Full-time actor

"Happy New Year!"

As Chen Yu dragged his luggage out of the airport, he noticed Nolan standing directly in front of him.

"Why did you come all this way so late?"

Before returning to China, Chen Yu had already parked his car in the underground parking lot, as he didn't want to trouble others too much.

“After a long day on the plane, I don’t feel comfortable letting you drive back by yourself.”

Nolan shrugged, then waved for Chen Yu to get in the car.

Fortunately, there weren't any media reporters chasing after us outside the airport today, otherwise it would have been another few hours of hassle.

There aren't many scenes in New York; most of them are outdoor shots, so the subsequent filming won't be too complicated.

Nolan escorted Chen Yu back to his residence.

Just as Chen Yu carried his luggage into the room, his phone rang.

It's Liu Yifei.

I imagine she's already taken a shower and is lying happily in bed by now.

"Honey, are you back at your place yet?"

A sweet voice came from the other end of the phone. The two of them were together just yesterday, but in such a short time, they were separated again.

"arrive."

"I was just about to call you when you called first."

Upon hearing Chen Yu's words, Liu Yifei giggled on the other end of the phone.

Even though she knew the two of them wouldn't be separated for long this time, Liu Yifei still suppressed the sadness in her heart.

"Then you focus on filming and wait for me in New York so we can go back to China together."

After saying goodnight to each other, they hung up the phone.

There's no need for sentimental talk; right now, the most important thing for them is to work hard.

***
"Chan, Happy Chinese new year."

Robert De Niro spread his hands and looked at the people in front of him. They naturally knew the real reason why Chen Yu had returned to China this time. As a traditional Chinese festival, it was a time for families to reunite.

"Thank you, Robert."

"You look even more energetic than I have in the past few days."

Upon hearing Chen Yu's words, Robert De Niro laughed, subconsciously straightening his tie and raising an eyebrow at Chen Yu.

As for the others beside him, they all stepped forward to greet Chen Yu.

"OK."

"Everyone, go and get ready. We'll start filming in a bit."

As Zazie Beetz watched Chen Yu make the arrangements in an orderly manner, a slight sense of reluctance rose in her heart.

The next scene will be her last scene with Chen Yu.

In general.

She learned a lot from working on the set of "Joker".

In particular, her scenes with Chen Yu allowed her to experience unprecedented strength.

The lighting, photography, and sound recording were all in place, and director Chen Yu from China gave them a very strong impression.

Most of the directors they had previously worked with had an extremely strong desire for control.

This can be considered a common problem among overseas directors.

However, Chen Yu is quite the opposite; working with him always makes people feel extremely comfortable, at least there is not too much pressure.

"Joker, Scene 236, Scene 1."

"Action!"

Following Chen Yu's command, everyone present was already in the zone.

In the dimly lit corridor, Chen Yu walked dejectedly towards the spot directly in front of him.

His figure looked somewhat hunched, and water droplets kept dripping from his hair.

He stopped in front of a door, and after a brief hesitation, he slowly reached out and turned the doorknob.

After entering the room, he kept touching every corner with his hands.

Clearly, the room's cozy atmosphere was out of place for him.

"OMG—"

A fearful voice came from behind her, and Zazie Beetz clutched her chest as she looked toward where Chen Yu was.

The panic on his face was especially evident.

Why are you here?

"You've gone to the wrong apartment."

"Your name is Arthur, right? You live at the end of the corridor."

"I beg you to leave. My young daughter is sleeping in the next room."

Zazie Beetz looked flustered and panicked, extremely wary of Chen Yu.

Chen Yu wasn't wearing makeup this time; her wet hair clung to her face, with water droplets constantly dripping down.

His fingers tapped lightly on the table, the slow rhythm revealing his current mood.

"My day has been terrible."

Chen Yu's voice was extremely low, like a wounded little animal pleading for help.

"Should I call your mother?"

After hearing Zazie Beetz's question, Chen Yu slowly raised his head and pointed to his temple.

