Huayu: Starting from joining the mainstream entertainment industry in 96

Chapter 521, page 519: Casting
The morning light from the Shunyi villa slanted through the gaps in the heavy curtains, casting shadows on the carpet in the master bedroom and creating a pattern of light and dark stripes.

Wang Sheng opened his eyes, his nostrils filled with the faint fragrance of Li Xiaoran and the lingering cedarwood scent of the scented candle that had burned out the night before.

A long-lost, over-exertion-induced soreness emanated from deep within my body, but my mind felt as if it had been thoroughly cleansed, clear and exhilarated.

three times.

Exhilarating and unrestrained, without reservation.

It was as if all the pent-up depression and uncertainty about the future that had been building up over the past few days were being released with the most primal impulse.

At this moment, he felt his limbs and bones were filled with power, and his brain was as active as a supercomputer that had just been rebooted, with every thought clear and sharp.

He turned his head and looked at Li Xiaoran, who was still fast asleep beside him.

She slept peacefully, a faint, satisfied smile playing on her lips, like a cat that had just stolen some fish.

This pure, unadulterated relaxation and dependence is precisely the most precious comfort he finds in the turbulent business world and complex interpersonal relationships.

I got up quietly, without disturbing her.

Wang Sheng walked barefoot to the French windows and pulled back a small section of the curtains.

Outside, the winter morning sun was cool and bright, outlining the bare branches in the villa garden. A few sparrows hopped and foraged on the frost-covered lawn.

old?

Wang Shengxiong said confidently, "It's still a long way off."

The confusion caused by the eventual exhaustion of the "prophet's" abilities seems so insignificant in the face of this powerful life force.

Even if the road ahead requires more originality and tough battles, so what?

Wang Sheng was able to build this empire from scratch, relying not only on his "prophecy," but also on his insight into the market, his pioneering spirit, and... his obsession with doing things to the extreme!
At 9:00 AM, in the top-floor conference room of Shengying Media in Jingxin Building.

The core team of the "Havoc in Heaven" project gathered together.

Executive director Xu Ke, visual effects art director, production manager, casting director, and others sat upright, the atmosphere serious yet tinged with barely suppressed excitement.

Director Wang Sheng sat in the main seat, wearing a simple black turtleneck sweater with his coat hanging on the back of the chair.

He glanced at everyone, and without any pleasantries, went straight to the point.

"The script direction for 'Havoc in Heaven' will follow the framework set last time. Director Xu, please push it forward as soon as possible." He looked at Xu Ke, who immediately nodded. "The visual team will follow up on the character biographies and world-building simultaneously. I want to see the most concrete and imaginative concept art."

“Understood, Chairman Wang,” the visual arts director replied.

"Today, we'll mainly be finalizing the roles." Wang Sheng's fingers tapped lightly on the smooth conference table. "Especially Sun Wukong, the heart and soul of the play."

The meeting room fell silent instantly; you could hear a pin drop. Everyone knew that this decision was crucial, even directly affecting the success or failure of the film.

The casting director cleared his throat and began to report on the alternative options: "We have contacted and considered several actors in China who are suitable in terms of action, image, and audience appeal."

Including Wu Jing, who is known for his martial arts skills and has a good audience base; Jiao Enjun, who played Erlang Shen in "The Lotus Lantern", has a handsome appearance in ancient costume and a certain fairy-tale charm; in addition, Zhang Weijian from Hong Kong also expressed strong interest, with his witty and humorous style..." Wang Sheng raised his hand, interrupting the casting director's list.

"None of them will work." His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable decisiveness.

Everyone was taken aback, even Xu Ke frowned slightly, clearly somewhat surprised.

Wang Sheng leaned forward, his eyes piercing: "The Sun Wukong I want is not a mere fighter, not a pretty face, and certainly not a glib-tongued street thug."

What I want is that naturally born stone monkey, born from the essence of heaven and earth! The unruly Great Sage Equal to Heaven, who dares to defy the Heavenly Court! The all-powerful Monkey King, yet possessing a pure and wild spirit!

