbing Matthew's hand. "Is it bleeding?"
Matthew looked at the blood on his hand, surprised. "I don't know." His character was supposed to be invulnerable. "How could this happen?"
Charlize's blonde hair fell in front of her face, partially obscuring it. "It's too late; you should go."
"Ah, yes." Matthew stood opposite her, making no move to leave. "I should go. Goodnight."
Charlize Theron continued to look at him, her beautiful face just inches from Matthew's. Suddenly, Matthew stepped forward, and both hesitated for a moment as if driven by an unseen force. They finally kissed.
But the kiss didn't last long. Charlize Theron suddenly grabbed Matthew's collar and flung him away. Matthew, in sync with her action, flew backward and crashed into a green screen.
Thud!
Behind the green screen were thick foam mats, and he landed on them with a dull thud.
Matthew broke through the green screen and toppled onto the foam mats, hearing Peter Berg's shout, "Cut! That's a wrap!"
Then, a hand reached out to him. He grabbed it, and Charlize Theron pulled him up.
"Are you okay?" Charlize Theron asked with concern.
"I'm fine." Matthew stood up straight. "This is nothing; I've had harder falls during kickboxing practice."
Charlize turned and walked toward the rest area, asking, "Do you still maintain high-intensity workouts and training?"
Matthew followed her, saying, "The intensity isn't that high. Everything is planned carefully; I don't want to overdo it and ruin my body."
He wasn't training at the level of a professional athlete, which would be foolish. Most competitive athletes end up with injuries after their thirties.
As the crew adjusted the set and camera positions, the two of them sat down in the rest area. Charlize Theron asked curiously, "I heard you're co-investing in a new film with David Ellison?"
"Yes, it's in the early stages of development," Matthew replied. "The fourth installment of the 'Fast & Furious' series, with a production budget of about $120 million. David Ellison and I are each investing half, and I'll be starring as the lead."
Then, an idea struck him. "Charlize, it's going to be a trilogy. If everything goes well, we'll continue with the sequels. How about joining me to cheer on the next one?"
Charlize Theron didn't reject the invitation. "Sure, we can discuss it when the time comes."
Matthew half-jokingly said, "I'll have someone design a role for you... hmm, a beautiful villain who seduces me."
"Let's talk about it later," Charlize shrugged slightly. "It would be better if you design a role where I can beat you up."
After the crew finished adjusting, the two returned to the set to continue filming.
After the morning shoot, Matthew and Charlize Theron, led by Akiva Goldsman, participated in an interview with Entertainment Weekly.
The interviewer was a middle-aged male journalist. As it was nearly noon, Akiva Goldsman arranged the interview at a restaurant in Warner Bros. Studios, allowing them to chat while eating.
The four of them sat around a large round table. After enjoying lunch, while eating some dessert fruits, the journalist named Ephron Bellarabi started his questions.
He placed a recorder in the middle of the table and directed his first question at Matthew.
"Mr. Horner, there were rumors that you were going to collaborate with the Wachowski siblings on a film adaptation of the novel 'Cloud Atlas,' but the deal didn't go through. Was it because of this film, 'Hancock'?"
"No," Matthew shook his head, then took the opportunity to hype things up. "It's unfortunate that I couldn't work with the Wachowski siblings. I really liked their adaptation of 'Cloud Atlas,' but we didn't get the chance to collaborate."
He paused briefly and then returned to the topic. "I had already committed to 'Hancock' before I met the Wachowskis. Akiva had talked to me about this project during the filming of 'I Am Legend.'"
Akiva Goldsman added, "Matthew and I had already agreed to continue working together."
"Can you talk about this film?" Ephron Bellarabi clearly saw Matthew as the primary interview target. "I heard it's a drama?"
Matthew glanced at Akiva Goldsman, indicating that he should answer this one. "Akiva knows more about this project than I do."
Ephron Bellarabi then directed his question to Akiva Goldsman, who didn't decline and said, "There's an unspoken concept that summer blockbusters should mainly be action films, while holiday films focus more on character portrayal and plot. So, if we combine rich character emotions and dramatic plot with the explosive scenes expected of a summer release, can you imagine the effect? Why not combine the best of both worlds for the optimal outcome?"
"Why did you choose Matthew?" Ephron Bellarabi asked.
"This is our third collaboration," Akiva Goldsman praised Matthew generously. "The first two told me that only one person could play this role well, and Matthew is the best actor for Hancock."
He smiled and continued, "We're determined to make a film that's funny, irreverent, yet heartwarming. Matthew's exceptional acting skills ensure he can deeply understand this complex character and portray him perfectly... In short, Matthew is the core of the entire film."
Ephron Bellarabi turned back to Matthew. "What aspects of this character attracted you?"
"I'm incredibly excited to play a unique hero like Hancock." When it came to talking up a role, Matthew's ability was unmatched. "When I got this original script, I found an excellent entry point for such a film—a crude, unseen hero. Hancock is an unusual yet fascinating character who breaks all previous molds."
Ephron Bellarabi asked, "Can you briefly describe this character?"
Matthew thought for a moment and, without giving away too much, said, "Hancock is unlike any character I've played before. Every day, he's angry at the world. He doesn't remember what happened to him, and no one can help him find answers. His actions are well-intended but always cause trouble. He has significant communication issues with the outside world."
He paused and added, "Let's put it this way: Hancock is like a highly talented college football quarterback but lacks the right attitude."
The questions kept bouncing between Matthew and Akiva Goldsman, seemingly ignoring Charlize Theron. This mirrored her current situation in Hollywood. Despite her Oscar glory and the success of "Mr. & Mrs. Smith," she hadn't had any standout works in the past two years and lacked high exposure.
Hollywood and its surrounding circles are inherently forgetful.
Probably realizing he had neglected Charlize Theron, Ephron Bellarabi finally directed a question to her, though it was closely related to Matthew.
"Miss Theron, this is your second time co-starring with Matthew in a film. Was this the reason you joined the crew?"
Charlize Theron, without any sign of displeasure, smiled at Matthew and said, "The main reason I joined this film was the chance to work with Matthew again. We've kept in touch and are good friends and work partners."
She boosted Matthew's image, saying, "Only by working with Matthew will you realize his talent, fearlessness, and honesty. When these three qualities combine, he can play any role, and Matthew dares to take on any challenge."
The interview continued with mutual praise and ended in the same manner. Matthew didn't have to worry about the remaining promotional matters as he had many action scenes to shoot next.
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