Top Chinese celebrity: Debuted from Running Man

Chapter 385 Ah Dou's Attack (6.3k)
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When Gu Qing came to the stage, the previously noisy classroom instantly quieted down, and all eyes were focused on him.

Zhou Yiwei spoke first: "Gu Qing, you should be the only one in the class who has acted in mainstream dramas and has accumulated considerable audience popularity."

He paused deliberately, looked around the audience to make sure every student heard what he was about to say: "You have not only played important roles in the series many times, but you have also insisted on using your own voice lines."

Your work and choices are evident to all.

So, from your perspective, what does a strong foundation in dialogue delivery truly mean for an actor? Do you think memorizing lines is still important today?

His words were clearly well-intentioned; he desperately wanted to use Gu Qing, an "insider" and a "successful person," to speak.
This is meant to give these freshmen at the Beijing Film Academy, who are still in their ivory tower and have certain illusions about the industry, a wake-up call, and make them realize what the true foundation of an actor is.

"Teacher Zhou... what are the lines like for today's artists..."

Upon hearing this, Gu Qing slowly shook her head, looking at the students below the stage, "It's indeed not that important."

This period was the era of traffic stars.
Up to that point, he traveled through that era.

If even celebrities who can't speak Mandarin well can become top stars, then what need is there for acting skills?

There are countless mass-produced products, and many examples of people becoming top influencers solely through marketing.

Until the higher-ups could no longer tolerate it, they issued an announcement stating that actors not using their own voices to memorize lines was unprofessional, which led to a large number of production teams starting to use their own voices.

This is a real hardship for most movie fans.

These popular celebrities have become like salted fish on a naked beach, their weak and feeble acting skills are so bad they're enough to make anyone's scalp tingle, making them completely unwatchable.

"..."

Zhou Yiwei's expression froze, and he was speechless.

After a moment of commotion, the students in the audience excitedly showed off:

"Haha, did you hear that, teacher? Gu Dingliu said that lines are not important."

"There are many news reports online saying that today's popular celebrities rely on counting 1, 2, 3, 4 to act. Does this affect their ability to become leading actors?"

"That's right. Gu Qing definitely knows better what the entertainment industry is like now. Just practice your expressions, and the lines will be handled by voice actors."

"If we all master it, won't they all be out of a job?"

Some students even spouted ridiculous and absurd arguments, which drew laughter and agreement from many others.

Zhou Yiwei sighed and was about to stop him.

"Classmates, I haven't finished speaking."

Gu Qing's smile faded slightly, and she looked intently at the crowd below the stage, saying, "Entertainers don't need strong acting skills, but... actors do!"

"I think the Beijing Film Academy should be training actors, not entertainers."

Everyone fell silent.

Zhou Yiwei went from being stunned to delighted, his lips involuntarily curving upwards. A great weight was lifted from his heart, and he listened quietly with his hands behind his back.

Gu Qing's tone softened, but carried an even stronger penetrating force: "The phenomenon that you students just mentioned does indeed exist."

The production team may tolerate or even condone the special treatment given to certain 'celebrities,' but this does not affect their ability to play leading roles.

To be honest, with my current... uh, so-called 'traffic' (online popularity), if I wanted to be lazy and just read out numbers in front of the camera...
I believe the director most likely won't say anything to my face, and the crew will continue to treat me with great care.

His words caused some students' newly formed sense of belonging to the group to weaken again, and some even wanted to laugh, thinking that this was an unspoken rule within the circle.

But Gu Qing's next words were like a soft whip, striking their relaxed nerves: "Then, please think about it from the other side—"

What is the premise for reciting numbers?

You have to be the 'protagonist'.

A casual remark made the student who was about to laugh stop.

Families that can afford to send their children to art school are naturally not poor.

There are even quite a few rich kids in the class.

The monthly allowance is tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of yuan, but what is that little bit of money compared to the tens of millions or hundreds of millions of yuan invested in film and television projects?
Who can easily leverage capital to create a play tailored specifically for themselves?

Who can guarantee that they have the connections and resources to become the main character even if they just read numbers?

Looking at the entire class, only Zhang Jingyi has signed with a good company so far, and whether she can immediately play the leading role after graduation is still unknown.

