Entertainment from Divorce

In late September, the autumn colors in Beijing were becoming increasingly pronounced. The morning breeze carried a slight chill, passing through the ventilation system of the Brilliant Entertainment office building and adding a touch of coolness to the busy office area.

Tan Yue sat behind his desk in the top-floor office, his fingertips lightly tapping the surface, his gaze fixed on the list of characters from "The Three-Body Problem" on the computer screen.

Wang Miao, Shi Qiang, Ye Wenjie, Evans, Chang Weisi...

The vivid characters are neatly arranged in the document, but the corresponding actor column is still blank.

The storyboard for "The Three-Body Problem" is nearly half completed, and Lu Chuan and his team are working together more and more seamlessly, with the assistant director also in place.

Everything is progressing steadily, except for the casting of actors, which has yet to be finalized.

This was not because Tan Yue was delaying, but because the special nature of "The Three-Body Problem" forced him to be extremely cautious.

As a rare hard science fiction genre in the market, this drama carries the important responsibility of expanding the science fiction track for the company. The performance of the actors directly determines the quality and reputation of the work, and there is no room for carelessness.

Tan Yue picked up the landline on the table and dialed Chen Ye's internal line: "Chen Ye, tell Qin Tao to come to my office and bring a list of artists who have performed well recently, especially information on newcomers who have participated in stage plays."

"Okay, Mr. Tan, I'll contact Director Qin right away." Chen Ye's voice came through the receiver, clear and efficient.

After hanging up the phone, Tan Yue got up and walked to the window, gazing at the bustling traffic on the street below, his thoughts drifting away.

In order to cultivate the acting skills of its artists, Brilliant Entertainment specially collaborated with the Beijing Drama Troupe to organize its artists to participate in drama performances.

There are no retakes on the stage, which places extremely high demands on actors' delivery of lines, on-the-spot reactions, and emotional control, making it the best platform for honing acting skills.

During this period, many artists have made leaps in their acting skills through stage plays, and perhaps suitable candidates for "The Three-Body Problem" can be discovered from among them.

A moment later, there was a gentle knock on the office door, and Qin Tao walked in, wearing high heels.

She wore a well-tailored black suit, her long hair was styled in an elegant updo, and she wore light makeup. She carried a brown folder in her hand, and her steps were slow yet exuded competence.

"Mr. Tan, you wanted to see me?"

"Sit down." Tan Yue gestured to the chair opposite her, his gaze falling on the folder in her hand. "Did you bring the list of artists I asked you to bring? Especially the newcomers involved in stage plays, have any of them shown particularly outstanding performances recently?"

Qin Tao placed the folder on the desk, opened it to the first page, and handed it to Tan Yue.

"President Tan, this is a report on the performance of the actors in the drama over the past three months. Two newcomers have shown particularly outstanding performances: Lin Zhou and Su Wan."

"Lin Zhou? Su Wan?" Tan Yue looked at the names on the report and vaguely remembered them.

Both of them were newcomers who signed with the company last year. They had previously acted in several TV series produced by the company, playing supporting roles and performing adequately. Unexpectedly, they made a name for themselves on the stage.

"Yes," Qin Tao nodded.

"Lin Zhou plays the male lead in the play 'Midnight Cafe,' a writer with a complex inner world. His delivery of lines is very solid, and his emotional transitions are very natural. Especially in the last scene, he vividly portrays the character's despair and relief through his eyes and micro-expressions. The director of the drama troupe praised him as a natural actor."

"Su Wan plays the female lead in 'Against the Light,' a career woman who bravely pursues her dreams. She has a strong stage presence and a powerful aura, completely holding her own on big stages, and has received excellent reviews from the audience."

Tan Yue flipped through the two men's files. In Lin Zhou's photo, the young man had delicate features, but his eyes revealed a composure beyond his years.

Su Wan's face was radiant, her smile confident, and she exuded a tenacious spirit.

"How versatile are the two of them? Have they tried science fiction?"

"Lin Zhou is very versatile. He can play both gentle and scholarly characters and tough characters. He previously played a policeman in a suspenseful short film and did a good job."

"Su Wan is better at playing independent and resilient female characters. She has not yet worked in the science fiction genre, but she has a strong learning ability. I believe that with a little guidance, she can adapt quickly."

Qin Tao added, her tone conveying confidence in her artists.

Tan Yue pondered for a moment, placed the documents on the table, and gently tapped the surface with his fingertips.

