Chinese entertainment starts with idols

Chapter 133 The Future First Actress (Part 1)

When Zhang Chen told the team about the financing news, as well as the news about the film and stage play adaptation of "Goodbye Mr. Loser," no one could believe it. With funding, a stage play, and a movie, Happy Twist was about to experience rapid development. The happiest people were Shen Teng and Ma Li, especially when they learned that they could play the male and female leads in Lin Feng's movie. They were completely stunned, and even Lin Feng and Yang Mi were playing supporting roles to elevate their status. They really couldn't believe it; it was like a dream. You have to know that the two of them were just ordinary actors in Happy Twist, nothing special. They didn't know what Lin Feng saw in them, and their eyes were full of doubt. They couldn't understand: what was so special about them that Lin Feng would choose them for such important roles?

It wasn't until Zhang Chen handed them the script for the movie "Goodbye Mr. Loser" with a smile that they accepted it with trembling hands, and only then did they believe it was real.

Shen Teng carefully opened the script, his eyes fixed on the words, muttering to himself, "This can't be real, can it? I'm really going to act in a movie, and as the male lead in Lin Feng's movie at that?"

Ma Li gripped the script tightly, her fingers turning white from the force. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. "This really isn't a dream! Whether it's real or not, we have to seize this opportunity!"

"You two really need to take this seriously. You might not even get this opportunity for other ordinary movies, let alone to act in Lin Feng's movie, especially as the male and female leads. This is definitely a great opportunity, so you must study it carefully beforehand!" Zhang Chen said earnestly.

"Don't worry, Mr. Zhang! We'll definitely work hard. We never thought that after performing in plays for so long, we'd have the opportunity to act in a movie. We'll definitely seize this opportunity. Um... could we meet Lin Feng in person to express our gratitude?"

"No need for that. Lin Feng is so busy. Besides, you'll have plenty of opportunities once filming starts. Just study the script and prepare for filming in advance."

"Yes, we will definitely do our best!" Although Shen Teng and the others were a little disappointed, they still nodded obediently.

After securing investment from Happy Twist, Lin Feng's "Goodbye Mr. Loser" officially entered the pre-production stage. These trivial matters were coordinated by producer Xu Wenjia. Meanwhile, Lin Feng's side has been enjoying great success recently. "Swords of Legends" is progressing smoothly and is nearing completion. Andrew, from American Fengying Film Company, has also reached a cooperation agreement with Warner Bros. for "The Purge." In addition to his career success, Lin Feng and Deng Shuang were both nominated for the 31st Hong Kong Film Awards. Lin Feng received a "Best Actor" nomination for "The Last Supper," while Deng Shuang received a "Best New Performer" nomination for "Painted Skin." This is Lin Feng's first nomination for a mainstream award at the "Three Golden Awards" level. The Hong Kong Film Awards are still very prestigious, and being nominated is a huge recognition of an actor's strength.

Not only did many media reporters report on it, but many fellow actors and directors also sent Lin Feng their congratulatory messages, saying, "Congratulations! We look forward to the moment you hold the Best Actor trophy!"

"Congratulations, Lin Feng! I knew you would succeed!"

However, Lin Feng didn't take it too seriously. He knew the chances of winning "Best Actor" were practically zero. It seemed that Ann Hui's "A Simple Life" ultimately swept five awards, including Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Screenplay, making it the undisputed biggest winner. On the other hand, Deng Shuang's "Best New Performer" award was still quite a good chance. When the young woman received her nomination, she was quite excited and couldn't wait to share with Lin Feng, "Lin Feng, I've been nominated for the Hong Kong Film Awards!"

"Xiao Shuang, you're amazing! I knew you could do it!"

Seeing Deng Shuang so happy and excited, Lin Feng couldn't help but have a thought. He wanted to make her happy, since he had no chance. He was also thinking about whether he should help Deng Shuang behind the scenes, since her chances of winning this time were very high. Her main competitor was Xiao Jingteng, the actor who starred in "Killer Ouyang Bonsai". In his previous life, Deng Shuang lost to Xiao Jingteng by just one vote.

Lin Feng didn't need Deng Shuang to know about these shady behind-the-scenes dealings. However, before Lin Feng could even clarify things, Yang Mi, that little girl, caused trouble again. Whether Yang Mi did it on purpose or not, she accidentally let Deng Shuang see her holding the script for "Goodbye Mr. Loser." Deng Shuang casually asked, "Sister Mi, is this the script for the new movie?"

Everything was fine until Yang Mi deliberately boasted, "This is my new movie, but it's also Lin Feng's directorial debut!"

Deng Shuang was a little unhappy. She didn't care what kind of movie Lin Feng was filming, but she was upset that he hadn't even cast her in his first directorial work, let alone given her a role. She cared more about the sense of occasion with Lin Feng, and since it was his first directorial work, she should at least make a cameo appearance. But Lin Feng hadn't mentioned it to her.

