It's reasonable for me to be a three-time Golden Horse Award-winning director and an all-around

Chapter 244 The Golden Eagle Goddess Still Asleep... The King Doesn't Hold Court in the Morning? (Seeking Monthly Tickets)
Starting from the 20th, Lü Rui began to gradually reduce his screen time in "Pacific Rim".

The scenes featuring Yu Hewei and Andy Serkis as two doctors, Tian Yu as a black market businessman, and Henry Cavill and Brad Pitt as father and son...

By the 25th, all of these characters' scenes had been successfully filmed.

On the morning of the 26th, Lü Rui assigned the remaining dialogue scenes to Zhao Peng and Shen Ao:

"I'll probably be back on the 29th. I'll have to trouble you two these next few days."

Actors can take leave, and directors can leave temporarily, but the production must never stop.

Such a large project would incur losses of at least millions of dollars if it were to stop for even a day, so it must continue to move forward.

Sometimes, Lü Rui felt quite fortunate that he had the foresight to cultivate Zhao Peng and Shen Ao.

Although they are not good at filming large-scale scenes, they are more than capable of handling dramatic scenes.

Scenes like Chen Baoguo's scenes with Liu Ye, the male lead's solo performance, the brotherly scenes between Jiao Enjun, Zhao Wenzhuo, and He Rundong, and the dispatching scenes in the control center...

Lu Rui felt very reassured leaving the matter to the two of them.

"Brother Rui, don't worry, go ahead and get busy. We'll handle everything perfectly. We guarantee that things will proceed smoothly and without any mishaps while you're away," Zhao Peng assured him, patting his chest.

Shen Ao also added, "These scenes aren't difficult; we can handle them."

"I'll help too!" Rao Xiaozhi, standing nearby, quickly offered his assistance.

"Alright, then I'll leave it to the three of you."

Lü Rui smiled and handed over control of the monitor to the three people, then turned and left the film crew.

The flight to Changsha is in the afternoon, so there's no rush to get to the airport right now.

So, Lu Rui first went back to the hotel booked by the film crew, and took Tom, the head of CAA agency, as well as a group of Hollywood actors including Henry Cavill and Brad Pitt to a restaurant to hold a farewell banquet for them.

As of now, apart from Andy Serkis who still needs to stay to complete several motion capture scenes with monsters, all other Hollywood actors have successfully wrapped up their scenes.

Everyone is quite busy, so it's impossible for them to stay here and wait for the movie to officially wrap up.

So Tom decided to take everyone back to Hollywood first.

As the host, Lü Rui naturally had to fulfill his duty of hospitality, so he specially ordered several tables of dishes for their farewell dinner.

"Lv, I'd like to raise a glass to you. I hope we'll have the opportunity to work together again in the future."

Pete, well-versed in social etiquette, greeted them warmly with a glass of red wine.

"must."

Lu Rui clinked glasses with him, feeling a little embarrassed.

Peter sent me a message a few days ago saying that he had acquired the adaptation rights to F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button".

This also means that Pitt will lose one of his most iconic roles.

However, I don't think he would mind.

He's already won over a beautiful woman like Angelina Jolie, so what does it matter if he loses one more representative work?
"Lv, I also toast you..."

Henry Cavill followed suit, also hoping to receive patronage from Lü Rui.

At just 23 years old, he's still a nobody in Hollywood, with almost no representative works and mostly playing supporting roles.

The main reason is that he doesn't have any backing from investors willing to help him, so he has to rely on himself.

Hollywood directors with a reputation almost all have their own teams and collaborators, making it impossible for someone like him, without power or influence, to squeeze into their ranks.

This is why he participated in "Pacific Rim".

He wanted to make an appearance in front of Lü Rui to see if he could secure more opportunities for cooperation, after all, the other party was one of the most famous top producers in Hollywood right now.

In addition to that, more importantly, Lü Rui is an outsider.

This means that the circle of investors around him is not yet solidified, and newcomers still have a chance to squeeze in.

"it is good."

Looking at the handsome Englishman in front of him, Lü Rui was quite looking forward to his future rise to fame.

A man who is this handsome can become a top male god just by his looks and physique; he has lived a worthwhile life.

If a suitable opportunity arises, it would be worthwhile to mentor him, as he is a promising talent.

Actually, Lü Rui had a small goal a long time ago.