Lin Zhou and Su Wan's performances were truly surprising, especially their acting skills honed on the stage, which far surpass those of many popular celebrities.

However, the characters in "The Three-Body Problem" are too special. Wang Miao's elegance and struggle, Shi Qiang's ruggedness and delicacy, and Ye Wenjie's complexity and decisiveness all require profound acting skills and life experience to interpret them well. Their performance on the stage alone is not enough to prove that they can handle these core roles.

“The two are indeed promising talents and can be given more opportunities for development and resources,” Tan Yue said sincerely. “However, the core roles in ‘The Three-Body Problem’ will probably require more experienced actors.”

Qin Tao nodded. She naturally understood the importance of "The Three-Body Problem" to the company and also understood Tan Yue's caution: "President Tan, do you mean to consider veteran actors for the core roles?"

“That’s right.” Tan Yue’s tone was firm.

"The Three-Body Problem is a hard science fiction novel, and there are almost no mature works of the same type on the market. Audiences have high expectations. If it fails, it will not only affect the company's reputation, but also miss the opportunity to expand into the science fiction field."

"The acting skills of veteran actors are more reliable and can steadily support the quality of the whole drama, which can also give new directors like Lu Chuan more confidence."

Qin Tao wholeheartedly agreed: "You're right. Hard science fiction has a certain comprehension threshold, and coupled with complex character relationships and profound themes, it really requires actors with superb acting skills to interpret it. The company also has a wealth of veteran actors, such as Ma Guoliang, Fan Shan, Zhou Can, and Zhang Shengli, who are all recognized as powerful actors in the industry."

When these actors are mentioned, their images immediately come to mind for Tan Yue.

Ma Guoliang is now a national first-class actor, specializing in portraying refined and wise intellectuals. He has given outstanding performances in many historical dramas and contemporary dramas, and his temperament is extremely compatible with Wang Miao.

Zhang Shengli excels at portraying soldiers and officials, possessing a calm demeanor and delivering powerful lines, making him the perfect choice for the role of General Chang Weisi.

"These veteran actors under the company are indeed the best choice." Tan Yue flipped through the company's list of artists, his fingertips tracing familiar names one by one.

"We start by screening from within the company, which makes communication easier and allows for better control of the filming schedule. If there are no suitable candidates within the company, we will then consider inviting from outside, but we must pay attention to the actors' schedules and salaries to ensure that the budget is not exceeded."

"Okay, Mr. Tan, I'll compile the information on the veteran actors under our company, including their recent works, acting characteristics, schedules, and salary requirements, and send it to you as soon as possible." Qin Tao took out her notebook and quickly wrote down Tan Yue's requirements.

"Also, should we talk to them beforehand to see if they are interested in the 'Three-Body Problem' theme?"

"You can try to find out more indirectly first, but don't go into too much detail," Tan Yue advised. "The script for 'The Three-Body Problem' is still under wraps, so apart from the core team, don't reveal too much information to the outside world for now. Especially during the actor selection phase, to avoid unnecessary rumors."

"I understand." Qin Tao closed her notebook, stood up, and prepared to leave. "Mr. Tan, I'll go organize the data first and report back to you as soon as I have any news." "Go ahead." Tan Yue nodded, watching Qin Tao's figure disappear through the office door, picked up the list of artists on the table, and began to analyze them one by one.

According to Ma Guoliang's profile, he recently finished filming a historical drama and is currently taking a break with plenty of free time.

His acting skills are beyond question; he can portray both a frail scholar and a wise academic with remarkable realism.

As a key character in the early stages of "The Three-Body Problem," Wang Miao serves as a bridge connecting the real world and the Three-Body world. His inner journey from initial confusion and fear to later determination and courage requires the actor to have extremely strong emotional control, and Ma Guoliang is undoubtedly the best choice.

Zhang Shengli's recent work is a military-themed TV series in which he plays a general. It is currently airing and has received good reviews and ratings.

His calm demeanor and powerful presence perfectly match the image of General Chang Weisi. Moreover, he has extensive experience in filming military-themed movies and has a very good grasp of the words and actions of soldiers. This role was almost tailor-made for him.

Besides these core characters, there are many important supporting characters in "The Three-Body Problem", such as Evans, Ding Yi, and Zhuang Yan. These characters also need suitable actors to play them.

Tan Yue continued to browse through the list of artists, marking out the suitable candidates one by one, while mentally calculating the filming schedule and budget.

