Fooling Huayu for Thirty Years

Chapter 288 Casting: Balancing the Factions! Yuanyuan Reads "Nightclub"!

Chapter 288 Casting: Balancing the Factions! Yuanyuan Reads "Nightclub"! (Two-in-One)

"My idea this time is to release the official photos along with the costumes."

Ma Xun brought Bai Zhi, the Little Dragon Girl, with him on purpose, intending to take care of many related tasks as well.

Of course, he had other deeper meanings as well.

There were indeed many candidates for the role at Enlight Media, but in reality, actresses like Hong Jie, Yu Feihong, Cai Yinong, and Ye Quanzhen also came.

They absolutely have to come; the production of "The Return of the Condor Heroes" needs a lot of people this time.

Although Ma Xun had already cast some roles, there were still some roles that needed further discussion.

Ultimately, it's best to provide a convincing reason for choosing which one to select.

Okay then.

Let our Little Dragon Girl be there.

Then, let's have everyone stand with Little Dragon Girl and see how it feels.

In other words, whichever actor has the best chemistry with Xiaolongnu will be the one ultimately chosen.

When this method was proposed, Cai Yinong, Ye Quanzhen, and others all had something to say.

Unexpectedly, Sister Hong spoke first.

"Oh my, isn't this the same casting method used back in the days of 'Romance of the Three Kingdoms'?"

Goodness, after just that one sentence, no one else said a word.

That's right, Ma Xun actually used the casting method from "Romance of the Three Kingdoms".

At that time, CCTV's production team selected actors from theater troupes across the country.

But the key detail of this selection was to have the actor come over.

If you're coming in person, it would be best to wear theatrical costume.

For example, Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei—we would gather all the candidates for these three roles together and examine them one by one.

Sun Yanjun later recalled that he was probably cast early on, but he didn't want to play Liu Bei. The reason was simple: he knew that this project was quite arduous and had a very long production cycle. At that time, he had just finished filming another project and was planning to take a break.

But after he went there once, he expressed his opinion to the production team at the time, but later... they kept calling him over.

One moment there are candidates to pair with Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, the next with Zhuge Liang, and then with Cao Cao, Yuan Shao, and so on.

He finally learned that he had already been chosen as Liu Bei.

I can't refuse to act now.

Ma Xun has come up with a similar method, but we don't need to do such a "matching" process, since the casting for our show isn't that extensive.

After Sister Hong said that, the others had nothing more to say.

Everyone knows how excellent the casting was for the TV series "Romance of the Three Kingdoms".

Take Mr. Lu Shuming for example; many statues of Guan Yu are now made based on his appearance.

In fact, many dramas are like this: if the casting is successful, then the drama is successful.

Especially dramas based on original works.

So, let's begin.

First, there were several candidates for Yang Guo, along with Xiaolongnu.

Several candidates took turns coming up. Although we couldn't do a full makeover, we simply put on a long, ancient-style robe.

The results came out very quickly.

Almost everyone agreed.

Hu Yi is the most suitable.

This young man, just standing there next to Xiaolongnu, exuded a great aura.

Moreover, given Hu Yi's current age and appearance, he has a natural youthful charm.

At this time, he was actually quite unconventional, or simply had a mischievous streak.

In addition, she's quite good-looking.

It does indeed match the Yang Guo in the book very well.

And so, the others were also eager to try their luck with the young actor playing Yang Guo, so there's not much to say about that.

Actually, Yan Guan is quite ambitious.

Even though he already played Guo Jing in the previous film, he's playing Yang Guo again in this one... at least there's no rule that says he absolutely can't do that, right?

But now, this guy is speechless.

In fact, Ma Xun made special arrangements for Guo Jing this time.

Of course, the current casting method is enough to leave many people speechless.

Don't underestimate this effect. You should know that Ma Xun now has several factions under his command.

Let them try it; it might not be what they think.

So don't underestimate the importance of this casting.

But overall it's still pretty good.

Although Hu Yi succeeded, he was actually quite nervous.

"Sister Cai, my heart was pounding so hard just now, I couldn't take it anymore!"

"But you did quite well."

Cai Yi wanted to laugh.

Honestly, I never imagined I would be able to collaborate with Ma Xun this time, but now that I've seen Ma Xun's methods, I can't help but admire him.

Cai Yinong knew from the beginning that this guy had many women around him, and after getting to know Yu Feihong, he learned even more.