That was a scene that appeared countless times in his hallucinations.

Make a gun shape with your fingers and slowly strike the temple.

His eyes were sharp, as if he wanted to verify something through this action.

until.

As Zazie Beetz's face contorted with panic, Chen Yu's gaze finally glazed over.

"Cut!"

Chen Yu snapped his fingers, a gesture that brought a slight sense of relief to everyone present.

Chen Yu's gaze and movements were quite sharp, giving the impression that it was impossible to meet his gaze.

“Very good.”

Chen Yu gave Zazie Beetz a thumbs up, his eyes full of admiration.

She portrayed this role perfectly.

After receiving Chen Yu's praise, Zazie Beetz's expression brightened considerably.

After spending time with Chen Yu, she developed a great admiration for him.

If Chen Yu didn't have a girlfriend, she would definitely pursue him without hesitation.

As for Chen Yu...

The arrangements for the next scene have already begun.

In reality, the Joker's descent into darkness undoubtedly stemmed from external pressure.

Upon learning that her mother might suffer from paranoia, her long-held beliefs suddenly crumbled.

The social class order, the ridicule and betrayal of others, and the realization that the beautiful dreams he had once had were all illusions—all these circumstances combined to make him unable to bear it.

The fear that followed the murder had completely consumed his personality.

What follows is the true rampage of the Joker's personality.

Glenn Fleschler and Lee Gil were already in makeup, and they were both excited and a little apprehensive about their upcoming scenes.

This was undoubtedly their last performance together.

As for Randall, played by Glenn Fleschler, he will be stabbed to death by the Joker with scissors.

Glenn Fleschler couldn't help but sigh at the thought of this situation.

"OH!"

"Hopefully Chan will go easy on you later."

When they noticed Glenn Fleschler's condition, everyone couldn't help but laugh.

Nolan did the same; when he turned back to look at the "instigator," he noticed that Chen Yu was watching the scene that had just been filmed.

His brows were furrowed.

He looked exceptionally focused.

Seeing this situation, Nolan did not say anything.

Since Chen Yu couldn't be in front of the camera all the time, he had to focus his time and energy on post-production. Fortunately, he was very efficient and could point out any parts of the footage that needed to be modified in detail.

"How was it? Was that scene good?"

Chen Yu was quite satisfied with Nolan as the acting producer; comparatively speaking, he was more suitable for the position than anyone else.

"very good."

After receiving Chen Yu's praise, Nolan subconsciously raised an eyebrow. Nolan probably didn't care much about the recognition and compliments he received from others.

But if it's Chen Yu, then that's a different story.

In the past, Nolan's most admired Chinese director was Zhang Yimou.

Whether in formal exploration or grand narratives, Zhang Yimou gives people the feeling of being quite bold.

His extreme pursuit of color and visual design always conveys his intense emotions.

As for now.

Nolan's most admired person has changed.

That was Chen Yu.

Chen Yu's photography has a distinctive style in both narrative and color.

In Nolan's view, Chen Yu has always been seeking to make different kinds of works.

Just like the previously popular film "Better Days" which was a hit both domestically and internationally, a movie about school bullying is undoubtedly challenging new themes and styles.

Just when everyone was still questioning his abilities, the success of "Better Days" shocked everyone.

Putting all that aside, Chen Yu is also a perfectionist when it comes to details on set.

Just like every scene he's worked on before, he strives for extreme precision, sometimes even requesting to film a dozen takes until he's satisfied.

That alone is enough to make Nolan admire him to the point of complete awe.

"Let's continue—"

Chen Yu nodded. Fortunately, the footage they had just filmed was flawless.

His performance in scenes with Zazie Beetz was truly outstanding.

The next scene is Arthur's final step in completely abandoning his independent personality; he kills his colleague.

The guy who plunged him into the abyss, the one who makes him grit his teeth every time he thinks about him.

"OMG!"

"Now it's finally our turn to take the stage."

Lee Gil shrank his neck, his short stature appearing even more hurried at this moment.

