Stuck between the two walls and unable to squeeze through quickly, Matthew realized that if he were really in Dom Cobb's situation, he'd likely be crying out in frustration. Fortunately, this was a movie, and even though this sudden mishap occurred, filming could still continue.
Matthew tugged at his suit jacket while trying to push forward. He had run like a rabbit earlier, leaving the other actors far behind, so they weren't going to catch up in just a few seconds.
Christopher Nolan noticed Matthew's predicament. Any other director might have called for a cut at this point, but Nolan didn't want to break the long take that had gone so well so far. He looked at Michael Fassbender, standing nearby, and immediately had an idea.
"Michael, get in there," Nolan said quietly. "Hurry."
With time limited, Nolan couldn't explain too much, but Michael Fassbender had been watching the scene unfold and quickly grasped Nolan's intention. He rushed onto the set and approached the narrow gap in the wall.
He extended a hand just in time.
Matthew, still struggling to move forward, was having a hard time because there was no way to take off the thick suit jacket in such a tight space. When he saw Michael Fassbender's hand, he grabbed it without a second thought.
With a strong pull from Michael, and a loud ripping sound, Matthew finally squeezed through the gap.
He stumbled out just as two actors playing assassins reached the other side of the gap.
With Michael Fassbender entering the scene, the direction of the shoot veered into uncharted territory.
Christopher Nolan didn't intervene; this part of the scene had deviated from the script, and now it was up to the actors to improvise.
A black Mercedes-Benz pulled up in front of Matthew, and the door on his side opened from the inside.
"Get in!" Ken Watanabe, inside the car, called out to Matthew.
Without hesitation, Matthew ran toward the car and shouted to Michael Fassbender, "Eames, get in!"
Michael Fassbender was right behind him, opening the passenger door and sliding in. The Mercedes' doors shut, and the car sped off.
"Cut!" Christopher Nolan called, halting the scene. When the car stopped, Matthew and Michael Fassbender stepped out, with Matthew calling out, "Great job!"
Matthew glanced down at his suit jacket. It had ripped in two places, one button had fallen off, and the whole thing was covered in dirt.
He quickly took off the jacket because of the heat.
"See, you got stuck, didn't you?" Michael Fassbender approached him with a shark-like grin. "If it wasn't for me, we'd have had to call a demolition crew."
Matthew shrugged, "As thanks, I'll treat you tonight."
Michael Fassbender gave him a wink and lowered his voice. "I know a good bar, lots of ladies there. Those African beauties really like Hollywood actors."
"No thanks," Matthew shook his head. "Michael, this is Africa—AIDS is rampant here."
Michael Fassbender persisted, "You should at least try one of those African beauties. It's a unique experience."
Matthew had heard this from him before and was briefly tempted. But he eventually decided it wasn't worth it, given that he didn't particularly like that type.
He handed his torn suit jacket to the wardrobe assistant. Michael Fassbender did the same, removing his own jacket, as both of them had shirts that were almost soaked through from the heat.
"Nolan always loves suits," Michael Fassbender remarked in a low voice. "Every significant character has to wear one, even Eames, a guy who operates in Africa."
Matthew nodded in agreement. "It's a trademark of his films. I think it's a personal preference of Nolan's."
In preparation for his role as Dom Cobb, Matthew had studied Nolan's films since Batman Begins. The characters almost always wore suits. Bruce Wayne was in a suit whenever he wasn't Batman, Ra's al Ghul was impeccably dressed, and even the magicians in The Prestige were portrayed as British gentlemen. Even the Joker wore a tattered suit.
It had become a common element in Nolan's films.
As the crew prepared for the next location, Matthew and Michael Fassbender boarded the same Mercedes, grateful for the cool air conditioning.
"Mercedes is really sticking with you, huh?" Michael adjusted the air vent and said, "You always see their sponsorship in your films."
Matthew replied casually, "It's mostly because they've had a good couple of years."
Michael Fassbender added, "There's talk in the industry that Mercedes found their perfect ambassador."
