Dominating Hollywood: Starting with Scarlett

Chapter 180 Zunlong refuses
After Zhang Ziyi read the script, she sat in front of Tang De and told Gong Li her lines.

"I have a lot of things I want to say to Sister Hatsumomo..."

Her original intention was to find a reference and then perform by herself. Unexpectedly, Gong Li immediately showed an elegant and threatening smile: "My suggestion is that silence is golden."

Zhang Ziyi was stunned for half a second, and then continued to speak: "You should listen to more suggestions."

"I also worked as a dancer." Gong Li replied nonchalantly, always playing with a fan in her hand.

"Of course...but that happened a long, long time ago." Zhang Ziyi stabbed Gong Li with a hidden edge.

The next moment, Tang De saw the smile at the corner of Gong Li's mouth fade slightly, and her face became stiff for a moment.

"Stuck!" Tang De stopped the two people's performance, and then looked at Zhang Ziyi in their eyes: "Your performance has been suppressed."

Zhang Ziyi bit her lip, feeling a little reluctant, but she also admitted that Gong Li's acting was more natural than hers, and she didn't catch the scene.

Tang De continued: "You have become famous now, so you must have the arrogance of a famous geisha! And you must show a kind of resistance to Hatsumomo's control over you for so many years. But your current mood is very single , It’s like a cat that’s afraid of a dog, where’s your hatred? I don’t see any of it.”

"Okay, continue."

After waiting ten minutes, Zhang Ziyi performed again.

"Is it radical?" Tang De shook his head: "If she can't bear it, it means she is not suitable to play Sayuri."

"I have a lot of things to say to Sister Hatsumomo..."

Michelle Yeoh knew what Tang De meant, which was to really suppress Zhang Ziyi in reality, make her feel the aggrievedness and powerlessness, and then help her release it.

There is no absolute choice for an actor. If you don't act, there will be countless pairs of eyes waiting for the role.

“My advice is silence is golden.”

There are a group of good actors, a good starting point, and a good early story.

So Zhang Ziyi can only rely on herself to adjust her mentality.

Michelle Yeoh and Gong Li also stopped shaking their fans and just waited quietly.

"I...go to the bathroom."

"Card."

Tang De closed his eyes and waited quietly.

Although "Memoirs of a Geisha" was not a good film in the original world, it has a good foundation.

"Then I'll do it again." She silently picked up the script and closed her eyes to find the state.

"Stuck!" Tang De waved his hand: "Your weak tone is weaker than that of my grandmother before she died. Do I still need to use a pump to cheer you up? Too bad, you are the worst I have ever seen. actor."

Michelle Yeoh said in a persuasive tone: "Director, you are treating Ziyi too harshly."

"But isn't this too radical?" Everyone is like a spring. When pressed to the right level, it will rebound with greater strength.

"You should take more advice."

This is a very cruel statement, but it is the true meaning of Hollywood.

"I...come again..." Zhang Ziyi gritted her teeth and said these two words.

Tang De frowned: "Are you acting to the enemy who killed your father? It's too much. The emotions are subtle and complicated, but you are blindly emphasizing hatred now, and you look like an angry monkey. Really. Ugly."

"It's so ugly..." This was the first time Zhang Ziyi heard someone use the word "ugly" to comment on herself, and she almost blurted out a retort.

But if you press it too much, the spring can easily break.

"I have a lot of things to say to Sister Hatsumomo..."

Gong Li and Michelle Yeoh were quietly fanning nearby, but they were still far from being proficient.

After waiting for a while, Zhang Ziyi opened her eyes: "Let's start."

Tang De scolded mercilessly: "Who are you performing for? For yourself or for the audience? What about your emotions? Does being expressionless count as hatred? Are you stupid? This expression is completely unqualified!"

I don’t know how long it took before Zhang Ziyi mustered up her courage again.

"Card."

“My advice is silence is golden.”

"I have a lot of things to say to Sister Hatsumomo..."

"You should take more advice."

After saying that, she quickly stood up and headed to the bathroom, and Gong Li immediately followed her.

