This director is vindictive.

Chapter 361 Qingdao Socialite vs. Heartbroken Person

As soon as the news of the new film "The Heartbroken" was announced, actors in the industry immediately took notice, especially old friends who had worked with Chen Mo before, and they all volunteered.

It's normal for talented actors like Jin Dong, Zhu Yulong, Wang Kai, and Hu Ge to vie for roles, but when Chen Mo saw Huang Bo's self-recommendation message, he almost spat out the water in his mouth.

"Director Chen, I want to play He Xi!" Huang Bo's straightforward self-recommendation message was followed by three grinning emojis.

Chen Mo looked at the self-recommendation message sent by Huang Bo and was truly at a loss for words.

Regarding the unexpected film "The Heartbroken," Chen Mo didn't actually have any particular preference for the role.

However, when Huang Bo volunteered to play He Xi, Chen Mo was momentarily taken aback.

After all, although, but, right?
Although we've been friends for a while, Huang Bo's acting skills are undeniable, and his Best Actor award is truly well-deserved.

But actors need to be judged not only on their acting skills, but also on their appearance, okay?

He tried to suppress his laughter, carefully imagining Huang Bo playing He Xi, but unfortunately, he couldn't help but laugh.

Is it really possible to cast Huang Bo as He Xi, the aloof and arrogant mathematical genius from the original novel? The image is too beautiful to contemplate.

He retorted, "Brother Bo, are you playing He Xi with this look? I'm afraid the audience will think 'The Heartbroken' has been turned into a comedy!"

Huang Bo replied instantly: "Director Chen, that's a stereotype! He Xi's 'heartbreak' is ingrained in his bones, and my face just happens to have a cute contrast—look at me playing a father searching for his son in 'Dearest,' who didn't say 'the sense of heartbreak is amazing'?"

Chen Mo rolled his eyes at the reply. Good grief, "absolutely amazing sense of fragmentation"? That's clearly "bursting with abstraction"! The difference between the two is huge.

Before Chen Mo could figure out how to reply, Huang Bo added another voice message, his tone suddenly becoming deep: "Actually, I studied mechatronics in college, and I almost went into scientific research back then... Playing He Xi is like fulfilling a dream from a parallel universe."

"Pfft—" Chen Mo actually spat out water this time. That's Bo Ge for you, so witty and talkative! What the hell, a mechanical and electrical engineering major? Everyone knows he graduated from the Beijing Film Academy's vocational program! This is confirmed, this guy is just messing around.

At this moment, Yang Mi peeked over and saw the chat history. Suddenly, she burst into laughter, laughing so hard she was doubled over. She said, "Let Brother Bo act in it! When the time comes, the publicity will say 'Huang Bo made the audience cry until they were dehydrated with his acting skills.' I've even thought of the trending topic—#The Ugliest He Xi is the Most Heartbreaking!"

Liu Yifei timidly raised her hand from the side: "But in the original novel, He Xi is a cold and aloof academic handsome man..."

Huang Bo immediately sent a photoshopped image: his face was composited onto a researcher in a white coat by AI, with the caption: "Research version of Huang Bo is applying for the battle! PS: The makeup artist said he could turn the wrinkles around my eyes into mathematical symbols."

Chen Mo rolled her eyes at Yang Mi, then replied: "Bring your audition proposal. I want to see how you use the air of a 'Qingdao socialite' to bring a 'heartbroken soul' to life."

Huang Bo, on the other end of the phone, was dumbfounded when he saw the reply. He was just joking; to really ask him to play He Xi? He might as well have him perform a stand-up comedy routine!
"Ahem, well, Director Chen, I was just kidding. I'm not playing He Xi. So, do you think there's any role that would be suitable for me?" Huang Bo finally broke down in his act.

"I still prefer your rebellious side! Keep it up!" Chen Mo replied irritably.

"No, Director Chen!" Huang Bo's tone instantly turned pitiful.

Chen Mo then replied in a serious tone, "Why don't you consider playing Xia Qunfang?"

Huang Bo was completely dumbfounded: "Um, doesn't this seem a bit inappropriate? Having a cross-dressing man in a movie like this seems a bit unrealistic."

Chen Mo replied instantly: "You know it's not very rigorous? So your portrayal of He Xi is very rigorous?"

