HuaYu97: Starting as a Singer

Chapter 411 [411] You don't want to be dignified, huh? Qi Yuan will help you be dignified!

Backstage at the Workers' Stadium, Qi Yuan and Zhang Hao were among the first to hear this juicy gossip.

Zhang Hao was somewhat surprised: "How can he be so confident? His salary for 'Anna and the King' was less than five million US dollars, but he dared to ask for eight million after just a brief pause for 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon'?"

Those press releases can only fool outsiders, not industry insiders like Zhang Hao.

Many press releases boasted that Chow Shui-fat's salary for filming "Crouching Tiger" was as high as five million US dollars, and some even claimed it was eight million US dollars.

Just take these words with a grain of salt.

Anna and the King lost forty to fifty million dollars; it all went down the drain.

After that, did he dare to raise his price for "Crouching Tiger"?

Li An was so poor at the time that he had to mortgage various things and borrow money from banks to raise 15 million yuan.

Li An must be out of his mind to allocate more than half of the funds to pay him his salary.

During the filming of "Crouching Tiger", his actual salary was less than five million, and much lower.

Chen Kaige is also an insider in the industry, and he understands these things, which is why he got so angry.

They're clearly treating him like a fool and taking advantage of him; anyone would be furious in that situation.

You have the right to demand a high price, but I have the right not to use you.

There's nothing wrong with this matter itself; the two sides can simply stop having contact with each other in the future.

But now that this matter has been exposed and brought into the public eye, the problem has become much bigger.

If Zhou Ruifa doesn't handle this situation well, his commercial value in China will decline.

Anyway, this matter has nothing to do with Qi Yuan. Qi Yuan is quite happy to be a bystander: "He has always been so confident. After 'Crouching Tiger' became a box office hit in the United States, he asked for a sky-high salary of eight million US dollars in Hollywood."

However, upon returning to Hong Kong, he secretly lowered his price, hinting that he was open to negotiation; a five million dollar salary plus a certain percentage of box office revenue was acceptable. He also used the excuse of supporting Chinese-language films to justify the discounted fee.

This discount is likely aimed at film crews in Hong Kong.

When he catches a film crew from mainland China, he stops talking about discounts.

This may also be one of the main reasons why Chen Kaige lost his temper.

……

At 7 p.m. sharp, Qi Yuan's second concert, with 70,000 attendees, began, and the scene was just as electrifying.

At the end of the concert, Qi Yuan sang a group song together, choosing the unreleased new song "Cheers" again, and also letting the foreign tourists learn a few Chinese phrases.

After the concert, Qi Yuan returned backstage.

Zhang Hao, with a grave expression, told him some news: "Zhou Ruifa responded to Chen Kaige. He's probably in a bad mood. You were the one who got a few sarcastic remarks, and you got dragged into it too."

Qi Yuan: "!??"

Has this guy lost his mind? Why is he dragging himself into his feud with Chen Kaige?
Zhang Hao told Qi Yuan what had happened.

This afternoon at 6:30.

Half an hour before Qi Yuan's concert.

Zhou Ruifa gave an interview to reporters in Hong Kong, responding to questions about his relationship with the "Red Cliff" film crew.

First, his agent took the lead, making it clear that it was Chen Hong, the producer of "Red Cliff," who contacted them first, emphasizing that he was worth eight million US dollars, the same salary he received for filming "Crouching Tiger," and that it was a fair price with no increase.

The implication was that it was Chen Kaige and his wife who were dishonorable, resorting to such tactics to gain attention when they couldn't afford to pay for the services.

They steered public opinion in this direction, even implying that the person who leaked the information might be inside the "Red Cliff" production team.

"Brother Fa, what do you think of Qi Yuan? A few days ago, your fans and Qi Yuan's fans had a huge online feud. By the way, Qi Yuan is also the chief screenwriter of 'Red Cliff'." This reporter was clearly trying to set a trap.

"What do you think of the interview with 100 people conducted by the Beijing Entertainment News a few days ago? Jackie Chan, Qi Yuan, and Li Lianjie were mentioned many times, but your name didn't seem to be mentioned by foreign tourists. Many people think that you are not famous abroad and cannot be considered an international star."

Zhou Ruifa's face twitched. Are you rubbing salt into his wound?
Perhaps he was in a bad mood lately, or perhaps he was provoked by the reporter's questions, he got a little carried away.

"I don't know how those data were compiled. Is there any evidence that a hundred foreigners were randomly interviewed on the street?"

Hollywood is very pragmatic. If nobody abroad really knew me, would Hollywood studios keep asking me to make movies? And the investment in each of my movies is bigger than the last.

I think an artist should be down-to-earth and not get obsessed with titles like superstar.

Only when the tide goes out do you discover who's been swimming naked. Luck is fleeting; I've seen many celebrities become famous for years because of luck.

Many celebrities only enjoy a few years of good fortune before their popularity fades. Those who maintain long-term success ultimately rely on genuine talent and ability.

Zhou Ruifa added at the end: "No, no, no, I didn't say anyone in particular. I was just sharing some experiences with some newcomers in Hong Kong."

This kind of "protesting too much" argument won't fool anyone.

Everyone knows that Zhou Ruifa specifically requested Qi Yuan.

Many media outlets have interpreted it this way as well.

[Who is this celebrity that the God of Gamblers claims is hopelessly obsessed with the title of "Superstar"? This article will reveal the answer!]

[Shocking Secret! Director Chen's firing of Zhou Ruifa is suspected to be related to Qi Yuan? Zhou Ruifa's words are loaded with hidden meaning!]

[The feud between China's top director and an international superstar—the person hiding behind the scenes is actually him!]

……

Qi Yuan: "..."

He was speechless; he was caught in the crossfire even though he was lying down.

Zhang Hao said seriously, "I've spoken with Zhou Ruifa's agent and asked them to provide an explanation."

Zhou Ruifa didn't realize that doing this would drag Qi Yuan, an innocent person, into the mess.

No, of course he knew, he just didn't care.

While criticizing Chen Kaige, he also subtly criticized Qi Yuan, which not only allowed him to vent his anger but also allowed him to curry favor with Wu Baige, who was at the height of her career in Hollywood.

He was mentored by Wu Baige when he entered Hollywood.

His first Hollywood film, "The Replacement Killer," was produced by Wu Baige.

If Windtalkers is another success, Wu Baige will be a top director in Hollywood. With Wu Baige's backing, he can do whatever he wants in Hollywood, and surpassing Li Lianjie and Cheng Long is not a dream.

The agent told Zhou Ruifa, "Qi Yuan's agent and Warner Music have contacted me, expressing strong dissatisfaction. They are asking you to come forward and clarify."

"Ignore them, he's just a lucky guy from mainland China. I didn't name names, did I? Why is his manager so quick to jump to conclusions?"

Zhou Ruifa dismissed it with disdain.

……

Zhang Hao contacted Zhou Ruifa's agent seven times in one day, but the agent kept pretending not to understand and eventually stopped answering the phone.

Zhang Hao was getting annoyed. Was this how they were going to play the game? Did they think Warner Music was easy to bully?

Qi Yuan remained calm upon learning the news. He instructed Zhang Hao to contact media reporters and that he would personally address the recent controversies after his final concert for 7 people on the evening of July 31st.
He doesn't want to maintain his dignity, huh? Then let Qi Yuan help him maintain his dignity.

(End of this chapter)