Entertainment 2000: Supporting female stars will bring you a hundredfold return

Chapter 276 2002 Celebrity Income Ranking (Please Subscribe)
I thought I would just go to the premiere of "Hero" and make a brief appearance.

But as soon as Tang Wen entered the banquet hall, he was immediately spotted by several actresses.

After all, it was the premiere of the first major film in China.

The scene was star-studded.

The four leading ladies have all arrived.

Two of Hong Kong's Four Heavenly Kings have arrived.

One is Andy Lau, and the other is Li Ming.

"Director Tang, welcome, welcome!" Before Tang Wen could even take a closer look at the guests in the room, Zhang Ziyi rushed ahead of the other actresses and took Tang Wen's arm.

Very familiar.

Looking at her profile, Tang Wen realized he had made a mistake; he should have brought Da Bai along.

He underestimated his influence.

Less than half a minute later, Zhao Gege took over the other side.

He felt even more regretful.

Although he didn't like this person, she was still his good friend and the princess's best friend.

It's not appropriate to just kick someone out in public.

Fortunately, Andy Lau and Tang Wen hadn't seen each other for a long time, so they brought Li Ming over to chat.

The three men talked about "Infernal Affairs 3," noting that the two superstars will have many scenes together in the third installment.

As the group was chatting, Wang Zuxian, whom they hadn't seen for two months, came over.

She smiled sweetly at Zhang Ziyi and Zhao Gege, finally fixing her gaze on Zhao's face.

Their eyes met, and Zhao Gege couldn't withstand Wang Zuxian's ambiguous smile. She also sensed that Tang Wen didn't want to talk to her, so she could only politely say something and retreat first.

Wang Zuxian took Tang Wen's arm and smiled gently.

Andy Lau: "Joey is so popular this year."

"No, it was just a coincidence. It's all thanks to Wen-di for writing this album for me." As she spoke, Wang Zuxian and Tang Wen clasped hands and raised their hands.

He glanced at Zhang Ziyi next to him.

The latter was a little embarrassed, but didn't want to let go.

Tang Wen's film casting was a huge undertaking.

So far, only the male lead has been selected; the female lead hasn't been decided yet.

In addition, he's ridiculously handsome and a multi-millionaire.

Zhang Ziyi was very fond of him. Although he was a womanizer, she could tolerate him as long as he didn't bring people home or have illegitimate children outside.

As soon as the two Heavenly Kings left, a female voice rang out:
"Director Tang, it's been a long time! Give me a hug!"

Upon hearing the sweet, coquettish voice, Wang Zuxian's eyes turned slightly cold, her beauty carrying an aggressive edge as she looked at the newcomer.

She has a pretty face.

Zhang Ziyi's face turned cold at the same time: How dare a Taiwanese actress act so presumptuously?

Do you think you're Joey Wong?
Unexpectedly, Tang Wen broke free from her grasp, smiled, and opened his arms to hug her.

What do you mean, "long time no see"?

The night before last, you were in bed playing the role of a nun practicing Buddhism.

"Hello, Sister Zuxian." Jia Jingwen took the opportunity to put her arm around him, occupying the arm that originally belonged to Zhang Ziyi, and then, as if she didn't see Zhang, tilted her head to greet Wang Zuxian.

The latter raised his thick eyebrows, understanding what was going on.

So this is yet another of Ah Wen's lovers.

"Hello, Jingwen."

"Does Sister Xian know me?"

"Of course I know you. You were voted Jin Yong's leading lady by Renren.com."

"..."

The two women started chatting.

Zhang Ziyi, who had been pushed out of her place, turned ashen-faced and clenched her fists so tightly that her nails dug into her flesh.

But the three ignored her and walked on.

Zhang Ziyi glared at their retreating figures with resentment before walking away alone.

"Our Director Tang is really like a piece of Tang Monk's flesh! Isn't that right, Sister Xian?" Jia Jingwen smiled charmingly.

“Ah Wen is very capable. If he were in Hong Kong, he would be even more amazing.”

“Yes, yes, the same goes for Taiwan. Countless women would throw themselves at you. So, darling, please go to Taiwan less often, okay?” Jia Jingwen looked up at Tang Wen.

