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

Chapter 77 concludes with the character casting finalized... the air thick with tension! (Seeking monthly votes!)
"Director Lü, let me toast you to thank you for giving me this valuable opportunity to appear on screen!"

At the dinner table, Zhang Jingchu was very enthusiastic.

After clinking glasses with Lü Rui, she greeted Jiang Wen and Zhou Yun one by one, and finally went to Gu Changwei's side to offer him a toast with sincere words.

After several rounds, a blush had crept onto her face.

Lu Rui secretly observed her. He didn't know how intelligent this girl was, but her emotional intelligence was top-notch!

Although she doesn't talk much, she always manages to cleverly respond with a tone of "admiration" and "reverence," making people feel very comfortable with just a few words.

"Learn from Director Lü carefully; he's much better than me at acting coaching."

Gu Changwei recalled the scene when Lü Rui was instructing Leslie Cheung during the filming of "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty," so he gave Zhang Jingchu a piece of advice.

"Yes, yes! I will definitely follow in Director Lü's footsteps and strive to one day stand at the foot of the mountain and look up at your height!"

Zhang Jingchu's eyes crinkled into crescents, her tone full of longing.

Undeniably, such well-placed flattery would please anyone.

However, Lü Rui secretly shook his head in his heart.

With such a clever mind, why not do something better? Why keep getting entangled with Gu Changwei, a married man?

A woman's heart is like a needle at the bottom of the sea; this old saying will never be outdated.

After a few rounds of drinks, Lü Rui and Gu Changwei began discussing the details of filming locations for the remainder of "The Prestige," while Jiang Wen listened curiously from the side, occasionally interjecting a few words.

But Zhang Jingchu turned her gaze to Zhou Yun, seemingly chatting casually, but her words were actually laced with hidden meaning.

She was genuinely curious: both of them had been mistresses, so why was Zhou Yun able to openly step into the public eye?
Jiang Wen actually chose to divorce his ex-wife for her sake!

However, whenever Gu Changwei brought up this topic, he would always change the subject and never mention anything about separating from Jiang Wenli.

“We met while filming ‘Warriors of Heaven and Earth’,” Zhou Yun said with a light laugh, stroking her hair. “At the time, I had to cut all my hair off for the role, and I ended up with a buzz cut.”

I didn't think much about it before shaving, but when I looked in the mirror afterward and realized that all my beautiful hair was gone, I couldn't help but cry.

Then Jiang Wen came over and coaxed me, and I thought he was a really good and honest person, and then we gradually got together.

“Back then, she would always bring me food and drinks to my lounge.” Jiang Wen picked up the thread, her tone teasing yet undeniably sincere. “Once, I got drunk and went on a rampage, and nobody could do anything about it, but she stayed by my side all night.”

When I woke up the next day, I found her curled up in a chair. I immediately realized she was a good woman, someone who cared for and looked after others. I knew I could never let such a wonderful girl down.

My wife and I live apart, and suddenly a good man appears by my side.

This is an absolute test for any man!

Zhang Jingchu couldn't hide her envy as she listened, and murmured, "That's wonderful, this is true mutual affection."

She turned to look at Gu Changwei, her eyes filled with expectation.

Gu Changwei hurriedly turned his face away, his Adam's apple bobbing but no sound coming out.

Divorce is definitely out of the question!
Although he and Jiang Wenli had long since lost their feelings for each other, their son and their interests were intertwined, and the cost of divorce was too high!
It was precisely because of this sense of indebtedness that he always thought of making up for Zhang Jingchu's shortcomings in terms of resources.

Some things, however, can only remain unsaid forever.

The atmosphere in the private room was a bit awkward. Old Gu, that scumbag, was about to be pressured by his mistress again.

Seeing this, Lü Rui immediately tried to smooth things over and changed the subject, saying, "By the way, Sister Yun, do you have any new acting offers lately?"

Zhou Yun shook her head: "I just terminated my contract with Zedong Pictures and haven't settled on a new job yet, but I do have a few TV series scheduled to air this year."

Lu Rui's eyes lit up. No acting involved? Great!
Since they were all acquaintances, he didn't beat around the bush and immediately got straight to the point: "What a coincidence, my new film is short of a female lead, and I need an actress with a gentle and elegant image. If you have time, could you come and help me out?"

Zhou Yun was taken aback and didn't rush to agree. She subconsciously looked at Jiang Wen.

Upon hearing this, Jiang laughed and said, "Since I'm free anyway, let's go. I still need to work on this script until next year, it's too early."

The couple is preparing to work as a team, with one as the director and the other as the actor.

