Actor: Thank you.

Just like with "Red Cliff", Zhang Yuan did receive an invitation to star in "Mei Lanfang".

However, he quickly declined.

The reason is the same as with "Red Cliff": the film itself is bad.

And I'd only be playing a supporting role.

Playing a supporting role is one thing, but given John Woo and Chen Shiren's temperaments, they'd think that giving you a supporting role means they think highly of you and are giving you a chance.

Pooh!
What the hell.

Did I give you face?
It would be better to act in "Painted Skin" or "Ip Man," where you could not only make money but also be the lead actor.

Moreover, if I went, given their personalities, they might blame me for the film's poor box office performance.

If I don't catch the fox and end up getting into all sorts of trouble, I'd have to be crazy to do it.

Although both are renowned directors, Jiang Wen has a completely different personality from the other two.

He Jiong was nervous because Zhang Yuan had told him before the show started that he was going to drag Chen Shiren into this mess.

Teacher He had first heard of Director Chen's "infamous reputation".

In recent years, several colleagues have been targeted by such schemes.

Liu Yan was so frightened by Poet Chen that she had nightmares for a whole month.

Yang Shouchen set up a table to apologize on behalf of Young Master Xie.

Chen Hong pointed at Wu Junru's nose and cursed, showing no respect for Chen Kexin.

This family is the type that will give you a cold shoulder on the spot if they are not satisfied with just one sentence, and they don't care at all whether the media is filming them.

Although Chen Shiren, like Hua Yi, couldn't get on Hunan TV's good side.

If this were ancient times, Hunan TV's status in the Chinese cultural and media circles would be roughly equivalent to that of a military governor.

Even if Chen, the poet, were to curse and swear, Hunan TV wouldn't pay any attention.

But a TV station is a TV station, and an individual is an individual.

Heaven knows what this Manchu descendant of the Plain White Banner in the Chinese film industry might do.

Therefore, Zhang Yuan never mentioned this matter when he was at Zhejiang TV.

Zhu Dan was naive, but Hua Shao was shrewd and wouldn't get involved in such trouble.

Besides, I'm not familiar with either of them, so there's no need for me to scam them.

Teacher He is different; he's one of us, and easy to talk to.

If there are any problems, I'll help shoulder them too.

"I was originally offered the role of Mei Lanfang in his youth."

"I am also a fan of traditional opera, and I am very fortunate to have received the invitation."

"But the movie 'Ip Man' also promotes the traditional culture of Chinese kung fu, so I made a choice after careful study."

Zhang Yuan's words in public were quite polite and not barbed.

This is called decency.

Public figures must be mindful of their public image.

"Wow, that must have been really tough."

"I hope that you will have the opportunity to make up for this missed opportunity in the future."

Teacher He finished speaking, his breath drenched in sweat.

Backstage after the show recording.

"It's only because of you. I wouldn't say this even if it were anyone else," He Jiong complained as he drank water from his thermos.

"Even Teacher He has something he's afraid of?" Zhang Yuan joked.

"That's right, I'm not as bold as you."

"I'm just a small-time host. I'm very cautious and careful every day, afraid of offending people."

"Especially leaders and seniors."

"Are seniors meant to be surpassed?" Zhang Yuan spread his hands, looking completely indifferent.

"Moreover, the world should not be judged by seniority, but by the ability."

"If one's virtue does not match one's position, one should step down early to avoid becoming a laughing stock."

"Your words are quite pointed." Teacher He didn't dare to reply, and looked around to make sure there were no outsiders in the lounge.

"Ah, who do you think I'm talking about?" Zhang Yuan replied with an innocent look on his face.

"I'm trying to help you, and you're digging a hole for me." Teacher He rolled her eyes at him, too lazy to even reply.

"But seriously, what exactly are you trying to do?"

"Don't let things get out of control."

"Not to mention Director Chen, the Mei family is behind the film 'Mei Lanfang.' If things fall out, they'll sue you at the higher-ups." He Jiong felt terrified just thinking about it; the background was too powerful.

"I know what I'm doing and won't provoke the Mei family."

"The Mei family isn't stupid; they won't get involved in this."

"As for looking for me at higher levels," Zhang Yuan proudly puffed out his chest, "you may have forgotten, but I'm still a council member of the Chinese Quyi Association."

Someone reported me to the Chinese Quyi Association?
The Chinese Opera Association had to call me and ask me to come to a meeting to discuss the matter.

This is like the United Nations holding a general meeting to decide whether to impeach the five great philanthropists.

The Chinese Table Tennis Association held a meeting to discuss whether to impeach Liu Guoliang.

The Deyuan Society held a meeting and planned to dismiss Yu Qian.

These are all baseless claims.

First of all, the Mei family held a superior position, did not participate in any associations, formed their own faction, and established the Mei Lanfang Association.

Unlike the other members of the "Mei, Shang, Cheng, and Xun" group, who would participate in the Chinese Opera Association even if they did not participate in the Quyi Association, they did participate in the Chinese Drama Association.