He wants to "collect stamps"!
Of course, this kind of stamp collecting is not the same as that kind of stamp collecting.

His goal is to discover actors who have the potential to become famous but are currently at the bottom of their careers, and give them a chance to become famous.

In this way, once these people become famous, they will definitely turn around and thank him.

And he could naturally become one of these people:

--godfather!
What a man pursues in his life is actually very simple. In general, there is only one goal: to be someone else's "father"!
As the dinner party drew to a close, Tom, still clinging to a last glimmer of hope, brought up Will Smith's name once more.

"Lv, he's willing to apologize to you, he just hopes you can give him a chance to change his ways..."

“Tom, you know I’m a man of principle.” Lu Rui looked up at him and said, word by word, “I hate discrimination the most, just like Black people can’t stand being called ‘nigger’.”

For your sake and CAA's sake, I can stop targeting him, but if you want me to forgive him, I'm sorry, I can't.

Lu Rui never lets avenge a wrong stay unresolved overnight.

As for those that he couldn't avenge immediately, he would write them down in his notebook and add a note: "A gentleman takes revenge even after ten years!"
Will Smith is the latter.

Lu Rui first snatched all of his film projects ahead of time, and then, after establishing himself in Hollywood, he contacted Warner Bros., 20th Century Fox, and Sony Columbia to make it clear that he did not like him.

After this series of actions, Will Smith's resources began to plummet!

Once a top star, he has fallen to the second tier in just a few years, never to regain his former glory.

If the client doesn't make money, the agency naturally won't profit either. That's why CAA is so dedicated and has worked so hard to secure this opportunity to collaborate with "Pacific Rim," offering various concessions in hopes that Lü Rui will be lenient and let him off the hook.

Lu Rui had to give him that face, after all, he still needed to develop his career in Hollywood.

But we cannot abandon our bottom line!

He only promised that he would stop targeting them deliberately.

As for forgiving him? That's pure wishful thinking!

Forget about returning to the top tier; just struggle half-dead in the second or third tier.

Don't even mention giving your son to that bragging old man; even if he offered himself up, he'd never get back up!

“Lv, I thank you on his behalf for your magnanimity. When you go to Hollywood again, be sure to contact me. No matter what, I will make him personally apologize to you.”

"Ah."

Lü Rui gave a vague reply and said nothing more.

After finishing his meal, he happened to be heading to the airport anyway, so he joined the others on their way.

After saying goodbye at the boarding gate, he went to the VIP lounge to meet Liu Yifei and Liu Xiaoli, who were already waiting there, and together they boarded the flight to Changsha.

However, as soon as Liu Yifei landed and exited the airport, she was picked up by Mango TV staff.

As the Golden Eagle Goddess, she will be participating in the opening ceremony performance, so her look and costume need to be prepared in advance.

Therefore, she simply didn't have time to accompany Lü Rui on his leisurely strolls around.

Liu Xiaoli does have some free time...

But then Lü Rui thought again, what kind of logic is it for a son-in-law and his future mother-in-law to leave their daughter alone to go shopping?
And the mother-in-law doesn't know yet that the cabbage has already been dug up by the pig... so let's just forget about it.

"Goodbye, senior! See you at the opening ceremony!" Liu Yifei waved her hand and left surrounded by staff.

"Okay, see you at the opening ceremony."

Lü Rui smiled and nodded in response.

After parting ways with the mother and daughter at the airport, he was free to take a taxi and wander around Changsha.

This city is indeed worth savoring.

Alone in the chilly autumn, the Xiang River flows northward, past Orange Isle.

Look at the red mountains and the colorful forests; the clear blue river and the boats competing for the current.

The eagle hits the sky, the fish is shallow, and the tens of thousands of frosts are free.

Lu Rui's first stop on this trip was to pay homage to the statue of the great man.

Late October is just right. Along the way, camphor trees, maple trees, and cedars are scattered on the hillsides, while green bamboo, camellias, and tangerines stand in rows. The intertwined branches and leaves create distinct outlines that complement each other beautifully.

Although it lacks the magnificent winter scenery of snow-covered mountains and silvery peaks, it still boasts a unique landscape with its vibrant colors.

Standing in front of the statue, Lü Rui looked up and gazed at it for a long time.

He particularly liked two lines from the poem "Qinyuanchun: Changsha":

"In our youth, we were full of vigor and vitality; with scholarly spirit, we were bold and unrestrained."

