Huayu: I'm reborn, but you still force me to be a scumbag?

Chapter 140 The Clown in Hell
"A few days?"

"Six days."

"Have you been in there? What's going on inside?"

"Well, hell."

Joe Farrow, assistant director of Batman 2, walked over and looked at the two hotel waiters who were chatting in the hotel corridor and scolded them: "Is this how you talk about guests behind their backs? Where is your manager?"

"Sir, I'm sorry, we won't do it again next time." The two hotel waiters didn't expect that their private conversation was heard by someone. They immediately said sorry and ran away.

Joe Farrow stood at the door of Room 921, took a deep breath, and then rang the doorbell.

"Ding dong, ding dong."

Joe Farrow felt that he was really unlucky. Why did he meet himself when he came over that day?
If this was not the case, why would he be responsible for the communication between the director and him now?

Pressed it again.

With a "click", the door of the room opened.

Looking from the brightly lit corridor, the room was pitch black, as if the owner of the room had drawn the curtains, not letting in any light.

Joe Farrow didn't want to walk into such a gloomy and scary place, but there was no way. Nolan sent him here to discuss tomorrow's shooting plan with the other party, and he had to make it clear in person.

"Chen, can I come in?" Joe Farrow said with a cough.

"of course can."

The door was opened a little, but the person inside did not show up. The voice seemed to be produced by some kind of resonance in the throat and nasal cavity, and it did not sound like a normal person speaking.

Joe Farrow thought the voice reminded him of his grandfather.

There was an old man in his 80s who had been bedridden for more than 10 years. Before the filming started some time ago, when Joe Farrow went to visit him at the Montana State Hospital, he was lying in bed and greeted him in a similar tone.

This sound doesn't feel weird or strange, but it makes people feel uncomfortable...it makes people feel depressed and suffocated.

Joe Farrow remembered that this person didn't seem to speak like this yesterday, why did he suddenly change today?
Was it intentional or unintentional, was he thinking about his acting skills or had a cold? Joe Farrow had some doubts in his mind.

However, there is no point in thinking so much, he is just an assistant director and a small errand boy.

"Okay. Thank you." Joe Farrow thanked him and walked into the room.

All his previous communications with the other party were at the door, and this was the first time Joe Farrow walked into 921.

After entering, he realized that the room was not completely dark. There was a small table lamp on the floor in the corner of the room, emitting a dim light.

On the ground? ?
WHAT THE FUCK! ?
Joe Farrow reacted instantly, then was shocked.

Although the hotel arranged by the crew was not luxurious, it was also a three-star hotel in LA. It had everything a room should have, such as a wardrobe, a desk, a safe, a TV, a sofa, etc. It was definitely not like what he saw now.

The room was empty, with almost nothing in it except for a small bed in the middle of the room, a full-length mirror opposite the bed, and a lamp next to the mirror. The carpet had been torn off, revealing the black concrete floor, and the wallpaper was gone, revealing the bumpy brick walls.

No wonder the waiter just now said it was hell.

Suddenly entering such a simple and ugly room from the beautifully decorated corridor was like stepping from a gorgeous world into a scorched earth, which reminded Joe Farrow of the scene in "The Exorcist".

Joe Farrow assured that the crew had never negotiated such a matter with the hotel, and it must have been the actor who said it himself.

This must have cost a lot of money. Otherwise, under normal circumstances, how could the hotel allow guests to do such a thing?

Not only that, Joe Farrow also saw that the brick wall opposite the bed was covered with pieces of paper nailed to it.

It is A3 size, and all the available space is filled up. It is not densely packed. There are no words or scripts on it, but pictures.

Although the drawings were not good and could be described as crude, Joe Farrow could see that they were faces.

I don’t know if it’s the same person drawn, but it’s a different angle and has a different expression.

Well, it looked like there was no place to sit, so Joe Farrow didn’t move forward. He turned around after a few steps and said, “Chen, the director asked me to tell you that tomorrow’s shooting…wtf.”

Before he could finish his words, Joe Farrow was startled.

It was he who took him to do his makeup that day, and after the makeup was completed, it was also he who took him to change into his costume.

He participated in almost the entire makeup process, so Joe Farrow was able to confirm that the makeup on his face was exactly the same as that applied that day, and that the suit he was wearing was chosen by him.

The mysterious and luxurious purple color was now wrinkled by him, appearing almost pure black under the dim light, giving people a mixed and dirty feeling.

Joe Farrow has worked as an assistant director for many years in various Hollywood crews. He is definitely experienced and knowledgeable, but he has never seen such a person.

"Oh my God, Chen, you haven't changed your clothes for so many days? Have you never taken off your makeup? Have you always been like this?"

The other party didn't say anything, but just pulled the corners of his mouth with that horrible smile.

Joe Farrow could hardly bear it any longer. In the dark and gloomy room, being alone with such a horrible freak, his calves were actually trembling.

He coughed lightly and said, "God is my witness, you are definitely the most dedicated actor I have seen in these years. Well, let's get down to business. Director Nolan asked me to come here and tell you that tomorrow is your first scene, and the content is..."

