Actor: Thank you.

"Oh, it's not suitable?"

"Who's unsuitable?"

After listening to his words, Zhou Yun looked directly into his eyes and pondered for a moment.

"Could it be Chow Yun-fat?" someone asked after a few seconds.

"Of course not." Zhang Yuan clicked his tongue.

The other person's first reaction was Chow Yun-fat, which shows that everyone knows that he and Chow Yun-fat are not on good terms.

I don't know who leaked it.

However, with over a thousand people on the set of "Curse of the Golden Flower," it's inevitable that some would be quick-tongued and slippery-tongued.

This is not a good thing.

Zhang Yuan was reluctant to have a reputation for antagonizing his seniors.

Moreover, Chow Yun-fat is quite different from ordinary people.

Because Chow Yun-fat was known as "Second-rate" in Hong Kong in his early years, meaning he was second-rate.

Because they don't have fighters like Chen Long or Li Lianjie, nor do they have comedic talents like Chen Baixiang or Huang Baiming.

In his early years, his acting skills were not as good as those of naturally gifted actors like Tony Leung Ka-fai and Leslie Cheung.

However, Chow Yun-fat is naturally lucky and worked with a great director, John Woo.

He also married a good wife.

His wife, Chen Huilian's father, Chen Shoulin, is a well-known Singaporean tycoon.

Chow Yun-fat's billions in assets were mostly managed by his wife, who bought properties, land, and made money through investments that multiplied his wealth.

In fact, Chow Yun-fat and his wife's story is similar to that of Nicholas Tse and Zhou Yun in the movie "Bodyguards and Assassins".

The rickshaw puller married the daughter of a wealthy family.

Moreover, Chen Huilian is an only child, but her father is gone, and her influence has weakened considerably.

She's far inferior to Andy Lau's wife, after all, his wife's family still wields considerable influence.

But it's always better to be cautious, to avoid trouble in your own business.

After all, Singapore is Asia's largest "financial hub".

Chow Yun-fat was just arrogant in his early years, but he really started to act like a big shot after he got married.

Having a wife like that is truly impressive.

During the filming of "Curse of the Golden Flower," for example, he requested about ten suites, a dedicated toilet on set, and a motorhome, a large part of which was requested by his wife.

They really think they're the richest person in Singapore.

Zhang Yuan has no feelings for Chow Yun-fat, but he has to admit that the role of Huang Silang is still best suited for him.

If we're just talking about ruthlessness, Wang Zhiwen can act it too, and he can be even more ruthless than him.

But while being ruthless, it also needs to have a touch of light comedy, which is something not everyone can do.

After thinking it over, Zhang Yuan realized that Liang Jia Hui was the only one he could handle, someone who was both ruthless and comical.

Teacher Liang is too comprehensive.

However, neither Wang Zhiwen nor Liang Jiahui are as famous as Chow Yun-fat, which must be admitted.

“Chow Yun-fat is great, I think there’s no problem.”

"Who is that?" Zhou Yun was quite confused.

If there are private conflicts, that's understandable, and we can try to persuade them.

It's not a personal grudge, there's no pretext, so it's actually more difficult to handle.

"I think it's inappropriate for the county magistrate's wife to be involved."

“That is, the role played by Liu Jialing.” Zhang Yuan began slowly, but quickly added, “Actually, it’s not that it’s unsuitable.”

Liu Jialing's performance was also quite good.

She portrayed the frivolous nature of the county magistrate's wife—a woman with a lowly body but a high spirit, someone who has the means to make money but not the means to spend it.

Because the county magistrate's wife is not actually the county magistrate's wife.

Or rather, in Jiang Wen's films, each character is more than just that one character.

The county magistrate's wife actually represents the vast number of ancient gentry and vested interests, as well as today's capitalists.

They don't care who the county magistrate is; they just want to be the county magistrate's wife.

They don't care who owns the world; they only care about their own interests.

This was the view held by the gentry in various regions during the late Ming Dynasty.

Your Zhu family is gone. If someone else becomes emperor, won't they still have to rely on us to rule the region?
As a result, they were successively confronted by the rebel leader Li Zicheng and the Manchu Qing dynasty.

The taxes that the Zhu family couldn't collect were easily collected by these two groups.

Just like a line from a certain war drama.

