China Entertainment started in 2004

Chapter 537 Sun Li: I'm with someone else
"Lili, I have great news to tell you."

In the evening, Deng Chao called Sun Li and spoke in a loud voice.

"What news?" Deng Chao's voice was very loud. Sun Li suddenly heard a lot of noise in her ears and quickly moved the phone further away from her ear.

"Hehe." Deng Chao didn't say anything, but smiled complacently, "I can guarantee that there should be very few people who know about it now. In all likelihood, I am one of the first to know about it."

After that, he analyzed, "If someone knew, the news would have spread in the circle a long time ago, instead of there being no movement."

Sun Li knew that Deng Chao had gone to the crew of Life of Pi. She pondered over what he said and then guessed, "You went to Director Wang's crew today, so is it related to Director Wang?"

"You're so smart. You guessed it before I even explained it in detail." Deng Chao teased with a smile.

Sun Li was speechless when she heard this, she was not stupid.

Deng Chao just joined the crew of "Life of Pi" today, and he called me so excitedly in the evening. What else could it be if not related to Wang Shu?
Just as she was complaining, she heard Deng Chao say again: "Then guess what it is?"

"Haha, could it be that Director Wang is planning to co-produce a film?" Sun Li asked back when she heard that.

She heard Deng Chao's tone and had already guessed what he meant.

If it wasn't related to the co-production, she guessed that Deng Chao would not have called her so excitedly.

The tone of voice says it all.

"Haha, you guessed it all." Deng Chao continued to tease with a smile.

“Do we even need to guess?” Sun Li couldn’t help but complain, “Based on the speed Director Wang shoots movies, if we calculate the time, Life of Pi will almost be finished.”

“If Director Wang doesn’t take on other projects after the film is finished, then it will most likely be a co-production.”

"Haha." Deng Chao laughed when he heard this. "I asked Director Wang on the set today, and he did say that he would make a co-production next time."

"But there is one thing you definitely haven't guessed."

"Which point?" Sun Li asked curiously.

"Guess." Deng Chao said with a smile.

"If you want to say it, say it. If you don't want to say it, forget it." Sun Li responded unhappily.

"Then I won't say anything." Deng Chao said this deliberately.

"If you don't want to tell me, then don't tell me." Sun Li snorted.

Deng Chao was still hoping to rely on Sun Li's friendship with Wang Shu to help him put in a good word with Wang Shu, but upon hearing this, he immediately surrendered and said, "Okay, okay, I'll tell you."

"Today I asked Director Wang what his plans were after filming Life of Pi, and his answer was co-production."

"Then I asked about the script. Do you know what he said?"

"What did he say?" Sun Li already had some guesses in her mind when she heard this, and she couldn't help but become nervous.

"He said the script was already available and the next step was casting," said Deng Chao.

When Sun Li heard this, she thought to herself, "As expected," she quickly asked, "Have you asked him if he has any favorite actress?"

"No." Deng Chao continued, "But Director Wang said that the actors for this co-production will be selected through casting."

"He said that because it was a co-production, he needed to be responsible to investors such as China Film Group, Shanghai Film Group, and Hollywood film companies, so he would select the most suitable actors through casting."

"You believe this?" Sun Li couldn't help but complain after hearing this.

"Of course I don't believe it." Deng Chao said helplessly, "I only said this after I asked Director Wang what he thought of me."

"The implication is that you are rejecting me politely."

"So, there's no need to think about the male lead."

"If it's a supporting actor role, maybe I can get it through casting competition."

In his opinion, even if Wang Shu had a favorite actor or actress, he was only initially fond of the male and female protagonists.

There are many characters in a movie, and it is impossible for all of them to have favorite actors.

Since the actors are selected through casting, most of the supporting roles will most likely be cast and confirmed.

So, he is not without chance.

"What? You still want to play the male lead?" Sun Li complained when she heard this.

It seems like he is complaining, but in fact he is also speaking for Wang Shu.

What she meant was that this kind of co-production blockbuster was bound to have a big-name actor playing the leading role.

Deng Chao's dream of playing the leading male role was just a daydream.

Therefore, it is not Wang Shu’s fault, but Deng Chao’s fault for dreaming.

Deng Chao certainly knew his own limitations, so although he felt regretful, he had no complaints.