Huang Bo was speechless after being rebuked, and finally said weakly, "Never mind, I'm afraid you'll get beaten up by Teacher He Xi!"

"Old Kang, this role suits you quite well!" Chen Mo said after thinking for a moment.

"Alright!" Huang Bo immediately perked up. "Old Kang, right? Director Chen, you're really something! This character is the ultimate winner in the whole story!"

What could Chen Mo say?
If you were to call Lao Kang a villain, he wouldn't really qualify. In fact, he's a very realistic and genuine character.

But if you were to say he's not a villain, you could actually say he is.

It's really difficult to simply define Lao Kang as either a "villain" or a "good guy".

On the surface, he did do a few things that seemed like "villainous" things: he stole Jiang Xue, He Xi's childhood sweetheart.

Even worse, he deliberately used the precious silk handkerchief that He Xi had given to Jiang Xue to wipe his nose—this humiliating act became the last straw that broke He Xi's spirit, directly causing her to completely break down and go insane.

Ironically, it was this very "love rival," Lao Kang, who later funded half of the publication costs for He Xi's works.

This seemingly contradictory behavior precisely reveals the complexity of this character.

He possesses both the pragmatism and snobbery of a petty person, and retains the simple conscience unique to those from the lower classes.

Unlike He Xi, who is immersed in the world of theory, and Lao Mai, who is an idealist, Lao Kang is a "common person" who lives in reality through and through.

He is shrewd and knows how to assess situations. He may use some underhanded tactics for personal gain, but he is not a truly wicked person at heart.

This down-to-earth realism makes this minor supporting character, despite having limited screen time, exceptionally vivid and three-dimensional.

In terms of story structure, Lao Kang is like a mirror that reveals the truth: every time he appears, he drives a key turning point in the plot—stealing Jiang Xue makes He Xi lose her emotional support, insulting the silk scarf directly causes He Xi to go crazy, and funding the publication of the book unexpectedly leaves a spark for the inheritance of He Xi's theories.

This contradictory yet unified character portrayal is precisely what makes this character so intriguing.

Next, the most crucial element is naturally the actress playing the role of He Xi.

Yang Mi blinked, leaned close to Chen Mo, and said with a sly look, "Look, you're both the director and the screenwriter, so you understand the character of He Xi the most. Besides, you haven't acted in a long time, and your fans are really looking forward to it! Why don't you take the lead this time and play a 'director's version of He Xi'?"

Liu Yifei softly echoed, "Actually... your workaholic nature is quite similar to He Xi's." She pointed to the storyboard on the tablet.

Chen Mo rolled his eyes at them and shook his head, saying, "Forget it, too tiring!"

In "The Heartbroken," the role that demands the most from the actor is undoubtedly He Xi.

It's not that Chen Mo can't act, but it would be really tiring.

So he really never thought about playing the role himself.

Actually, there are two that have been achieved.

One is Hu Ge, and the other is Wang Chuanjun.

Both of them are a good match.

However, Chen Mo ultimately chose Hu Ge, mainly because they were a better match in terms of image and temperament.

Because Hu Ge naturally possesses a sense of "righteousness".

This is related to appearance, and also to the roles played in the past.

In contrast, Wang Chuanjun's previous roles made him seem less suitable for the character of He Xi.

Of course, the role of the mother, Xia Qunfang, could not be given to Yang Mi. What a joke! This character's screen time in the film is second only to He Xi.

She can be considered the female lead of this drama!
So when it came time to actually film, Chen Mo naturally eliminated the relatively young actresses first.

The character Xia Qunfang can be said to represent, to some extent, the image of the vast majority of mothers in China.

Her son, He Xi, is her whole life! You could say she is the one who is truly the most heartbroken.

Therefore, this role definitely needs to be played by an actress who can represent a simple and honest Chinese mother.

"Have you chosen someone yet?" Yang Mi asked.

She had long since given up on playing the role of a mother; she didn't want to experience Chen Mo's rage on set.

She was still aware of this.

Chen Mo shook his head.

"How is Yan Bingyan?" Yang Mi suddenly asked.

This actress, who rose to fame with "A Thousand Arrows Piercing the Heart," has impeccable acting skills.

However, after thinking about it carefully, Chen Mo shook his head.