"Pointing out the flaws in the current state of affairs, writing with passionate eloquence, regarding the powerful officials of the past as mere dust!"

Unfortunately, the heroic scene of "striking the water midstream and stopping the boat in midstream" seems to have gradually disappeared without a trace and will never return.

After leaving this place, Lü Rui hailed a taxi and was about to go eat stinky tofu when his phone suddenly rang.

Ning Hao's voice came through the receiver: "Director Lü? You're in Changsha? Where are you now? I'm at the Huaya International Hotel. Would you like to come over for dinner? There are quite a few friends here."

"How did you know I was in Changsha?" Lu Rui's first thought was that he had been photographed by paparazzi.

“I ran into Liu Yifei at the venue. She said you were here too.” Ning Hao said, and then briefly explained that he was a judge for the short film segment of this year’s Golden Eagle Awards.

"What are you, a film director, doing getting involved in the TV drama industry?" Lu Rui teased deliberately.

"There's an appearance fee! Mango is incredibly generous!" Ning Hao wasn't embarrassed at all.

It's not shabby to earn money.

"Who's over there?" Lu Rui asked the driver as he turned the car around.

If it's a legitimate gathering of people within the industry, then attending is perfectly fine.

But if it's something a little inappropriate, then forget it.

When you're traveling and in an unfamiliar place, it's easy to fall into traps, so be careful.

Lü Rui was quite cautious about this, mainly because there were previous examples to learn from.

Like that singer Sha Baoliang, who was originally a very honest person, but he almost got into serious trouble because he attended a party involving prostitution, gambling, and drugs.

Although Ning Hao is a decent person, his nature of turning bad when men have money hasn't changed. Paparazzi have photographed him drinking with Huang Bo in nightclubs several times.

In the entertainment industry, such situations are actually quite common.

High income directly leads to a higher pleasure threshold. If you get tired of your girlfriend or wife at home, you will go outside to seek various kinds of excitement.

The Hong Kong film and television industry is the most qualified to speak on this point, while the mainland entertainment industry is relatively more conservative.

But their conservatism is only on the surface; behind the scenes, they all have more and more tricks up their sleeves!

"Most of them are directors from the TV drama industry, not many from the film industry, but there are quite a few producers..." Ning Hao picked out a few names.

Kong Sheng and Zhang Xinjian, directors of "Crossing the Guandong", Kang Honglei, director of "Soldiers Sortie", and Chen Jian, director of "Bright Sword"...

These were all honest people, and they were all his own people, so Lü Rui felt very reassured.

However, after arriving at the hotel, he discovered that companies such as Hairun, Tangren, Xitian, Huanrui, Rongxinda, Huace, and Zhouyi, which mainly produce TV dramas, had all sent people over.

"Chairman Lü? What brings you here?"

When Hou Hongliang saw Lü Rui, he was completely dumbfounded.

Why is my boss here too? Wasn't he supposed to handle all the TV drama-related business?

"You go about your business, I'm going to talk to Ning Hao about a project."

Lu Rui made up an excuse on the spot, after all, he couldn't very well say that he came with his girlfriend, could he?

Instead of making the movie, they went to Changsha to have a romance, which feels strangely absurd, like a monarch neglecting his duties...

"Okay, you're busy."

Hou Hongliang didn't think much of it, after all, Lü Rui and Ning Hao had indeed collaborated on a film.

"Director Lü."

"Chairman Lü..."

Quite a few people greeted him along the way, and everyone was quite surprised when they saw him.

Only after he sat down next to Ning Hao did everyone gradually turn their attention away.

"What are you doing here? Isn't Pacific Rim filming over?" Ning Hao asked curiously.

"Several TV series from our company are participating in the awards, so I came along to take a look," Lü Rui continued to lie without batting an eye.

"Oh, that's how it is."

"What about you? Have you finished writing the script?"

"It's almost done. We're preparing to submit it for review next month. I'll need your help again, Director Lü."

"no big deal."

Lü Rui casually agreed.

Ruishijie will definitely invest in this film, "Crazy Racer".

As the two were chatting, an uninvited guest suddenly appeared beside them.

"Director Lü, Director Ning, hello both of you."

Zhao Yanzi's sudden appearance surprised both Lü Rui and Ning Hao.

Seemingly sensing their confusion, she took the initiative to explain, "The movie I starred in last year, 'Moment in Peking,' has also been nominated for the Golden Eagle Awards this year."