He paused, then said, word by word, "This role requires spirituality, a monkey-like nature, and even more so, divinity. There's only one person in the country who can simultaneously embody all three—"

He looked around at everyone and slowly uttered a name: "Liu Xiao Ling Tong, Teacher Zhang Jinlai."

"Teacher Liu?" someone exclaimed subconsciously.

It's not that no one has thought about him, but the concerns are equally obvious.

Mr. Liu was already quite old (45 years old at this time), could he still complete a lot of action scenes?
His portrayal of Sun Wukong is so classic that it's practically synonymous with the 86 version of "Journey to the West." Will the audience be distracted?
Moreover, in recent years, some controversies and negative comments about him have begun to circulate quietly online...

The casting director carefully considered his words: "Chairman Wang, Mr. Liu's portrayal of Sun Wukong is indeed unparalleled, but considering his age, physical condition, and... some external opinions, should we..."

"Smear him?" Wang Sheng scoffed, a hint of disdain in his voice. "Say he's stuck in his ways? Say he does too many commercial gigs? Say he can't tolerate others portraying Sun Wukong?"

He slammed his hand on the table, his voice resolute: "I don't care about all that scheming and despicable stuff outside! When it comes to playing Sun Wukong, he is an insurmountable peak! His decades of experience in monkey opera, his profound understanding of the character, and the brilliance in his fiery eyes are something that no young actor can imitate with makeup and special effects!"

"Age is not a problem! Action scenes can be done with stunt doubles and special effects, but the core spirit must be defined by him! What I need is his 'stabilizing force'! With him, the Monkey King in this movie is 70% complete!"

Wang Sheng's sharp gaze swept over everyone present: "Remember my words, when we make 'Havoc in Heaven,' we are not trying to subvert the classic, but to stand on the shoulders of giants and use the most advanced film technology of this era to restore and elevate the most perfect Monkey King in our childhood memories! Teacher Liu is the only key to that perfect world!"

He looked at Xu Ke: "Director Xu, your task is to bring out the best in Teacher Liu and capture his most expressive performance. Technically, we will cooperate fully to make up for any shortcomings."

Xu Ke took a deep breath, his eyes blazing with fighting spirit.

Wang Sheng's decision shocked him and ignited his creative passion.

He nodded emphatically: "I understand, Chairman Wang. I'll personally go and invite Teacher Liu to discuss this!"

“Good!” Wang Sheng nodded in satisfaction. “Sun Wukong is settled. The other roles will follow the same standard. The Jade Emperor, Laozi, Erlang Shen, Nezha, the Four Heavenly Kings, Taibai Jinxing… even the Giant Spirit God who only has a few lines, we must find veteran actors who best fit the character’s temperament and have superb acting skills! No compromises, no settling! Budget is not a problem, I want the ultimate! Every character I see will make the audience’s eyes light up and think, ‘This is the one!’”

With a wave of his hand, he set the tone: "For this film, we will assemble the most capable backbone of the Chinese film and television industry to create a truly 'divine cast'!"

In the following days, the "Havoc in Heaven" project team operated with astonishing efficiency.

With Wang Sheng's personal involvement and approval, the names of heavyweight actors were finalized or entered into in-depth negotiations.

Besides Liu Xiao Ling Tong, who was officially chosen to play Sun Wukong, the Jade Emperor is initially considered for Jiao Huang, who played Emperor Kangxi in "Yongzheng Dynasty," whose imposing imperial presence is believed to be the perfect choice to preside over the Lingxiao Palace. For Laozi, the preferred choice is Zhu Xu, a veteran artist with many years of experience at the Beijing People's Art Theatre, whose ethereal and detached demeanor makes him the ideal candidate. For Erlang Shen, Yang Jian, the target is actors known for their ruggedly handsome image and martial arts skills, such as Shao Bing or Li Yapeng (further makeup tests are needed). For the role of Nezha, considering the need to portray both youthful agility and rebelliousness, as well as a certain amount of action scenes, Cao Jun, who rose to prominence with his role as young Chenxiang in "The Lotus Lantern," is being considered…

Behind each name lies Wang Sheng and his team's meticulous consideration of the word "perfection." What he wants is not traffic or gimmicks, but rather a "suitability" that perfectly matches the role.

(End of this chapter)