"My words may have been a bit direct and hurt the feelings of my classmates, but this is the reality we must face."

Gu Qing said with a hint of apology, "I was also saying that to myself."

My first drama was "The Journey of Flower," and I only started as a supporting character.

In the entertainment industry, when you become an indispensable 'protagonist', you may have certain privileges—you can be a little more willful and have more say, because the entire crew depends on you to some extent.

But all of this is predicated on the premise that you first become the 'protagonist'.

"If you are not, then please remember that your expertise is your only stepping stone and the foundation for your livelihood."

Dialogue is the most basic manifestation of this "professionalism."

"If you're not the lead actor, and you're interviewing with the director or investors and you ask if you can just memorize numbers, believe me, you'll get a lot of flak."

"How...how bad is it?" a student couldn't help but ask.

Gu Qing looked at him, then suddenly smiled, with a hint of teasing: "Your ancestors for eighteen generations would probably have to be greeted."

"Hehe...hehe..."

Seeing him smile, the students wanted to smile too, but when their smiles came out, they all forced a dry laugh.

"Gu Qing!"

Another voice rang out, carrying a hint of dissatisfaction and arguing, "According to you, memorizing lines and having good acting skills guarantees you a leading role?"

"Teacher Zhou's acting is so good, but after so many years in the industry, she's never had a leading role, right?"

Zhou Yiwei's face immediately darkened, and his blood pressure spiked.

That unlucky kid, he just had to bring up the very thing he didn't want to talk about!
"This student,"

Gu Qing maintained her smile, her tone gentle yet undeniable: "In the entertainment industry, many of us artists are merely clients. If we approach discussions about right and wrong with the client with that mindset, it usually doesn't end well."

They won't sit down and debate philosophical questions like "Does effort necessarily lead to success?"

"Zeng Jun, shut up! Don't you think before you speak?"

"How did you get in? Do you think you can become a lead actor just by memorizing lines?"

"Are you out of your mind?"

Before Gu Qing could say anything more, the other classmates started criticizing the boy named Zeng Jun.

They naively believed they would become that special person, but they didn't realize that becoming a leading role in the entertainment industry was so easy.

"I...I was just joking...Don't mind me, Gu Dingliu."

Zeng Jun lowered his head in embarrassment amidst the crowd's condemnation.

"That's a good joke."

Gu Qing was naturally not angry, and then said seriously, "The reason I chose to come to Beijing Film Academy is that I hope to become a truly professional actor like my classmates, rather than just relying on temporary luck and popularity."

As I said before, I could choose an easier way, but I didn't want to, and I didn't dare to.

His eyes were clear. "Because I hope my path can go further, and I hope to live up to the directors who chose me, the fans who support me, and every viewer who watches my work."

Recklessly squandering the trust and expectations of others will ultimately only lead to bitter consequences for us artists.

You might have doubts in your hearts, thinking I'm just saying nice things, but I want to prove with my actions and choices that good work is the prerequisite for everything.

To participate in the creation of a good work, an actor needs solid skills in areas such as dialogue delivery and acting.

He returned to Zhou Yiwei's original question: "Dialogue is not just about memorizing lines."

It can directly reveal a character's personality, psychological activities, and emotional state, helping actors to more accurately capture and convey the character's inner world.

More importantly, when you are thoroughly familiar with your lines and understand them completely, you will be more confident during filming. This confidence will be reflected in your body language and your eyes, greatly enhancing the appeal and persuasiveness of your performance.

The benefits of this need to be experienced gradually through practice.

"Clap clap-"

"What Gu Qing said is exactly what I've been wanting to tell you all! Never underestimate the importance of lines; they are the right and left arms of an performance!"

Zhou Yiwei clapped first and said with satisfaction.

The students in the audience were completely convinced at this moment, and applause rose like a tide, enthusiastic and long-lasting.

"Clap clap-"

Zhang Jingyi also clapped vigorously like a seal, her eyes sparkling as she stared unblinkingly at the radiant figure on the stage.

A casual remark from a classmate in the front row perfectly captured her thoughts: "Gu Qing... he really shines!"

