As he entered the Warner Bros. Studio where the Inception crew was located, Matthew didn't immediately seek out Christopher Nolan. Instead, guided by an assistant director, he headed into the set area that had just been constructed.
"Nolan insists on shooting in real locations," the assistant director explained as they walked through the soundstage. "We build all the sets or create models for every scene."
Matthew had heard of this before and nodded, pointing to a section of the set. "Is this the setting for the first scene?"
"Yes," the assistant director confirmed.
Matthew recalled the script. This must be where Cobb's sensation of water in the upper world gets transmitted into the dream, creating a surreal effect—the entire Japanese palace being flooded with water.
The assistant director pointed to a massive water tank ahead. "We've constructed an enormous interior set of the palace and stored 5,000 gallons of water in 26 carefully placed tanks around the set's windows. These tanks will be triggered in sequence to create the effect of the palace being flooded."
Matthew walked closer for a better look, marveling at the wonders of modern filmmaking.
Practical shooting didn't always mean perfectly replicating real-world settings. Often, similar sets or scaled-down models were built for filming.
Compared to the widespread use of CGI in today's Hollywood blockbusters, practical shooting was much more time-consuming and labor-intensive.
Further in, Matthew noticed another separate, enclosed stage where a massive rotating corridor was being constructed. Christopher Nolan was nearby, directing workers on its installation.
Matthew greeted Nolan but didn't say much, preferring to stand by and observe.
From Nolan's instructions and the half-assembled set, Matthew guessed that this was likely for the zero-gravity hallway scene.
After a few more instructions to the crew, Christopher Nolan called Matthew over, and they headed to a nearby office to discuss the upcoming film.
"Matthew, I want you to be as prepared as possible," Nolan said candidly. "Your performance will determine the quality of this entire film."
"I'll do my best," Matthew replied with a nod.
Clearly expecting a lot from him, Nolan continued, "You need to immerse yourself deeply into Cobb's character. From now on, you need to establish a strong emotional connection with him."
Worried that Matthew might not take this seriously enough, Nolan gave an example. "A few years ago, I wrote Memento as if it were a puzzle box. I was obsessed with the structure, fascinated by my brother's short story, but it was the actor who brought a higher level of emotion to the character."
Matthew listened silently.
Nolan continued, "I wrote the character's emotional journey. I really tried to think like him, but that wasn't what made the script the core appeal of the film. If an actor didn't understand the tragic state the character was in, the movie would feel dry and unappealing. It was Guy Pearce's outstanding performance that opened up the story, making the audience more emotionally invested than they expected."
Matthew had seen Memento but could never get through more than ten minutes of it—it simply wasn't his type of film.
Of course, he couldn't say that to Christopher Nolan.
"Matthew, what do you think Cobb's motivation is?" Nolan suddenly asked.
"Family!" Despite not being highly educated, Matthew could understand this from the script. "To be precise, it's about going home."
Family is one of the biggest themes in Hollywood movies and one of the most popular with audiences. Protecting family is always the right value. Take this year's Taken, for example. Liam Neeson's character goes on a rampage, causing chaos in Paris, but no mainstream media criticized his motives because it was all for his family.
"What does home mean to the protagonist? I didn't fully understand it at first," Nolan said slowly. "But after becoming a husband and a father, my life changed. What was important to me changed, and it was then that I fully understood Cobb's motivation—he wants to correct his life and return to his family."
He emphasized, "This is the highest form of emotion I can imagine."
"I understand," Matthew nodded. "My longing for home is no less than Cobb's."
Given that Nolan had invited Matthew to play the lead, he naturally knew about his background, which was one of the reasons he sought him out for the role of Cobb. Nolan believed that Matthew's experiences as a teenager must have filled him with a strong desire for a home.
"Alright then, Matthew," Nolan said seriously. "From today, you're officially part of the crew. There are two things I need to clarify upfront."
"Please go ahead," Matthew responded.
