The Best Movie Actor In Hollywood! Chapter 57

After lunch, Matthew flew back to Los Angeles. Early the next morning, he packed his bags, reported to Warner Studios, and joined the other actors who had made the cut. Together, they boarded a chartered plane bound for London and the set of Band of Brothers.

During the flight, he got to know several of his castmates.

Since they were all relatively unknown actors with their roles already assigned, the atmosphere was free of competition. Far from home and heading to the UK for a long shoot, the young men were eager to connect. An outgoing person like Matthew naturally fell into easy conversation and started making friends.

Matthew hit it off with a few guys who seemed like good people, among them Michael Cudlitz, Eion Bailey, and Doug Allen.

He didn't get a chance to mingle with the production's heavyweights, of course, as they were all comfortably seated in first class.

Matthew did learn, however, that some of the principal cast members wouldn't be joining them for the initial training. He also found out that in addition to the actors who had auditioned in Los Angeles, the cast would include several British actors.

With most of the filming taking place in the UK, it was only natural that there would be a strong British presence in the cast.

The lead role of Richard Winters, rumor had it, was going to the British actor Damian Lewis.

Upon their arrival in London, the production team arranged accommodations for the cast and crew from North America. Since the primary filming location was Hatfield Airport, just outside the city, they were put up in a conveniently located hotel. As stipulated in his contract, Matthew was given a single room.

After getting their room assignments and grabbing a quick lunch, the group left the hotel and headed for Hatfield Airport, their new home for the foreseeable future.

It was an old, long-defunct airfield, but its military facilities had been well-preserved, making it a popular filming location for British and American productions, especially those centered on World War II and military themes.

Steven Spielberg himself had used the airport to film many of the inland battle scenes for Saving Private Ryan.

Another key advantage was the high, military-grade iron fence surrounding the property. It made the airfield almost completely sealed off, save for a few exits, which would significantly cut down on any potential media intrusion.

The hotel was within walking distance of a temporary entrance to the airfield. The entrance itself was narrow, with a boom barrier to control vehicle access. The barrier was currently raised as high as it would go, leaving just enough clearance for a medium-sized truck to pass through.

Once inside the airfield, they made their way to a training ground on the left, where the contingent of British actors was already waiting.

There was no training scheduled for that day; the main purpose was for everyone to get familiar with the location and with each other.

As they walked across the vast airfield, Matthew struck up a conversation with the assistant producer leading their group, observing his surroundings and gathering quite a bit of useful information.

Hatfield Airport offered more than just office space for the production team. A massive, empty hangar was available for building interior sets, and its more than 1,000 acres of open land were perfect for recreating the eleven different outdoor locations required by the script—cities, wilderness, and forests, including settings like Bastogne in Belgium, Eindhoven in the Netherlands, and Carentan in France.

This meant that the vast majority of filming would take place right here at Hatfield Airport.

The tall, powerfully built Michael Cudlitz walked over to Matthew. "Learn anything interesting?" he asked.

Matthew hugged his arms to his chest. "Looks like we'll be spending the next few months right here," he said.

It was early November, and London was already cold. Coming from sunny Los Angeles, Matthew was clearly feeling the chill.

He glanced up at the overcast sky—no sun in sight. He blew into his cupped hands, and the puff of white vapor confirmed his suspicion: the temperature was already below freezing.

A month and a half of training in this weather wasn't going to be easy. Fortunately, he had prepared for it before he left.

When the group of a dozen or so American actors arrived at the training ground, Matthew saw that about a dozen British actors were already there. Perhaps it was the chill in the air, but many of them wore impatient expressions.

"You're late," a woman in her thirties announced, her sharp British accent cutting through the air in an unpleasantly high pitch. She was addressing the assistant producer who had led them there. He just shrugged helplessly. "Sorry, Kate. Blame the flight."

The woman, who Matthew gathered was another assistant producer, had an air of arrogance about her. "We've been waiting here for fifteen minutes. You could have shown a little hustle."

"Mr. Goetzman's coming."

Someone called out, and the unpleasant woman reluctantly fell silent.

Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg wouldn't be managing the production's day-to-day operations. The man actually in charge of the daily grind was producer Gary Goetzman.

Accompanying Goetzman was another man.

He was as tall and powerfully built as Michael Cudlitz and carried himself like a career soldier.

