China Entertainment’s rescue plan is hard to come by

Chapter 872 Tom Cruise: Crystal almost "sent me away" [Part 2]

Recording studio of Beijing TV and Fengxing Media.

"Xiao Li, go and double-check the seating arrangement with the audience. Make sure everyone is seated properly. The guests are about to arrive."

"Old Wang, make sure the sound system and microphones are all set up. Today's program is extremely important, so don't let me down, or we'll have worked for nothing all year."

"Don't worry, director, I understand."

Staff members were running around the stage, making final preparations, and the audience was now taking their seats in an orderly manner.

"Super Interview" is a large-scale entertainment celebrity interview program under Funshion Media. Since its premiere in 2000, it has quickly become popular all over the country, creating a new style of entertainment interview programs in China. For 11 years, its ratings have consistently ranked among the top. On average, it has 3 million loyal viewers nationwide, making it the top celebrity interview program of its time.

Today is the recording of the last episode of "Super Interview" in 2012.

The production team originally planned to invite a "high-profile" guest to bring the year's program to a perfect close in this episode.

While they were searching for a replacement, news suddenly came from the industry that Starry Sky Pictures was expanding its promotion for its new film "Edge of Tomorrow." This time, unlike before, they not only accepted interviews on various entertainment programs, but there were even rumors that Sun Yi himself would participate.

It's worth noting that apart from a few passive interviews he participated in when he first debuted and was relatively unknown, Sun Yi has never appeared on such programs again.

With the idea that there's no harm in asking, the production team sent a letter of intent to Starry Sky Image, thinking that asking wouldn't hurt.

To everyone's surprise, Xingkong actually agreed.

What surprised them even more was that Xingkong's reply said that Sun Yi and Liu Yifei would participate at the same time.

The production team suddenly felt like they'd been struck by lightning.

For this episode, not only was the TV station's best-equipped recording studio requisitioned, but an additional million-yuan production fee was also obtained from the company to redesign the entire recording studio's upholstery.

The stage, sofas, and lighting were all completely renovated, and the overall style was elevated to a whole new level.

The boss, who is usually very frugal and would rather split every penny in half, approved the money so readily for the first time. He even asked for a few seats at the event, saying that he wanted to bring his friends along.

Right now, he's probably upstairs in the dressing room trying to build a relationship with that Mr. Sun.

Speaking of Cao Cao, Cao Cao will arrive.

The CEO of Fengxing suddenly appeared at the recording studio ahead of schedule, and the program director went to greet him with a nervous expression.

Could it be that some unexpected situation has arisen?

Over the years, he has gotten to know almost every celebrity in the entertainment industry, if not every one of them. He has seen all sorts of absurd requests before a show even starts.

They don't want ordinary tea; it has to be a certain kind of tea. The sofa has to be fabric; genuine leather won't do, and so on and so forth—there are just a lot of random things going on.

However, someone of Sun Yi's status wouldn't do that, would he?

"The plan has changed. Quickly tell the host that the guests will be three in a moment."

"Huh, adding someone at the last minute? Recording is about to start, how can you just add someone like that? Who is it?"

The show director's first reaction was disgust. The entire program, including the interview content and segments, was planned. This sudden change to the script meant all the previous preparations were for nothing.

Sun Yi is such a big director, how could he do something like this?

Seeing his displeasure, the boss whispered a few words in his ear, sounding exasperated.

The director's facial expressions visibly became more varied, shifting from disbelief one moment to joy the next.

This plan is great!
No need for prior preparation, we'll just show up on the spot.

The CEO of Fengxing patted the director on the shoulder and gave him a knowing look.

The latter seemed to understand, nodding solemnly as if standing at attention, and instructed one of his staff members to take the boss to his seat. Then he quickly contacted the on-site host.

The two hosts were also pleasantly surprised at first glance.

About half an hour later, the audience had all taken their seats, and the two hosts had checked the scripts again. The show could begin recording.

"Power on!"

At the director's command, the two hosts took to the stage.

"Distinguished guests and viewers at home, welcome to the final episode of 'Super Interview' in 2012. I am your host, Li Jing, and I am Dai Jun."

"This is our final episode of the year, and I'm sure you'll never guess who we've invited today. Is it him or her?"

"It could also be them~"

"Okay, let me show you a short video first."

"He is the youngest winner of the Golden Horse Award for Best Director, and also the director who won the Palme d'Or at Cannes. He still holds the box office record for Chinese films. He is the founder and CEO of Starry Sky Pictures, and he broke through the predicament of Chinese cinema with industrial thinking."

"She is the pinnacle of period drama aesthetics, having created countless unforgettable female characters since her debut. From ancient times to modern times, from students to warriors, she has redefined the power of Eastern women. She is a Venice Film Festival Best Actress winner and also a Hundred Flowers Award Best Actress winner."

"Let's welcome Sun Yi and Liu Yifei."

The audience erupted in applause and cheers.

Sun Yi and Liu Yifei walked hand in hand onto the stage, speaking in unison.