He also knew that among all the artists in the Chinese-language film industry, it would not be his turn to play the leading actor in such a co-produced blockbuster.

"Haha, who doesn't want to play the leading actor?" Deng Chao said shamelessly.

"Hehe." Sun Li snorted and teased, "It's not impossible for you to play the leading male role. As long as you find a way to make those big names in the circle retire, then it will be your turn."

"Huh? You know what, this is a great suggestion. As long as I kill them all, won't it be my turn to take the position?" Deng Chao knew that Sun Li was joking, so he joined in the joke.

"Then go ahead, I'll wait." Sun Li continued joking.

"If I kill them, I will definitely go to jail. If I go to jail, will you wait for me?" Deng Chao continued to talk about this topic.

"Don't worry, it won't happen." Sun Li said with a smile.

"Ah? Shouldn't you wait for me to come out of prison?" Deng Chao pretended to be surprised.

"Normally, that's the way it should be." Sun Li replied cheerfully, "But, since you're already fucking someone else, shouldn't you stay away from people like that?"

"Uh," Deng Chao opened his mouth and said stubbornly, "Even if I take the initiative to attack someone else, given our relationship, won't you wait for me to come out?"

"I'm sorry." Sun Li said with a smile, "I am a good citizen who abides by the law."

"You are a good citizen who abides by the law. What does it have to do with waiting for me to come out?" Deng Chao continued.

"Why is it okay?" Sun Li asked back, "I am a good citizen who abides by the law. Of course I cannot associate with criminals who take the initiative to attack others."

"If I wait for you to come out of prison, wouldn't that be a moral degradation?"

"Uh," Deng Chao opened his mouth and stopped refutation, then continued, "Then if you don't wait for me to come out of prison, are you going to be with someone else?"

"It depends on the situation." Sun Li said with a smile.

"What's going on?" Deng Chao asked with pretended curiosity.

"It depends on whether there is anyone pursuing me. If someone is pursuing me and I like him/her, then we will naturally be together." Sun Li said with a smile.

"Okay, then I won't go." Deng Chao understood that Sun Li was joking, and he also responded with a smile.

"Why, are you worried that I'll be with someone else?" Sun Li joked with a smile. "You think too much." Deng Chao was a bit eccentric, and deliberately said something with no emotional intelligence, "I just thought that if I fucked someone else, I would not only go to jail, but also get nothing, so it would be a loss."

Although this statement lacks emotional intelligence, it is a common way for many couples to flirt.

Many couples just stab each other in the back and make fun of each other on purpose.

Although this method is common, if there is a rift between couples, then this method is not only not a consensual one, but it will also be remembered in their hearts.

When they fall out in the future, everything will be dug out and detailed.

So, sometimes, lovers stab each other in the back as a flirtation, and sometimes it deepens the resentment of the conflict.

"Since you are not worried, then I will be with someone else." Sun Li said deliberately after hearing this.

"Go ahead, I won't stop you." Deng Chao said with a smile.

"You said it. When I go there, don't cry and beg me to change my mind." Sun Li snorted.

"Don't worry, Bao won't beg you." Deng Chao said with a smile.

"Heh." Sun Li sneered.

"Okay, I won't talk nonsense with you anymore." Deng Chao returned to the main topic of his call to Sun Li, "Director Wang already has the script and will start casting soon."

"You know, the leading roles in big-budget domestic films usually don't go to mainland actors like us. Most of the time, big names from Hong Kong are chosen to play the leading roles."

"However, male actors from the mainland have no chance, but female actors from the mainland have great opportunities."

"It has always been the way of pairing big-name male actors from Hong Kong with actresses from the mainland."

"so."

Deng Chao did not continue to say the rest of the words, he believed that Sun Li could understand what he meant.

Sun Li sighed and said, "Although it is true that mainland actresses have more opportunities, Fan Binbin, Li Binbin, Zhou Xun, and I heard that Gong Li and Zhang Ziyi all have their own ideas."

"If all these people come to compete for roles, nine times out of ten there will be no place for me."

"No." Deng Chao analyzed, "Director Wang is now an Oscar-winning director and has a great reputation."

"So, if this co-production uses big-name male actors from Hong Kong to support the film, then the actresses don't need to use big names."

"Therefore, Director Wang should choose the right actress, rather than Gong Li and Zhang Ziyi who will definitely get the role if they have an idea."

