The richest actor in Hollywood.

A red Chevrolet turned onto South Bowen Street as Natalie Portman drove to the café where she had an appointment with Matthew Horner. The car, much like her public image, was understated and approachable, in contrast to the bold and extravagant Mercedes G-Class SUV that Matthew Horner drove. She wasn't just meeting with Matthew because of their appointment; Brad Pitt had also asked her to gauge Matthew's stance further.

Natalie Portman arrived near Disney Studios, parked on the street, and walked toward a café diagonally across from the studio.

"Matthew Horner probably isn't too happy," she thought.

Initially, she had suggested to the Wachowski siblings that they invite Matthew Horner to play the lead role. However, when Brad Pitt promised her a very high salary through Plan B's investment in "Cloud Atlas," she naturally shifted to Brad Pitt's side, helping him gradually win over the Wachowski siblings.

Yes, it was mostly about money.

Matthew Horner's Skydance Media could only invest $60 million, whereas Brad Pitt's Plan B promised at least $100 million. Even without Brad Pitt's offer, the disparity in investment from the two companies would have led her to the same choice.

Low investment means a low budget, which in turn means the lead actor's salary would be squeezed as much as possible...

She didn't have much money, so she needed money.

The "Star Wars" prequel trilogy had earned her some money, but not a lot. Films like those didn't offer young actors high salaries, and no one attributed the series' success to the actors.

Queen Amidala had opened up global recognition for her, but within the industry, no one believed in her box office appeal, and no one was willing to offer her high pay.

Moreover, attending college and studying in Jerusalem required expenses.

It wasn't that the tuition was exorbitant, but the related publicity was costly.

Those articles praising her disinterest in Hollywood, those pieces saying she was a unique actress, those accolades for her academic achievements, and those reports on her heart for Judaism and Israel... These were never spontaneous media actions; they all required money—substantial PR funds.

Fortunately, the money wasn't wasted. She successfully built an artsy, distinctive persona that Hollywood's Jewish moguls liked.

Years of sustained media PR nearly depleted her previous earnings.

To advance further in Hollywood and to stand on her dream stage, she needed more money.

But her pay was very low, disproportionate to her fame because she had never truly proven her commercial appeal.

That's why, two years ago, she chose "V for Vendetta." According to her and her team's analysis, this medium-to-large-scale production fit her requirements well. It had the big scenes and plot twists of a commercial film and a high level of sophistication.

Although the subject was sensitive, it didn't hinder its release in Western markets.

However, "V for Vendetta" barely exceeded $100 million globally, far from meeting her and the producers' expectations. Her subsequent salary offers didn't improve, with her latest film offering only $1 million.

In terms of fame, she outshone the likes of Jessica Alba, but in terms of pay, Jessica Alba and other "flower vase" actresses outclassed her by far.

Reaching the café's entrance, Natalie Portman sighed. Even now, she couldn't understand why "V for Vendetta," despite its excellent reviews, high audience scores, and critical acclaim, only managed to make half of its production cost in the crucial North American market.

This reminded her of her breakout role in "Léon: The Professional," which also had great reviews and high scores but failed in North America, making only half its production cost.

The café's glass door was opened by a server from inside. Natalie Portman shook her head and walked in, asking the server before spotting where Matthew was sitting and heading over.

"Hi, Matthew," she greeted.

"Hello, Nat."

Matthew, ever the gentleman, pulled out a chair for her, but Natalie Portman could sense the displeasure in his tone.

Natalie knew Matthew was upset with her.

After the server brought the coffee, Matthew looked at Natalie and, without concealing his anger, said, "Nat, do you know that Lana and Andy have stopped negotiating with me and Skydance Media?"

Before Natalie could respond, he continued, "Don't you think you owe me an explanation?"

Natalie Portman put on a sincere face. "I owed Brad Pitt a favor and simply introduced him to the Wachowski siblings. I didn't know the specifics of their discussions."

Lying was a skill all actors excelled at. "As you know, I don't have much say in this project."

Matthew's expression remained calm, but his words carried a hint of anger. "Nat, the situation now is that I'm out of the picture!" He said, frustrated, "All my efforts over the past month have been wasted!"

"I'm sorry, Matthew." Natalie Portman appeared genuinely apologetic. "I deeply regret introducing Brad Pitt to the Wachowski siblings, but I'm really powerless now."

Matthew took a couple of deep breaths, as if trying to calm down.

Natalie Portman probed, "Matthew, don't you have many projects inviting you? You're not short of roles or pay; there's no need to be so invested in this project…"

"Do you think it's easy to pick a good project?" Matthew seemed to flare up again. "That night, I was just interested in the project. After careful consideration, I decided it was a rare opportunity and committed to it. I even brought in my partner to invest so it could proceed quickly, and now…"

He sighed and looked out the window. "Hollywood produces so many films every year. How many of them are real hits?" He turned back to Natalie Portman. "What if it were your carefully chosen role that was snatched away, Nat?"

"I understand." Natalie Portman inwardly scoffed, "I've experienced that before."

Matthew nodded. "Nat, help me get in touch with the Wachowski siblings. Ask them to hold off signing with Brad Pitt and Plan B. David Ellison and I are raising funds, which should be ready by July…" He waved his hand. "No, the Wachowskis aren't taking my calls right now. Can you arrange a meeting with them for me?"

Natalie Portman quickly said, "I'll do my best." She shifted her tone. "Matthew, I'm just an actress. I can't guarantee anything."

Matthew frowned and was silent for a while before saying, "I understand."

From this conversation, Natalie Portman could see Matthew's seriousness about the role. She recalled hearing that after "300" became a hit, Matthew turned down all other offers, focusing solely on negotiations for "Cloud Atlas."

"Alright." Matthew placed a bill on the table and stood up, preparing to leave. "Nat, I'll wait for your good news."

"Okay." Natalie Portman nodded slightly.

Matthew left the café first. Watching him through the glass wall, Natalie Portman didn't leave immediately but slowly sipped her coffee.

After drinking half of it, she reached into her bag, stopped the recording device inside, then took out her phone and sent a text to Brad Pitt, arranging a meeting at Plan B's office.

Natalie Portman smirked. Matthew Horner was destined to be out of the picture.

He had said so much, asking for her help, but never mentioned any benefit for her. Brad Pitt, on the other hand, had made clear offers!

Expecting her to help without offering anything in return? What a joke!

With Matthew out of the project, the film might lose some box office appeal, but she knew a widely accepted truth: a good project didn't rely on any single actor.

Besides, she and Brad Pitt were part of it. The film, composed of six interwoven stories, could easily attract other excellent actors.

Driving her Chevrolet to Plan B's office, Natalie Portman thought about how Matthew had been completely led by her and the Wachowskis, used as a publicity tool.

"He's not as smart as people say," she muttered.

Natalie Portman prided herself on her intelligence. Someone like Matthew, who didn't even finish high school, could only be manipulated by her.

At Plan B, she met Brad Pitt. After reconfirming the generous terms he offered, she handed him the recording device.

"Listen to this," she said coolly. "It's a recording of my conversation with Matthew Horner."

Brad Pitt nodded, connected it to a computer, and listened intently, then listened two more times.

"Very good, Ms. Portman." Brad Pitt's handsome face broke into a smile. "It aligns with what I've investigated."

He made a call and said, "Speed up negotiations with the Wachowskis. I want results by the end of June."

Natalie Portman stood up. "You'd better hurry. David Ellison is raising funds."

"I know," Brad Pitt said confidently. "Nothing unexpected will happen."

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