Joe Farrow explained the matter as briefly as possible, and when he saw that the other party had no questions or opinions, he did not want to stay in the room any longer and left immediately.

The hotel door is closed.

Chen Nuo returned to the bed and sat down, facing the dressing mirror.

Inside is a real and terrifying person.

John Carioone's makeup skills are much better than his half-baked ones. His face, which has gained weight as promised, also gives the makeup master enough room to play.

With his cooperation, John Carrione used chalky foundation and coffee-yellow makeup pigments to create almost realistic wrinkle effects on his face.

Not only are there several deep and thick forehead wrinkles, but also crow's feet at the corners of the eyes, nasolabial folds around the mouth, and dense laugh lines on both cheeks, which are densely covered on the white clown's face, making him look much older.

Moreover, John Carione was still not satisfied with this. He was determined to make sure that the audience could not tell Chen Nuo's real age.

But there is not much room for creativity on the face, so what should I do?
John Carione has a solution.

He pushed the hair on Chen Nuo's forehead, pushing his hairline back about an inch.

Especially the forehead parts on both sides, which are more than an inch.

If someone in real life had a hairline like this, applying minoxidil would definitely not save it.

Finally, John Carrione looked him up and down and found another flaw.

He asked Chen Nuo to open his mouth and used a special edible pigment to paint both rows of his teeth yellow, making him look like a heavy smoker who had been smoking for more than ten years.

Only then did he give up.

This is not the end yet. After makeup artist John Carione, it is time for costume designer Lindy Hemming to show her talents.

Even though Chen Nuo has gained more than 20 pounds, Lindi Haiming still feels that Chen Nuo's Asian body is a little thin.

So he started to sew shoulder pads and sponges on the shoulders and back of the costume. After Chen Nuo put it on, his shoulders became broader and his back became hunched.

Then, he paired his lower body with a pair of loose, thick trousers, making him look like he had instantly gained 10 pounds.

This is how Chen Nuo sees himself in the dressing mirror now.

There was a pink wound that spread to the ear, and two dark shadows around the eyes. He was about 35 years old, a little fat, and had some hair loss. When he opened his mouth, he saw a mouthful of yellow teeth.

Under the heavy makeup, it is difficult to tell his specific ethnicity.

Because he has the same body shape as a middle-aged white man, he can be described as strong and muscular. He locked himself in the room these days with only one purpose.

Find out how you should walk, smile and speak with this new makeup.

He adjusted for this many times.

In order to practice smiling more accurately, he even drew a lot of graffiti, pasted them on the wall, and then imitated them one by one.

Finally, look in the mirror and carefully distinguish the differences between each smile.

He turned off his cell phone and completely cut off all contact with the outside world except for the hotel waiter who brought him meals every day.

He confined himself to this enclosed space, letting the surrounding darkness oppress him and forcing him to devote his whole body and soul into it.

He not only practiced laughing, he also practiced walking, talking, and even gestures.

This was not difficult for him, because after more than three months of immersion, he clearly had such a dark figure in his heart.

All he had to do now was to externalize it and present it in the real world.

Finally, last night, he did it.

He learned again how to laugh, how to talk, how to walk, and how to move his hands and feet.

At this moment, he deeply realized that, as Christopher Nolan said, the Joker is not a monster, he is just a mortal.

Yes, it is.

It’s just that this mortal believes that evil itself is the deepest background color of this world, and everyone in the world is evil.

In his mind, there are only existing villains and immature villains in the world. As long as the right environment is given, everyone can become a "clown".

His evil deeds were never for simple selfish desires, nor for the purpose of ruling Gotham or taking revenge on Batman.

He has nothing and wants nothing. All he does is to share his beloved evil and chaos with others.

He believed that evil was universal and absolute, and did not exist only in the dark corners on the margins of society.

Evil is actually lurking in everyone's heart.

This is the Joker that Chen Nuo finally formed, a "missionary of evil."

Now, he is ready.

……

……

June 2006, 6, 6 a.m., Warner Studios.

Christopher Nolan didn't know if it was God's will, so when he started filming the first scene of the Joker, the date was strangely arranged as 666, the symbol of Satan.

This made him feel that there was a sense of destiny.

His brother Jonathan, screenwriter, and producer Charles Roven were also present today.

Moreover, Christian Bale, who plays Batman in the play, the Joker's mortal enemy, although he did not have a role today, he still came.

Everyone came here just to see whether this Chinese boy, whom they had chosen despite the world's disapproval, could meet their expectations.

Christopher Nolan was making final arrangements and preparations before filming began. Chen Nuo and several of his rivals' black supporting actors stood by and listened attentively.

Not far away, the core members of the Dark Knight crew stood together, watching and chatting.

Bell had never seen Chen Nuo before, nor had he seen clown makeup. He first admired it, and then asked frankly: "Charles, I still can't believe it until now. You actually replaced Heath Roger and chose this Chen."

"I don't want to question his age or anything, just purely from the perspective of acting, do you really think he can play the role of the Joker?"