"OK OK,"

Zhou Yiwei raised his hand to suppress the applause, his smile undiminished. "After discussing so much theory, let's move on to the practical part. Gu Qing, come on, show everyone what you've got to do."

He said,

He opened the prepared video clip and handed Gu Qing several printed scripts.

Gu Qing took the paper and looked down. At the top of the paper were several eye-catching words: "The Reckless Man" - an excerpt from Guo Degang's representative work.

Gu Qing: "???"

He looked up at Zhou Yiwei in disbelief, his eyes filled with questions: "Teacher Zhou, you're not kidding, are you? Me? Performing a skit by Teacher Guo?"

Although he had a minor disagreement with Teacher Guo over charity activities, that's all in the past.

Moreover, he has a good relationship with Teacher Guo's son, Xiao Guo. When he came to the capital to study, Xiao Guo warmly expressed his willingness to be a good host.

Putting aside these personal relationships, Mr. Guo's acting skills—or rather, the verbal skills of a crosstalk performer—are recognized as top-notch in the industry!

His pronunciation is clear, his rhythm is masterful, and his emotional delivery is extremely powerful.

Let alone his student, even many of the dialogue teachers at the Beijing Film Academy might not be able to match his skill.

"Haha, don't worry, I'm not asking you to compete against Teacher Guo, that would be too difficult for us."

Zhou Yiwei explained with a smile, "I just chose a short excerpt from 'The Oath of the Peach Garden' in 'The Reckless Man' to show you what 'clear articulation' and 'standardized language' mean."

This also lets students see what level outstanding students of their age can achieve.

The rapid-fire delivery of the dialogue from "The Reckless Man" is a classic exercise in the first and second year acting classes at the Beijing Film Academy, and almost every student has to encounter and try it.

However, very few people can speak it fluently, clearly, and rhythmically, let alone bring out its charm and power.

"Then I... will give it a try."

Gu Qing could only nod; he wasn't intimidated.

Look up at the screen.

In the video, Teacher Guo and Grandpa Yu are performing on stage. Teacher Guo is wearing a long gown and speaks fluently and rapidly, yet every word is precious. Every pause, every emphasis, every glance and gesture perfectly highlights the "reckless man".

The story of "The Reckless Man" has a simple background, describing the scene where Zhang Fei shouts at Cao Cao's army at Dangyang Bridge to drive them away.

First, it introduces "The Oath of Brotherhood at the Beginning," then "The Battle of Changban," "Zhang Fei's Appearance," and "The Battle of Changban."

There are 4 chapters in total.

Gu Qing carefully observed Teacher Guo's lip movements, breathing techniques, and body language, while quickly memorizing the lines in her hands.

After the first half of the video finished playing, Zhou Yiwei paused the video.

The students in the classroom tacitly kept quiet, but whispers were still inevitable.

"Wow, I heard that Gu Dingliu has a photographic memory, is that true?"

"Of course! Didn't you watch CCTV's 'Chinese Poetry Competition'? That 'Flying Flowers' game segment was simply superhuman!"

"I've seen an interview with the director of 'Detective Chinatown,' and he mentioned that Gu Qing has an ability called 'visual memory,' which is similar to Qin Feng in the movie!"

"Yes, yes, that's it! Photo memory!"

Amidst the curious and expectant gazes of her classmates, Gu Qing slowly raised her head and gently placed the script in her hand on the podium.

"Is it ready?" Zhou Yiwei asked.

"Mm." Gu Qing nodded, her gaze calm.

"Come on!" Zhou Yiwei gestured expectantly.

Gu Qing exhaled softly, closed her eyes slightly, adjusted her breathing instantly, and when she opened her eyes again, her gaze was different.

He didn't deliberately imitate Guo Degang's strong local and street-smart vibe and unique Beijing accent, but instead found his own rhythm.

"Since—the Oath of the Peach Garden,"

He began, his voice clear and melodious, his pace steady, yet possessing an inherent storytelling appeal: "My name is Liu Bei, courtesy name Xuande, and I live in Dashulou Sang."

Each word was pronounced very clearly, like pearls falling onto a jade plate.

"My second brother's surname is Guan, his given name is Yu, and his courtesy name is Yunchang. He lives in Jieliang County, Puzhou, Shanxi Province."