"You're so stupid! Even if I beat you to death, the money is still mine."

Throughout history, there have been countless groups of people who always think of themselves as the local tyrants, expecting everyone to serve them.

But every time, the result is the same: they are slaughtered like pigs, and most of the time, they are physically slaughtered like pigs.

Therefore, the character of the county magistrate's wife is not seductive, but rather shameless.

Liu Jialing portrayed this kind of shamelessness quite well.

But Zhang Yuan felt there was something more suitable.

“I remember Director Jiang told me at the beginning that he had approached Gong Li for this role.”

"Why isn't it her anymore?"

When Zhou Yun heard Gong Li's name, and recalled Zhang Yuan's sighs for Li Jiaxin yesterday, he narrowed his eyes.

Zhang Yuan: …

What does that look mean to you?
Why do I feel like you're doubting me?

Zhou Yun is now starting to have some doubts about him.

She suspected that Zhang Yuan had a thing for pretty housewives.

With Li Jiaxin and Gong Li both mentioned, you certainly have high taste.

“Gong Li said she wasn’t particularly interested in the role,” Zhou Yun replied earnestly, composing himself.

"I think she probably felt that her role was too small and not interesting."

"Hmm, that's possible." Zhang Yuan nodded.

"However, I think Gong Li could have performed better."

Zhou Yun didn't speak, but just bit her lip.

Everyone knows Gong Li is a great actress.

Moreover, she's very famous, which makes it easier to sell tickets and copyrights.

But what can we do if they don't like our play?

"Okay, let me make one thing clear first."

"Would Director Jiang be willing to use Gong Li?"

"Of course I would."

If you were to suggest casting Liu Xiaoqing, Zhou Yun would object.

But Gong Li doesn't, and she's even a fan of other people's products.

Moreover, Jiang Wen and Gong Li co-starred in "Red Sorghum" and have been friends for many years.

“If you’re willing, then leave the matter of inviting Gong Li to come out of retirement to me.”

"Once this movie is finished filming, I'll personally make a trip to Singapore," Zhang Yuan said with a determined look.

"Alright, since you have an idea, I'll talk to Director Jiang about it."

Despite Zhou Yun's words, when he called Jiang Wen, he still said he was prepared for both possibilities.

She was afraid that Zhang Yuan wouldn't be able to handle Gong Huang.

"You've got your eye on Gong Li, kid?" Not long after, Jiang Wen called him.

"Yes."

"What do you like about her?" Jiang Wen asked playfully.

"Director Jiang, we are all decent people, what you said is ambiguous."

"What else could I possibly like about her? Of course, it's her acting skills and her fame."

"It better be."

Zhang Yuan: …

Are you two still good people?

However, their suspicions are not without merit.

The key point is that Zhang Yuan's interest in Gong Li wasn't solely for acting.

From the perspective of acting alone, Gong Li is one of the best among the middle-aged actresses in China.

When Zhang Ziyi first debuted, she was promoted as a "little Gong Li".

In fact, her acting skills are nowhere near as good as Gong Li's.

Zhang Ziyi can only play certain types of roles, namely women with pure personalities and a stubborn streak. She is perfect for this role and is basically unbeatable.

Gong Li can play any role.

A domineering queen is fine, but a gentle and graceful one like Qiu Xiang is also acceptable.

Moreover, when playing different roles, everything from the eyes to the temperament will completely change.

If you put Qiu Xiang's stills next to those from the same period of "Farewell My Concubine" and compare them side by side, you'll see that her overall demeanor is completely different.

Gong Li has also played many lowly women.

Ju Dou, the woman in "Ju Dou" who has an affair with her husband's nephew.

In films like "Memoirs of a Geisha," "Farewell My Concubine," and "Shanghai Triad," she played women with technical skills.

In "The Empress Dowager", she played Guilian, who was a palace maid in the early stages of the story and was later sold to a brothel, where she was completely reduced to a prostitute.

In this film, Gong Li's scene where she uses foul language and berates a customer for not paying is quite classic.

The movies and actors back then were really something else. They used all sorts of profanity and vulgar language, yet they still made it to the big screen.

You know what, Gong Li really does have a knack for swearing... it's got a unique charm.

The key benefit is also quite... large.

There's a scene in the film where the character "examines his conscience," and she would be a better fit for the visual effect.