“What I need is an actress who can make people feel close to her at first glance. Although Yan Bingyan’s acting skills are fine, are you sure that she can make people feel close to her at first glance if she plays the role of Xia Qunfang?” Chen Mo asked rhetorically.

They all shook their heads upon hearing this.

“Middle-aged actresses are not suitable!” Chen Mo said.

The role of "mother" is both simple and difficult. Some actresses rely on their looks to play the role of a perpetually wicked mother-in-law, while others are gentle and tender, full of subtlety.

In this regard, to be honest, there are quite a few middle-aged actresses with good acting skills, but there are almost none who can truly reach the level of "national mother"!
"Look at this!" Liu Yifei searched and found an article.

"These 10 actresses who specialize in playing mothers are down-to-earth yet charming, embodying the image of mothers in the hearts of Chinese people!"

Chen Mo's eyes lit up immediately. Of course! This is it!

He quickly found his target.

Well, actually, the appearance is quite important for playing a mother!
Although the character Xia Qunfang's appearance wasn't described in much detail in the play, director Chen Mo had a very clear idea of ​​what she was supposed to be like.

She was a gentle mother. She was not wealthy, nor did she possess any profound knowledge. She was simply a mother, a mother who poured all her love into her son, He Xi.

The mother and son have depended on each other for many years, and it can be said that her son, He Xi, is everything to her.

Chen Mo scrolled through the list of "professional mothers" that Liu Yifei had found, his gaze lingering on several names:

Sarina—a specialist in portraying grassland mothers, once etched her simplicity and resilience into the audience's DNA with her role as Wen Ta's mother in "Crossing the Guandong"; however, Chen Mo quickly shook his head.

This character's classic roles are mostly mothers who "actively confront suffering," such as the scene in "Mother is a River" where she angrily rebukes the bully. Xia Qunfang, on the other hand, needs to "passively endure fate," and when He Xi goes mad, she only dares to hide outside the door and cry.

To some extent, her popularity has become a double-edged sword—viewers automatically associate Sarina's face with the "strong mother" archetype, which diminishes Xia Qunfang's "heartbreakingly ordinary" qualities.

Then there's Liu Lili—who brought a traditional rural woman to life in "The Fence, the Woman and the Dog," and whose "mothers" in recent urban dramas always carry the wisdom of the common people; moreover, her scene in "Aftershock" where she "searches for her daughter in the ruins" proves that she can accurately grasp "the explosive power in humility."

Moreover, looking at her face, to be honest, Chen Mo immediately felt that this person was a very good match.

But then he frowned, because this person was not currently in the country.

Moreover, he hasn't appeared in any film or television works for more than two years, reportedly because he's in the US with his daughter.

Moreover, he seemed to be a bit too old, so Chen Mo could only be a backup option.

After all, without meeting the person in person, he couldn't judge whether the other person's age and current appearance were suitable.

Xia Qunfang's character cannot be someone who looks old and decrepit!

Next up is Zhang Kaili, whose public recognition is quite good.

Her portrayal of mother-in-law in dramas such as "Naked Wedding Era" and "Let's Get Married" has deeply resonated with audiences, and middle-aged and elderly viewers automatically associate her with the role of a "mother" when they see her face.

However, there is also a problem: the actress who became the "national daughter-in-law" with her role as Liu Huifang in "Aspiration" has a gentle aura of a traditional mother.

Unfortunately, the melancholic spirit of the "Yearning" era has gradually been overshadowed by the image of urban mother-in-law.

"We need to choose an actor who can instantly empathize with the audience."

Chen Mo compared classic scenes of the three actors: Sarina's wrinkles as she looked up and smiled while sewing shoe soles in "Mother is a River," Liu Lili's trembling black mud under her fingernails as she dug through the ruins in "Aftershock," and Zhang Kaili's aggressive raised eyebrow expression in "Naked Wedding Era."

Yang Mi suddenly pointed at the screen: "Last year, my grandma cried every time she watched Teacher Sarina's line in 'The World': 'Mom is the way you came from!'"

Liu Yifei pulled out a passage from the original novel and read it softly: "Xia Qunfang was always mending He Xi's shirt, which had been torn by tree branches; the patches were so fine they looked like mathematical formulas."

Chen Mo hesitated for a moment, but ultimately decided to search them one by one.

