Chapter 339: The Young Actors

The news of Bingbing Li securing the role spread like wildfire, drawing the attention of the entire film industry. Many actresses were so envious that their eyes turned red with jealousy.

Newspapers quickly published the news, making it known to the general public who followed the entertainment industry.

"According to recent reports, the casting for the Hollywood blockbuster Jackie Chan Adventures: The Mystery of the Talismans, produced by renowned director Gilbert, has been finalized.

Bingbing Li, who previously starred in Young Justice Bao, has caught Gilbert's attention and secured a significant role.

This is proof that Chinese actors are stepping onto the world stage. Congratulations to Bingbing Li..."

"Without a doubt, Gilbert has played a crucial role in bringing Chinese talent to the global stage. Bingbing Li should be grateful to him because, from now on, the sky is the limit for her..."

"Damn it..." Staring at these newspaper reports, International Zhang tore them to shreds, her face flushed with anger.

She couldn't understand—how was she inferior to Bingbing Li? Why was the role given to her and not to Zhang? But no matter how furious she was, it wouldn't change anything. She couldn't possibly confront Gilbert and demand, "Why did you choose Bingbing Li?" She didn't have the courage to question him directly, though venting in private was fair game.

Compared to International Zhang, Zhou Xun was much calmer.

After her audition, she looked into Gilbert's rumored girlfriends and discovered that, aside from Naomi Watts, all of them were tall, long-legged actresses with impressive figures.

As for a few rumored relationships with Japanese actresses, Zhou Xun didn't take them seriously—none of those actresses had ever appeared in Gilbert's films.

From this, Zhou Xun realized that someone like her was more likely to thrive in Hollywood's independent film scene.

But in mainstream Hollywood, she didn't even qualify as a "flower vase" actress.

So, Zhou Xun had already known from early on that, despite making it to the final auditions, she had no real chance of being chosen. This is why she generously called Bingbing Li to congratulate her.

Meanwhile, another actress who auditioned, Bingbing Fan, had mixed feelings about the situation.

After her audition, she deliberately waited outside to intercept Gilbert and managed to have a private conversation with him.

However, Gilbert didn't say anything about the film. He simply told her, "If beauty and figure alone were enough, you'd already be ahead of most people.

I think the red carpet would suit you well. Maybe you should give it a shot."

"Does that mean I can make it in Hollywood?" Bingbing Fan asked expectantly, her big, watery eyes gazing at Gilbert—eyes that could make most men lose their composure. But Gilbert was no ordinary man.

He rubbed his nose and said, "Maybe. Fame is a strange and mysterious thing; you might just get lucky.

But I should remind you of one thing."

"What is it?" Bingbing Fan asked eagerly.

Gilbert mysteriously said, "Make sure you pay your taxes on time. Don't underpay or evade them."

"???" Bingbing Fan was full of confusion as she watched Gilbert walk away. She wanted to ask for clarification but ultimately decided against it.

To outsiders, Bingbing Li seemed incredibly fortunate to have landed such a significant role. However, Gilbert's decision to cast her wasn't based on luck—it was simply because she was the right fit for the role, not because her name was drawn out of a hat.

Some envious individuals muttered behind her back, "She's probably just making a brief appearance. She won't get much screen time, so what's there to be jealous of?"

But deep down, they all knew that if it were just a minor role, Gilbert wouldn't have gone to such lengths.

Before the auditions for Jade began, Bingbing Li, accompanied by her younger sister Li Xue and her manager, returned to the hotel to discuss her contract.

She had hoped to thank Gilbert in person, but he wasn't present at the signing. In the end, she could only express her gratitude silently.

The signing process was handled professionally, with the organizers thoughtfully inviting media reporters to capture the moment—an early promotional move.

Gilbert placed great importance on the Chinese market. Although an entire release cycle in China might not match a single weekend's box office in North America, looking at the long term, it was inevitable that the Chinese market would grow significantly.

To continuously attract Chinese audiences, early promotional efforts needed to be made, and they required minimal effort.

Bingbing Li was undoubtedly one of the biggest beneficiaries of this strategy. After the contract signing, her role was secured, and no one could take it away from her. Though filming had yet to begin, her fame skyrocketed.

At 28 years old, Bingbing Li had now firmly established herself as a leading actress among the rising generation of stars.

Compared to Bingbing Fan, Bingbing Li's rise to stardom had not been smooth. It wasn't until last year's Young Justice Bao that she finally gained recognition. Now, she was soaring even higher.

However, Bingbing Li did not become arrogant. After signing the contract, she received the full script—translated into Chinese.

It was said that Gilbert himself had personally overseen the translation process, ensuring it closely matched the English version, making it easier for Bingbing Li to understand her character.

Her younger sister, Li Xue, wanted to take a look at the script, but Bingbing Li ruthlessly refused.

It wasn't that she didn't want to share it with her sister; rather, she had signed a confidentiality agreement with the production team. Sharing the script with anyone else would lead to serious legal consequences.

In the past, while filming domestic television dramas, although there were screenwriters, the scripts weren't considered particularly important. Many scenes were improvised, with directors and writers adjusting the plot on set.

This spontaneous approach had its pros and cons, but for actors, it was nerve-wracking—not knowing what role they'd be playing the next day.

