The audition was scheduled for 9 AM on Wednesday. At 8 AM, Fang Dingyao arrived and had breakfast downstairs with Chu Yan.
As the top-tier talent manager at Starlight Entertainment, Fang Dingyao oversees several A-list celebrities. When the company assigned the newly debuted Chu Yan to her, she wasn’t exactly thrilled.
However, upon learning about his relationship with Xu Linshen from Jiaxin Entertainment, her perspective changed. She arranged a top-notch PR team for Chu Yan, meaning she wouldn’t have to put in extra effort to manage Chu Yan when he’s being reckless or causing trouble. With Xu Linshen as a wealthy patron behind the scenes, she also didn’t need to invest as much time in securing resources for Chu Yan. Countless coveted opportunities would be lined up for him, thanks to Xu Linshen.
Chu Yan did indeed possess the star power to be in demand. Despite his tendency to court controversy, he naturally attracted attention, and the money the company invested in him over the past year had all been recouped. Fang Dingyao herself was a direct beneficiary of this success.
However, the entertainment industry is filled with young, beautiful, and talented individuals. Just as Xu Linshen had once been interested in Chu Yan, he could easily turn his attention to someone else now.
Last week, she had accompanied another artist from her agency to an event and noticed that Xu Linshen had a different person by his side. From a distance, she had mistaken him for Chu Yan, but upon closer inspection, she realized it was their fellow company artist, Le Huo.
Both of them were following the route of delicate and clean pretty boys, but compared to Chu Yan’s striking and captivating beauty, Le Huo gave a more composed and reserved impression.
At that moment, the first thought that came to her mind was: Xu Linshen’s taste hasn’t changed a bit.
He still prefers the same type…
Chu Yan sat in the passenger seat, holding a tablet and reading the script, chewing on a piece of beef jerky. He asked, “Sister Fang, do you know who else from the company will be auditioning for this role along with me?”
Fang Dingyao turned her head to take a look at Chu Yan sitting in the passenger seat and was surprised to find that he had dressed unusually well today. He wore a slim-fit all-black shirt, but left the top button of the collar casually undone, and there was no tie. His hair was styled naturally with just a blow dryer, giving him a fresh and effortless look. It neither appeared overly formal nor lacked a touch of youthful charm. It was a blend of maturity and innocence that perfectly matched the character he was auditioning for.
It seemed that he had done his homework as well. Fang Dingyao raised an eyebrow and said, “Cheng Yusheng.”
“Oh.” Chu Yan nodded.
In fact, Fang Dingyao’s arrangement for Chu Yan to take on this role was also carefully considered. At this stage of Chu Yan’s career, although he had ample popularity, it was largely built upon marketing strategies, creating a transient prosperity. What he urgently needed was a project that could change the public’s fixed impression of him.
On the other hand, Director Zhao had already established his position in the television drama industry several years ago. He hadn’t signed with any production company; instead, he founded his own studio. The scripts in his hands had been refined by well-known domestic screenwriters for over a decade. With his dedicated team and high quality standards, most of his works became sensation-level hits upon release.
Such projects, distinct from the typical genre, have a different effect on enhancing an actor’s national favorability compared to those network idol dramas.
When Chu Yan arrived at the audition venue, it was exactly nine o’clock. The audition for the male second lead was still underway, and Chu Yan took a seat in the waiting room. After a quick glance around, he noticed that the competition was quite intense. Among the candidates, there was even one who had won the Best Supporting Actor award at the previous year’s Hundred Flowers Awards.
The auditions for the male second lead had been ongoing for nearly half an hour when it finally came to an end. Chu Yan was scheduled to audition fourth. Most of the candidates before him had only spent five or six minutes inside, and there was nothing particularly remarkable about them. Their expressions didn’t reveal much.
An audition assistant led Chu Yan into the hall. As he entered, the assistant politely closed the door behind him.
The audition room was quite spacious. Facing the entrance was a well-crafted red lacquer wood table. Chu Yan stood in the center of the hall, and, as he lifted his gaze, he saw Director Zhao and… Xu Linshen seated at the center of the long table. A few other investors of the drama were also seated beside them.
Just like Chu Yan, Xu Linshen also raised his eyes to look at him. He leaned casually against the back of his chair, wearing a relaxed and easy smile.