"Hello, everyone!"

"Please sit down, please sit down," Li Jing and Dai Jun greeted the two.

The four sat facing each other, as if in a tea ceremony.

Sun Yi and Liu Yifei had long hair, and it looked like four people could sit comfortably on one of their sofas, while Li Jing and Dai Jun sat on two separate sofas.

“It’s a rare treat to have Director Sun and Yi Fei join our program. In our industry, there are a few people who are the hardest to invite. Director Sun, guess who they are?” Li Jing spoke first.

"No, I'm probably in there, right?" Sun Yi asked with a smile.

"Isn't it rare to see Director Sun Yi on variety shows? Isn't today a rare exception?"

Unexpectedly, Li Jing did not answer, but instead asked the audience.

"Yes!" "I've never seen it before!"

"Look, Director Sun, the eyes of the masses are discerning."

"Haha~" Sun Yi waved his hand and admitted with a smile, "Okay, okay, it's my fault. I'm just too busy usually and really don't have time."

“Sisi, she sometimes invites me to go on shows with her, but I’ve never been able to find the time.”

Sun Yi used Liu Tianxian as a shield, and immediately earned a big eye roll in return.
The whole place burst into laughter.

“Speaking of Yifei’s participation in the show, I remember this isn’t Yifei’s first time on our ‘Super Interview’.” Dai Jun looked at the camera. “Everyone, do you remember? Yifei has been here before.”

"Yes, this is my second time participating in 'Super Interview'," Liu Yifei nodded honestly.

Now it was Sun Yi's turn to be surprised. He asked in astonishment, "You've been here before?"

"Hmm, what's wrong? I've been here before, is that not allowed?"

"Haha, this is clearly their real behavior in daily life, which shows that our program is not pre-arranged." Dai Jun joked with the two of them, then pointed to the big screen, "Come on, let's take a look back at the program that Yifei participated in last time."

The big screen lit up, revealing footage from many years ago. The stage and on-site clothing styles were completely out of touch with the present, even carrying a hint of non-mainstream fashion.

Liu Yifei still had baby fat on her face, with wavy hair like instant noodles, wearing a vest, short skirt, and tall boots, singing a song.

"In the battle of love, you can't have complete control; maintaining distance is a challenge."

This outfit and this song are absolutely embarrassing!
Liu Yifei covered her face frantically.

She never expected that the production team would bring out the old interview footage again, and what's worse, they actually played it.

She was so engrossed in watching it that she started picking at her toes.

Even more shameful was that someone was leaning forward, eyes wide open, watching with great interest.

Liu Yifei looked embarrassed and annoyed, and subconsciously covered Sun Yi's eyes with her hand.

Stop looking!

There was another round of laughter.

"I haven't seen it."

Sun Yi pointed innocently at the big screen. Just then, the screen was showing an interview with Liu Yifei, who was talking about a fire scene during the filming of the TV series "The Condor Heroes".

Liu Yifei had to perform actions suspended by wires in a raging fire. Her role was to wear a white silk dress as Little Dragon Girl, and if she were to get even a tiny spark on it, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Sun Yi frowned slightly. From the behind-the-scenes footage, he saw that there were almost no safety measures for this scene, not even a fireproof suit underneath.

"I was in 'The Return of the Condor Heroes' too, how come I didn't know about this scene?"

"Of course you wouldn't know, you hadn't even joined the crew yet back then."

Oh, right, Sun Yi suddenly remembered that he had joined the group through connections.

"Hey, Sun Yi, you were even part of the 'The Return of the Condor Heroes' production team?"

The conversation between the two piqued the curiosity of the host, Li Jing.

Many people in the industry want to know about Sun Yi's rise to fame, but few truly understand it.

Sun Yi rarely reveals these things himself.

"Of course I've been there, otherwise how would I have met her?"

"Aren't you classmates at Beijing Film Academy, people you met in college?"

"No, we met during the time of 'The Return of the Condor Heroes'."

"Then I need to ask Yifei about this. Yifei, tell us what Sun Yi was doing on set back then?"

Liu Yifei glanced at Sun Yi and, seeing that he didn't say anything, decided to speak freely.

"He did almost every job on set," Liu Yifei said happily, counting on her fingers. "Besides playing a supporting role, he did everything: script supervisor, extra, camera assistant, props, lighting assistant, producer's assistant, he was everywhere."

"Wow, I didn't realize that was back in 06. Sun Yi, you were only 18 years old then?"

"Yes, I just graduated from high school."

"So how did you come up with the idea of ​​going to the film set?"

"I happened to have applied for the entrance exam for the Beijing Film Academy, so I guess it's a way to experience life on a film set beforehand."

"Back then, you practically experienced every position on the film crew. Did you start thinking about becoming a director someday?"

"Yes, I did have that idea." Sun Yi nodded and admitted, "At that time, I just wanted to experience it, but later I found that film crews are quite interesting, so I decided to pursue this career more deeply."

