Huayu: Director started with art films

Chapter 140 [140s, American Entertainment, Red Sofa]

The visitor was Monica Bellucci, whom I had met once at the Venice Film Festival two years ago.

She never expected to see Li Yishu again here.

To be honest, Monica Bellucci herself almost forgot about this director whom she had met once, after all, more than a year had passed.

Ever since Monica Bellucci came to the United States last year, she has been busy working as a model and an extra to cope with the high rent and living costs, and has no time to think about other things.

So Monica Bellucci really didn’t know that the director of this “Sixth Sense” crew was Lee Ye-seo!

And it was only after she saw the name tag on the table and the slightly familiar face that she confirmed the other person's identity.

Monica Bellucci reached out and lifted her hair from her forehead, smiled and said, "Yes...it's been a long time."

"It seems like we are destined to meet. What role are you auditioning for?"

"Olivia, the second female lead."

"Get her a copy of Toni's script."

The staff member handed over a short script.

Monica Bellucci took it and began to read it carefully.

As someone who has participated in many interviews for film crews, she is well aware that giving scripts to auditioning actors usually only happens when the actors are extremely optimistic.

Not to mention that the other party directly gave herself the script of the leading actress.

After five or six minutes, Monica Bellucci said, "I'm ready."

"Please begin your performance."

Li Yishu looked at Monica's performance with burning eyes.

He really didn't know that Monica Bellucci had come to the United States so early.

I always thought that she came to the American entertainment industry after "Marel Elba".

But to be honest, Monica Bellucci's career path is not very good.

She shot to fame with her role as Malena in "Malena", and her subsequent roles that were most memorable, rather than forced, were the virtual person Persephone in "The Matrix 2" and the cold-blooded Italian mafia widow Lucia in "Spectre".

After that, she had almost no roles that could be named. Of course, this may also be related to the fact that Monica Bellucci likes to make art films. After becoming famous, she made too many explicit films. People are more concerned about the minute at which the mouse stops.

After a while, Monica Bellucci began her performance, she was going to play a single mother.

Li Yishu smiled and said, "Very good! The performance was great. I can see that you have studied acting seriously in the past year or so. Your acting skills have improved significantly compared to before."

Monica Bellucci wiped the tears from her eyes, smiled and said, "Thank you. I have been taking acting classes since I came to the United States."

"What do you think?"

Li Yishu looked at the assistant director and producer beside her.

Assistant Director Elias nodded and said, "Very good, mature in appearance, full of intellectual beauty, very suitable for the role of Olivia."

Producer Thomas also agreed: "Yes, I agree with Elias, she is really great."

"Congratulations, Monica. Your performance moved us all."

Lee Ye-seo smiled and said, “The role of Toni is yours.”

"Thank you, thank you so much!"

Monica Bellucci was very excited. She had not had a good life since she came to the United States last year. Moreover, she was a newcomer and an Italian.

She is not very popular in the United States, and she has hardly ever appeared on the cover of a magazine. You should know that she started out as a model in Italy.

I've been here for almost half a year, and the only thing worth mentioning is probably my cameo role as a female ghost in "Bram Stoker's Dracula" last year.

Half a year has passed, and most of the money she had saved in Italy has been spent after coming to the United States. During this period, in order to pay for rent and acting classes, Monica Bellucci had to do several odd jobs in the Italian community every day.

Li Yishu waved her hand and said, "Jack, take her to sign the contract. By the way, let me announce that the female lead role is gone."

"Good director."

Jack nodded and came out of the audition room with Monica Bellucci.

When he announced the leading female role, the women looked at Monica with jealousy and envy.

Wait for the two to leave and go backstage.

There was a burst of discussion at the scene.

"Bitch, look at her mouth, she must have been blown away by the director."

"If someone like this can be elected, why can't I?"

"Yes, yes, I can play it too."

"If I could become the female lead, I could blow the whole crew away."

"..."

As everyone became indignant, they also began to secretly be wary of the people around them.

With the absence of the leading female role, the second, third and fourth female roles became the focus of everyone's pursuit.

After the leading female role was chosen, Li Yishu had no interest in the subsequent casting and handed it over to the producer and assistant director. He then took people to the cubicle next door to interview young actors.

Bruce Willis has been confirmed as the male lead, as Tom Hanks turned down the offer soon after Columbia Pictures sent him the invitation, as he had recently taken on an art film, The Philadelphia Story.

In fact, Tom Hanks still wants to work with this Chinese director who won the Golden Lion Award.

He has read the script and found it very well written, especially the final twist which was amazing.

However, for the next few months, he will be immersed in the role of Andrew, a gay man with AIDS.

There is simply no time to take on other films. Even if the script is great and the director is a Golden Lion Award winner, the only choice is to refuse.

After reading the script and learning about director Lee Yi-su's past experience, Bruce Willis readily agreed.