The latter shook his head speechlessly; Wang Zuxian was also from Taiwan.

Including Lin Chih-ling, Alyssa Chia, and Wang Hsin-ling, the "sweetheart queen" who will only become the "perfect beauty" in 20 years.

The finest beauties of Taiwan are all around you.

Other people are probably hard to attract.

"You two are the most beautiful in Hong Kong and Taiwan." This remark amused the two stunning beauties.

Speaking of beauties among the younger generation in Hong Kong, besides Cecilia Cheung and Gillian Chung, who else is there?

The scene of beauties vying for attention will never be seen again.

"Whoa Whoah"

applause.

Zhang Er and Han Sanping finished speaking one after the other.

Tang Wen was pulled up and said a few words, mentioning that "Hero" would be released in North America and would be competing for an Oscar.

Hear the news.

The female celebrities in the audience looked at Tang Wen with even more fervent eyes.

I practically want to eat him up.

If no one is around, who knows what they might do.

Zhang Ziyi narrowed her eyes slightly: This world doesn't depend on you, surnamed Tang, for anything.

If "Hero" does well, the next movie will definitely be released in the United States.

In my next film, I absolutely have to be the female lead!

She stared intently at Zhang Yimou.

As soon as the other person and Zhang Weiping stepped off the stage, she eagerly went up to them: "Director Zhang..."

After hearing her purpose, Zhang Yimou gently shook his head: "Ziyi, Director Tang has already booked the female lead for my next film."

Zhang Ziyi's smile froze: "What do you mean? He, uh, Director Tang can interfere with your casting?"

“It’s not interference, it’s a deal,” Zhang Weiping said expressionlessly. “Director Tang helped us get into the Oscars, and we didn’t contribute any money, so we have to give him an explanation. Giving him a leading actress is nothing.”

Zhang Ziyi was struck dumb.

Zhang Yimou's next film, "House of Flying Daggers," is a "love triangle" story that he discussed with two screenwriters during the filming of "Hero."

The story is almost complete, but the actual project launch will probably have to wait until next year.

Moreover, it depends on how well "Hero" performs at the box office.

If the results are far below expectations, then things will be difficult.

Investment opportunities are hard to find.

Director Zhang might have to return to art-house films to rebuild his popularity.

“We have signed contracts with Director Tang for more than one film.”

Zhang Ziyi was even more dumbfounded.

What do you mean?
I won't be able to act in any more of Director Zhang's movies.

Zhang Yimou, being kind-hearted, suggested, "You could ask Director Tang for help."

Zhang Ziyi forced a smile, which looked worse than crying.

She knew this road was blocked.

Among all the women around Tang Wen, she was nowhere near the top in terms of either figure or face.

As for acting skills, after being in the industry for so long, she has long understood that the entertainment industry, which should value acting skills the most, often doesn't.

After the two Zhangs left, Zhang Ziyi turned to look at Tang Wen with mixed feelings.

Why does he dislike me so much?
You are an international director, and I am an international star!
We're a perfect match.

The following day, "Hero" was released.

The film had a lukewarm reception on its opening day, grossing less than 300 million yuan.

The situation was similar to what Tang Wen remembered.

Because he got involved, the number was slightly higher than the original 260 million.

The two Zhangs were in a panic and called Tang Wen for help.

Tang Wen wanted to tell them that things would gradually recover, but then he thought that this was a good opportunity to curry favor with them.

"Alright, after all, this is our first blockbuster in China. I'll have Renren.com look into it and come up with a plan to help you promote it."

"Thank you! Thank you, Director Tang. Please don't hesitate to ask if you need anything in the future!"

Zhang Weiping bowed his head again. "Hero" was crucial to their career success or failure. If Tang Wen could save the box office, he would do anything, even kneel down, let alone bow his head.

That evening, Renren.com pushed a pop-up window to its users, showing the trailer for "Hero".

Yellow sands of the desert, red-clad figures, long swords and silver spears

The Xuanjia army, a rain of arrows, blotting out the sky.

It shocked many viewers.

The comments section was filled with exclamations of "Holy crap!"