"Jonathan's script is so well written, and the Joker is undoubtedly the most exciting character in the entire script. Aren't you worried that he will mess it up when it's handed over to this Chinese boy?"

Charles Rowan shrugged and said, "Regarding this question, I suggest you ask Jonathan. Jonathan picked up this boy on the roadside in Hong Kong. He brought him to Hollywood and gambled his reputation to convince us."

Jonathan Nolan smiled and said, "Charles, I really admire your ability to talk nonsense and your damn sense of humor. I think Susan agreed to marry you because she was deceived by you."

"Christian, don't listen to his nonsense. I am indeed good friends with Chen's agent. He is my former classmate at Georgetown University. Chen is not some street vendor. He has won the Best Actor Award at the Berlin Film Festival before."

Christian Bale smiled and said, "Then he is really amazing."

Jonathan Nolan knew from the other person's expression that he was not saying what he meant.

He knew that there were many people who had similar ideas to Christian Bale in the Dark Knight crew. From actors to staff, almost no one did not have doubts about Chen.

Otherwise, Chen simply locked himself in his room for a few days, no doubt to immerse himself in the role, and there were so many rumors circulating among the crew.

The most outrageous one was that the Chinese boy was scared and had already sneaked back to China, and the crew was preparing to recast. As a result, this rumor spread to the outside world, and some actors actually sent their resumes to the crew.

Charles Rowan also talked about this with an inexplicable smile: "I heard that he has been locking himself in the room these days? My God, he is really devoted. Christian, if it were you, would you need to do this?"

Christian Bale also laughed and said, "Charles, I understand Chen's approach. Although for experienced actors, this role can give them a lot of room to play, but for new actors, a role like the Joker does put them under tremendous pressure. This kind of immersive experience can make them closer to the role."

Charles Rowan smiled and said, "My question is, if it were you, would you do it?"

Bell shrugged and said, "I don't know, maybe, maybe not. But, take today's play for example, a gang leader was plotting to deal with the Joker, but he was killed by the Joker's sudden intrusion. The action scenes are not difficult, the difficulty lies in the Joker's monologue."

"We have all read the script. Jonathan's writing is not like an ordinary superhero movie. It is definitely an unprecedented attempt to explore the inner world of the characters. I felt it when I was filming the first movie, but in the second movie, Jonathan went even further, not only towards me, but also towards the Joker. If Chen wants to play this scene well, he must challenge his limits."

Charles Roven sighed and said, "You're right. I thought Batman Begins was heavy enough, but now I have to accept the fact that Batman 2 is heading into an even darker abyss. Jonathan, although we have discussed this many times before, I have to tell you that I still don't agree with your darker style."

Jonathan Nolan said, "We have discussed this issue many times, Charles."

Charles Roven said, "Yes, although I agree with part of your opinion, it is true that we should pull Batman down from the altar and make him become a human like the Joker, so that we can start a new chapter based on the invincible Batman image in the past. But in the scripts of these two films, have you gone too far? I am really worried that Batman comic fans cannot accept such a heavy theme."

Jonathan Nolan said: "Charles, on this point, I still hold the original point of view, exploring the human side of superheroes, exposing their pain and struggle, which may be unacceptable to some comic fans, but such tragic heroes will undoubtedly attract more ordinary audiences to the theater."

Charles Roven said: "I still don't agree with your extreme approach. You know, when I finished reading your script, God, I even felt that the character of the Joker was more attractive than Batman. Although he is a demon and a classic villain, will he be too outstanding to cover up Batman's brilliance?"

Christian Bale was dissatisfied and said: "Charles, although I agree with some of your views, I disagree with what you said that the Joker can overshadow Batman. After all, the script is just a script, and the final effect is still inseparable from the actors' respective performances."

"I don't think my Batman is worse than the Joker played by a Chinese boy. Even though my face is covered by a mask most of the time. But please have some faith in me. Gentlemen, I think I can defeat him miserably just by showing my mouth."

Christian Bale's last few words sounded like a joke, as if he was trying to ease the slightly tense atmosphere.

However, Jonathan Nolan knew that this should be his true feelings.

Which Hollywood star who has entered the 2000 million club is not a person with high aspirations?

No matter how humble one appears, it is all an illusion.

Apart from anything else, the experience of standing out from thousands of handsome men and beautiful women in Hollywood is enough for them to look down on everything.

If you want them to look at you in the eye, your only option besides your past box office record is your acting skills.

At this time, Christopher Nolan finally arranged the camera positions and the movements of several actors. He came over and said with a smile, "Gentlemen, this is Chen's first scene. With so many of you here, it will add psychological pressure to him. Especially you, Christian. With you here, I'm worried that Chen will not perform well."

Bell also smiled and said, "I don't think so. At least I noticed just now that he didn't look at us. He should be very focused now, right, Christopher?"

Nolan sat next to the monitor and said, "Honestly, I don't know. He didn't say a word from beginning to end. I hope he is immersed in the role and not having any psychological problems staying in the hotel. Okay, let's get started."

After that, he picked up the intercom and said to the inside: "ACTION."

(End of this chapter)