Hannah Montana was adapted from the Disney-owned musical sitcom of the same name. Like Twilight, it was a typical youth-oriented film targeting fans. The film's lead actress was also the star of the TV show, Miley Cyrus.
At an outdoor set on the Disney studio lot, Matthew met this popular teen idol, a girl who was very cheerful and a bit quirky.
However, he had no interest in interacting with a fifteen-year-old girl, so he quickly headed to the nearby makeup trailer, eager to finish his scenes quickly so he could wrap up his cameo in just half a day.
But after getting his makeup done, Matthew learned that the shoot was a bit more complicated than he had expected. However, he only had half a day available, with other commitments in the afternoon, so the crew assured him that they would complete the filming by the morning.
Disney had already turned Hannah Montana into a well-known teen brand. To create the atmosphere of a country music concert for the film, they invited many people for cameos, including some who came over to greet him.
"Hi, Matthew."
A tall girl with blonde curly hair appeared in front of Matthew. "Do you remember me?"
Matthew deliberately looked her over. The girl had very distinctive features—arched eyebrows and almond-shaped eyes. Perhaps due to her tall and thin frame, she had a slight hunch.
Of course, he remembered this girl—they had interacted before.
"Hello, Taylor," Matthew responded politely.
Taylor Swift stood in front of him and said, "I've been wanting to contact you, but I realized I didn't have your number." She pulled out her phone. "Can I get your number?"
In front of them, the crew was still setting up tents, but the cameras hadn't been positioned yet, so it would be a while before filming started.
And aside from knowing that his cameo role was simply himself, Matthew wasn't very clear on the specifics of the scene.
Since the crew wasn't in a rush, he didn't need to be either. He immediately extended his hand and said, "Phone."
Taylor Swift handed her phone to Matthew. He entered a string of numbers and handed it back to her. Taylor pressed the call button, and the phone in Bella Anderson's bag rang.
Taylor Swift glanced intentionally toward Bella Anderson. "Is that your work number?"
Matthew smiled. "That's my personal number."
Taylor Swift seemed particularly serious. "If I need to find you, I'll call you directly."
"Anytime," Matthew replied.
They chatted for a few more moments before an assistant director came over and informed Matthew that the director, Peter Chelsom, wanted to discuss the scene with him. Matthew immediately headed to the set.
Taylor Swift watched Matthew's back as he walked away. A couple of years ago, her manager had suggested she sing the theme song for Pirates of the Caribbean, but then her debut album became an instant hit, and she got too busy promoting it, so the idea was shelved.
Her second album, released this year, was also a big success. As she prepared for the next songwriting cycle, she felt in need of inspiration.
A remarkable man like Matthew Horner might just be the best source of inspiration.
From a globally famous heartthrob to a muscular hunk, and now a top Hollywood star—who could compare to Matthew Horner?
She considered herself exceptionally talented; all she needed was the key to unlock her full potential.
Led by the assistant director, Matthew found the film's director, Peter Chelsom.
"Hello, Matthew."
Peter, a middle-aged man wearing glasses, extended his hand to Matthew. "It's an honor to work with you."
Matthew responded politely, "You're too kind." Then he asked, "Could you explain the scene I'm in?"
This Hannah Montana movie was a typical quick production, with the crew and team being the same as those from the TV show. Since the movie had the ongoing series as its foundation, the entire project, from preparation to filming and release, was planned to take just six months.
With time being limited, Peter Chelsom didn't waste words. "We're filming a country music concert set in Tennessee over the next couple of days. You're cameoing as yourself—a big star visiting the concert who loves country music and ends up singing a song on stage."
Hearing this, Matthew immediately asked, "You want me to sing?"
Peter Chelsom quickly nodded. "Yes, that's the plan for now." He added an explanation, "You're not a professional singer, so just any country-style song will do."
For most Hollywood stars, singing was a simple task.
But Matthew was definitely not in that category. He shook his head and said, "Director Chelsom, I'd rather just be a spectator. I'm not cut out for singing."
Peter Chelsom was surprised and looked at Matthew. Matthew added, "I have a terrible sense of rhythm."
For others, singing might cost money, but for him, it was a matter of life and death—not an exaggeration.
