The richest actor in Hollywood.

The sun hung in the clear sky, illuminating the entire glacier, while snowflakes drifted down from the sky. The cold wind, mixed with tiny snow particles, raged across the Vatnajökull glacier, turning the already white world even whiter. Matthew, who had spent most of his life in Los Angeles, wasn't accustomed to such cold weather.

In fact, while filming the night scenes on the Brooklyn Bridge for "I Am Legend," he had developed an instinctive aversion to the cold.

Nevertheless, he followed the director's instructions and lay motionless on the snow, blending in with the icy landscape as if he were part of it.

Earning such a high salary meant doing his job well, and even the most critical members of the crew had nothing negative to say about Matthew's dedication.

The camera moved along the tracks that had been set up. Two fully armed Cobra soldiers, with only their eyes visible, walked by, passing a camouflaged area. Suddenly, Matthew sprang up from the snow, sending a flurry of snowflakes into the air. Before the snow had even settled, the prop "dagger" in his hand had already plunged into the throat of the rear Cobra soldier.

The soldier collapsed into the snow with a thud.

The other soldier turned around at just the right moment, and Matthew quickly pulled out the dagger and threw it. The soldier clutched his unprotected throat, a gurgling sound emerging from his mouth, before he too fell to the ground.

Matthew seemed to hear something and immediately lay flat on the ground, motionless. After a few seconds, when he was sure there was no danger, he began running forward.

"Cut!" Stephen Sommers called out, his breath visible in the cold air. "Matthew, great job! That's a wrap on this take!"

Matthew stopped and immediately removed the white cloak he had been wearing. Two assistants quickly ran over—one took the cloak, while the other draped a thick woolen blanket over him and handed him a thermos.

Matthew took the thermos and sipped some hot tea, finally feeling a bit of warmth return. Lying in the snow had left his hands and feet nearly numb from the cold.

Stephen Sommers' voice rang out again across the set, "Now, let's move to the ice for the next scene! Hurry!"

Two assistant directors immediately began directing the crew to move the equipment to the glacier, about ten kilometers away.

Matthew, wrapped in his blanket and clutching the warm thermos, retreated to his cozy trailer. If he could avoid it, he wouldn't spend another minute in the freezing conditions outside.

But as soon as the crew reached the glacier, he got out of the trailer and began preparing for the next scene.

It was one thing to think about staying in the trailer, but actually doing so would have been a joke.

Of course, not every Hollywood actor is as dedicated. While there are many hardworking actors like him and Tom Cruise, there are also plenty who aren't.

Take Hollywood's current "problem child," Lindsay Lohan, for example. Few crews dare to hire her anymore. As one Fox executive put it, "From the moment she arrives on set, all she does is disrupt the shooting process. She just sits in her trailer wasting time... until she leaves to attend her boyfriend's concert, making everyone on set her hostage."

Matthew would never stoop to that level, nor would he compare himself to someone like Lindsay Lohan. It's not just a matter of differing star power—their career paths are entirely different.

In essence, both he and Lindsay Lohan are commercial stars, but while he is recognized as an actor, Lindsay is considered more of a teen idol.

As the saying goes, Lindsay Lohan is akin to those fleeting pop idols.

Even in Hollywood, no one expects teen idols to be exceptionally dedicated, as their shelf life is notoriously short—often like shooting stars.

While dedication is important, the quality of the work is what matters most. Nowadays, teen idols often tout their dedication and hard work, but the final product is usually embarrassing. What's worse is when they promote humility and politeness as selling points.

If you're an idol, selling those qualities might make sense, but it's irritating when they constantly flaunt non-acting traits, all while acting like they're serious actors or even superstars.

As Tom Hanks once said, teen idols have their place.

As long as they stick to their lane and don't overreach when they're not up to the task, it's understandable. But if they consistently churn out bad work, they shouldn't be surprised when audiences criticize them.

Speaking of which, Matthew rarely talks about the hardships of filming in interviews. As he puts it, "Isn't every job tough?"

Compared to his previous work, acting is truly easy, and the rewards are abundant...

Looking ahead, it's a vast forest waiting to be cut down, one tree at a time.

Thinking of teen idols brought Leonardo DiCaprio's name to Matthew's mind. A young heartthrob that every woman in America desired, he spent over a decade transforming into a raw, rugged hunter in the wilderness—all for an Oscar...