"Not to mention, their pay is not low, which is also a factor."

Sun Li heard this and continued, "Have you forgotten that Zhang Ziyi would lower her salary to accept a role?"

"That's an art film." Deng Chao said, "It's common for art films to reduce pay. Gong Li, Zhang Ziyi, Zhou Xun, Fan Binbin and others have all had their pay reduced."

"For example, in the drama "Apple", Fan Binbin volunteered to act in it for free, but the producer felt that it was not a good idea to do it for free, so he gave him 100,000 yuan."

"Director Wang's co-production is a commercial film, and generally speaking, the pay will not be reduced when taking on a commercial film."

"Even so, it's not easy to get a role." Sun Li sighed.

Deng Chao smiled and said, "That depends on you."

Then he added, "Besides, there are so many female roles in a movie. Even if I can't play the leading female role, playing the second or third female role is not unacceptable."

"After all, this is a Sino-US co-production, not a messy small-budget film."

"Even the second and third female roles are extremely high-quality resources."

"Looking back to Zhang Ziyi, wasn't it because of her supporting role in the movie Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon that she got the opportunity to go international?"

"In Director Wang's co-production, even if the second or third female lead is good, she can still step onto the international stage like Zhang Ziyi did in the past."

Sun Li helplessly replied, "Have you ever thought that even you understand the truth, don't Fan Binbin, Li Binbin, Zhou Xun, Mei Ting, Ning Jing and others know it?"

"Even you know that this kind of co-production is a top resource that has the opportunity to go international, so how could they not be willing to play supporting roles?"

"Didn't Li Binbin play a supporting role to Liu Yifei in last year's The Forbidden Kingdom?"

"Under normal circumstances, Li Binbin would never be willing to play a supporting role for Liu Yifei. It was only because Li Binbin thought that the supporting role in The Forbidden Kingdom could help her step onto the international stage that she agreed."

The originator of this phenomenon was none other than Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.

Because Zhang Ziyi is not the heroine in "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", but the supporting actress.

Even if you are a supporting actress, starring in this kind of movie can help you step onto the international stage.

With this kind of resources, it would be best if she could play the leading female role.

But if I can't play the role, I can play the second female lead.

"That's why I called you." Deng Chao continued, "There's no news in the industry right now, which means that no one knows that Director Wang already has a script and is about to start casting."

"Or rather, we are the few who know about it first."

"Since we know about it first, we can definitely use this to our advantage."

"Didn't Fan Binbin, Li Binbin and the others visit Director Wang before?"

"I was thinking, why don't we organize a dinner party and invite Director Wang to come out for dinner, and talk to him about co-production?"

“I don’t ask for a role by attending a dinner, but I ask for an advantage over others in future auditions.”

"Isn't that the truth?"

When Sun Li heard this, she wanted to say that she had visited Wang Shu before. Not only that, she also played mahjong with Wang Shu's parents.

However, Deng Chao only knew that she had visited Wang Shu, but he didn't know that she not only played mahjong with Wang Shu's parents, but also stayed overnight at Wang Shu's home.

Therefore, she skipped the topic and said, "You sound nice. A big director like Director Wang has a lot of things to do and he doesn't know when his schedule will be filled. You can't just invite him to a dinner party and he will be available, right?"

"How do you know if you don't try?" Deng Chao asked back, "As the saying goes, do your best and leave the rest to fate."

"Since we know this news in advance, we should find a way to turn this advantage into something beneficial to us. Otherwise, wouldn't it be a waste?"

This made a lot of sense, and Sun Li couldn't refute it, so she said, "Aren't you in the crew of Life of Pi? Why don't you just tell Director Wang directly?"

Deng Chao smiled and continued, "My friendship with Director Wang is just average, not as deep as yours."

"Also, today I learned that Director Wang had a script ready for casting. Telling him about the dinner right away seemed too utilitarian and not a good idea."

"So I thought, it would be better if you call Director Wang and tell him about this after I finish filming this part and return to Beijing."

Sun Li heard this and complained unhappily, "You don't want to be embarrassed, so you let me call Director Wang, right?"

Deng Chao said that he seemed utilitarian when he mentioned the dinner to Wang Shu in a flash, but when he returned to Beijing and Sun Li called again, it still seemed utilitarian.

And it still makes Sun Li seem utilitarian.

(End of this chapter)