"My third brother's surname is Zhang, his given name is Fei, and his courtesy name is Yide. He lives in Fanyang County, Zhuozhou."

"The fourth brother, whose surname was Zhao, given name Yun, courtesy name Zilong, lived in Changshan County, Zhending Prefecture. He was undefeated in every battle and was later known as the Ever-Victorious General!"

Although the rapid-fire delivery of the recitation lacked the exhilarating, unrestrained flow of Guo Degang's style, it still delivered a powerful and satisfying performance.

However, Gu Qing used his solid acting skills to deliver the performance clearly and rhythmically, with a pleasant voice and a unique, gentle storytelling style.

He paid attention to the logical stress and flow of the sentences, making this familiar anecdote sound layered and engaging.

Zhou Yiwei's eyes flashed with undisguised surprise.

He originally thought Gu Qing would try to imitate, but he didn't expect the child to be so smart that she directly abandoned the resemblance in form and instead pursued the likeness in spirit and her own stylized treatment.

This kind of understanding is usually only achievable by experienced middle-aged actors—understanding the character and then transforming it into an expression that suits them.

The rest of the class time was well-received, thanks to Gu Qing's excellent presentation and his previous candid and insightful speech.

The students' enthusiasm for practice has increased significantly.

Although it is unknown how long this enthusiasm will last, at least at this moment, the seeds of hard work have been sown.

As class was about to end, Zhou Yiwei deliberately let Gu Qing leave five minutes early to avoid her being surrounded by a crowd after the bell rang.

This greatly disappointed many classmates who were eager to get Gu Qing's autograph, take a photo with her, or simply chat with her.

"Jingle Bell--"

The bell rang on time.

As the students packed up their things, they were still excitedly discussing Gu Qing's performance in class.

Only then did everyone notice the "sea of ​​flowers" in the back corner of the classroom, a place that remained beautiful despite being ignored.

Before leaving, Gu Qing said that students who liked it could take it themselves.

"Wow! These flowers are still here! These tulips are of such good quality, this big bunch must have been expensive."

"Look at that bouquet of pink roses! I remember Gu Qing brought it in this morning!"

Several girls excitedly gathered around.

Zhang Jingyi's heart tightened, and almost instinctively, she quickly bent down, picked him up, and held him tightly in her arms.

"Jingyi, you..."

The girl next to her was stunned by her actions, her eyes filled with questions.

Zhang Jingyi's pretty face flushed red, and her voice stammered with nervousness: "Gu...Gu Qing said...this bouquet of flowers is...given to me."

"You got it? Really?"

Immediately, a wave of envious, surprised, and even slightly suspicious glances swept over them.

"it is true!"

At this moment, the boy sitting in front of Zhang Jingyi also stood up to testify, his tone filled with envy, "Gu, the male god, said it himself, and also said... these pink roses are a perfect match for our school beauty Jingyi!"

"Wow--!"

Immediately, a chorus of envious "frog croaks" filled the air.

Zhang Jingyi's cheeks flushed from the stare, and she was so embarrassed that she wished she could disappear into the ground.

Wearing a hat and carrying a bouquet of flowers, she didn't even bother to eat before running back to her dormitory.

In the following days, Gu Qing's campus life gradually returned to a certain degree of calm.

He strictly adhered to the principle of "going back to the dormitory after class," had his meals taken care of by the teachers, and tried to minimize his appearances in public areas such as the main roads of the campus.

Most of the time, he stayed in his dormitory, either studying scripts, watching classic films, or playing games to relax, experiencing the simplicity and leisure of being a student for the first time in a long time.

If I feel really bored, I will put on a mask and hat and take a walk alone in a quiet spot on campus or near the school late at night to enjoy a moment of freedom.

Although the course schedule at Beijing Film Academy is tight, starting from Thursday, most of the afternoons after 3 p.m. are dedicated to self-study.

Considering the potential gatherings that might occur during evening self-study, Gu Qing applied to the school for an exemption from the course, which was understood and supported by his teachers.

Therefore, his life can be described as regular and leisurely.

however,
The peaceful life on campus cannot stop the turbulent developments in the entertainment industry outside of school.