Jiang Wen is currently writing a script, and has even specially created a "crazy mother" role for Zhou Yun, just waiting to make a big splash next year!
“Sure.” Zhou Yun smiled and turned to look at Lü Rui. “If you think I’m suitable, then I’ll go.”

They're all old acquaintances, so there's no need to read the script. Casting a role is just a matter of a casual remark.

However, at this moment, Lü Rui turned his attention to Jiang Wen, "So, Director Jiang, you're free lately? No acting offers?"

Having known each other for so long, how could Jiang Wen not know that Lü Rui was after him?

He immediately raised an eyebrow and asked, "What, you want to drag us, husband and wife, into this?"

"To be honest," Lu Rui said, taking a roundabout approach, "the role that Sister Yun is playing also has passionate scenes, and the male lead for the role hasn't been found yet."

Moreover, this role requires one person to play two roles, which is an extremely demanding test of acting skills. The actor must portray the character's obsession, madness, and inner conflict, making it very difficult to find a suitable candidate..."

Jiang's eyes lit up upon hearing this: "Did you bring the script?"

"I brought it!" Lu Rui immediately took out the script from his bag and handed it to him.

For the next half hour, Lü Rui chatted with Gu Changwei and Zhang Jingchu at the table, while Jiang Wen and his wife huddled together, engrossed in flipping through the script.

Turning to the last page, Jiang Wen slammed his hand on the table: "What a great book! This story is amazing!"

Lu Rui looked at him expectantly.

"Can you answer?"

Jiang Wen didn't answer directly, but instead asked, "Who has been chosen as the other male lead?"

"Mr. Hu".

“Oh, Junior Brother Hu.” Jiang Wen nodded. “He has a good air about him; he can portray the arrogance of a rich, high-ranking official’s son.”

Both of them graduated from the Central Academy of Drama.

However, Jiang Wen graduated 7 years earlier than Hu Jun.

Interestingly, both of them are quite famous in Hong Kong's entertainment circle.

Jiang Wen is known as "Master Jiang" in Hong Kong entertainment circles, mainly because of his unique artistic temperament.

As for Hu Jun, he is known as the "Northern Wolf King" in the Hong Kong entertainment circle. In "Infernal Affairs 2", he played a policeman in a black trench coat with taut chest muscles, which captivated all the girls in Hong Kong!

During filming, he was even rumored to be having an affair with Tony Leung's current girlfriend, Carina Lau, which caused quite a stir.

“I can take this role, but I have one condition.” Jiang Wen closed the script and handed it back to Lü Rui, while secretly plotting how to squeeze some money out of him.

"What are the conditions?" Lu Rui asked curiously.

"You have to teach me how to draw storyboards. The new script I'm preparing is too obscure. I have to try to see if I can sort out the plot by drawing storyboards."

"If you use fewer metaphors, it won't be so obscure, will it?"

Lu Rui was having a headache. Teaching Jiang Wen how to draw storyboards was like playing the piano against a wall.
He's not even as good as a student in a sketching class!
Gu Changwei, who was listening from the side, chuckled and nodded, saying, "Lu Rui is right. If you add fewer metaphors, the audience will understand it all."

Jiang Wen stubbornly refused to budge: "That won't do. I'm only expressing the story I want to tell. Whether they understand it or not is their problem."

Lu Rui raised his objection again: "But it can't be too niche! If no one can understand it, how will it sell at the box office?"

Unfortunately, Jiang Wen has his own stubbornness, and he won't listen to a few words of advice from others.

If I hadn't been so stubborn back then and wouldn't have listened to advice, I wouldn't have been banned from directing. "Just tell me, are you going to teach me or not? If you teach me, I'll act; if you don't, I won't. You decide."

He also has his own Xiao Jiujiu in his heart.

With his ban on directing films about to end, he desperately needs a new film to make a comeback, but he's also a little uncertain about his future.

Lü Rui happens to have exceptional creative abilities, with three works selected for the three major European film festivals, and he also possesses superb storyboarding skills.

If we could have discussed it properly with him during the filming of "The Prestige," we might have been able to make the script even more perfect.

“Teach me! Director Jiang, you asked me personally, how could I refuse? Let’s film as we go.” Lü Rui gritted his teeth and agreed.

"OK."

Jiang Wen was overjoyed that his goal had been achieved.

Lü Rui could not hide his excitement.

Let Hu Jun and Jiang Wen put on a spectacular acting showdown!
Both of them follow the "tough guy" route. One is as sharp and ruthless as a northern wolf, and the other is as arrogant and unrestrained as Master Jiang. These two tough guys with different styles are bound to create intense sparks!

To avoid any unforeseen complications, Lü Rui quickly convened the actors to sign contracts the day after the drinking party ended.