"Look, those who become great directors are all well-prepared from the start," Li Jing remarked.

"Is it mainly to get to know Yifei?" Dai Jun suddenly added with a mischievous grin.

Sun Yi glanced back at Liu Yifei, as if asking, "How should I answer this question?"

Liu Yifei pouted, "Answer whatever you want, why are you looking at me?"
"Yes, we mainly went there because of her."

Sun Yi nodded in agreement, and the scene erupted in cheers, everyone looking like they'd just stumbled upon some juicy gossip. Liu Yifei, on the other hand, looked shy, but the corners of her mouth were upturned, clearly satisfied with Sun Yi's answer.

The two hosts, as usual, asked a few questions that movie fans were interested in, and then changed the subject.

"I heard that your next film is about to be released, and this time you're working with international superstar Tom Cruise again?"

"Yes, that's right, it will be released globally on Christmas Day."

"Before the show started, the director told me that Sun Yi and Yi Fei had a surprise for us?"

"Yes, he has arrived."

No way?
The audience members all looked on in disbelief.

Unexpectedly, the host stood up and announced loudly, "Now, let's welcome our special guest for tonight, Tom Cruise!"

Bang bang bang bang~~
Applause and cheers filled the air.

Tom Cruise jogged up from backstage, waving to the audience as he walked.

He first gave Sun Yi and Liu Yifei a big hug, and then shook hands with the host.

"Fighting is good!"

"Tom took a flight last night and just arrived in China. I originally wanted him to rest and adjust to the time difference, but when he heard that we were both participating in the show today, he said he wanted to come too. It was a last-minute arrangement, and I'm sorry to have caused trouble for the production team," Sun Yi said apologetically.

"Oh my, this is such a hassle. I wish I could encounter this kind of trouble in every episode of my show."

Li Jing had the expression of a fan looking at their idol; his eyes never left Tom Cruise the moment he stepped on stage.

The group sat down again, and Tom Cruise naturally sat next to Sun Yi and Liu Yifei.

"I heard that Director Sun is making a sci-fi film about aliens this time?"

"That's right. In the future, Earth will be invaded by aliens, and 70 percent of the countries on Earth will fall. China will become the last bulwark of mankind. At the moment of life and death for mankind, China will launch a counterattack against the aliens."

"The scale sounds very grand, which is my type. I will definitely go to the cinema to support the movie when it is released."

Dai Jun is clearly a science fiction movie fan.

"Thank you for your support then."

"Mr. Cruise, may I ask if this is your first time working with a Chinese director?" Li Jing asked.

Liu Yifei temporarily acted as the translator.

"No, no." Tom Cruise shook his head and replied, "I worked with director John Woo on Mission: Impossible before."

"Oh, is that so? So, Mr. Cruise, what do you think is the difference between Chinese directors and Hollywood directors?"

Tom Cruise thought for a moment and replied, "I pay more attention to details and am more willing to communicate with actors like friends, not just in a purely working relationship. Like Sun and Crystal, we became very good friends after working on a movie together."

"Speaking of which, I'm curious, Mr. Cruise, is there anything that stands out in your memory from filming with Yifei?"

Liu Yifei translated it verbatim, and Tom Cruise's face immediately fell. He complained, "Crystal, you almost 'sent me away'."

Liu Yifei's pretty face flushed red again, and Sun Yi covered his forehead beside her.

He realized that this matter couldn't be kept secret any longer. Last night at home, Liu Tianxian even threatened him, saying that no matter what, he was not allowed to mention this matter in the interview. Who would have thought that she would forget about Tom Cruise, the person involved.

Seeing the three's performance, the two hosts and the audience all became interested and looked at the three with curious expressions.

"Elaborate."

Liu Yifei quickly stopped Tom Cruise when she saw him about to open his mouth.

Since it can't be hidden anymore, I might as well confess.

"Yes, yes, we have a scene where Tom Cruise and I are racing in an old, beat-up car. The script says I'm the driver and Tom Cruise is the passenger."

“Everything went smoothly when we filmed the first take,” Liu Yifei said, glancing at Sun Yi with a hint of reproach. “Then, he insisted on taking another take.”

“I was driving along that road. At first, Tom Cruise was quite quiet, and then I heard him talking in a low voice.”

"You know, the camera is mounted on the front of the car. He didn't have any lines in this part of the script, so I was a little wondering why he was talking."

"What did Tom say back then?" Li Jing asked curiously.

“He said,” Liu Yifei mimicked Tom Cruise’s tone perfectly, performing, “Brake, brake, brake, oh god, brake, brake!!!”

"What's the end?"

"Duang~ I turned left too late and bumped into a tree~"

Pfft~~~ Hahaha!!!
The scene was absolutely hilarious.

"Sun Yi. Haha, Yi Fei, haha, does Yi Fei usually drive like this?"

"I'm sorry, she drives, I usually don't ride with her."

"Hahahaha~~~"

I'm going to kill you!

(End of this chapter)