"Of course it's severe." Tang De replied calmly: "Because the real core of this movie is her, and she needs to take the lead. But her acting skills are now solidified, so she must go through Sayuri's experience."

"I also worked as a maiko."

Zhang Ziyi pursed her lips and blinked her eyes constantly, for fear of letting tears fall accidentally.

After all, this movie is one that he plans to compete in major film festivals.

"Okay, I'll readjust it again." Zhang Ziyi was a little frustrated after being told that, but she still managed to pull herself together and read the script again.

But she endured it because she thought she would be better next time.

If she is not suitable, Tang De will replace her without hesitation.

But after Sayuri grew up, the story lost its tension and began to become dull and boring. In Don De's opinion, this is inseparably related to Rob Marshall.

Therefore, he wanted to make the movie how he wanted it to be based on the experience of later generations.

The ups and downs of a geisha's emotions and experiences along with the times were filmed and turned into a tragedy.

In order to achieve this goal, Tang De once again became a ruthless judge who would not let anyone off even the slightest mistake.

"Gong Li, this posture is wrong. It's laziness rather than laziness. You must always remember that there is a flame of jealousy burning in your heart. When you see Sayuri, you will involuntarily hate her. Because she is just like you when you were a child, that is A talent you’ve lost!”

"You are jealous of her face and talent. You are worried that she will take away everything from you, so you attack first."

"Arjun, elegance does not mean having no temper. You have to be tougher and more indifferent. You have reached the top of a geisha. This is your confidence. No one can match it!"

"Zhang, if you can only show one emotion, then go out and figure it out..."

"Snapped."

Zhang Ziyi stood outside the door holding the script, just like the bullied Sayuri in the movie, feeling the complex and bitter emotions alone.

"Don, you're going too far." Rob also tried to persuade him.

He is more compassionate than Tang De.

"If she doesn't perform well, I'll let her know what's more extreme." Tang De didn't care about Rob's thoughts at all. In the next few days, Zhang Ziyi practiced fanning in the morning and acting skills in the afternoon.

Being scolded by Tang De has become a common thing, and she is often interrupted during the performance, and then performs a line repeatedly until Tang De nods before continuing.

Under such high pressure, Zhang Ziyi had no time to think about other things. She kept thinking about her lines and expressions every day. She even thought about her lines while eating, as if she was back in school.

Just a week later, Tang De, who was revising the script with the screenwriter, suddenly received the news.

"Is Zun Long's schedule inappropriate?" Tang De frowned: "Does he have any movies to make?"

"Yes, there is a Chinese TV series about to start filming." The actor and director didn't know the specific TV series that made Zunlong reject the crew.

"Give me your phone number and I'll contact him personally."

"I don't think it's necessary, Tang, because Mr. Steven has already met with Fang Lian, but unfortunately he still refused."

In fact, when Tang De was training the three female protagonists, Steven Spielberg personally went to Zun Long with the script.

At the same time, another director James Avery also approached Zun Long with sincerity.

When faced with "Memoirs of a Geisha", Zunlong was very moved.

But James Avery said that the new film will be tailor-made for Zun Long. Not only will he play the modern version of "The Emperor of Shanghai", but he will also invite the Oscar-winning actress Vanessa Redgrave to help out.

The problem is that both films have to be shot in the second half of 04, so the schedules have collided.

This put Zunlong into a great dilemma, so he didn't know what he discussed with his agent later, but he actually rejected them all and accepted a Chinese TV series.

When Tang De got the information from the actor and director, he discovered that the TV series was called "Qianlong and Xiangfei".

"What the hell." Tang De cursed and asked, "Where is Zun Long now? I want to see him in person."

"Well, he is in China... Director, do you want to go there? Do you need me to find a Huaguotong for you?"

"Hua Guotong?" Tang De smiled. Who can understand Hua Guo better than him?
"No, I can just go by myself. Contact Zunlong and tell me where he lives."

"I understand, then I will book a flight for you now."

Tang De did not prepare for too long. Two days later, he got on a plane to Yanjing and went to personally persuade Zunlong to change his mind.

More than twenty hours later, the plane landed.

Tang De walked out of the airport carrying his bag. He was wearing big sunglasses, covering half of his face.