The script excerpt Chu Yan received for the audition was a pivotal moment for the character, marking a significant turning point in the life of the male third lead. It involved a scene where he faces the death of his elder brother, a moment that triggers an emotional transformation. It was a scene that truly tested an actor’s skill.
“Let’s begin,” Director Zhao reminded as he checked the time.
As the director’s words fell, the entire audition hall was enveloped in a palpable silence. Chu Yan redirected his gaze and took a moment to settle his emotions, focusing entirely on the task at hand.
This was a scene without physical props, even lacking fellow actors to interact with. It relied almost entirely on the actor’s imagination and improvisation.
“Big brother.”
The dimly lit room carried a heavy scent of traditional Chinese medicine, accompanied by occasional suppressed coughs.
“Do you know? Mr. Zhang from the accounting office praised me today, saying that I’ve become quite proficient at doing the accounts.”
The voice was not particularly loud, but perhaps due to the spaciousness of the hall, it sounded exceptionally clear.
Director Zhao raised an eyebrow, his enunciation was crisp and punctuated, showcasing a good command of lines.
The man on the bed was gaunt, his voice weak and hoarse as he responded to his younger brother’s obvious seeking of encouragement and praise with a smile, “Progress is good…”
The young man leaned over the bedside, gazing at his brother’s visibly thinner cheeks due to his emaciated state. He sniffled and then began cheerfully recounting some fun and interesting stories from his time outside.
His older brother listened silently, occasionally smiling when he heard about exciting places, but the worry in his eyes couldn’t be dispelled no matter what.
Using the back of his hand to wipe his eyes, the young man casually asked, “Brother, what would you like to eat for lunch? I’ll have the kitchen prepare something for you.”
His older brother had always worried about him. From childhood to adulthood, he had been causing trouble and making a mess, causing his older brother to fret over him countless times.
Despite the seemingly ordinary and calm tone, there was an inexplicable infectious quality that seemed to draw people into a sense of melancholy. Director Zhao found himself sitting up a bit straighter, his expression showing a hint of admiration, lost in the peculiar allure of the performance.
The script he provided didn’t impose any restrictions on the acting style, and this person’s chosen approach wasn’t intense but rather a more delicate and reserved emotional expression. It was subdued yet plain, yet it profoundly touched the strings of the heart.
However, because he had heard about Chu Yan before, he hadn’t even considered that he would perform this well today. His initial idea for this production was to cast new talents who best fit the character’s image for all roles except the male lead, for whom he intended to cast an experienced actor with whom he had collaborated many times.
He had thought the previous auditionees were good as well, despite their different acting styles, as they all achieved a similar effect through different paths. It wasn’t until he saw Chu Yan that he became convinced. From appearance to acting style, there was hardly anyone more suitable for this role than Chu Yan.
He turned to the person next to him and whispered, “Is there no one else left? If not, I think this one will do.”
“There’s one more, Le Huo from Starlight Entertainment. Director, don’t you remember?”
Upon hearing this name, the director paused for a moment, then realized who he was talking about. How could he have almost forgotten?!
As the biggest investor in this production, Xue Linshen could have had his say in casting, but he seemed to respect the director’s opinions and didn’t intervene too much in the casting process. He casually mentioned having a newcomer audition for the role of male third lead in the production.
Having been in the entertainment industry for so long, the director was well-aware of the happenings in the circle. As soon as he spoke, he understood the connection between Le Huo and the other person.
He glanced at Xue Linshen sitting next to him and saw a calm expression on his face, with no signs of displeasure. The director sighed with a hint of regret and addressed Chu Yan, “Alright, next up.”
Compared to the previous candidates, Chu Yan spent the longest time inside the audition room. After he came out, Fang Dingyao asked him some questions, mostly about the director’s reactions and the overall impressions from the panel. After hearing his answers, she smiled.
Based on her understanding of Director Zhao, it seemed that he was quite satisfied with Chu Yan’s audition.
“Alright, go back and rest for today. Wait for my message.”
The audition results were announced on the same evening. Fang Dingyao opened the email and was pleased to see that, as she expected, Chu Yan had indeed secured the role of male third lead in the production.
However, what Fang Dingyao couldn’t have anticipated was that Le Huo, of all people, had landed the role of male lead in the same production!
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