The current chairman of the Chinese Opera Association is Shang Changrong, the son of Shang Xiaoyun, one of the four great Dan (female role) performers, and a top-notch Peking Opera painted-face actor.

But the Mei family is different; to put it bluntly, they disdain to associate with you.

Because Mr. Mei has transcended the scope of Peking Opera, the Mei School is recognized as one of the three major theatrical systems in the world.

The remaining two are Stanislavsky and Brecht.

The foundations of modern world performance are China, the Soviet Union, and Germany.

Although Brecht was German, he also came from a Marxist background.

His theoretical foundation is dialectical materialism and historical materialism.

Therefore, the foundation of human performance is actually the red color, which is of impeccable origin.

Because of their high status, the Mei family is not subject to the jurisdiction of any association.

They hold high positions, are somewhat detached from worldly affairs, and don't bother with ordinary people.

The only time Mr. Mei Baojiu publicly lost his temper was when he was provoked by Li Yugang.

This guy initially attracted attention by imitating Mr. Mei's singing of opera songs, but after he became popular, he started to go too far.

He even openly claimed to represent the Mei School of art.

You're trying to steal my family's main road!
Zhang Yuan wouldn't say that if he doesn't play Mei Lanfang, no one else can, so people won't bother with him.

So he wasn't afraid at all.

Wu Jing, who was also getting ready to change clothes, found his behavior amusing.

Stimulate!

Why is it that older generations can intimidate people while we younger ones can't even say a word?

It makes no sense!
We treated Teacher He to another meal, toasted him several times, and then everyone left Hunan TV.

After visiting Beijing and appearing on programs on Beijing TV and CCTV, this round of advance television promotion finally came to an end.

After saying goodbye to Wu Jing, Zhang Yuan first consulted with Yang Siwei to plan the publicity and distribution in detail, and asked her to review the prepared press release.

After offering some suggestions for revision, the fat woman pursed her lips and shook her head, understanding that Zhang Yuan was up to something.

"What do you mean by shaking your head?" Zhang Yuan asked.

"nothing."

She dared not speak, she dared not ask.

All I know is that my boss's cunning and audacity are inversely proportional.

She was left to handle the publicity matters, while Zhang Yuan, along with his assistant, bodyguards, and makeup artist, went to Shanghai.

The film crew of "Bodyguards and Assassins" was going to hold a costume fitting meeting at Songjiang Film and Television City.

Actually, I had my makeup done a long time ago.

As a tribute film, it received strong support from higher authorities, with all review processes simplified while publicity was made more extensive.

It's like a pre-launch press conference before the machine is turned on.

"Brother Jia Hui".

"Nicholas Tse".

After entering the male artists' dressing room, Zhang Yuan greeted several familiar faces.

Wang Xueqi, whom I'm not very familiar with, is also there, as is Leon Lai.

The cast of this film is roughly half from Hong Kong and half from mainland China.

But what makes it better than "Red Cliff" is that the director is not as biased as John Woo, who completely relegated mainland artists to supporting roles.

On the contrary, because it's an ensemble piece like "The Message," everyone's screen time is relatively even. And the acting is generally solid.

Xie Gongzi's acting skills are generally average, but he performed very well in this drama.

On the mainland side, Hu Jun was absent, but Wang Xueqi and the other two performed quite well.

But why is it said that it's "basically" without any major flaws...?

After changing his clothes, Zhang Yuan ran into an acquaintance as soon as he went out.

Hello Chun Chun.

The one who faltered was Chun Ge, who was supposedly making her big-screen debut.

All I can say is that they tried their best, but their foundation was just too weak.

Li Yuchun is a hardworking person, but it's also true that her acting is not good.

The problem still lies with Bona Film Group, the main investor, and producer Chen Kexin.

Chen Kexin has a problem: she's prone to internal strife.

They want to be artistic, but their old-fashioned artistic style isn't quite there yet, and they awkwardly incorporate some commercial elements into their works.

Li Yuchun in "Bodyguards and Assassins" is a product of Chen Kexin's compromise with Tianyu Media in an attempt to attract audiences.

It's really unfair that Li Yuchun has to bear all the blame.

In fact, if a film makes a poor choice in casting, whoever is responsible for selecting the actors should be blamed.

However, actors have less say than directors. When directors complain and shirk responsibility, actors generally don't dare to argue back, for fear of losing their jobs.

This is why Teacher He doesn't even dare to mention Poet Chen.

"You seem to know people everywhere you go." Seeing that she could chat with Li Yuchun for a while, Fan Bingbing, who had changed into a plain-colored jacket and skirt and wore a silver headdress, stepped out of the dressing room with a semi-transparent silk handkerchief in her hand and her figure swaying.

As the saying goes, if you want to be pretty, be filial.

Although Fan Xiaopang has a top-tier bright and beautiful appearance, and so bright that he can pull off many floral clothes that ordinary people can't wear.

Only a strikingly beautiful face can outshine the vibrant colors of clothing.

But I quite like this attire of a young woman confined to her chambers.

A plain-dressed young wife is one of the most endearing types.

