Chương 235: Chapter 235: The Cost
To facilitate interaction between the film and the theme park project, the Walt Disney Group specially arranged the premiere of "Pirates of the Caribbean" at Disneyland in California. There is a large theater in Disneyland designed for screening 3D children's films and hosting Disney song and dance performances, capable of accommodating thousands of people. The musical "The Lion King" had performed there continuously, so hosting the premiere of "Pirates of the Caribbean" was no issue at all.
On the day of the premiere, Matthew went early to pick up Keira Knightley, as part of his duties as a boyfriend. Since they had continuously played up their affection in front of the media and the public, acting out the whole set was natural.
After picking up Keira Knightley, they headed to the styling studio, where they spent a long time getting ready.
Matthew's styling was relatively straightforward; being a man with naturally good looks, the stylist focused on emphasizing his distinctly masculine lines and rugged demeanor.
The only complication was dealing with the hair he had grown out since filming "Pirates of the Caribbean." His dark brown, almost black hair had reached nearly to his shoulders and was somewhat curly, making it difficult to manage.
Matthew decided to have the stylist cut his hair shorter, reverting to his previous medium-length style, which also looked neater.
Compared to him, Keira Knightley's styling couldn't just be described as troublesome; it was a massive project. From makeup to attire and from hairstyle to accessories, it took at least six hours.
The stunning appearances of female stars on the red carpet aren't natural; they're painstakingly crafted by stylists over time.
According to the stylists, it's very rare for a female star's makeup preparation time for the red carpet to be less than five hours, nearly unheard of.
Both male and female stars need to pay a price to look handsome or beautiful.
Matthew's black suit was tailored to fit perfectly, showcasing his physique and muscle contours, while Keira Knightley's dress was also designed to be form-fitting, emphasizing her slender figure.
Thus, on the stylist's advice, Matthew and Keira had a light breakfast and only a small amount of food for lunch. They didn't drink water after lunch to prevent their stomachs from bulging.
Drinking too much water would necessitate frequent bathroom visits, which are always inconvenient during a premiere or any red carpet event. Plus, once the clothes are taken off, even seemingly simple men's suits can be difficult to return to their styled condition.
For most female stars, many evening gowns are either extremely intricate or very form-fitting, making it challenging to put them back on after a bathroom visit, even with assistance, unless the helper is a professional.
Most female stars, whether attending premieres or award ceremonies, avoid using the restroom after leaving the styling room unless absolutely necessary.
Paying a price for perfect contours is inevitable.
Thus, when Matthew and Keira Knightley were driven to Disneyland, they sat upright in the car, their backs not touching the seats to avoid wrinkling their clothes.
If a star is significant enough, they can request the organizers provide a makeup room nearby, avoiding the discomfort of car rides.
However, Matthew and Keira Knightley hadn't reached that level of importance yet.
The effort put into their styling was obviously effective. When Matthew and Keira Knightley hand in hand walked the red carpet at Disneyland, their handsome man and beautiful woman combo pushed the atmosphere to a climax.
Photographers went wild, and fans shouted loudly.
The sight of posters of Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann held high was overwhelming.
At that moment, Matthew and Keira Knightley fully enjoyed the treatment reserved for A-list stars.
"Did you see that, Dad?" On one side of the red carpet, Brian Lester held up a poster of Will Turner, excitedly shouting to Lester beside him, "That's Matthew! That's Matthew!"
Lester felt helpless. "How could I not recognize Matthew Turner?"
After all, he had specially asked Matthew for today's premiere tickets.
"He's so handsome!" Brian Lester was utterly caught up in the fervor of seeing his idol. "Not just handsome! Matthew's aura! Matthew's presence! That's a real man!"
A girl nearby heard his remark, turned her head to look, and said, "Yes! Yes! Compared to Matthew, Leonardo and the likes are just pretty boys!"
Brian Lester felt like he had found a kindred spirit, nodding vigorously, "I give you a hundred thousand likes!"
He introduced himself, "I'm Brian, a fan of Matthew!"