However, in Hollywood, scripts were finalized well in advance. Bingbing Li recalled something the director Nolan had once said:

"While changes might occur during filming, the core content remains the same."

He also assigned Bingbing Li two key tasks: practicing yoga and maintaining her physique, as well as improving her spoken English.

Although dubbing could be used in the theatrical release to address any accent issues, both Nolan and Gilbert had a habit of using the actors' original voices.

Thus, Bingbing Li needed to deliver both her English and Chinese lines personally, making her accent a significant challenge.

Having already been practicing for several months, she hired an English tutor for further training and also enrolled in a yoga class to enhance her physical fitness.

Many people only saw Bingbing Li's good fortune in landing the role but failed to recognize the immense effort she put in to secure it.

Opportunities favor those who are prepared. Anyone who simply lay idle, waiting for success to fall into their lap, was merely daydreaming.

Without adequate preparation, Gilbert would not have chosen her, no matter how well she fit the role.

Fortunately, the current generation of Chinese stars could still be considered true actors dedicated and hardworking. Setting aside issues unrelated to their profession, they were undeniably superior to the influx of talentless, social media-driven celebrities that would emerge in the future.

Moreover, in terms of beauty, today's diverse actresses were far more captivating and expressive than the cookie-cutter starlets of later generations.

Gilbert had often wondered if he were to direct the television dramas and films he had once directed in his past life, would the current generation of young stars dare to give him an attitude? Would they still be forced to respectfully call him "teacher"?

Clearly, the answer was no.

After all, these so-called young stars tailored their behavior based on the power dynamics at play.

If Gilbert were to demand something inappropriate, they would likely comply without hesitation.

Of course, Gilbert had no such perverse interests he had absolutely no desire for the effeminate, androgynous actors that some in the industry favored.

After the auditions for Little Snake, the next challenge was selecting an actress for the most difficult role to cast Jade.

Compared to Little Snake, Jade's role was undeniably crucial. This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity attracted the attention of many parents, all vying for their child to land the part.

To secure an audition slot, parents pulled every possible string offering gifts, leveraging connections, and currying favor.

But regardless of their efforts, making it to the final round of auditions ultimately depended on Gilbert and Nolan's decision.

More precisely, it was up to Gilbert. Any young actor he rejected had no chance of being cast.

As a result, many parents sought ways to approach Gilbert, but he was elusive, rarely making public appearances, and was nearly impossible to track down.

Instead, Nolan, the film's director, was staying at a hotel, making him a much easier target.

In the following days, Nolan found himself bombarded with invitations birthday parties, family celebrations all thinly veiled attempts to curry favor. He even received numerous gifts, including antiques and paintings.

At first, Nolan found it amusing, but after a few such encounters, he vented to Gilbert:

"These people are so fake! They clearly just want the role but keep beating around the bush, pretending it's about something else.

I'm getting exhausted listening to all their nonsense it's unbelievably frustrating!"

Gilbert burst into laughter. "That's exactly why I've been hiding out at Lao Tian's place. I knew this would happen. You, my friend, are in for a real treat."

Nolan was thoroughly fed up. He vowed, "Not a single one of those parents who invited me to dinner is getting through the auditions."

The competition for Jade's role was even fiercer than that for Little Snake. More than twenty young actresses had made it to the final audition.

The candidates ranged from those born between 1986 and 1992, making the selection process overwhelming.

As Gilbert reviewed the audition list, he spotted quite a few familiar names—including some of his "favorites" like Yang Mi and the "Fairy Sister," as well as Shu Chang. Even Tang Yan was on the list.

However, Gilbert felt that these actresses from the 1985 generation were already a bit too old.

If Jackie Chan Adventures became a success, the actors might only be able to star in one film before they had to be replaced.

Therefore, Gilbert focused primarily on younger actresses—mostly those born in the early 90s.

Among them, there were also some names Gilbert recognized, such as Yang Zi. Even non-child actors like Tan Songyun and Li Yitong had made it to the final audition.

Before the auditions began, Gilbert consulted director Stanley Tong.

"Director Tong, who do you think is the best among these candidates?"

Stanley Tong thought for a moment and replied, "Based on their performances, I'd say Yang Mi and Shu Chang are both quite good. That girl named Yang Zi is also excellent.

Of course, it all depends on your final decision."

"What about Liu Yifei?" Gilbert asked.

Stanley Tong thought for a moment before responding, "She's certainly very pretty, but she can't act.

And from what I've heard, her mother and godfather have been working hard behind the scenes, trying to secure this opportunity for her.

Even though she made it to the final audition, I doubt you'll be interested in her."

If Yang Mi had once shown some natural talent that could be honed with proper training, Liu Yifei, on the other hand, struggled with acting unless the role perfectly suited her.

Of course, this could partly be a director's issue some actors required careful guidance to shine.

But as previously mentioned, this project didn't have time to slowly nurture an actor's skills.

Unless they were as close as Scarlett Johansson was to certain directors, there simply wasn't enough time to invest in coaching someone extensively.

Ultimately, the role would be given to the most suitable candidate, even if that meant casting an unknown actress.

To assist with the auditions, Jackie Chan himself flew in from Hong Kong to perform alongside the young actresses.

Jade's role was, in some ways, even more important than Jackie Chan's character, as it would directly impact the film's overall success.

Thus, there was no room for error.

...

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