"I never float, let it carry me away, to where I want to go, until you open the door..." Taylor Swift's voice filled the set, and the entire outdoor scene buzzed with excitement. Many people began to tap along with the rhythm.
One camera focused on Taylor Swift on the small stage, while another captured the audience, with a particular focus on Matthew.
Originally, director Peter Chelsom had wanted him to sing, but after the scene was changed, Matthew's cameo became simpler—he just had to be a great audience member.
He had seen enough professional audience members from the Angel Agency to know how to perform.
So, Matthew completely immersed himself in Taylor Swift's singing, appearing captivated, as if the song deeply resonated with him. He was just short of shedding tears on the spot.
The shoot went smoothly. After a trial run and one official take, director Peter Chelsom declared the scene complete, marking the end of Matthew's cameo.
He said goodbye to Taylor Swift and returned to the nearby makeup trailer to remove his makeup. When he came out, he noticed a girl waiting near the trailer.
Seeing Matthew, the girl immediately approached him with an innocent smile on her face. "Hi, Matthew."
Matthew nodded at her. "Hello, Miley."
The girl was none other than Miley Cyrus, the lead actress of Hannah Montana.
Miley Cyrus pulled out her phone from her pocket and asked, "Can I take a photo with you?"
"Of course," Matthew agreed without hesitation.
Just then, Taylor Swift emerged from another nearby trailer and volunteered, "I can take the photo for you."
"Great!" Miley handed her phone to Taylor and said, "Taylor, make sure it looks good."
It was clear the two knew each other.
Miley Cyrus stood next to Matthew, holding onto his arm while he gave a professional, friendly smile.
Across from them, Taylor Swift began counting down, "3... 2... 1..."
As she finished counting, Miley Cyrus suddenly stuck out her tongue and made an exaggerated face.
Matthew noticed her expression, and it suddenly reminded him that he had seen this girl in some tabloid news before, where she often did outrageous things.
The reason he remembered was that he had once watched an over-the-top comedy about journalists attempting to assassinate a foreign leader.
"I'm heading back to shoot," Miley Cyrus said as she took back her phone, waving goodbye to Matthew and Taylor. "See you later, Matthew. See you, Taylor."
Matthew waved back casually as Taylor Swift walked over and asked, "Are you leaving now? If so, we can go together."
"Yeah, I'm leaving," Matthew nodded and left the outdoor set with Taylor Swift, heading toward the studio exit.
As they walked, he couldn't help but think about what had just happened. Over this short time, his memory had become clearer.
Back when he was on the other side of the Pacific, he had seen a crude comedy starring James Franco about assassinating a national leader. He hadn't understood the term "camel toe" used in the film and had looked it up, only to find a bunch of photos of Miley Cyrus.
This Disney teen idol had faced the typical challenge of transitioning out of a teen star image, and it seemed she had completely broken away from her previous persona—apparently intentionally.
"What are you thinking about?" Taylor Swift asked.
Instead of answering directly, Matthew asked, "Are you close with Miley Cyrus?"
"We're kind of friends," Taylor Swift nodded. "We've known each other for over a year."
She then asked, "Where are you headed next? Do you have time this afternoon to visit my music studio in L.A.? I could give you an early music lesson."
Matthew was tempted but eventually shook his head. "I have something to do this afternoon. I'm meeting with someone."
Taylor Swift teased, "Is it a date with a pretty woman?"
"It is a woman," Matthew admitted, then added, "She's a director. I'm investing in a film project and need a female director."
When they reached the studio entrance, Matthew and Taylor Swift parted ways, and Matthew headed to the Angel Agency.
Since the release of Twilight, Suzanne Collins had been constantly calling him and Helen Herman, eager to see The Hunger Games hit the big screen as soon as possible.
Matthew was ready to move forward with The Hunger Games, but before starting pre-production, he needed to find the right director for the project.
Given the success of Twilight, his first choice was once again a female director.
Looking at Hollywood today, there were very few outstanding female directors. Sofia Coppola was already committed to directing the Twilight sequel and had her own projects lined up, so she couldn't take on this series.
The pool of options was quite limited.