Nolan stressed, "From today onward, you're no longer Matthew Horner. You are Dom Cobb. Everyone in the crew, including myself, will no longer call you Matthew but Dom Cobb."
Matthew knew this was to help him immerse himself in the role and establish a strong emotional connection with Dom Cobb. He nodded and agreed, "No problem."
But that wasn't all. Nolan added, "The set is a work environment. I need you to create an atmosphere of Dom Cobb in your personal life as well and start thinking of yourself as Dom Cobb."
This posed a bit of a problem for Matthew. He wasn't just an actor—he had other responsibilities that couldn't be ignored. He couldn't afford to hide away for the next six months pretending to be Dom Cobb and neglecting his other work.
Seeing Matthew's hesitation, Nolan guessed his concerns. After all, he wasn't just a director; he also had his own production company.
"I'm not asking you to immerse yourself in Dom Cobb entirely," Nolan clarified, understanding that such a thing was impossible. "But in your life outside of work, I need you to take some time to build a strong emotional connection with Dom Cobb."
He spoke more slowly, "The crew will soon sign an actress to play Cobb's wife. I hope you'll have enough communication with her to create the atmosphere of Dom Cobb and his wife in your daily life."
"I'll try," Matthew said, then asked, "Can you tell me who's playing Mal?"
"Anne Hathaway," Nolan replied directly. "The crew is currently negotiating her contract."
Wasn't the original actress someone else? Matthew wondered but didn't say anything. After all, Nolan had worked with Anne Hathaway before, notably in The Dark Knight Rises, where she played Catwoman, Selina Kyle.
Suddenly, Nolan stood up and extended his right hand.
Matthew quickly stood up and shook Nolan's hand.
"I'm very glad you're joining the team," Nolan said, "Mr. Dom Cobb."
Matthew's face remained serious, his expression somber. "It's an honor."
Since Nolan was already treating him as Dom Cobb, Matthew knew he had to start embodying Cobb's character.
Dom Cobb was a character with a notably brooding demeanor. In Matthew's understanding, Inception was a complex, intelligent action film, and Dom Cobb was a character burdened by dark, increasingly unbearable secrets. During their discussions, Nolan had repeatedly mentioned adding more layers of darkness to the character.
Nolan checked his watch. "I have a casting session to attend this morning. The time is just about right. Feel free to look around the set; I need to head to the audition room."
Matthew's brow furrowed as if weighed down by unresolved worries. He waved nonchalantly. "Go ahead."
"Goodbye, Mr. Cobb," Nolan said, then left the office. On his way to the audition room, he told his assistant, "Let everyone know that from today onwards, the entire crew should address Matthew Horner as Dom Cobb."
Matthew left the office and wandered around the soundstage, examining the other set pieces before heading to a smaller studio across the street, where the crew was holding auditions.
As he reached the studio entrance, two women—one tall, one short—walked out.
Recognizing the taller woman, Matthew greeted her. "Good morning, Julia."
The two women noticed him as well. The taller woman stopped first, smiling as she responded, "Good morning, Matthew."
The taller woman was Julia Roberts. Matthew had met her at various events. The shorter woman, noticeably younger—around seventeen or eighteen—bore a resemblance to Julia Roberts but had more delicate features.
Matthew recalled some of the industry gossip and guessed that this girl was likely Julia Roberts' niece.
However, he didn't say much since they weren't close. After exchanging a few pleasantries with Julia Roberts, he entered the studio.
In just a few words, he learned that Julia Roberts was there to accompany her niece, Emma Roberts, for her audition for the role of Ariadne.
"Julia Roberts personally accompanying her niece to the audition—she must be determined to get the role," Matthew muttered as he walked into the studio. Then he asked one of the staff members for directions and headed to the area where the male supporting roles were being cast. James McAvoy was also there for an audition today.
As he turned into a corridor, a fellow actor rushed past him.
Matthew's sharp eyes recognized him, and he raised an eyebrow, calling out, "Tom!"
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