For two whole hours, Deng Shuang didn't give Lin Feng a kind look. Moreover, the innocent and kind-hearted girl wore her displeasure on her face, deliberately trying to get Lin Feng's attention, as if to say, "I'm angry, come and coax me!"

Lin Feng noticed Deng Shuang's unusual behavior and, understanding her intent, asked, "Xiao Shuang, what did I do to upset you again?"

"Why did you cast Yang Mi in your first movie instead of me? Don't you love me the most?" Deng Shuang pouted unhappily.

"Oh! This is it, needless to say, it's Yang Mi causing trouble again. I'll teach that girl a lesson later." But Lin Feng first calmed Deng Shuang down. He gently held Deng Shuang's hand and patiently explained, "You probably haven't read the movie script. The reason I chose her is because she's more suitable for the role. She seems pure and lovely on the surface, but is worldly and materialistic at heart. She's perfect for Yang Mi, not for you. Besides, Yang Mi isn't the female lead, just the second female lead. I'm planning to promote newcomers for the male and female leads. Just the other day, I invested in a comedy team. Moreover, this movie, 'Goodbye Mr. Loser,' is just for me to practice. I don't even know how well I'll do my directorial debut. How could I let my precious Xiao Shuang act in it! If she messes it up, I'll be heartbroken!"

Upon hearing Lin Feng's words, Deng Shuang's expression gradually softened. Sure enough, Lin Feng still loved her the most, and she felt a sweet warmth in her heart. Moreover, seeing that Lin Feng's career was getting better and better, Deng Shuang was genuinely happy for him. "Your career is getting more and more successful now, with this company and that company. I can't help you much anymore. But there are some things you have to tell me. You have to come to me first. I still want to help you."

"Okay, don't worry, you're still my favorite. I'll definitely give you the best of everything. It's just that I'm still a little unsure how to better plan your career. Please give me some more time, my darling." Lin Feng gently stroked Deng Shuang's hair.

"Lin Feng, you don't need to take special care of me, and you shouldn't let me interfere with your own affairs. Actually, whether I act or not is not important to me. What's most important to me is being with you!" Deng Shuang said gently.

"I said I would take good care of you, and I will definitely take good care of you, including your career. I will definitely plan it out for you!" Lin Feng promised. He really loves Deng Shuang more and more now.

"Yes, I will always believe in you and I will never leave you." Deng Shuang said sweetly as she lay in Lin Feng's arms. As long as Lin Feng would always treat her well, she didn't care much about her career and was even willing to give up acting!

After calming Deng Shuang down, Lin Feng turned around and found Yang Mi. This time, Lin Feng wasn't so polite. He didn't even ask any questions, and without caring about Yang Mi's reaction, he gave Yang Mi two slaps on the buttocks and left.

Yang Mi covered her buttocks and glared, but dared not refute. At first, she was so angry that she was a little confused, but then she realized that Deng Shuang, that little slut, had probably complained to Lin Feng behind his back!

Why is Lin Feng so sympathetic to Deng Shuang? This makes Yang Mi very unhappy!

Yang Mi secretly vowed that she would definitely replace Deng Shuang in Lin Feng's position in the future. Now, Lin Feng was not only about love, but also about career!

***

While Lin Feng was filming "Swords of Legends," Yu Zheng directed "Palace 2: The Lock of Pearls," which served as the basis for "Palace 3: The Lock of Jade Heart."

Despite numerous controversies surrounding its sequel, including melodramatic plot, childish dialogue, and overly colorful visuals, the series maintained the high viewership of its predecessor. Furthermore, the immense popularity of "Palace 2" not only further solidified Yu Zheng's position in the period drama market but also showcased his talent for creating stars.

At the same time, Yu Zheng's commercial value has also increased significantly, making him a darling of GG businessmen and investors. Various business cooperation and investment opportunities have come one after another. This has not only brought him more economic benefits, but also further enhanced his status and influence in the entertainment industry. As a result, Yu Zheng, who is full of confidence, is not only preparing to continue to invest in the filming of the third installment of the "Palace" series, "Palace 3: The Lost Daughter", but also preparing to enter the big screen after years of cultivating the TV drama market. He wants to invest in the filming of a movie. In order to become a hit in the film industry, Yu Zheng really put a lot of effort into this. He not only wants to take advantage of the influence of "Palace 3" and "Palace 4" but also wants to film a Qing Dynasty palace drama that is different from the time-travel theme of the "Palace" series. This time, he wants to create a Qing Dynasty palace drama that is different from the serious and heavy Qing Dynasty palace dramas that people usually think of. Having never created a first love theme before, he has taken a different approach and incorporated pure love into the palace struggles, and finally produced the movie script "Palace 3: The Lost Daughter".