Over the past month, Helen Herman had approached both Kathryn Bigelow and Nancy Meyers. Bigelow had no interest in this genre, while Meyers admitted she couldn't handle the extensive action scenes.
Honestly, both were a bit too old, and Matthew doubted they could fully grasp what appealed to young audiences.
A few days ago, when he met with Charlize Theron and discussed The Hunger Games, she recommended a director to him—Patty Jenkins, who had directed Monster with Charlize Theron.
Charlize had helped arrange a meeting between Matthew and Patty Jenkins for this afternoon.
So far, Patty Jenkins' most famous work was Monster, but she had also directed Entourage, a show targeted at teens.
Moreover, Patty Jenkins, born in the 1970s, was one of Hollywood's youngest notable female directors.
In the Angel Agency's meeting room, Matthew met Patty Jenkins.
Charlize Theron introduced him to Patty Jenkins and Helen Herman, then excused herself, clearly not intending to be part of their discussion.
It was Matthew's first time meeting the Monster director. Patty Jenkins had common deep brown hair and looked like an ordinary woman.
However, Charlize Theron had shared some key information about Patty Jenkins.
Matthew didn't waste time and got straight to the point. "Director Jenkins, I asked Sally to arrange this meeting because I'm interested in having you direct a project."
While Monster had earned Charlize Theron a Best Actress Oscar, Patty Jenkins' status in the industry was far lower.
"Sally mentioned it to me," Patty Jenkins said. "Is this for the adaptation of The Hunger Games?"
Matthew nodded. "Yes." He briefly glanced at Patty Jenkins. "I intend to turn this series into a film about a woman's fight for survival and power."
Patty Jenkins seemed intrigued. "Are you saying you want to make a feminist film?"
"That's right," Matthew acknowledged, knowing that if he exaggerated too much, he might not be believed. "But the content will be moderate. Going too far could have negative effects."
As a director, Patty Jenkins understood this well and nodded in agreement.
Matthew added, "Director Jenkins, you might have heard that I've been sponsoring and supporting women's organizations across North America."
"I know," Patty Jenkins nodded again. "It's an honor to meet someone as dedicated to the feminist cause as you."
"You're too kind," Matthew replied with a smile.
Charlize Theron hadn't told him much, but what she did share was crucial—Patty Jenkins was a genuine feminist and a liberal at heart.
With the limited pool of female directors, Patty Jenkins was the most suitable director Matthew had encountered, especially since capable female directors who had experience with teen projects were incredibly rare.
Besides being a director, Patty Jenkins was also an excellent screenwriter. Most of the script for Monster was written by her.
If this were a female director like Kathryn Bigelow, there wouldn't be much to sway her beyond money. But for a liberal feminist like Patty Jenkins, it was much easier.
The persona Matthew had crafted for himself over the years, along with his foundation's support for women and children, easily won over liberal feminists.
Some might think that the large sums of money wealthy people throw into charity or other public causes are simply a waste of their resources, but these often bring benefits in other areas.
For someone like Matthew, no money spent on charity is ever wasted.
Patty Jenkins clearly appreciated Matthew's work. Although she didn't immediately commit to directing, she was willing to continue discussing it with Matthew and Helen Herman.
"Director Jenkins, if you join this project," Matthew said, not waiting for Helen Herman to speak, "we plan to have you and the original author, Suzanne Collins, handle the screenplay."
Seeing Patty Jenkins nod slightly, he continued, "The protagonist, Katniss, is the perfect female representative. She believes she's equal to any man and steps into the arena to save her family. She doesn't need a man to save her; instead, she saves many men. I've spoken with Suzanne Collins, and I'd like to introduce you to her soon. She's also an outstanding woman."
"That sounds great," Patty Jenkins replied.
Matthew went on, "Suzanne and I agree that Katniss will represent democracy and freedom in the film's world."
Patty Jenkins interjected, "Matthew, I'm very interested in what you're saying. Could you give me some time to read the original book first?"
"Of course," Matthew replied with a smile.
They continued chatting for a while before Matthew and Helen Herman saw Patty Jenkins out.
Back in Helen Herman's office, Matthew rubbed his forehead. "We should be set on the director. Now we need a capable producer."
Helen Herman responded, "I have a recommendation."
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