The girl, with her hair dyed platinum blonde, said, "I'm Daenerys, also a fan of Matthew!"
"Here he comes!" Brian Lester pointed towards the red carpet, "Matthew's coming!"
Both erupted into ecstatic screams.
Matthew thoroughly enjoyed this moment, the feeling of being the center of attention.
Fans screamed for him, and photographers went crazy for him.
Of course, he knew this was the effect of the film's halo and the media's continuous hype of his and Keira Knightley's rumored romance.
All these elements exploded at the premiere.
Arriving at the media interview area, Matthew and Keira Knightley posed affectionately for photographers and briefly accepted an interview with an ABC TV reporter before Johnny Depp joined them. The three stood shoulder to shoulder for more photos.
Although there were no conflicts or competing interests among the three, they all kept their relationships positive.
When asked by reporters, whether it was Johnny Depp or Matthew and Keira Knightley, they all praised their co-stars and mentioned wanting to work together again.
In fact, the three hoped for a sequel to the film, as sequels are great for making big money.
This is a realistic situation; Matthew and Keira Knightley, despite some fame, were considered poor among Hollywood stars. Johnny Depp was better off, but not rich.
If "Pirates of the Caribbean" was a hit and Disney decided to produce a sequel, it would be nearly impossible to change the main cast. The three leads could naturally negotiate for higher salaries, and even Helen Herman was considering how to secure a piece of the pie for Matthew in the backend profits.
After group photos with the crew, they entered the VIP lounge. Since the audience needed to enter first, the main creative team and some guests typically waited in the lounge for a while.
Matthew greeted some acquaintances, then found Helen Herman, who was accompanied by Amanda, who had specially come from New York.
"Let me introduce..." Matthew first pointed to Amanda and said to Keira Knightley, "This is Amanda, a good friend of mine."
Then, introducing Keira Knightley, "Amanda, this is Keira, my girlfriend."
The two women politely greeted each other.
Amanda, still sporting short hair, seemed taller to Matthew, possibly due to wearing high heels.
"On summer break?" Matthew asked.
"Yeah, life in England is so boring, so I came back to New York. Just in time for your premiere," Amanda complained slightly, "The weather in England is too terrible, I've had enough!"
Hearing this, Keira Knightley couldn't help saying, "New York's weather is also terrible, with blizzards every winter, making going out a hassle."
Amanda glanced at Keira Knightley, remembering another English person was present, but refrained from retorting, instead saying, "Matthew, you're about to
become a big star, huh?"
Matthew responded in the casual manner he often used with Amanda, "I've always told you, I'm going to be a Hollywood superstar."
Despite not having seen each other for a long time and barely keeping in touch, Amanda didn't feel any distance, adding, "Don't forget, I played a part in this!"
"Of course! Of course!" Matthew replied with a laugh, "How could I forget your contribution?"
Keira Knightley tugged at Matthew, whispering, "The lead actor from 'King Arthur' is here, want me to introduce you?"
Matthew looked over and responded, "Sure."
He excused himself from Amanda and Helen Herman and followed Keira Knightley to another group. This circle was entirely British actors, all major players in "King Arthur."
However, whether it was Clive Owen or Ioan Gruffudd, Matthew felt quite unfamiliar with them and couldn't recall their names, guessing they hadn't really made a mark in Hollywood.
This only reinforced his suspicion that "King Arthur" was likely a flop.
Even so, Matthew didn't feel it was his place to say anything to Keira Knightley, especially since she had already signed a formal contract.
With the "Pirates of the Caribbean" series backing her, even if "King Arthur" flopped, it wouldn't be disastrous for Keira Knightley.
That's the advantage of being part of a film series; even if one's star power wanes, living a comfortable life off the success of the series is still possible.
Matthew chatted with these British actors for a while, clearly feeling they were not on the same page. The divide between British and American actor circles is sometimes quite stark.
Inside the theater, the venue was packed, with the back rows filled with general audience members, making the term "full house" an understatement. In front of the general audience were seats reserved for media journalists and critics invited by Disney.
Among them were notable figures like Roger Ebert and his colleague Richard Roeper.
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