Matthew knew just how famous Britney Spears was, so he was a little surprised Helen managed to land him an audition for her music video—especially for the male lead role.
To be honest, he'd been a nobody before coming here, and he was still a nobody now. His mindset hadn't really changed.
"You're auditioning for Britney Spears' music video?"
Elena Boyar asked tentatively after seeing him put away his phone. "And you're going for the male lead?"
Matthew didn't deny it—he knew she'd overheard the call. "Yeah. I'm going in tomorrow."
Elena glanced toward the heavily guarded gates of the estate. Suddenly, she wasn't interested in the British actors behind those walls anymore. Compared to someone like Britney Spears, who was skyrocketing in fame and constantly in the spotlight, those actors were just tabloid filler. If she could get her hands on some exclusive scoop about Britney Spears, what was the point of hanging around here?
Her mind was spinning. She thought back to her conversations with Matthew. He had mentioned his agent had solid connections, and now it really looked like it.
Elena Boyar had a temper, sure—but she was also sharp. She worked in the heart of the Hollywood industry and knew full well: for a part-time actor like Matthew to land an audition of this level, his agent had to be someone with serious pull. Hell, the role might already be unofficially his.
She crossed her arms over her legs and tapped her fingers against her knuckles, thinking for a moment before speaking. "Britney's at the height of her fame right now. I bet every guy in town wants to be the lead in her video."
Matthew wasn't sure what she was getting at, so he just watched her quietly.
"But for you, this is a golden opportunity." She stopped tapping. "Britney is red-hot. Anyone connected to her instantly gets attention."
He nodded. That much was true—even if he didn't know what she was after yet.
Elena started speaking like they were old friends. "Matthew, you've gotta grab hold of chances like this."
Given her background, Matthew had a feeling she was leading up to something. He stayed alert, but kept his face blank. "I know, but how am I supposed to grab it? I don't know the director or the producers, and I've never even met Britney Spears."
"You just need to get a few good photos with her during the shoot," Elena said earnestly. "Then give them to me. I'll write a piece and get it published—say you're the male lead in her MV… or even better, her boyfriend. That'll get you noticed. You'll be famous overnight!"
"So… hype?" Matthew understood now. "Getting famous through hype…"
Elena propped her arms up. "Matthew, which celebrity hasn't used hype to get ahead? Most of them were hyped into stardom."
Matthew frowned, thinking it over. Sure, it might work—but it didn't feel like the right way to do it. Even if Britney herself was a little naïve, her record label and management wouldn't just sit by and let some random guy use her for publicity.
And Elena hadn't mentioned what she wanted in return yet.
"You're saying all this…" Matthew asked suddenly, "You're not doing it out of the goodness of your heart, are you?"
Elena shrugged, totally unfazed. "Think of it as an investment. I believe you've got star potential. When you make it big, just toss me the occasional exclusive scoop. That'll be more than enough for me."
Matthew didn't buy it. "That's it?"
"Well, there's one more small thing." Elena finally showed her hand. "While you're on set, snap a few photos of Britney Spears for me—preferably without makeup. Something unique, interesting… you get the idea."
She added, "And if you hear or see anything juicy—something worth reporting—be sure to let me know."
Matthew didn't answer right away. He paused, then said, "So basically… you want me to be your inside source?"
"More or less." Elena didn't even bother denying it. "We help each other."
She made it sound casual, but Matthew wasn't so sure. If he screwed this up, it could kill his career in Hollywood before it even started. He didn't have a clear picture in his head, but something told him this wasn't like striking a deal with Angelina Jolie. If word got out he was sneaking around, feeding gossip to a tabloid journalist, the whole industry might turn its back on him.
Still, he didn't say no outright.
Elena handed him a business card. "Here. Think about it, and call me if you decide to go for it."
Matthew took the card without hesitation.
"See you around," she said, waving goodbye and miming a phone call. "We'll be in touch."
She stepped out of the Ford van, no longer interested in Johnny Lee Miller's party, and drove off in her yellow Chevy. Apparently, the wild celebrity bash had completely lost its appeal.
Watching the car disappear, Matthew turned his attention to the card in his hand. It only had Elena Boyar's name and a phone number. He tucked it into his wallet.
Of course he wasn't dumb enough to sneak around taking pictures of Britney Spears—especially not anything sensitive.
But this journalist… might be useful.
Elena's words got him thinking. Back when smartphones were everywhere and gossip apps pushed updates nonstop, he'd seen plenty of stories—about domestic and international celebs alike. Big names like Tom Cruise and Britney Spears were frequent topics.
Some of it was obviously fake, but the rumors that spread the widest usually had some truth behind them. Could he use that to his advantage?
Take Britney Spears, for example. He remembered reading about her wild phase—shaving her head, getting married and divorced in a flash, smashing a car, and constantly feuding with some other pop star.
What was that rival's name again? He couldn't recall exactly. Something with "Na" and "Ara"… He remembered they'd both been part of the Mickey Mouse Club as kids.
He'd look it up later. That other singer was a huge star too.
The real question was—how could he use that info to his advantage?
Taking Elena's card didn't mean he had to act on it. It just kept the option open.
Thanks to that conversation, Matthew wasn't feeling sleepy at all. He pulled out his secondhand Nokia to pass the time. It had no entertainment features, no 4G, no social media apps…
Network? Social media? He tapped his head, trying to remember. Back then, internet influencers had a lot of sway. Maybe that was something he could tap into?
Real-time messaging apps didn't exist yet, but blogs… weren't blogs invented in the U.S.? Maybe they already existed. He'd have to check when he had time.
Ever since arriving here, he'd been too busy to even get online.
Cars kept pulling into the estate across the street—another Hollywood party was starting.
Matthew had been doing this job long enough that he was used to it now. He didn't get jealous or bitter anymore. With nothing else to do, he lowered the back seat and lay down to get some rest. After all, tomorrow was a big day—the audition.