Winona Ryder recognized the man instantly—he was the one she saw in the hallway earlier that afternoon. Her assistant's comments came to mind, and she instinctively turned to look at Angelina Jolie. Jolie, too, was staring right back at her, undisguised disdain in her eyes. The sharp gazes clashed in the air, sparks practically flying.
"Bitch!"
That exact word sprang into both Winona Ryder and Angelina Jolie's minds simultaneously.
Standing directly across from Winona Ryder, Matthew caught everything—both the tension and the whispered insults. He could tell that this conflict between the two actresses was only going to escalate.
Then, Winona Ryder's gaze suddenly shifted back to him, and Matthew had a bad feeling.
She glanced at Matthew, then turned back to Angelina Jolie with a glimmer of suspicion. Rumors were flying around the industry about Jolie divorcing Johnny Lee Miller. Could there be a third party involved?
Her gaze locked on Matthew again. Given Jolie's notoriously wild behavior, it seemed all too plausible.
"James!" she called out.
James Mangold, who had been in conversation with the cinematographer, looked up at her. "Yes?"
Winona Ryder nodded slightly and walked over. Pointing at Matthew, she said, "Replace that actor."
Normally, the director had absolute authority on set, but James Mangold knew the reality—Winona Ryder was the producer. Her power far exceeded his. He didn't even have a say in post-production. Here, he was just a shooting supervisor.
"This..." Mangold hesitated. The sets had already been prepared.
Matthew, listening from a distance, could clearly hear them. He turned toward his agent, Dennis Kurt, with pleading eyes. This was his first time on set. Was he really going to be kicked off just like that?
Dennis Kurt, standing just outside the set, had heard it all. He quickly stepped back, hiding behind a crew member. It was clear that Winona Ryder had it out for that idiot Matthew, and Kurt had no intention of getting caught in the crossfire.
He knew the hierarchy on this set. Aside from Georgia Kincaid, a rarely present producer, Winona Ryder was the one calling all the shots.
Offend someone like her over a no-name extra? He wasn't that dumb.
Ignoring Matthew's pleading gaze, Dennis Kurt began considering an early exit. As for Matthew—let the guy fend for himself.
Seeing his agent retreat, Matthew realized he was on his own. He turned his gaze toward Angelina Jolie. Given her bad blood with Winona Ryder, would she speak up for him?
Sitting on the long sofa, Jolie glanced toward Ryder's direction, her displeasure written plainly on her face.
She didn't know why Ryder had made such a sudden demand, but it felt personal. She could even feel Matthew's silent cry for help.
Still, she did nothing.
Yes, she hated Ryder. But stir up more conflict over a small-time driver? Not worth it.
She had already given him a shot—a verbal agreement. The rest was just bad luck.
"I'm the lead actress."
Winona Ryder's voice carried conviction. To avoid appearing petty, she pointed to Matthew and gave a strong reason: "Putting such a handsome orderly behind me will distract the audience."
That was a solid excuse. No one could argue with the lead actress's right to protect her screen presence.
"You, come here," James Mangold called out to Matthew. "You're off this scene."
Matthew wanted to resist—every fiber of his being protested—but he had no say. No one cared about how a nobody felt. He had no choice but to leave the set.
Winona whispered a few more words to Mangold, then walked in. She cast one more look at Angelina Jolie, whose expression had darkened considerably.
As filming resumed, Matthew stood alone, now a bystander. The crew members kept their distance, and no one told him what to do next.
"Is this Hollywood?"
Matthew chuckled bitterly. No wonder they said the entertainment world was all about power plays. He finally understood.
Anyone else might've just walked away. But Matthew, hardened by hardship since childhood, wasn't so easy to break. He could bow for survival—but never break.
No one said he had to leave, but no one acknowledged his presence either. So he stayed, watching from the sidelines, eyes locked on Winona Ryder, thinking hard about how to turn the tide.
He wouldn't walk away after finally getting his foot in the door. Not like this.
As filming continued in fits and starts, he observed Ryder regularly conferring with the director. Jolie, meanwhile, followed instructions like any regular cast member.
Their on-set status was crystal clear.
But when the cameras rolled, the contrast flipped. Ryder's acting was average. Jolie, on the other hand, exuded emotional power. Even as a non-expert, Matthew could see it.
Though Ryder's looks aligned more with his personal tastes, it was Jolie who drew the eye. That alone said something.
It also made him think about something Jolie had said earlier—about Ryder cutting her screen time.
But if Ryder was this powerful, why was Jolie cast as the second lead?
Then he remembered—Dennis Kurt had mentioned the film was backed by Sony Columbia Pictures and another producer, likely the ones who had insisted on casting Jolie.
The afternoon passed quickly. Aside from bathroom breaks, Matthew stood in the same spot, forgotten by all.
"Cut!" James Mangold called out. "That's a wrap for the day."
He gathered the main cast for a quick meeting about tomorrow's scenes, while others began packing up.
"What?!"
Angelina Jolie's furious voice echoed through the set. "Two of my scenes are canceled tomorrow? Why?"
"It's for the film's overall needs..." Mangold began.
Jolie wasn't buying it. She turned sharply toward Ryder. "You cut my scenes?!"
Ryder's tone was ice-cold. "Just normal shooting adjustments."
Everyone looked over. No one seemed surprised. This clearly wasn't the first time.
Matthew watched and thought furiously.
"I'm calling Georgia Kincaid!" Jolie snapped. "And Sony Columbia! They'll hear about this!"
Ryder didn't flinch. "Go ahead. Call whoever you want."
Then she turned to Mangold. "Follow the new schedule tomorrow."
Jolie looked ready to explode, but she had nowhere to channel her fury. Ryder was blatantly bullying her, and she had no counterattack.
"Let's go," Jolie barked at her assistant and stormed off to the makeup room.
Matthew didn't move. He looked from Ryder to Jolie, torn.
He was sure he'd found an opportunity—but who should he approach?
Neither option was without risk. But he was at the bottom of the food chain, with nothing to lose. If he didn't take a gamble, he might never get another shot.
Today had shown him how rare and precious chances really were.
He thought for two minutes—and made his decision.
In his limited memory of Hollywood, Angelina Jolie had an illustrious future. As for Winona Ryder, all he remembered was that she used to date Captain Jack Sparrow. He couldn't even recall her face.
"Looks like I'll have to become one of the opportunists, too."
With a sigh, Matthew turned and headed in the direction Jolie had gone.