Although the pure black hair looks like a Chinese, no matter the clothes or the face shape, people can't help but think of foreign countries.

As soon as he went out, many drivers came around to ask about Tang De's destination. The noise and enthusiasm were no different from the past in his memory.

He chose a driver he liked, and then said in a Beijing movie: "Master, Kunlun Hotel, don't go too far!"

The driver was stunned for a moment, then nodded: "Compatriots, that's good."

Tang De successfully rushed to the Kunlun Hotel without spending much money. As soon as he got off the car, he called Zun Long's agent Chen Yubing.

"Hello, Miss Chen, this is Tang De. I have arrived at the hotel. Is Mr. Zunlong in the hotel now?"

"He went for an interview? Okay, then I'll wait for you here."

Although Tang De said so, he actually got a room as soon as he entered the hotel, then went to the bathroom and took a shower without using shower gel or washing his hair.

Then he had a nice meal in the restaurant of Kunlun Hotel, then picked up his backpack and came to the lobby, where he sat on the sofa and waited.

It was not until eight o'clock in the evening that Tang De saw Zunlong and his agent walking into the hotel surrounded by several Chinese people.

A few people exchanged greetings at the door, and several Chinese people got in the car and left.

Only then did Tang De stand up and walk towards Zun Long.

Agent Chen Yubing discovered him immediately.

"Tang?" She raised her eyebrows and looked at his messy hair and wrinkled clothes with some surprise: "Have you been waiting here?"

"Time is limited." Tang De looked at Zun Long with a smile and stretched out his hand: "Hello, Zun Long, it's our first time meeting you."

"Hello, Don, I've seen your filming of "Chicago."" Even though Zunlong's face was a little red after drinking, he was still very graceful.

"Let's go upstairs and talk." Chen Yubing was afraid that the media would take secret photos and urged the two of them back to the room.

Ten minutes later, "click", the door closed.

Tang De and Zun Long sat face to face on the sofa, and Chen Yubing also sat next to Zun Long.

"Don, why did you come to me? I have already rejected "Memoirs of a Geisha"." Zunlong spoke very directly, which is the character he has maintained since his debut.

But when filming in China, he restrained his directness and became much more diplomatic.

"I mainly want to ask you, why did you choose to make a bad movie?" Although Tang De smiled, his words were very hurtful.

"I think you're a little offended." Chen Yubing was the first to stand up and object, but Zunlong suddenly raised his hand to stop her and looked at Tang De seriously.

"Do you think this is a bad movie?"

"Of course, oh, I think calling it a bad movie is overestimating it. It might be easier to understand and more appropriate to call it dog shit." Tang De was extremely sarcastic and mean.

Having said this, he paused for a moment and continued after seeing that Zunlong's expression did not change: "I can actually think of your thoughts, because you want to gain the recognition of the Chinese people, right?"

As soon as these words came out, Chen Yubing's face became a little surprised, and Zunlong couldn't help but clenched his fingers.

Because this is their unanimous desire to take on this drama.

In fact, Zunlong has now achieved the ultimate in the entertainment industry. He has won the Heritage Award from the Chinese American Museum and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Hollywood International Film Festival.

It also received nominations for Oscars and Golden Globes.

It can be said that as a Chinese, he has reached the true peak of his career. If nothing else happens, he will fade out of the film industry in a few years and live his retirement life with peace of mind.

It is precisely because of this that he thinks of returning to China for development, because he believes that his roots are always here.

This is a common nostalgia among Asians, and Zunlong is no exception.

He hoped that he could gain popularity and recognition in China, so he curbed his sharpness in Hollywood and behaved carefully in China.

You must know that when filming in Hollywood, if a hat does not fit properly, he will directly ask the costume designer to modify it three times. He takes every detail extremely seriously.

But in China, the crew of "Qianlong and Xiangfei" had such a crappy appearance, but he actually resisted and cooperated to complete the entire scene.

This shows how strongly he wants to return home and gain recognition.

Tang De knew that if he wanted to persuade Zun Long to take his role, he must start from this aspect.

This is also the reason why he directly started ruthless ridicule.

(End of this chapter)