The two Zhangs thanked him again and tried several times to treat Tang Wen to drinks, but he changed the subject, saying, "My career comes first. I'm waiting to drink the celebratory wine for 'Hero'."

In just two days, the box office of "Hero" began to soar.

Breaking the 10 million mark daily.

The two were both surprised and delighted; this was going to be a huge success!
When interviewed by reporters, they didn't dare to cause any trouble.

Although Zhang Weiping didn't think Tang Wen deserved much credit, she didn't dare offend him at this time: "It's all thanks to Director Tang Wen for promoting the film so much on Renren.com."

Zhang Yimou showered the audience with praise:
"Director Tang is generous and righteous. There's also some good news to share: 'Hero' has already started preview screenings in the United States, arranged by Director Tang Wen, and the box office is currently very promising. The box office per theater is expected to exceed $10,000 in its opening weekend!"

Everyone was impressed but didn't understand.

Previews, single-screen box office exceeding $1—it all sounds impressive.

Actually, it's just that.

There was no large-scale advertising in North America; instead, people were assigned to promote the product in the offline Chinese community.

Whether a single theater can break 10,000 is uncertain. But in any case, the domestic box office is quite impressive.

In the following days, the box office continued to rise.

It could even be described as a rampage.

With box office revenue of less than 300 million on the first day.

A week later, the box office has exceeded 6000 million!
The industry was in shock!
Is the era of blockbuster movies truly here?

However, Zhang Yimou's ability to make good films is certainly one aspect.

But who dares to say that Tang Wen's promotion of Renren.com didn't have a significant effect?

Heroes didn't become a bestseller right away.

It only became popular after Tang Wen partnered with Renren.com for promotion.

Therefore, it is not difficult to draw the conclusion.

It's because the movie is good and the promotion is effective that it sold so well.

"Is Tang Wen's Renren.com promotion really that effective?"

During an internal meeting at Huayi, General Manager Wang couldn't help but ask a question.

No one could answer him; everyone present was a complete novice when it came to the internet.

Similar questions arose in the minds of every film investor.

However, there's no way to verify the truth of such matters.

Renren.com's promotion continues.

The movie "Hero" is currently showing in theaters, and New Year's Day is here.

2002 passed, and 2003 turned a new page.

A hot news story overshadowed the popularity of "Hero".

As promised, several influential media outlets in Hong Kong released a "2002 Celebrity Income Ranking" on the first day of the new year.

They gave advance notice.

Renren.com reposted it immediately.

The list includes 20 celebrities.

To attract attention, the list was split into 20 pages on the website.

The information on the homepage is for the 20th place.

[20th Place: Nicholas Tse]

Income range: 1000 million to 1200 million

The currency used here is Hong Kong dollars, but considering that the exchange rate between Hong Kong dollars and RMB is close to 1:1.

It doesn't really matter.

His income comes from his earnings from the film "Infernal Affairs", his album "ME", and most importantly, his endorsement income from Xtep.

The list specifically notes that due to the "cover-up case," Nicholas Tse reduced his commercial performances and activities, resulting in a decrease in income of at least HK$1500 million compared to last year.

"It dropped by 1500 million, but there's still so much left! These celebrities are really making money!"

"They're just a bunch of actors, why do they earn so much?"

"He's handsome, can sing, and has good acting skills!"

"What are you complaining about upstairs? You're just a clown."

Dissension began.

Discussions under similar lists are always like this.

[19th Place: Zhao Gege]

Income range: 1100 million to 1300 million

It's clear that the Hong Kong media's speculations are rather cautious.

The ranking is based on the lowest income.

Zhao Gege's income sources include the 300 million yuan salary from the flop film "Warriors of Heaven and Earth".

More often, it comes from endorsements for shampoos and food products.

At present, she enjoys extremely high popularity among the public.

This income is not surprising.

[18th Place: Li Yapeng]

Income range: 1150 million to 1300 million

Li Yapeng's income also comes from film and television fees and endorsements.

With the popularity of "The Legend of the Condor Heroes", he received many endorsement deals.

However, Tang Wen knew that this person really liked doing business and investing.

But his businesses, from day one, required him to continuously invest his film fees to inject capital into them.

It is foreseeable that once this ranking list is released, even more people will seek to collaborate with him.

