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

Chapter 76 Comparing Sexiness? I can take my clothes off... so can I!

"The Prestige" is a film with two male leads, so the acting skills of the two leads must be equally matched.

You're one step ahead of me!
I can beat you by one move!
Both sides must put on a show of "you're stronger, I'm stronger," competing back and forth until the very end to determine the "winner."

Therefore, during the audition, Lü Rui simply had the actors auditioning for the two male leads come on stage together to see if they were compatible enough and could show a competitive dynamic.

To everyone's surprise, the first pair was Hu Jun and Liu Ye!
The audition list was arranged by coincidence; they were placed right at the front of the list.

It's a bit embarrassing to think about, but back in 01, these two co-starred in a movie called "Lan Yu".

The film is based on a bronze-colored novel called "The Story of the Capital," and tells a story of a man's love that takes place in mainland China.

Even more coincidentally, director Stanley Kwan is also a "bronze" (meaning he is a male celebrity).

The copper-colored ...

After its release in Hong Kong, the film achieved both box office and awards success!

But from then on, the two protagonists completely severed all cooperation and contact.

This is actually quite normal, since neither of them had any intention of continuing the relationship and both wanted to cut ties with each other and rediscover their true selves.

After all, if you want to make it in the domestic film and television industry, having such a title is undoubtedly a huge burden.

Even if someone is bisexual in private, they all pretend to be refined on the surface.

It has been a full three years since "Lan Yu" was released.

Logically speaking, after such a long period of separation, Hu Jun and Liu Ye should have already severed that special connection.

Hu Jun is already married and has a daughter.

It is rumored that Liu Ye is dating a female host from Hunan TV, and that they have been dating for as long as 5 years!
Everything seemed to be back on track.

However, inside the audition room, an awkward atmosphere suddenly began to spread after Lü Rui called out their names...

"Director Lü."

Hu Jun broke the silence first, his voice carrying a rough, powerful quality.

Although he has always claimed to be a dramatic actor, his rugged appearance has led many people to mistake him for an action actor.

Lu Rui scrutinized him carefully.

Putting everything else aside, his aura is really similar to Hugh Jackman's domineering presence in "The Prestige," exuding a unique "Wolverine"-like sharpness.

Imposing, domineering, and full of aggressive spirit!
"You each perform a scene first. Hu Jun, you need to show the character's arrogance and cruelty; Liu Ye, you'll later show what you perceive as the character's obsession, madness, and ruthlessness..."

The two nodded in response.

However, problems became apparent as soon as the audition began.

Although both of them graduated from the Central Academy of Drama, Lü Rui found that there was a significant difference between them in terms of acting skills!

Hu Jun's delivery of lines and his acting skills are undoubtedly top-notch!

Once he was in good spirits, the air of nobility emanating from him was palpable as he stood there.

"You're looking for a secret now, but you don't really want to know the secret; you just want to be fooled and manipulated..."

The lines were delivered with force and clarity, each word distinct and without any hesitation.

Lu Rui nodded in satisfaction, raised his hand to signal him to stop for a moment, and then looked at Liu Ye.

However, the problem was exposed as soon as the latter opened his mouth.

He has a good appearance, but he can't portray the madness and ruthlessness that Lü Rui wants.

When he uttered the phrase "self-sacrifice is the price of magic," it carried a touch of pathos, lacking the ruthlessness of someone who would stop at nothing to pursue perfection.

During their individual auditions, the difference between the two was already quite evident.

In the subsequent scenes, Liu Ye was ruthlessly crushed!
Under Hu Jun's "aggressive" aura, he couldn't support the role at all, like a suppressed "weak victim," and couldn't portray the emotional tension of the confrontation between the two heroes.

Lu Rui shook his head slightly, feeling utterly helpless.

The mark left by "Lan Yu" has long been etched into the bones of the two people, and time alone cannot erase it.

Whenever Hu Jun is present, Liu Ye unconsciously places himself in a vulnerable position, which is completely contrary to the strong image required for the role.

"Alright, that's enough for now. Liu Ye, you can go back first. Hu Jun, stay and practice your lines with the others."

The outcome was clear as soon as the words were spoken.

Liu Ye nodded silently, thanked him, and turned to leave.

As Hu Jun watched his retreating figure, a fleeting hint of sadness flashed in his eyes, but he quickly regained his professional demeanor.

The auditions continued.

Chen Daoming, Qin Hao, Wang Zhiwen, Sun Honglei, Zu Feng, Jin Dong...

The male actors took turns appearing on stage, and the scene was just like picking male models in a karaoke bar.

But the more Lü Rui tried, the more headaches he got.

These actors either couldn't keep up with Hu Jun's performance and couldn't portray the tension of a worthy opponent, or their appearance and temperament were far removed from the character.

For example, Chen Daoming's "emperor-like" aura is becoming increasingly strong.

For two whole days, Lü Rui couldn't find a suitable candidate.

Unfortunately, he had no choice but to temporarily put aside the selection of the second male lead and start the selection process for the female lead first.

After confirming Hu Jun for the lead male role, Lü Rui began selecting the two female characters.

One of them is the ex-wife of the character played by Hu Jun, who drowned at the beginning of the story when she couldn't untie the rope during the water escape scene.

The other is a sexy female assistant who appears later in the story.

Fan Bingbing was the first to enter the audition room, unable to wait any longer.

Lu Rui glanced at the list on the table and decided to call in all the other actresses competing for the roles. Shu Qi, famous overnight for taking her clothes off!
Christy Chung is one of the benchmarks for sexy actresses in Hong Kong's entertainment circle.

Lin Chih-ling was introduced to us by the Taiwanese entertainment industry through Dong Ping's channels. She is a former model with an amazing figure!