They're divided into factions, and none of them are vegetarians.

To be able to arrange all these women so well... If he can do that, then Ma Xun deserves to enjoy so many beautiful women.

Looking at it now, this guy is indeed very resourceful.

Hmph! They can even turn playing around with women into a political maneuver!

Cai Yinong thought to herself... She probably didn't even notice the smell of jealousy emanating from her.

Next, we come to the important part: selecting the female lead.

The newly appointed Hu Hu is already proving useful to him.

Yang Guo, you know.

Then you're just a background character now.

So, several young and beautiful actresses took turns standing next to Yang Guo.

Let's all decide who's the most suitable to play whom.

Don't say it, you really don't say it.

Some of the suitable roles that Ma Xun had previously identified have now been confirmed by everyone.

It's important to understand that he didn't just tell everyone; only Yu Feihong, the main person in charge, was truly aware of Ma Xun's 'choice'.

Especially Chen Hao, that girl.

She stood next to Hu Ge, then put her hands on her hips, pursed her lips, and glared at him.

Hey! She really has the air of an arrogant and domineering young lady!

The key point is that she's really good-looking.

Her eyes were very bright and expressive.

She even has a bit of Huang Rong's feel to her.

However, some people have said...

"Isn't that a bit too clever?"

"Guo Fu has always had a shrewd face."

See, they've started arguing now.

Upon hearing this, Ma Xun didn't say much, but simply replied with a single sentence.

"Who else wants to take on the role of Guo Fu?"

His words calmed the debate.

Because many girls probably already had a good idea of what Chen Hao was like after seeing him.

Chen Hao has great looks, a great figure, and excellent acting skills.

It would be difficult for those present to match up.

So, forget it.

In this way, it is naturally determined.

Ma Xun resolved the dispute with just one sentence.

This makes it even more admirable.

Even Sister Hong was covering her mouth and laughing.

However, this result made one person feel very upset.

Yang Xue's visit this time was, of course, driven by ambition.

The Qiu Qianchi that Ma Xun mentioned to her before was just a joke.

As for Yang Xue herself, she really wanted to try out Guo Fu.

In terms of screen time, Guo Fu is probably the fourth female lead in the novel.

First is Little Dragon Girl, second is Huang Rong, third is Li Mochou, and fourth is Guo Fu.

This is only based on screen time. If we consider the interactions with the male lead, Guo Fu would probably rank third.

After all, Li Mochou was a great demon.

Looking at our show now, we already have people in first, second, and third place.

The one most worth fighting for is Guo Fu, isn't she?

But now, unexpectedly, a formidable enemy has appeared!
How to do?
Yang Xue gritted his teeth and decided to take the plunge.

"Mr. Ma, teachers, I... I'd like to try playing Qiu Qianchi!"

what?
Why not go and compete with Chen Hao?
Yang Xue's choice was indeed somewhat cowardly, but she had thought it through very clearly.

The previous TV series "The Legend of the Condor Heroes" was a great success, and Yang Xue also received a lot of attention.

Bai Feifei is a ruthless character, you could even say she's a villain.

It was remembered by many viewers.

Then why not just add another villain!
The key point is that if she were to play Qiu Qianchi... the contrast would be huge!
If this adaptation of "The Return of the Condor Heroes" is a great success, then Yang Xue, despite having a small role, will surely be remembered more by the audience.

Moreover, being able to play such a contrasting character is also an affirmation of her acting skills.

This decision is indeed quite bold.

Before Ma Xun could speak, Sister Hong couldn't hold back any longer.

"Why would such a beautiful young woman play such an old woman? If you ask me, I could play Qiu Qianchi myself."

Wow, Sister Hong is really amazing!
She played Qiu Qianchi?
What about the others?
Yu Feihong immediately chimed in, "Me too."

This sentence wasn't loud, but it was full of force.

For a moment, it seemed the two were about to have a fight.

Sister Kehong laughed and said, "Let's study this little girl instead. Hmm, if you ask me, how about this: I'll play Qiu Qianchi, and she'll play Gongsun Lü'e?"

Hey, that's a really interesting suggestion.

Yu Feihong refused to give in, saying, "Xiaoxue is my person, so it's better for me to play Qiu Qianchi."

Good heavens! These two beauties are actually fighting over such an ugly character.

This scene is truly baffling.

But Ma Xun understood.