Matthew guessed immediately that this must be their military instructor.

Helen had mentioned before he left that they were hiring professionals to run the boot camp.

The word was that before filming Saving Private Ryan, the principal cast, including Tom Hanks, had undergone intensive, specialized training. It covered not only physical conditioning and weapons handling but also WWII-era military tactics, including coded language and hand signals—all studied systematically.

Epic productions like this, especially ones with such a serious and historical subject matter, couldn't afford to be sloppy with the details.

"Welcome to Great Britain!" Goetzman stood before the assembled actors and declared. "And welcome to Band of Brothers!"

He introduced the tall man beside him. "This is Tom West. He's a recently retired officer from the Royal Marines with extensive experience in military training. For the next month, he'll be in charge of your boot camp."

Goetzman gestured for him to speak, and Tom West stepped forward, clasping his hands behind his back. His face was a cold mask. "Tomorrow morning, you'll receive a detailed training schedule," he said, his voice flat. "You will undergo the same rigorous training as a Royal Marine recruit. I guarantee that by the end of it, you will be proficient soldiers."

He had nothing more to add and stepped back. Goetzman then offered a few more words of encouragement, a standard morale-boosting speech, and assured the cast that the production would handle all their logistical needs.

No one doubted him. Hollywood ran on established systems, and everyone followed the rules. The cast was made up of union actors, and if any disputes arose, the Screen Actors Guild could create a world of trouble for the production.

After more than half a year in Hollywood, Matthew knew that the unions weren't just for show. The major guilds periodically organized strikes or engaged in standoffs with the Big Six studios, always fighting to secure better benefits for their members.

Next, the two assistant producers led the actors on a tour of the facilities. In addition to the training ground, they were shown several dressing rooms that had been set up in the airport's original dormitory building, fully stocked with all the necessary equipment. Closest to the dormitory building stood an old airport warehouse.

The warehouse was enormous, partitioned into several rooms where some of the production's costumes and props were already being stored.

These items would only be needed once filming began, however, so for now, the warehouse remained locked and unattended.

After the tour of Hatfield Airport, they collected their training gear and stored it in their assigned lockers in the dressing rooms.

...

Back at the airfield's entrance, the woman named Kate walked over to a Land Rover and slid into the driver's seat. She waited for a moment until the tall figure of Tom West approached, opened the passenger door, and got in.

"Kate, didn't I tell you?" West's voice was much softer now, losing its earlier icy edge. "We need to keep a low profile on set."

"What's there to be afraid of?" Kate retorted, starting the engine. "We're just friends."

The Land Rover sped off, not slowing as it navigated the narrow exit from the airfield. "Any new orders from the producer?" Kate asked.

Tom West's relationship with Kate was clearly not just professional. "The orders are to make sure the actors are ready for filming in a month," he said. "And to see that none of them get injured."

He offered a cold smile. "And I fully intend to carry out that order."

As the car pulled away from the airfield, Tom suddenly asked, "Are you coming over tonight?"

"No." Kate shook her head. "Tomorrow."

Tom looked a little disappointed. Kate just smiled. "We could always find a spot at the airfield during a training break. I had a look around today. It's huge and practically deserted. There are places where you won't see a soul."

Tom didn't reply, but he gave a slow nod.

...

Back at the hotel, Matthew had dinner with a couple of the other American actors. After a bit more conversation, he calculated the time difference back home, then excused himself to return to his room and call Britney.

"Hey, Matthew!"

He could hear the happiness in Britney's voice. "I'm in London," he told her.

Britney's tone turned concerned. "Are you staying somewhere nice? If not—"

She was cut off by the voice of another woman in the background. "Miss Spears, it's time for rehearsal!"

Knowing she had to prepare for next year's world tour, Matthew said, "Go on. I'll call you later."

"I'm sorry, Matthew," Britney said, her voice full of apology.

"It's fine," Matthew reassured her. "Go rehearse."

He hung up the phone and turned to his usual routine. Just because he was in England didn't mean he'd stop keeping up with the news. After he'd finished his reading and other planned tasks, he took a shower.

With a full day of training ahead, Matthew went to bed. He woke early the next morning to a text from Britney, sent a quick reply, and got ready. On his way down for breakfast, he ran into Michael Cudlitz, and the two of them headed over to the airfield together.

They were just approaching the airfield entrance when a Land Rover roared up behind them.