Actors get paid to do their jobs, so they should do them well. This position is won through competition, meaning they should think carefully before taking on a role. If they get a little roughed up and make a big deal about it, it's not just the actors who are fragile—those who praise them are equally dull.

Matthew got out of the makeup trailer and stood in front of the glacier. Sienna Miller walked up from behind and stood beside him.

She was wearing a black leather outfit under her coat, and it looked cold just seeing her in it.

However, aside from some private complaints, Sienna didn't say much. She certainly wasn't demanding that they set up a dozen heaters in the freezing conditions.

"You really don't like the cold," she remarked.

The two had already filmed over a dozen scenes in the snow, so this was something she had noticed.

Matthew shrugged. "I grew up in Texas and then moved to Los Angeles. I'm not used to northern weather."

"This damned weather," Sienna Miller muttered, tightening her coat. "I'll probably get sick when I go back."

Matthew nodded. "I probably will too."

He turned his gaze to the ice ahead, where Stephen Sommers was making final preparations for the shoot. Despite the snowflakes falling, the bright sun was still hanging in the sky, perfectly matching the film's upbeat tone—it was like a natural backdrop.

Although Iceland's environment was quite suitable for filming compared to the North Pole, it wasn't ideal for long shoots. Stephen Sommers had planned the schedule tightly to ensure they could leave Iceland as soon as possible.

It was already mid-November, and any delay would push Iceland fully into winter, potentially causing issues with the equipment.

The crew worked efficiently, and after the equipment and set were ready, Matthew and Sienna Miller stepped onto the ice.

As soon as they set foot on the ice, Matthew grabbed Sienna's arm and said, "Wait!"

Sienna looked puzzled. "What's wrong?"

Matthew pulled her back and stomped on the ice, and a series of faint cracking sounds echoed.

Sienna's face paled. "Is that the sound of the ice cracking?"

While she was willing to follow the crew's shooting arrangements, that didn't mean she was willing to risk her life.

"It seems like it." Matthew didn't look at Stephen Sommers. He stomped a few more times, and again there was a faint cracking sound.

The sound wasn't loud, but it was clear enough to be easily heard.

Stephen Sommers approached them. "What's going on?"

One of the production managers replied, "There's a cracking sound coming from the ice."

"What's happening?" Stephen Sommers asked this time, directing the question at the local staff who were familiar with the environment.

The staff member calmly explained, "This is a characteristic of the Vatnajökull glacier. Many ice layers make this sound when stepped on, but they won't actually crack. I can guarantee it!"

The liaison officer assigned by the Icelandic government also arrived, and after learning what had happened, he assured them, "This ice lake regularly hosts tourists. It's only early winter, so there's definitely no problem."

To prove his point, he stepped onto the ice first, followed by another staff member, and they both began making large movements, like jumping.

They had plenty of experience with tourists and were confident in their actions.

Although the faint cracking sound continued, the ice was clearly solid and showed no signs of breaking.

Matthew cautiously stepped onto the ice and tried a few martial arts moves. It indeed felt stable.

The filming then resumed. They were shooting a close-combat scene between Duke and the Baroness, requiring Matthew and Sienna Miller to perform some high-difficulty moves on the ice.

Fortunately, there were stunt doubles for the more challenging non-face shots, so they didn't have to do everything themselves.

Every action scene is broken down into countless small segments for filming, and this one was no exception. Matthew and Sienna Miller worked in a stop-and-go fashion until the afternoon.

Both of them were in excellent physical condition. Matthew had maintained his free-fighting training for years, and Sienna Miller was a regular at the gym, having also undergone two weeks of intense training before filming.

Despite the frequent pauses and the use of stunt doubles, the scene progressed smoothly overall.

Unexpectedly, the wind on the glacier suddenly picked up. Stephen Sommers insisted on finishing the scene, but by the time the crew was packing up to leave, the wind speed had reached 60 miles per hour, with some crew members even being blown to the ground…

Matthew and Sienna Miller left the ice, heading back toward the trailers. Due to the distance, they walked slowly against the wind.

The wind grew

 stronger, carrying snowflakes with it. Matthew grabbed Sienna Miller's arm tightly, guiding her forward.

"My trailer is closer!" he shouted into her ear. "Let's go there first!"

It took them a full three minutes to cover the short distance, and when they finally entered Matthew's trailer, the wind outside was howling loudly.

"Let's not go back out," Matthew said, handing Sienna Miller a blanket. "Just stay here for now."

Hearing the wind, Sienna nodded. "I don't want to face that cold wind again."

_________________________

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