He bluntly stated, "Let's just cast Yang Xue as Gongsun Lü'e."

As for Qiu Qianchi... you can fight over her all you want, I don't care anymore.

This guy seemed to be a bit of a hands-off manager, which made both Sister Hong and Yu Feihong fall silent.

After all, Qiu Qianchi wasn't exactly a great character.

And then...

"Well done!" Sister Hong praised Chen Hao.

To be honest, Chen Hao himself was also a little uneasy, and the current situation seemed quite complicated.

Regardless, I passed the test.

By this point, Chen Hao had realized that getting Guo Fu was no easy feat.

"Sister Hong, I, I will definitely act well."

Her words revealed her true feelings and also demonstrated her loyalty to Sister Hong.

Hongjie was naturally happy.

Her argument with Yu Feihong was merely a test.

Sure enough, Yu Feihong also knew how to protect her core supporters.

Yang Xue is her man.

It seems that Ma Xun's forces are quite formidable. But let's not dwell on that now; casting is the most important thing.

After that, several more roles were cast.

However, it seems there was one beauty who was a little short of the mark.

Yelü Yan.

The book describes Yelü Yan's eyes as very beautiful, and Yang Guo thinks they resemble his aunt's.

Yang Guo later suggested kissing Yelü Yan's eyes, and that...

In fact, this means that he also understood his love for Xiaolongnu.

Therefore, this is actually a very crucial role.

However, looking at many film and television adaptations of "The Return of the Condor Heroes," the portrayal of this character is generally mediocre.

Some don't even have any at all.

By the way, there's a movie that's actually an adaptation of "The Return of the Condor Heroes," but many people probably don't know that.

That is "The One-Armed Swordsman".

This novel, "The One-Armed Swordsman," was written by Ni Kuang, but it is actually an adaptation of "The Return of the Condor Heroes." The basic story framework is very similar.

This film, however, made Ni Kuang an overnight sensation.

This is because it is the first film in Hong Kong history to gross over HK$100 million.

In fact, Jin Yong suffered a great loss because of this play, but there was nothing he could do about it.

Needless to say, they definitely didn't give Jin Yong any money.

In fact, many movies are like this: they are directly modified to avoid copyright fees.

There's also the rather bizarre "Martial Arts Sacred Flame Token," which is an adaptation of "The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber." Those who have seen "King of Comedy" will definitely recognize the male lead in it.

Yin Tianchou.

For now, let's focus on Yelü Yan.

I tried several people, but none of them seemed to work.

Actually, the eyes don't necessarily have to look like Little Dragon Girl's, but they absolutely have to be beautiful.

And this character isn't very important, just like in "The One-Armed Swordsman," where there isn't even such a character.

How to do?
But at this moment, Ye Quanzhen spoke up.

"Boss, actually I have a new employee here, and I was planning to tell you about it before."

Ma Xun understood what she meant immediately, and so did the others, so there was no need to say anything more.

"She must have everything prepared outside, right?"

Ye Quanzhen smiled and immediately nodded, "Then let her give it a try?"

"no problem."

"Just give it a try," Ma Xun readily agreed.

But when this person arrived at the scene...

"Hello everyone, my name is Qin Lan, and I used to be a model."

It was her!

Ma Xun never expected to see Qin Lan here again.

To be honest, he originally thought that Qin Lan should go to the "Princess Pearl 3" production team.

okay.

Ma Xun wasn't actually the kind of guy who would dump someone without a second thought; he had already spoken to He Xiuqiong beforehand.

So, now that Qin Lan has appeared... Ma Xun couldn't help but glance at Ye Quanzhen.

Ye Quanzhen pretended not to see Ma Xun's gaze and directly called out to Qin Lan.

"Here, come on, let's change your clothes quickly."

To be fair, Qin Lan's face is quite pretty.

Moreover, Ma Xun seemed to only realize at this moment that Qin Lan's eyes were very beautiful.

It may not resemble cypress branches, but it is still very beautiful.

Well then, give it a try.

Here it comes, Qin Lan and Hu Hou are standing together, and then...

"so beautiful."

Hu Yi suddenly said that out of the blue.

Qin Lan just smiled.

This...worked?
Ma Xun could only smile and ask, "What do you guys think?"

Ye Quanzhen was quick to speak at this moment, "Sisters, President Cai, Bingbing can't act in this play."

Her meaning was clear and unambiguous.