Lu Rui had some impression of this drama; it was indeed a major production.

As Zhao Yanzi's return to television after four years, the drama broke CCTV's ratings record, becoming her fourth annual ratings champion drama.

However, Lü Rui had never been interested in her, so he just said "oh" and didn't pay any more attention to her.

But Zhao Yanzi clearly had no intention of leaving, and deliberately asked with a shameless grin, "After Director Lü finishes filming this movie, do you have any other film projects planned?"

Previously, due to the consecutive box office failures of films such as "Jade Goddess of Mercy," "Warriors of Heaven and Earth," and "A Time to Love," she was dubbed "box office poison" and had no choice but to retreat to the television drama industry.

But if he wants to further elevate his status, he will ultimately have to rely on movies.

Lü Rui's works, in terms of both scale and style, clearly fit her needs perfectly.

"There are no new plans at the moment." Lü Rui shook his head.

Even if he did have a plan, he would never consider cooperating with Zhao Yanzi.

"alright."

Zhao Yanzi's smile froze instantly, and she looked somewhat embarrassed.

She has many directors in the industry who are qualified to work with her, but it seems that they are not very willing to collaborate with her.

The main reason is that "My Fair Princess" left a deep stereotype, and no one thought she could carry a movie.

The films she made in the previous years further confirmed this.

Therefore, she can only find a top commercial film director like Lü Rui, or simply direct and star in her own films.

This is also why she went to pursue a master's degree in art direction.

Unfortunately, Lü Rui didn't give her that chance at all.

"Then you two go ahead with your work. If there are suitable roles in the future, I hope Director Lü and Director Ning will give me an audition opportunity."

After Zhao Yanzi finished speaking, she turned and went elsewhere, preparing to talk to the other directors and producers.

She felt that "The Forbidden Kingdom" alone was not enough to break the "box office poison" label that had been attached to her. If possible, she wanted to fight for more!
"You say she's not that pretty, so why do so many people like her?" Ning Hao asked, watching her leave, somewhat puzzled.

"You'll have to ask Huang Xiaoming about that."

Lu Rui was also puzzled as to why Huang Xiaoming and Chen Kun regarded her as a goddess.

Could it be because all three of them have "big mouths"?

In his opinion, among the four actresses and two actresses, Zhao Yanzi was the ugliest.

When I was young and naive, I really liked Xiao Yanzi and Ziwei when I watched "My Fair Princess".

But looking back now, he thinks that Rong Momo was better. She was upright and loved to prick bad guys with needles. She was a true judge of justice and a real good person!
The Golden Eagle Awards opening ceremony was held as scheduled on the 27th.

Lü Rui did not walk the red carpet because she was not an invited guest.

Of course, if he were to make the request, the Golden Eagle Awards organizers would certainly welcome him.

But there's no need for that; he's not in the TV drama industry.

So, he took advantage of Liu Yifei's connection and went through her back door to enter the venue directly from the back door.

"Director Lü, please forgive us, there are too many people here today, and it's quite crowded backstage..."

Liu Yifei's assistant walked ahead, leading the way and explaining in a low voice.

"fine."

Wearing a mask and a baseball cap, Lü Rui followed behind her, walking forward through the crowd to the makeup area.

Because of the large number of people, most of the actors who will be appearing tonight will have their makeup and styling done in the public makeup area.

However, Liu Yifei has the privilege of having a dressing room all to herself.

It's no exaggeration to say that she is absolutely one of the top in the current TV drama industry!

In addition, she holds multiple box office records, so among all the actresses present, there was simply no one who could compare to her.

That's why, when the news of her being selected as the "Golden Eagle Goddess" came out, there was almost no opposition online.

Unlike the previous sessions, where controversy never ceased after the results were announced almost every time.

"Boom boom boom!"

The assistant knocked on the dressing room door, and only after receiving a "come in" response did she push the door open to signal Lü Rui to go in.

As soon as Lü Rui entered the room, he glanced up and was immediately at a loss for words, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

Liu Yifei was sitting on the sofa, wearing a glittering gold dress.

Four or five makeup artists were surrounding her, busy adjusting her hairstyle and dress details.

She herself was holding a bottle of AD calcium milk, sipping it half-heartedly, her face full of boredom, looking exactly like a sleepy, clueless person...

(End of this chapter)