Yu Zheng positioned "The Palace: Lock Sinensis" as a pure love drama. Therefore, in casting the female lead "Shenxiang," who is simple and loves love, he believed that Deng Shuang's pure and beautiful image was more suitable and that she was a natural-born female lead.

Yu Zheng also knew that Deng Shuang and Lin Feng had a good relationship. The two would even share the same agent, Hu Shan. Moreover, Lin Feng's career was booming, and he wanted to get closer to him. This collaboration on the movie "The Palace: Lock Sinensis" was the perfect opportunity!

Yu Zheng immediately sent the script for the movie "The Palace: Lock Sinensis" to Deng Shuang, but he did not expect that Deng Shuang would reject it directly.

This puzzled Yu Zheng. He even asked Deng Shuang's agent, Hu Shan, why she refused after finishing "Swords of Legends".

Not only did Yu Zheng not understand, but even Hu Shan didn't understand. This wasn't the first time Deng Shuang had refused a role. Not only did she refuse the lead role of "Chen Xiang" in "The Palace: Lock Sinensis," but just a few days ago she also refused the second lead role of "Lin Mengmeng" in "Silent Witness."

Deng Shuang's reason for refusing was simple: she wanted to keep acting with Lin Feng, even if it was just playing supporting roles, because she didn't want to be separated from him. Hu Shan was speechless; she hadn't expected Deng Shuang to love Lin Feng so deeply.

Most importantly, Hu Shan knew that Lin Feng had long-term plans for Deng Shuang, but she wasn't clear on the specifics. However, Lin Feng didn't want Deng Shuang to act in bad movies. "Even if she doesn't act in any movies, she can't just act randomly. I hope to plan a long-term career for Deng Shuang!"

Therefore, Hu Shan didn't say anything. However, Yu Zheng still wanted Deng Shuang to play the female lead "Chen Xiang" in "The Palace: Lock Sinensis" because Deng Shuang was just too suitable. He really didn't want to miss the opportunity. In the end, he had no choice but to call Lin Feng. "Lin Feng, I didn't want to bother you, but I wrote a movie script and I think Deng Shuang is very suitable. You could even say it was tailor-made for her. But she directly refused because she only wants to act in your films and TV series. But I think that if an actor wants to develop in the long run, he can't stay in his comfort zone forever. He must adapt to different directors and participate in different films and TV series. Only in this way can he hone his acting skills!"

"Yes! You're right. So what movie is it? Send it to me and I'll see. If it's suitable, I'll help you persuade Xiao Shuang. She listens to me more."

Lin Feng was only polite on the surface, but when he heard that Yu Zheng wanted to make a movie, he found it a bit funny. Yu Zheng was good at making TV dramas; his strategies always worked. But they wouldn't work for movies. Then Lin Feng looked at the movie script Yu Zheng sent, "The Palace: Lock Sinensis," and it seemed familiar. He had seen this movie in his previous life; it starred Zhou Dongyu and Zhao Liying, and the childhood versions of their characters were played by Zhang Zifeng and Jiang Yiyi. "The Palace: Lock Sinensis" was of average quality, at best a passable film. However, for Yu Zheng, whose ratings were consistently low, it was definitely a masterpiece. Ultimately, "The Palace: Lock Sinensis" didn't do well at the box office; its biggest failure was piggybacking on the success of "Palace" and "Palace 2."

The popularity of the show has nothing to do with the two dramas. Not only do casual viewers not buy it, but even fans of the two dramas, "Palace" and "Palace 2", don't buy it.

Lin Feng's interest in "The Palace: Lock Sinensis" wasn't due to these reasons, but rather because it starred Zhou Dongyu. It seems that in his previous life, Yu Zheng initially considered Deng Shuang, but Deng Shuang declined, so Zhou Dongyu was chosen instead.

Yes, Deng Shuang;

Yes, Zhou Dongyu;

Deng Shuang vs. Zhou Dongyu!

The two actresses have similar acting styles. They are about the same age, have innocent and beautiful images, are both a bit thin, and have good acting skills. Their acting styles are really quite similar!

If the two actresses have similar acting styles, does that mean Deng Shuang can follow Zhou Dongyu's acting path, leaving her with no other options?

Of course, more importantly, Deng Shuang is much prettier than Zhou Dongyu!

At the same time, Deng Shuang can also take the traffic route. Modern idol dramas are her domain. One drama, "Meteor Shower," and another, "Love O2O," have already made her dominate the screen.

Furthermore, if Lin Feng remembers correctly, Deng Shuang turned down a movie by a famous director in order to participate in "Meteor Shower," and it seems that the movie was "Under the Hawthorn Tree."

However, "Meteor Shower" was filmed in 2009, while "Under the Hawthorn Tree" was filmed in 2010, so the timelines don't seem to match up!

Is this really true or not?

Lin Feng wasn't quite sure. Oh right, he could just ask Deng Shuang.

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