The richest actor in Hollywood.

After the Independence Day holiday ended, the buzz surrounding *Hancock* began to noticeably decline. On Monday, the first workday of the week, the daily box office dropped below $10 million, finishing at $9.8 million. Tuesday saw a slight improvement, bringing in $10.2 million, but by Wednesday, it fell below $10 million again, earning just $8.9 million. According to CinemaScore, the film received a B+ rating from audiences, with most predicting that the North American box office would ultimately settle around $300 million.

Most mainstream media outlets had a surprisingly consistent view of *Hancock*'s box office success.

"This is the power of a major star at the box office! Matthew Horner single-handedly carried *Hancock*!"

—*Los Angeles Times*

"*WALL-E* was significantly impacted, with a box office drop that exceeded expectations. The quality of *Hancock* itself is average at best, but Matthew Horner's commercial appeal is just too strong!"

—*The New York Times*

"Matthew Horner should demand a raise from Warner Bros. and the *Hancock* production team because the movie's box office success is almost entirely due to him."

—*New York Post*

"Matthew Horner is definitely the kind of actor that every movie studio and director loves—just his name alone can guarantee a box office hit, and it doesn't even matter what the movie is about!"

—*Vanity Fair*

*Hancock* was about to enter its second weekend, and the real competition this weekend would come from *Mamma Mia!*, starring Amanda Seyfried and Meryl Streep. 

This would also be the last weekend Warner Bros. would put significant promotional effort into *Hancock* because starting next week, the studio would shift its primary marketing focus to Christopher Nolan's *The Dark Knight*.

*The Dark Knight* was universally acknowledged as the most anticipated film of the summer. Warner Bros. and the production team had done a lot to capitalize on Heath Ledger's tragic death, and the resulting shock combined with a massive promotional campaign had led to countless fans organizing tributes to Heath Ledger even before the film's release.

A star actor in Hollywood is a powerful marketing tool when alive, and an even more potent one when they pass away.

Matthew could already guess the impact *The Dark Knight* would have when it was released next weekend, so he was making the most of the time he had left to promote *Hancock*.

This week, he was far from idle, appearing in public and in the media with incredible frequency.

On Monday night, Horner Estate hosted a grand party. Matthew entertained friends like Johnny Depp, Keira Knightley, Charlize Theron, and Michael Fassbender, as well as executives from Warner Bros., Universal Pictures, and Walt Disney.

On Tuesday, he visited a medical center in Los Angeles that specialized in pediatric leukemia, where, on behalf of the Matthew Horner Foundation for Women and Children, he donated $1.5 million to the center and the dozens of children receiving treatment there.

On Wednesday, Matthew participated in a women's rights march in Los Angeles alongside other Hollywood stars and gave a speech at the post-march rally, calling for society to genuinely elevate the status of women and protect their legal rights.

That same evening, the Matthew Horner Refugee Foundation announced via its official Twitter account that it would be raising over $3 million in funds and supplies for African refugees, drawing considerable attention and garnering tens of thousands of dollars in donations overnight.

On Thursday, he was preparing to attend a live interview event.

The event was organized by TMZ, and it was their first attempt at such an event, directly overseen by Elena Boyar.

As a longtime friend and collaborator, Matthew accepted Elena Boyar's invitation for the interview without hesitation.

Of course, the interview couldn't be too gossipy.

In the green room next to the online interview studio, Elena Boyar, with her tall frame, paced around Matthew as they discussed the interview content. "That's basically it."

They had just gone over the general outline of the interview, and Matthew pointed to his forehead. "Got it all memorized."

Since there was no one else in the room, just the two of them, Elena Boyar spoke freely as she paced back and forth. "Helen's packaging of you is simply perfect."

"Perfect? Of course not, I don't need to be perfect," Matthew said, raising a hand to point at her. "Elena, can you stop pacing? You're making me dizzy."

Elena Boyar pulled out a chair and sat down across from Matthew. "I've been keeping an eye on your schedule this past week. Children, women, African-Americans—you've covered them all."

Matthew showed no shame. "I'm dedicated to the rights of children and women and tirelessly advocate for democracy, freedom, and equality."