My protégé Bingbing is out of the running for this role. After all, she's risen to stardom now, and she's been busy making movies lately.

It was difficult to cast Bingbing in "The Return of the Condor Heroes" in the first place. After all, unless she plays Xiaolongnu, she is not really suitable for other roles.

However, Bingbing is too tall. After all, Xiaolongnu has the word "small" in her name, and her tall stature is indeed not ideal.

Since Bingbing can't act on Ye Quanzhen's side anymore, I have to find a role for myself.

Hey, that makes perfect sense.

Hongjie and Yu Feihong didn't say anything, and Cai Yin rolled his eyes at her, and that was that.

"Then it's settled."

Ma Xun made the final decision.

Honestly, the main purpose of this casting decision was to stabilize his internal power base.

This adaptation of "The Return of the Condor Heroes" requires a large cast, and many of the actresses from previous adaptations are ineligible to participate.

Looking at it now, it's actually pretty good.

However, someone immediately raised a crucial question.

"It seems we're still missing Guo Jing?"

Hu Yi was just saying that offhand, because right now our production team doesn't actually have Guo Jing.

The original Guo Jing was no longer possible to play; this time, they needed a middle-aged Guo Jing.

But there have been no candidates yet.

Could it be that Ma Xun forgot?
At this moment, Cai Yinong spoke up.

"Mr. Ma, everything has been arranged."

"Then let him in."

Is it arranged?

who?

Not long after, a man with a familiar face walked in.

"Friends, Guo Jing greets you!"

It was Huang Rihua!

He's... fine!

Because he was originally Guo Jing, the 83 version of "The Legend of the Condor Heroes" is definitely the most memorable for mainland audiences.

In recent years, however, his more memorable role has been Qiao Feng.

But now we've managed to get him to come to "The Return of the Condor Heroes"...it's perfect!
The key point is that Huang Rihua is now in his middle age.

Compared to Guo Jing in "The Return of the Condor Heroes"... needless to say, he's fantastic!

In fact, the casting of Ma Xun was also based on the 95 version of "The Return of the Condor Heroes".

The Guo Jing in this version is played by Mr. Bai Biao, who has also played Guo Jing before.

It's just that back then it was CTV (Commercial Television).

There's also an anecdote about this CTV (Commercial Television Station).

Simply put, this TV station brought in a group of talents who were originally from Shaw Brothers TVB, and then launched a large-scale marketing campaign.

Large-scale publicity campaign, new show launch.

result……

The event we held in July was called the "July Offensive".

By August, the television station had gone bankrupt.

You read that right, it's that fast.

Sometimes it's like this: if a person or a company is really going to fail, you should never resort to drastic measures.

Otherwise, you'll die even faster.

Returning to the present, Huang Rihua's appearance has made many young actors very happy.

People naturally started chatting, and some even asked for autographs.

Ma Xun didn't stop them, after all, we've basically finished the casting process.

For minor, scattered roles, that's actually easy to handle.

More importantly, through this casting process, Ma Xun achieved a balance among the various factions within his camp.

This is quite a gain.

Wang Changtian had a vague idea about this matter.

So, this guy didn't say a word.

Now that everything is basically settled, Wang Changtian couldn't help but whisper to Ma Xun.

"Mr. Ma, the movie you mentioned, the one that's in this year's Lunar New Year release..."

"Don't worry, I have a plan."

Wang Changtian shouldn't question his boss, but time is of the essence!

"Mr. Ma, I'm just reminding you, there are only a few months left."

After hearing this, Ma Xun laughed and patted Wang Changtian on the shoulder, saying, "I know that, don't worry. I'm confident that I can finish filming this movie within a month, and then complete post-production in half a month. After that, it's just a matter of release."

Your job mainly involves publicity and releasing information to the outside world.

That means Ma Bangde has a new film coming out, which has really raised the audience's expectations to the max.

"understand!"

Wang Changtian readily agreed, but his heart was filled with extreme curiosity.

What kind of movie is Mr. Ma planning to make?

Actually, Hong Jie, Yu Feihong, Ye Quanzhen and others were also very curious about this matter.

But Ma Xun is not going to say it now!

In fact, he had already made preparations.

……

Yuanyuan, dressed in ancient costume, is riding a horse.

Her role wasn't large, but this was definitely a big-budget production.

Fortunately, the requirements aren't many; all you have to do is ride a horse.