The scene where he kills his colleague occurs after Arthur's matricide, when he completely severs ties with his past and cuts off all normal emotional connections with society.

Only in this way can a true clown be born.

now.

Chen Yu had already changed his clothes; the next scene required extreme madness.

He was only wearing his underwear.

His once-strong muscles had long since atrophied. In order to play the role of Arthur, Chen Yu specially lost 47 pounds, so that his whole body looked loose and flabby.

"Ready?"

Chen Yu ran his fingers through his hair, looking as if he had some kind of mental problem.

There was no reply from Chen Yu.

Clearly, he's now fully immersed in the role, becoming the Joker himself who plunges Gotham City into chaos.

Nolan snapped his fingers, and the sound recording, lighting, and camera work had already returned to their respective positions.

Music started playing in the room.

Chen Yu twisted his limbs wildly, his face filled with extreme madness.

just now.

He no longer needed any anxiety or sorrow, or rather, there was nothing in the world worth clinging to.

Outside the monitor.

Everyone was watching Chen Yu's crazy actions, and they had to admit that Chen Yu was simply a theatrical madman.

Holding a paintbrush, he began to apply white oil paint to his face.

The smoke from his cigarette swirled around his face, obscuring Chen Yu's expression.

Chen Yu in the mirror was emaciated, but the ruthlessness in his eyes was completely undisguised.

Ring ring—

Just then, the doorbell rang urgently, causing Chen Yu to stop what he was doing for a moment.

He hesitated for a moment, then took a pair of scissors from the drawer, put them in his pocket, and swayed as he walked outside.

Until he opened the door in front of him.

"Arthur, are you alright?"

Lee Gil looked at Chen Yu in the room with a smile.

The next second, Chen Yu, whose face was sharp, suddenly laughed.

"Hey guys, come on in."

Glenn Fleschler sized up Chen Yu before him, hesitated for a moment, and finally spoke:

"I don't know if you've heard, but—"

“The police have come to the store several times to ask about the subway murder case.”

Upon hearing Glenn Fleschler's words, Chen Yu suddenly burst into laughter.

He braced himself against the wall beside him, looking down at the man in front of him. With the white paint on his face, his eyes clearly showed some resentment.

"No matter what."

"Hoyt said they've already asked you."

“They’re investigating me now, and I just want to know what you said so we can compare our statements.”

"Considering that I protected you before, right?"

Glenn Fleschler looked timidly at Chen Yu in front of him, his voice visibly tense as he spoke.

After all, he knew what he had done.

"Thank you, Randall."

"Thank you so much!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Chen Yu pulled out the scissors in his hand and quickly stabbed them towards the neck of the person in front of him.

puff!

Blood gushed out instantly, and Chen Yu, as if possessed, plunged the scissors in his hand into Glenn Fleschler's eye.

One after another.

Then, he dragged Glenn Fleschler by the head and slammed it against the wall in front of him.

Bang bang bang.

Blood splattered on his face, mixing with white paint and slowly trickling down.

"Oh no!"

"Arthur, why did you do this?"

Lee Gil was so frightened that he retreated to a corner, while Chen Yu collapsed to the ground, his chest heaving rapidly.

"What's going on, Arthur?"

“Gary, don’t be afraid, I won’t hurt you.”

Chen Yu smiled and then got up to unlock the door.

But the moment he opened the door, he closed it again, leaving Lee Gil curled up to the side, clearly at a loss.

"Gary, you're the only person who's ever been nice to me."

When he said those words, Chen Yu was clearly weak and listless.

He pulled Lee Gill closer and planted a kiss on his smooth forehead.

"Let's go."

After he closed the door, the smile on his face grew wider and wider until it looked somewhat distorted.

"can!"

Nolan nodded to Chen Yu.

The person in front of me becomes completely ruthless and forgets all emotions when filming.

He was genuinely afraid that Chen Yu would blow Glenn Fleschler's head off! (End of Chapter)