Chen Mo quickly contacted Sarina, Zhang Kaili, and Liu Lili, a teacher who was overseas accompanying her daughter.

Chen Mo is, after all, well-known, and this film, "The Heartbroken," is accompanied by previous controversies and the current trend of "science-based memes."

They were also insiders in the industry, so naturally they knew.

They naturally understood what the significance of this role meant.

Although all three of them are older, they are able to act in Chen Mo's movie, and in a role like Xia Qunfang, the "female lead," which suits them perfectly, so they naturally take it very seriously.

Sarina and Zhang Kaili are both in China, so it's convenient for them to come for the audition. However, Liu Lili needs some time to arrange to return to China.

Chen Mo wasn't in a hurry.

Chen Mo quickly finalized the casting for the lead roles.

First of all, the main character He Xi has already been confirmed to be played by Hu Ge!
When Hu Ge received the call, he seemed a little excited. Although he had worked with Chen Mo on "Fame and Fortune" before, it was an ensemble piece.

Hu Ge later starred in many films, but to be honest, they were all rather unremarkable.

Hu Ge still has a persistent passion for filmmaking; otherwise, with his popularity and public image, he could easily make a fortune just by making TV dramas.

There's no need for them to spend every day performing in plays to hone their acting skills.

The awkward thing is that there are only so many high-quality film resources, while he is a TV drama actor. Yes, even though he has acted in several movies, he still can't get rid of the classic roles left by those TV dramas.

On the one hand, it's true that those characters are viewed through too much of a nostalgic lens; on the other hand, it's also because there isn't a single truly outstanding and classic film role.

Even now, if you ask Hu Ge what TV series she has acted in and what roles she has played, people can name a whole bunch.

But if you ask Lao Hu which movie roles have left a deep impression on you...

Many people might wonder, hasn't Lao Hu always been making TV dramas?

It sounds outrageous, but it's true!

Therefore, when "The Heartbroken" was causing a great stir, Lao Hu took it to heart.

But he also knew that he didn't actually have much of an advantage, well, not really.

After all, he and Chen Mo's two women were old friends, and he was also an old friend of Chen Mo.

However, this time it's the male lead after all!

Therefore, he made a lot of preparations, and he almost wore out a copy of "The Heartbroken". However, what he did not expect was that Chen Mo directly selected him to play the role without an audition.

"Director Chen, thank you! I will definitely do my best in the performance!" Old Hu said with rare seriousness.

“Okay, we’ll choose a mom for you in a couple of days. Come over then, and we’ll choose together!” Chen Mo said with a smile.

The role of Lao Kang was given to Huang Bo, which is understandable.

Although he's not good-looking enough to be He Xi, he's more than capable of playing Lao Kang.

Chen Mo has cast Zhu Yulong as Lao Mai.
The remaining characters have also been assigned to their respective roles.

Everything is ready, except for Xia Qunfang, whose fate is still uncertain. However, barring any unforeseen circumstances, it will likely be one of the three: Sarina, Zhang Kaili, or Liu Lili.

On the day of the audition, Lao Hu arrived very early.

"Old Hu, we're working together again!" Yang Mi said happily.

"Thank you for the meal, Mr. Yang!" Although Hu Ge was not young, she was still quite lively when meeting her old friend.

"Here, this is the script. In a little while, Sarina and Teacher Zhang Kaili will be here. You can try acting out a few scenes with them and see which one you feel a stronger connection with as mother and son," Chen Mo said with a smile, handing Lao Hu a script for the upcoming performance.

Hu Ge is a veteran in the industry, so she naturally knows that different directors have different casting methods.

Chen Mo's situation is relatively normal.

He quickly looked down at it.

"No problem! Is there anything I should be careful about?" Hu Ge asked again.

"It's nothing. How should I put it? In terms of acting skills, all three of them are veteran actresses and are professional mothers, so theoretically, acting skills shouldn't be a problem for them to play Xia Qunfang."

The problem is that we need to find an actor who better embodies the mother-son relationship with you.

"My feeling is one thing, and your feeling is another!" Chen Mo patted his shoulder and said.

In fact, many movies and TV series, when casting for "mother" roles, usually don't hold auditions; they just directly choose the actors.

However, Chen Mo still hoped to achieve the best, which is why this audition took place!
(End of this chapter)