"Give me a break," Elena Boyar rolled her eyes and made a mock gagging gesture. "Do we really need to talk like this when it's just the two of us?"

Matthew shrugged but didn't deny it.

Elena Boyar continued, "If you weren't Mercedes-Benz's top spokesperson, would you also be planning to become an environmental warrior?"

"I don't want to steal Leonardo DiCaprio's thunder," Matthew joked.

Everyone in Hollywood knew that Leonardo DiCaprio was the industry's leading environmentalist.

At this point, the titles and branding Matthew had were more than enough. Having too many would become a hassle, as there's only so much one person can handle.

"The live show is about to start," Elena Boyar said, getting up and heading toward the interview studio.

Matthew followed her and waited in the staging area at the entrance to the studio, ready to make his entrance.

When the time came, the director gave the signal, and the live interview officially began.

However, Matthew didn't go on immediately. Instead, TMZ had a female host named Julie Worster start by introducing him.

TMZ had prepared quite a few compliments for Matthew this time.

"*Time* magazine describes Matthew Horner's acting career as both dazzling and gentle; *Forbes* magazine calls him 'the last true movie star'; over the years, no matter how much action he commands on-screen, Matthew always maintains a down-to-earth demeanor off-screen. In the face of overwhelming fan support, this national icon is always graceful and courteous, enveloping everyone in his charm."

As Julie Worster spoke confidently to the camera, Matthew found himself wondering if this person she was describing was really him.

"In 2007, *Newsweek* named Matthew as 'Hollywood's Most Powerful Actor.' He once joked that he wanted to become the President of the United States within ten years and become the 'most powerful person in the world.' Although it seemed like a wild claim at the time, we think it's not out of the realm of possibility..."

At this point, Julie Worster pointed towards Matthew, raising her voice, "He's tall, handsome, humorous, and charming—a classic tall, rich, and heartthrob figure. When he was young and ambitious, he vowed to become 'the greatest movie star in the world'—and we think he did it."

"Please welcome... Matthew Horner!"

With Julie Worster's words, Matthew strode onto the set, first shaking hands with her and then waving and smiling at the camera before sitting down in a plush armchair.

The studio's setup was very simple: besides TMZ's backdrop, there were just two armchairs and a small glass coffee table in between.

Julie Worster sat in the armchair opposite Matthew.

"Matthew, thank you for agreeing to this interview," she said with a smile.

"It's my pleasure," Matthew responded politely. "Thank you, TMZ, for giving me this opportunity."

Julie Worster followed the plan. "We all know you have many major film projects in the works. After *Hancock*, do you have any other movies coming out?"

"*Hancock* was actually filmed last year," Matthew began, emphasizing the current movie, then moved on to mention his future projects. "After this film, the next movie I'm starring in will be *Fast & Furious 4*, set to be released next summer. However, this Thanksgiving, a movie I've invested in will be released—*Twilight*, based on the bestselling novel by Stephenie Meyer."

"What role did you play in this film?" Julie Worster asked, keeping the conversation flowing.

"I'm one of the producers," Matthew answered honestly.

Julie Worster then asked, "Matthew, I'm curious. You have experience both as an actor and a producer. On set, how do you communicate with the director? Does it ever feel like you're the Michael Jordan of the film?"

"I believe the most important thing when making a film is to assemble a great team," Matthew said, deftly avoiding the basketball analogy since he knew nothing about the sport. "To make a successful film, you need thousands of people involved. So, when it comes to communicating with the director, my job is simply to deliver the best version of myself and to meet the director and script's expectations in any way necessary."

"Your films have become a part of global pop culture," Julie Worster said, offering praise before asking, "How do your films manage to transcend cultural boundaries and resonate with audiences from different countries and backgrounds?"

Matthew adopted a thoughtful expression and said seriously, "I believe that's something I've always tried to explore in my films. I've always been searching for an idea, something simple and fundamental, rooted in the most basic human emotions. I hope to use this concept to break down the barriers of race, nation, and continent. I think this is a universal need, something that resonates within every human heart."

"Now that *Hancock* is a box office hit," Julie Worster asked, "we know that filmmaking is a risky business. But looking at your track record, you've

 exceeded every standard, with every film being a blockbuster. What's your secret?"

_________________________

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