"This..." Peter Chelsom was a bit hesitant about changing a planned scene, but he knew he couldn't force Matthew. They weren't on the same level. After thinking for a moment, he noticed Taylor Swift walking over and had an idea. "How about this: Taylor Swift is going to perform on stage later. You can be her companion."
Matthew confirmed, "No singing, right?"
Peter Chelsom quickly reassured him. "No, you'll just be yourself, playing Taylor Swift's friend and fan."
"That's fine," Matthew agreed. "As long as I don't have to sing."
Peter Chelsom waved over Taylor Swift. "Taylor! Taylor, come here for a second."
When Taylor saw the director calling her, she quickly came over. Peter Chelsom explained the situation, and neither Matthew nor Taylor had any objections.
The set was still being prepared, so Matthew and Taylor Swift sat under a parasol at the center of the stage, patiently waiting for filming to begin.
Taylor Swift asked her assistant for an acoustic guitar and started tuning it.
"The director wanted you to sing on stage, and you refused?" she asked while strumming the strings.
Matthew didn't hide anything. "My voice is too rough, and I'm always out of tune when I sing." He seemed to recall some unpleasant memories. "Johnny Depp once invited me to audition for his band, but within half a minute of me singing, the whole band was stunned."
Taylor Swift said, "They just didn't know how to teach you."
"Really?" Matthew thought he was just naturally unmusical.
"How about this," Taylor suggested, pointing to the guitar. "I'll play a simple tune, and you can hum along."
She strummed the guitar, producing a pleasant, soothing melody. It was a simple tune, and even Matthew felt it wouldn't be hard to hum along.
Listening and actually doing it, however, were two different things. After playing it through once, Taylor started again and motioned for Matthew to hum along.
But after just a few notes, she stopped him and said, "This tune might not suit you. Let's try another one."
She switched to a fast-paced, simple tune, but the result was the same.
Taylor tried several different styles, corrected Matthew's pitch and rhythm, and even had him sing a few lines of the most basic and widely known Christmas song, Jingle Bells. The result was horrifying.
She realized that Matthew wasn't just off-key—his singing was downright dissonant. He even had the power to throw her rhythm off.
"So, what do you think?" Matthew asked, hoping he could sing better so he could join Keanu Reeves and Johnny Depp in a band someday. "Do I have any hope?"
"No hope," Taylor's face darkened as she looked at Matthew. "This is definitely a congenital issue. You have absolutely no musical talent."
If her musical talent was first-rate, then Matthew's was not just zero—it was in the negatives.
Matthew frowned and asked, "You can't teach me?"
Taylor Swift shook her head. "I can't. What you have is known in the music world as congenital amusia, the most severe kind."
"Is it really that bad?" Matthew was embarrassed.
"Yeah, you're pretty much hopeless in music," Taylor said seriously. "When you sing, do you completely lack a sense of pitch, like you're just reciting lyrics in a weird tone?"
"No," Matthew shook his head. "When I sing, I think I'm on pitch, and I feel like I'm doing great, but everyone else says it's terrible. Then when I listen to a recording, I scare myself..."
Taylor Swift nodded thoughtfully. After thinking for a moment, she said, "Maybe it's not exactly what I said earlier. Your situation might be slightly better." She handed the tuned guitar to her assistant. "How about this, Matthew: I'll give you music lessons periodically and act as your music teacher temporarily to see if I can help you improve."
Matthew nodded lightly. "Alright. Can you set up a lesson plan for me?"
Taylor Swift thought it over seriously. "Sure. I'll call you when I've got something ready."
Though she believed that even the best music teacher couldn't help someone in Matthew's situation, she knew this was a great opportunity to draw inspiration.
As a pop singer, she had encountered many people with poor musical talent or rhythm, but no one who was quite as hopeless as Matthew Horner.
Matthew was well aware that music relied heavily on natural talent, with that rumored "one percent of talent" being crucial.
However, since Taylor Swift was willing to teach him, he figured he might as well learn a bit—teacher and student, after all.
The two chatted for a while longer before director Peter Chelsom came over
with his assistant to make final preparations for the shoot. Taylor Swift, carrying her guitar, headed up to the stage.
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