There's also "Queen of Peach Blossoms" Zhang Xiaohui.

These are all actresses who currently follow a sexy and glamorous image.

After observing them for a while and having them show off their figures, Lü Rui still felt that Fan Bingbing was more suitable.

Shu Qi's bust isn't full enough, Lin Chih-ling's Mandarin has an accent, Chung Li-ti's acting is a bit exaggerated, and Zhang Xiao-hui is like an empty vase with a strange face, as if she's had surgery...

In comparison, Fan Bingbing stands out as the tallest among the short, possessing a unique charm when contrasted with the others.

However, just as Lü Rui had made up his mind, Shu Qi suddenly spoke up: "Director Lü, I think you can squeeze your breasts a bit, or at the very least, you can pad them with something to make them look fuller..."

She still wanted to try.

She felt that she was the best actress among the group, and she couldn't miss this great opportunity just because she wasn't voluptuous enough!

Lu Rui was slightly taken aback, somewhat surprised.

However, before he could reply, Fan Bingbing immediately jumped out to refute: "I think the role of the female assistant is very important in a magic show."

A good figure is an important tool for attracting the audience's attention, as it helps the magician better conceal the magic effects.

Simply squeezing the breasts together isn't enough; a comprehensive approach is needed.

"I can take it off."

Shu Qi spoke calmly; she had already made her famous for her sex appeal, so she didn't care about pushing the boundaries again.

"I can take my clothes off too!"

Fan Bingbing stood firm and did not back down just because the other party was famous.

A new film from the winner of the grand slam of the three major European Best Director Awards—no one wants to miss it!

“If it’s about taking my clothes off, I’m fine with that too.” Zhang Xiaohui raised her hand and emphasized, “It doesn’t matter if it’s on top or bottom, just put on some tape and it’s okay, I’m fine with that.”

Lin Chi-ling frowned and remained silent.

She's okay with showing skin, since it doesn't matter who's watching, but to strip completely naked and stand in front of the camera with just some tape on is a bit too much, isn't it?
Anyway, she couldn't accept such a bold approach.

Seeing the actresses about to clash, Hu Jun subconsciously looked at Lü Rui.

These guys are all ruthless!
To get a role, they'll even cross the line!
"Alright." Lu Rui tapped the table with his finger and said in a deep voice, "What are you talking about taking your clothes off? I'm not making an adult film, why would I use tape to stick them together? You guys really have wild ideas! Even if we could film that scene, do you think it would pass censorship?"

Seeing the director lose his temper, the women fell silent.

"Go back and wait for further notice." Lu Rui waved his hand, shooing them out.

He breathed a sigh of relief once the door was closed.

Damn it, if he hadn't reacted quickly, a few seconds later, those women would probably have taken off their clothes on the spot.

"Director Lü?"

Just as Hu Jun was about to ask, Lü Rui raised his hand to interrupt him, saying, "Don't rush into the female assistant role. I'll consider it later and first finalize your role as the ex-wife."

After saying that, he turned to his assistant and instructed, "Call Zhang Jingchu in."

We still have to give Gu Changwei face, especially since it's just a cameo role with less than 10 minutes of screen time in total.

Sending this role away will allow Lao Gu to focus on being his photographer.

As for Jiang Wenli, let him explain it himself.

"Director Lü, Senior Brother Hu Jun."

Although she graduated from the directing department of the Central Academy of Drama, Zhang Jingchu still respectfully addressed Hu Jun, a senior from the acting department, as "senior brother" when she entered the room.

Lü Rui has always felt that being a mistress is actually a "technical skill".

Even a simple act of coquetry is awkward for an ordinary woman, let alone dealing with a man who is more than ten years older than her. This requires a great deal of patience!
Also, those fifth-generation directors are really something else. They're all over fifty, but they're either having children or having affairs. They have so much energy!

After a brief trial run of two lines and scenes, the role of Zhang Jingchu was finalized.

This actor's acting skills are quite good.

Lu Rui sighed inwardly, realizing that Old Gu had indeed put in a lot of effort, training his young lover to be exceptionally talented, with every gesture and movement full of drama.

No sooner had Zhang Jingchu left than Lü Rui immediately dialed Gu Changwei's number to share the good news.

"Haha, thank you, Director Lü! Tonight... how about tomorrow night? Tomorrow night it's my treat, let's go out for a drink, we won't leave until we're drunk."

It is essential for the director and cinematographer to maintain a good relationship, so Lü Rui did not refuse and readily agreed.

Hu Jun's supporting role work has come to a temporary end.

Lü Rui continued to focus on casting, and successively confirmed the candidates for the remaining roles.

Li Xuejian was successfully selected as the prop master.

As for the role of the female assistant, he thought about it for a long time and finally decided to use Fan Bingbing.

Besides her physical advantages, choosing her would also save on film fees, making it a worthwhile deal no matter how you look at it.

While things were in a rush, Warner Bros. also kept sending back news that the actor auditions and location scouting were progressing steadily, and the final decision would probably be made by the end of the month.

After a busy day, Lü Rui finally put down his work when Gu Changwei called to urge him to come over for a drink.

However, suitable actors have yet to be found for the roles of the second male lead and his wife.

Rubbing his throbbing temples, he even considered asking the school for help.

However, just when you think you've reached a dead end, a new path opens up before you!
When he drove to the hotel that Gu Changwei had booked, pushed open the door of the private room, and saw Jiang Wen and Zhou Yun, who had arrived earlier, his eyes lit up!
What the hell do you call a surprise?
What the hell is this "fucking surprise"?

What a surprise!
(End of this chapter)