Zhang Yuan really put a lot of thought into his work, considering every detail and key point.

It seems it's time to go and meet my "Mother" whom I haven't seen for several years.

I added the movie "Let the Bullets Fly" to my schedule and put it aside for the time being to focus on my work.

Ye Weiming communicated with him several more times to discuss the film's copyright.

Director Ye is quite distressed now.

Neither side will budge! Am I even going to be able to film this movie?
Zhang Yuan remained calm, while Hua Qi was furious and defiant, feeling that someone was trying to blackmail him.

Huaqi always felt that Zhang Yuan's claim that he wanted the crew to film the movie themselves was just a tactic to scare them.

Because this company has a lot of influence in Hubei Province, and people with that kind of power tend to have big tempers.

He feels provoked by others if things don't go his way at all.

After learning of Ye Weiming's thoughts, Zhang Yuan said he didn't care.

Think what you want.

He treats the same way he treats the censorship from the island nation: let them be strong, I'm perfectly fine.

However, a lot of news has been circulating both inside and outside the film crew and in the entertainment industry.

Some say he's gone mad.

Some say he offended the island nation and got into a lawsuit with a domestic company, which is asking for trouble.

In summary, I feel that he's had it too easy and should be doomed!

That way, other people will feel more at ease.

Many people are just waiting to see him suffer a setback.

After all, there's been a lot of bad news about him lately, and it's all bad news that could easily lead to adverse consequences.

This is exactly the "internal and external troubles" that Zeng Jia was worried about.

The entertainment industry is a hunting ground. Once you reveal a flaw, a bunch of people will rush forward and devour you completely.

If an ordinary actor offended the island nation, a group of his peers would have already come up to steal his jobs.

But his identity was special, and he was also known by a famous person.

Knowing he's heavy-handed, everyone is watching and waiting.

Even when "Ma Guocheng" came up to provoke them, no one did.

So much so that Zhang Yuan was "drawing his sword and looking around in bewilderment," and didn't even have the chance to add a name to Xiao Ben.

People from the film crew often come to ask about his recent situation.

I don't know if it's out of concern or to gather information for someone else.

In short, from an outsider's perspective, things haven't been going well for Zhang Yuan lately.

But soon, news of Shun arrived.

This is also the first piece of good news recently.

Cai Yinong called him.

"The premiere of 'Chinese Paladin 3' was very successful, and it has already been broadcast on Jiangsu TV."

"The copyrights for Hong Kong and Taiwan have now been sold."

"Four domestic satellite TV stations were sold, and eleven local TV stations were sold."

Mr. Cai doesn't even need to mention how much money it costs.

Zhang Yuan could tell from her tone of voice that this show was a huge success.

The film's total cost was less than 30 million, but the copyright alone has sold for over 50 million, not only breaking even but also generating a large profit.

"Congratulations."

"Happy together."

He's happy, and he'll also get a bonus at the end of the year.

And there will definitely be other satellite TV stations and local stations that will buy it.

Because when "Chinese Paladin 3" aired on Jiangsu TV, it was the highest-rated TV series in the country during its time slot.

I recently received an invitation from the Sichuan region to attend the Sichuan TV Festival and win an award.

In any case, it is quite popular within the industry.

This film also marks the arrival of the "golden age" of Sugarman Films.

However, the "golden period" for sugar figurines is rather short...

The reactions to the film after its release varied.

Firstly, like "The Legend of Sword and Fairy 1", it aroused dissatisfaction among many fans of the original work.

Because many of the character settings have been modified.

In particular, the Demon Lord Chonglou's prestige plummeted, and he was ultimately tied to a pillar and tortured, which greatly dissatisfied many gamers.

Another issue is the old problem with sugar figurines: their costumes, makeup, and props.

The props were crude and the special effects were mediocre.

The most criticized aspect of the costumes was the woolen hat worn by Tang Xuejian, played by Yang Mi.

The design is too modern, which has been criticized by many discerning viewers.

Well, Yang Mi actually looks quite cute in this hat.

It's a matter of personal taste; everyone has their own preferences.

Just like Michelle Reis, known as the "public enemy of all rich wives in Hong Kong," how many wealthy men were captivated by her when she was young?

But Wang Jing didn't like her; he thought she wasn't pretty.

They said she was tall and thin with a long face, and didn't photograph well.