Although "The Sixth Sense" has some supernatural elements, anyone who has seen it knows that it is a supernatural and heartwarming film, similar to the previous global hit "Ghost".

Bruce Willis liked this script very much, especially the moment at the end when it was revealed that the hero had already died and was just a soul. The amazing feeling made him eager to shoot this movie.

This Chinese director from China won the Golden Lion Award at the Venice Film Festival in Europe for a film about family ties, which is enough to show that he has a high talent for directing such subjects.

When the two are combined, there is naturally no reason to refuse.

Time passes little by little.

The actresses have already been selected.

But there is still no news about the little actor.

Li Yishu interviewed dozens of child actors. Each child had his or her own strengths, some were handsome, some were cute, and there were all kinds of styles, but he still couldn't find a child actor who could impress him.

"Just get here in the morning and tell them to come over in the afternoon."

Li Yishu glanced at his watch and saw that it was already past eleven o'clock. He asked the stage manager Jack to notify the interviewers outside and tell them to come over at two o'clock in the afternoon.

He can hold on and continue the interview, but the kids outside can't.

Although she has never filmed in the United States, Li Yishu knows from various news and reports that people in child protection organizations and animal protection organizations in the United States are very difficult to deal with.

If we insist on the interview at noon, someone from a child protection organization might come and accuse the crew of being inhumane and abusing children, not even giving these poor children a break at noon. Then they would ask for some child protection fund and leave in a swagger.

Although it is unclear whether these are true or false, judging from the various shapeshifters who can be male or female as desired, as well as more than a hundred genders, the credibility of these news is still very high.

Li Yishu didn't want to bring herself unnecessary trouble, so she decided to take a rest. As long as she could choose a suitable child actor before today.

"Director Li... Director Li."

When Li Yishu was about to go out for a bite to eat with producer Thomas to discuss the next filming process, she suddenly heard a voice behind her.

He looked back and saw Monica Bellucci standing there.

Li Yishu asked in surprise: "Monica, you haven't left yet?"

It’s been several hours since the other party finished the interview, and he hasn’t left yet?
"Yes, Director Li, I'm staying here... because I want to treat you to a meal and thank you for giving me this opportunity."

Monica Bellucci nodded.

Before Li Yishu could speak, the producer Thomas beside her raised his eyebrows, leaned over and whispered, "Li, I won't disturb you from your date with Jiaren. If you cancel the interview this afternoon, remember to call me in advance."

As he spoke, Thomas made a phone call gesture and turned back.

Li Yishu didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Although he knew that Hollywood was just the final glory of the Red Sofa Audition, he didn't expect Thomas to be so blunt.

In fact, he didn't think about it that way. He just saw that Monica Bellucci was an actress he was familiar with in his previous life, and...

Ok!

Li Yishu admitted that she had such thoughts.

Who among the men who have seen the graceful flower of the earth, Monica Bellucci, at her most beautiful age, would not want to have a try of her beauty?
noon.

In a restaurant not far from the crew.

Li Yishu took a bite of the sandwich and asked while chewing, "Monica, when did you come to the United States?"

"I came here last year, but I haven't had the opportunity to play a worthwhile role until now."

Monica Bellucci smiled bitterly and said, "I thought there would be more opportunities in the United States, but reality tells me that maybe I'm not really suited to being here. If I hadn't met you this time, I think I might not have been able to hold on for long and would have returned to Italy in disgrace."

Li Yishu raised her eyebrows: "You are so beautiful and have starred in several movies in Italy. How could you not have a chance?"

"There is a chance, but..."

Monica Bellucci glanced at him and said, "They all have the same idea as the man you were with just now."

"Monica, don't get me wrong. I feel that you are very suitable for this role. This is my first movie in Hollywood, and it will determine whether I will have opportunities in the future. I must be the best and I can't choose you because of personal feelings."

Li Yishu put down the sandwich in her hand awkwardly, but she didn't expect that the other party heard what Thomas said.

"I understand what you mean. But...if it's you, I think I'd be willing."

Monica Bellucci said very bluntly: "These Americans are so hateful and arrogant! When I first came to the United States and went to the crew for an interview, there was a red sofa in the room. At first I didn't understand why a red sofa was placed in the middle of the audition."

"After the performance, the director asked me if I wanted to sit on the sofa. I couldn't refuse. When I sat down, the director actually started to take off his clothes in front of me. I was scared at the time. It wasn't until he came over that I pushed him away and ran away."

"Later I found out the real meaning of this red sofa."

At this point, she showed disgust on her face: "Since then, as long as I don't sit on that red sofa, I have never been successful in any audition. The only few opportunities I have had to perform were just extras that paid more than a dozen dollars a day, or special actors."

　Those who have watched American entertainment should know that the red sofa is an unspoken rule, but it is not an unspoken rule and it gradually disappeared in the mid-to-late 1990s.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)