Tang Wen didn't like this guy much, mainly because this guy had offended two of his "good brothers" at the same time.

The fact that he didn't take action against the other party was already quite restrained.

[17th Place: Yu Feihong]

Income: 1500 million to 1600 million

Hong Kong media noted: Thanks to her role in director Tang Wen's "A World Without Thieves," her endorsements and commercial activities exploded.

In just the second half of the year, it raked in more than ten million.

Several of them are mainland Chinese artists.

This surprised many people.

However, turning to the next page, it still featured mainland Chinese actors.

[16th Place: Zhang Guoli]

Income: 1600 million to 1700 million

He was the second male lead in "A World Without Thieves," but he was also the director and producer.

The profits from "The Eloquent Ji Xiaolan" were substantial.

His endorsements and film salaries are among the highest in mainland China.

This income is not surprising.

[15th Place: Miriam Yeung]

Income: 1700 million to 1800 million

Famous singers do indeed earn more.

After all, they do a lot of commercial performances and their appearance fees are high.

Next up are: Hacken Lee, Louis Koo, and Joey Yung.

Their income rose to a new level, between HK$1800 million and HK$2200 million.

Joey Yung should have been ranked higher, but unfortunately, Tang Wen took away several of her influential songs.

"Hong Kong celebrities earn more money."

"I have a reasonable suspicion that there are no mainland Chinese stars on the list."

"It depends on how you define 'celebrity.' For example, would Director Tang be considered a celebrity?"

"Yes, his endorsement fees are said to be quite outrageous."

"..."

The next few pages are all about Hong Kong and Taiwanese celebrities.

This seems to confirm the person's earlier guess, up to the top ten.

[10th Place: Fan Bingbing]

Income: 2300 million to 2400 million

Upon seeing the amount, netizens couldn't hold back their reactions.

"No, isn't Fan Bingbing the second female lead in 'A World Without Thieves'?"

"She used to play maids, how come she earns so much?"

"Yeah, there's something wrong with the leaderboard!"

"How come she earns more than 'Fairy Jinghong'?"

Those who are unfamiliar with her and don't follow entertainment news are the most surprised.

Their impression of Fan Bingbing is limited to her role as Jin Suo in "Princess Pearl" and her supporting role in period dramas.

Netizens immediately provided explanations below:
"Don't you see who's promoting her? Tang Wen! The number one commercial director!"

"Yes, you guys really don't read the news. Fan Bingbing's album sales are pretty good. Several of the songs were written by Tang Wen himself."

"She hired a bunch of bodyguards and took on commercial performances everywhere. She's really working hard."

"..."

Hong Kong media also specified Fan Bingbing's sources of income as: film remuneration, endorsements, and commercial performances.

Although her offer was low, it was still not as good as Sun Nan's.

But Fan Bingbing was incredibly hardworking.

Who would believe that someone could attend three events in one day during the National Day holiday?
"Old Tang, did Bingbing really earn that much?" Zhou Xun looked at the caller ID on the leaderboard and couldn't hide his shock.

"A lot?" Tang Wen glanced at Fan Bingbing's studio's reports and secretly shook his head: Hong Kong reporters may be good at digging up local news, but they underestimated Fan Bingbing.

This girl can sometimes earn hundreds of thousands a day.

The actual income is already approaching 3000 million.

Zhang Guoli is another example of someone who has been underestimated.

"Isn't that a lot? Old Wang and I combined can't compare."

Tang Wen curled his lip: "Old Wang, I don't know. How much money do you have? Less than 1000 million, right?"

"Hmph, mind your own business."

Hearing her haughty voice, Tang Wen immediately understood: "That's over 1000 million, not bad!"

"Hey, don't make wild guesses."

"I'll treat you to dinner. Abalone, lobster, Buddha Jumps Over the Wall—I'm not picky."

"You're such a big boss, and you expect me to treat you? Don't you have any shame?" Zhou Xun wouldn't tolerate him.

Tang Wen gasped: "You've gotten into the organ trade? Don't contact me again."

After saying that, he hung up the phone.

On the other end of the phone, Zhou Xun looked bewildered: What organ?
(End of this chapter)