In the nearly one week since Gu Qing enrolled, news and discussions about him in the Chinese entertainment industry have never stopped.

First, there's a major event that's shaken the industry: the long-running film "Detective Chinatown" has officially surpassed the 3 billion yuan box office mark.

Even as it neared the end of its run, it maintained a respectable daily box office, ultimately settling on an astonishing figure.

It unsurprisingly ascended to the throne of the highest-grossing Chinese film in history!
Gu Qing and Wang Baoqiang, as the two male leads, jointly became one of the creators of box office records in film history.

Director Chen Sicheng has also become a representative of the most commercially valuable and influential young directors.

The success of this film officially heralded the arrival of the era of blockbuster movies in China.

Gu Qing was undoubtedly the most dazzling new star at the dawn of this era, without exception!

Other than that,

As one of the most popular short video platforms today, Kuaishoushou sees a constant stream of short videos about "Gu Qing's life at Beijing Film Academy" almost every day.

Unable to interview the reclusive Gu Qing, reporters and social media users who had been staking out the school gate for years turned their attention to the students of Beijing Film Academy.

"Gu Qing? He's so approachable, not at all pretentious! I ran into him at the library entrance last time, and I mustered up the courage to ask for his autograph. He readily agreed and even smiled at me!"

"Tian Guqing is even more handsome in person than on TV! His skin is incredibly fair, and his features are exceptionally delicate and defined—he's the kind of... well... beautiful boy who stepped right out of a manga! His aura is amazing!"

"Gu Qing is now unanimously recognized as the most handsome man in the history of Beijing Film Academy! Many students from other departments come to our class to audit classes, just wanting to catch a glimpse of him!"

These "leaked" photos and comments from classmates, after being edited and spread, excited the "family members," who flocked to the comments section to "drool over" them, and also attracted the curiosity and attention of many passersby.

Kuaishou platform reaped a huge wave of traffic benefits from this, and its popularity remains high.

Initially, the platform did not take the communication from Gu Qing's team, which concerned "reducing the spread of unofficial leaks and protecting the artist's campus life," seriously enough.

It's just a superficial response; they occasionally remove a few overly vague or negative videos, but the overall push strategy remains the same.

This is a common problem for almost all traffic platforms. Even now, there are still a lot of pirated videos on platforms like Abi, and you can even watch porn.

But Xu Wei didn't want to tolerate it.

If you just sign an entry contract and give them a signing fee, they'll tolerate it.

You're freeloading off my boss's popularity without spending a single penny. That's incredibly shameless!
Especially for actors, it's important to maintain a certain level of mystery.

While it may not matter to popular celebrities, it can't withstand rumors!
In many comment sections, trolls started appearing, stirring up trouble about Gu Qing's behavior on campus.

Seeing his good reputation upon enrollment, his family was naturally unwilling to accept him, which was different from what they had expected.

then,

She started spreading rumors, accusing him of being arrogant, dating, and not getting along with his classmates...

It's all a mess.

Xu Wei asked the platform to remove the app, but the platform pretended not to hear him!
After discussing it with Gu Qing over the phone

He directly posted on Weibo, sending a lawyer's letter to the Kuaishou platform, confronting them head-on and condemning the videos and accounts spreading rumors, as well as the platform's inaction.

This move stunned many artists in the industry.

"Has Gu Qing gone mad?"

"Chopsticks are so popular, what good would it do you to have a falling out with him?"

"If you're being slandered, just let it be. You can just put up with it."

"Young people are getting too cocky, but as top influencers, they have the foundation to go head-to-head with the platform."

at the same time,

Where is Gu Qing?
After finishing my early morning classes on Friday, officially starting my holiday...

Zhao Ya couldn't wait to take a car to the school gate to greet her boss, and also to report on the work she had accumulated over the week and announce a few important pieces of news!
"A new platform is looking for me to be their spokesperson?"

"Wait, what's the name of this platform you're talking about?"

Fully armed, Gu Qing sat in his car, then took off his mask and stared blankly at Zhao Ya.

"It seems to be called...Douyin."

Zhao Ya recalled with distress.

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(End of this chapter)