It's understandable, after all, Wang Jing has a chubby, round face like Chingmy Yau.

Not only Wang Jing, but James Gunn, the foreign director of the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy, is also a true fan of Chingmy Yau.

This is what they mean by everyone having their own preferences.

Moreover, the audience's aesthetic sense is not static.

Now people say the costumes and styling are a mess, but ten years from now they'll say they're classic.

So when Boss Cai told him these things, he didn't take them seriously at all.

Let them curse; the more they curse, the angrier they get.

Mr. Cai agreed repeatedly.

Not only did the film become a hit, but the lead actors also became famous.

After the film aired, Liu Shishi's advertising fees doubled.

Moreover, after Jia Shikai's net worth had already increased significantly following his use of Xiao Liu Qianqian for publicity, it doubled again.

Salaries rise this fast in the entertainment industry!

A hit show or a hit character can instantly increase one's value a hundredfold.

Although Boss Cai was happy, she knew very well what was going on.

Whether it's Yang Mi, Liu Shishi, Tang Yan, or Huo Jianhua.

These people have become famous, but they are still no match for Zhang Yuan.

Because when "Chinese Paladin 3" premiered, the episode with the highest viewership was not the finale, nor the episode where the male and female leads fell in love, nor the episode where Long Kui sacrificed herself.

It was the episode where Zhang Yuan made a cameo appearance as "Li Xiaoyao"!
The data speaks for itself; you can't argue with it.

The popularity of movie actors and TV drama actors is on completely different levels.

Even though he'd only been acting for a few days, he'd become the one carrying the show.

It was precisely because of his commercial value that Boss Cai, after some hesitation, revealed his purpose.

"The company is currently preparing a new film called 'The Vigilantes in Masks'."

"Do you have time to come and play a role in a period martial arts film?"

Zhang Yuan thought it through first.

There's no one in this area who needs to be kicked out.

Especially the two male leads, Wallace Huo and Ma Tianyu.

One has the personality of an old cadre, and the other is... well, let's just say he's a bit of a jerk

No one would dare to harm Liu Shishi, which saved him a lot of worries.

"I don't think I have the time, and I don't plan to film any TV series anytime soon."

"My cameo appearance in 'Chinese Paladin' was just to give back to my fans."

"Unless there are special circumstances, I will not be filming any more TV series in the near future."

“I understand…” Boss Cai’s heart finally died of worry.

She expected to be rejected, but she still wanted to try, just in case, for Liu Shishi's sake...

So now she's wondering if she came to film "Chinese Paladin 3" not for Liu Shishi, but for... Yang Mi, or Tang Yan?

Anyway, Boss Cai assumed that he came for the pretty woman.

You have a really good eye for people...

"There's something else I need to ask you about," Zhang Yuan suddenly remembered.

"The Legend of Sword and Fairy 3 sold well, so some online platforms should be contacting you to buy the copyright, right?"

"Yes, quite a few," Mr. Cai replied with a smile. "And the prices are much higher than before."

There are many losers in the copyright war initiated by Sohu.

But Sugar Man is one of the big winners.

Their films generally receive a very good response online because they appeal to online viewers aged 15 to 35.

The play about sugar figurines is for this age group.

Therefore, the early audience of internet platforms happened to be right in the comfort zone of people with diabetes.

This has caused the price of films featuring diabetics to skyrocket.

"Take it easy for now, don't rush to sell."

"There will be another wave of price increases for online copyrights in the near future."

"You have insider information... Yes, you're a shareholder of Potatoes," Mr. Cai answered himself.

"I understand, I'll hold onto it for now, I'm not in a hurry to sell."

"Alright, you decide for yourself."

Mr. Cai is not his employee; theoretically, he is a business partner.

Therefore, he couldn't speak to Zeng Jia the same way he did; he had to give her some face.

No sooner had I put down my phone than Tudou.com, which Mr. Cai had just mentioned, rushed to my door.

What's even more unusual is that it was Wang Wei who personally called him.

"Hello, Zhang Yuan."

"haven't seen you for a long time."

"Yes, you're usually so busy, it's been a long time since we last met," Zhang Yuan replied with a smile.

However, this smile made Wang Wei feel uncomfortable.

"Do you have the time?"

"I think we need to talk..." (End of Chapter)