Seeing him look her up and down with admiration in his eyes, Fan Bingbing smiled with a hint of smugness.

“But I’m still closest to you,” Zhang Yuan nodded.

Fan Bingbing thought to herself, "That's right, not only are the people familiar, but their physiological structures are also very familiar."

"The machine will be launched in a few days. What do you say?" Fan Bingbing asked with a burning gaze.

"I've already told Chen Kexin that I'll have to join the crew a little later, so you guys can start filming first."

"Is something wrong?"

"Hollywood is also waiting for me."

"Look at you, so smug." Fan Bingbing glanced at him sideways: "Alright, I know you're busy."

"Congratulations, it's not easy to gain a foothold overseas."

"I haven't even gotten my footing yet."

When Fan Xiaopang heard him say that, he thought it was rare to see him so humble, so he had to flatter him.

Men, they all love to hear nice things.

They all like women to brag about themselves.

But before she could speak, Zhang Yuan continued.

"But we'll be standing firm soon."

"Have some shame." Fan Bingbing actually quite liked his confident demeanor.

But she quickly changed her expression, her eyes filled with anger, and spoke to him in a questioning tone.

"I heard from an old acquaintance of Hua Yi that you recently acted impulsively for the sake of a woman?"

"How come I don't have the good fortune to let you, Boss Zhang, make a move for me too?"

"Haven't we already done this many times?"

Fan Bingbing: ...

"Don't interrupt."

"how?"

"You've got guts! You went all out for a pretty, fair-skinned girl?"

"Is that what everyone's saying?" Zhang Yuan asked curiously.

"Yes."

"That's fine."

"Hehehe..." Seeing his reaction, Fan Bingbing laughed.

“I knew it. You’re not that kind of person. You wouldn’t go up against Huayi just for a woman.”

"I think you're just using that girl as an excuse; you've actually been wanting to sleep with Huayi for a while, haven't you?"

Zhang Yuan shook his head noncommittally.

how to say.

Fan Bingbing is smarter than most people and understands herself better.

So they weren't fooled by superficial appearances.

But all she saw was the second floor.

The wrapping cloth Zhang Yuandie had prepared was thicker than she had imagined.

If Fan Xiaopang can see through it so easily, then the Wang brothers will also react quickly.

Fan Bingbing's reaction reassured him quite a bit.

"Don't go around spreading rumors."

"I'm not stupid, there's no benefit in selling you out."

“However…” Fan Bingbing’s eyes became a little cunning: “I don’t care what you’re up to, but if there’s a chance to make money, you can’t forget about me.”

"Understood. I will take you with me when the opportunity arises."

The prerequisite for a so-called "strong female lead" is a solid economic foundation.

Therefore, Zhang Yuan does not reject the idea that women love money, provided that they earn it themselves and do not rely on men for financial support.

After the press conference, I was thinking of treating Fan Xiaopang to dinner and discussing the grand theme of harmony in life together that evening.

"You think you're the only one who's busy?" Fan Bingbing jokingly flicked his chin with her index finger. "I have to rush off to a business meeting."

"A bar in downtown Shanghai has opened, and I have to go and open a show in the middle of the night."

"You seem to make money from everything." Zhang Yuan rarely encountered anyone whose number of gigs could rival his.

It was a pity to miss out on such a good opportunity, so Zhang Yuan had no choice but to give up.

If there's no future with women, then work is the only option.

He wants to find a gym to work out.

After all, I'm about to participate in the filming of "G.I. Joe," so even last-minute cramming can be effective.

We need to find a few more professional coaches to help shape (or even rip) our bodies.

But no sooner had I left Songjiang and gotten into the car than I received a familiar phone call.

As soon as he saw the caller ID, he quickly answered it.

"Hey, Mr. Benshan, what can I do for you?"

"Where are you?" came the familiar voice that appeared every New Year's Eve.

"I'm in the Magic City."

“I told you my eyesight is good!” The person opposite clapped their hands: “I told my apprentice I saw you, but they said they didn’t.”

"A bunch of young boys with eyes like mine."

"Oh, you're in Shanghai too."

"I'm still in Songjiang, right here at the film and television city!"

Zhao Benshan spoke to him.

A subsidiary of Benshan Media plans to lead the production of a film in the second half of the year.

It's that Taiwanese flops, Chu Yen-ping's "The Laughing Swordsman".

Teacher Zhao plans to give Xiao Shenyang, who has risen to fame, a good boost.

I came to Shanghai today to visit the filming locations for this movie crew.

We visited film studios not only in Songjiang, Shanghai, but also in Hengdian, Wuxi, and Shenyang.

Upon hearing of Zhao Benshan's arrival, film and television cities across the country extended a warm welcome, and wherever he went, a vibrant and thriving atmosphere prevailed.

That's fame, that's prestige.

I went to visit Songjiang and just happened to see him leaving from afar.

Now that it's confirmed, we said it's been a long time since we've seen each other, so we'll get together since it's a coincidence.

Seeing that he had some free time, Zhang Yuan decided not to decline.

And so they headed to the banquet of the King of Comedy… (End of Chapter)