Before I knew it, the sunlight outside the window gradually slanted westward, and the golden afterglow shone through the window onto the desk, casting a warm halo over the list of artists.

Tan Yue rubbed his temples, put down the list in his hand, picked up the teacup on the table, and took a sip of tea.

The rich aroma of the tea dispelled some of his fatigue and made his mind clearer.

The casting process for "The Three-Body Problem" was complex and lengthy, taking into account not only the actors' acting skills and temperament, but also their availability, salary, and teamwork.

But Tan Yue believes that as long as they are patient in their selection process and communicate with their hearts, they will definitely be able to find the most suitable actors to lay a solid foundation for this hard science fiction masterpiece.

He picked up his phone and sent a message to Lu Chuan: "Are you free tonight? Let's have dinner together and talk about the casting process for 'The Three-Body Problem'."

Lu Chuan quickly replied: "Mr. Tan, if you're free, you can choose a location, and I'll be there anytime."

Tan Yue looked at the message and a smile unconsciously crept onto his lips.

As a director, Lu Chuan also has his own ideas about casting. Communicating with him more can make the casting process more accurate.

Moreover, Lu Chuan is new to big-budget productions, and working with veteran actors will allow him to learn more about filming, which will greatly help improve the overall quality of the series.

After tidying up the documents on his desk, Tan Yue got up to leave the office.

As he reached the door, he glanced back at the script for "The Three-Body Problem" on his desk, his heart filled with anticipation.

This work, which embodies his hard work, carries his science fiction dreams and also represents a brilliant future for entertainment.

He knew that casting was only the first step in a long journey.

There are still a series of arduous tasks to be done, including filming, post-production, and publicity. But he is confident that with his team and resources, he can definitely make "The Three-Body Problem" a phenomenal science fiction TV series and bring Chinese science fiction films and television to the world.

As the car slowly entered the evening rush hour traffic, Tan Yue looked at the scenery rushing past the window, his mind filled with countless thoughts.

At 7 p.m., Tan Yue and Lu Chuan met at a quiet private restaurant.

Inside the private room, the two ordered a few home-style dishes and chatted as they ate.

Tan Yue shared her thoughts on actor selection with Lu Chuan, who wholeheartedly agreed.

"Mr. Tan, you are right. The core roles in 'The Three-Body Problem' do need to be played by veteran actors. Their acting skills and experience can greatly enhance the entire series."

"I'm glad you agree," Tan Yue said with a smile. "Next, I'll have Qin Tao compile the information on veteran actors, and we'll screen them together. Once we've selected the actors, we'll communicate with them as soon as possible to finalize the cast and start filming."

“Okay, Mr. Tan, I will definitely cooperate fully.” Lu Chuan nodded, his eyes full of enthusiasm. “I have also been studying the script during this period and have gained a deeper understanding of the personality and emotions of each character, which will make it easier to communicate with the actors.”

The two chatted over a meal, discussing everything from actor selection to filming plans, from storyboards to special effects production, and they found themselves getting along very well.

Looking at the light in Lu Chuan's eyes, Tan Yue felt a surge of satisfaction.

Although this young director lacks experience, he is full of passion and creativity. With the help of veteran actors and the support of his team, I believe he will be able to create an excellent film.

It was almost nine o'clock when dinner was over.

After seeing Lu Chuan off, Tan Yue drove home alone.

On the way, he sent Chen Ziyu a message: "I'm almost home. Get some rest. Don't wait for me."

Soon, Chen Ziyu replied to the message: "Okay, I left the light on for you. There's some white fungus soup that Mom made on the table. Remember to drink it when you get back."

Tan Yue felt a warm feeling in her heart as she read the message.

No matter how busy he is at work, the thought of his family waiting at home fills him with motivation.

As the car slowly drove into the residential area, warm lights could be seen shining from the windows of the homes in the distance.

Tan Yue parked his car and walked quickly towards the stairwell, his heart filled with anticipation.

He wanted to return to his family as soon as possible to share his day's achievements, and he also wanted to touch Chen Ziyu's belly again and listen to the baby's movements.

This simple yet genuine happiness is the meaning behind all his efforts.

When I got home, Chen Ziyu was already asleep, with a peaceful smile on her face.

Tan Yue gently walked into the bedroom, lay down beside her, and carefully took her hand.

Moonlight streamed through the sheer curtains, illuminating a corner of the room and the happiness on their faces. (End of Chapter)