"That's a bit of an exaggeration," Matthew said, showing rare humility.
Since last year, other car brands had approached Helen Herman to try to lure him away from Mercedes, including the British off-road brand Land Rover.
But Matthew had turned them all down. First, he still had a contract with Mercedes, and it hadn't expired. Second, brands like Land Rover didn't fit his image.
In the last couple of years, Matthew had signed deals with Armani, Mercedes-Benz, and Rolex, but he hadn't taken on any new endorsements. The main reason was that there hadn't been any suitable offers.
Low-end brands didn't interest either him or Helen, and the right opportunities for high-end brands hadn't come along yet.
The crew's convoy wound through the narrow streets of Ouarzazate, soon leaving Atlas Studios and heading along the valley roads of the Atlas Mountains. Their driver, an American who had worked in Morocco for years, pointed out various locations along the way, noting which films had been shot there.
The landscape outside the window was stunning. Yellow villages, red deserts, and white-capped mountains combined with the legendary film stories that had been filmed there, creating an air of mystery.
The unique terrain of yellow soil, jagged rocks, slow-moving streams, and deep valleys gave the area an epic cinematic quality.
As they traveled to the next location, which was a bit farther from Atlas Studios, Michael Fassbender turned the conversation to work.
"Matthew, there's something work-related I've been meaning to ask about..." Michael seemed hesitant. "I'm not sure what to do."
"Go ahead," Matthew said, sensing that Michael was looking for advice.
After a moment of hesitation, Michael said, "20th Century Fox has a project. My agent and James' agent got us audition opportunities. We went to the audition a while back, and even though the film won't start shooting until next year, both James and I are pretty sure we've secured the roles."
Curious, Matthew asked, "What project?"
"A superhero movie," Michael answered. "It's a Marvel superhero film, X-Men."
He went on to explain, "I'm pretty much confirmed for Magneto, and James is set to play Professor X."
Matthew nodded. "Is Fox continuing the X-Men trilogy, or is it a reboot?"
"It's a reboot," Michael explained. "The focus is on younger versions of Professor X, Magneto, and Mystique, telling the story of their early years."
"I see," Matthew recalled vaguely having seen a few rebooted X-Men films. If he remembered correctly, they had been quite successful. But superhero films were tricky. After thinking for a moment, he said, "The X-Men series is incredibly popular. In Marvel's comic universe, they're one of the most beloved groups of heroes. If the movie has a good story and a good director, it has a high chance of success."
"The director is the one who did the first two X-Men movies," Michael added.
"Taking on a superhero role has both pros and cons," Matthew said directly. "If the movie is a hit, you'll become a real star. You'll have no shortage of roles and higher pay."
Then he added the downside. "But superhero roles can really limit an actor's image. You could end up being forever tied to Magneto, like Hugh Jackman with Wolverine—he is Wolverine, and Wolverine is him."
Michael frowned slightly. That was a concern he couldn't ignore.
Matthew sighed lightly. "I can only offer you the pros and cons as an outsider. Ultimately, it's up to you to make the decision."
"I understand," Michael nodded. "I'll think about it carefully."
Matthew didn't push further. He had only given this much advice because it was Michael Fassbender. For most other people, he wouldn't have said as much.
The era of superhero movies was already upon them, and landing a superhero role had become the fastest path to stardom. Actors like Michael Fassbender, with years of experience, would fare better. But for those without the same foundation, even if a superhero role catapulted them to fame, they wouldn't have much of a career outside that role.
Soon, the convoy arrived at a village nestled in the Atlas Mountains, stopping in front of a sprawling shantytown. The cast exited the vehicles and headed into the makeup trailers to prepare for the next scene.
The shoot in Morocco didn't last long—just a week—before the Inception crew moved on to London. But Matthew stayed behind, accompanied by his bodyguards, including Brown and Williams, as he traveled to Nairobi, Kenya, to join a United Nations team.
This time, it wasn't just the UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) team. A large contingent from UNICEF (United Nations Children's Fund) was also present.
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