Jiang Wen and Zhou Yun will be paid for their roles.

Although both of them offered to give him a friendly price, Lü Rui did not do so.

Anyway, it's all the investors' money that's being spent, not his personal money.

As for Hu Jun and Fan Bingbing, both of them are artists under Huayi Taihe Culture Brokerage Company.

As per the previous agreement with Wang Zhonglei, both of them acted without receiving any payment, and only needed to give each other a red envelope when filming wrapped.

He doesn't care how his company allocates resources.

"Remember to make sure you have all the dates ready, and we'll start filming on June 10th sharp."

After making the arrangements, Lü Rui rushed back to the Beijing Film Academy and handed over all the supporting roles to the school, letting the acting department arrange the casting.

Coincidentally.

Not only is the Beijing Film Academy absent from the investor lineup for "The Prestige," but the entire cast is also comprised of "outsiders."

Jiang Wen, Hu Jun, Zhou Yun, Zhang Jingchu, and Li Xuejian are all graduates of the Central Academy of Drama.

Fan Bingbing graduated from the Xie Jin Film and Television Art College of Shanghai Normal University, and has no connection with Beijing Film Academy.

The leaders of the Beijing Film Academy passed around the cast list, looking at each other in bewilderment, and an awkward silence filled the meeting room.

Lu Rui lowered his eyes and stared at his toes, remaining silent.

Why wouldn't he want to use actors from his own school?

However, during the auditions, the actors from the Beijing Film Academy either lacked presence, had mediocre acting skills, or didn't fit the roles, and none of them could stand up to the character.

The film "The Prestige" has extremely high requirements for the actors' acting skills, and after several rounds of selection, none of the actors from the Beijing Film Academy were ultimately chosen.

"Sigh!" Qi Shilong, the head of the acting department, sighed, his face full of resentment. "Thank you for still thinking about Beijing Film Academy."

"Of course," Lu Rui replied with a smile, dodging the question.

He actually felt he had done enough.

It's worth noting that among the other directors who graduated from the Beijing Film Academy, some have even publicly criticized the acting department for its poor teaching quality!
And the fact that he still thinks of the Beijing Film Academy and comes back to offer roles to the school is already quite impressive.

After leaving the acting department, Lü Rui returned to the directing department and attended a special commendation ceremony held for him by the department.

The Best Director Award at Cannes is an immense honor!

Although the school only gave a prize of 10 yuan, it gave him a lot of prestige.

Not only was his photo placed prominently in the list of notable alumni, but he was also given membership certificates from the Directors Guild, Producers Guild, and Screenwriters Guild.

Even more outrageous, Tian Zhuangzhuang and Xie Xiaojing, without saying a word, directly completed the "master-doctoral combined program" for him, opening up a green channel from master's to doctoral studies.

This also means that after completing his master's studies, he will not need to take a separate doctoral entrance exam and can directly pursue a doctorate!
After the awards ceremony, Xie Xiaojing patted her chest and assured her, "Just do what you're supposed to do normally. As for your studies, Director Tian and I will take care of it. You don't need to worry about the exams..."

Lü Rui was both amused and exasperated.

The directing department is clearly trying to firmly "bind" him to the Beijing Film Academy.

However, for him, it was naturally all beneficial and without any harm.

After finishing my undergraduate degree, I'll pursue a master's degree, and after that, a doctorate. Who knows, I might even land an associate professorship or become a professor...

Of course, these are all things for the future.

The main task right now is to finish "The Prestige".

Before we knew it, June had arrived.

The Beijing Film Academy was extremely efficient and quickly finalized the supporting cast for "The Prestige".

After carefully checking the list and confirming that it was correct, Lü Rui signed contracts with each of the participants.

Just then, Han Sanping brought some new news.

He inquired about the Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers Film Festival through various channels and received a definite reply that "The Pursuit of Happyness" and "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" would definitely succeed in the competition.

Lu Rui was too busy to deal with this, so Han Sanping took it upon himself to register him.

"As long as there's an award, that's fine."

Lü Rui didn't think much of it, said that he would make time to attend, and then hung up the phone to continue coordinating filming arrangements with Ren Zhonglun.

At the same time, China Film Group announced the release date for "The Pursuit of Happyness".

May 7st!
Movie fans have expressed their anticipation.

Meanwhile, a screening of "House of Flying Daggers" was held at the Beijing Film Academy, officially kicking off the pre-release promotional campaign.

Lü Rui couldn't help but marvel at Zhang Yimou's incredible energy!
Not only did he simultaneously work on two blockbuster films, "House of Flying Daggers" and "Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles," but he also had to be in charge of the closing ceremony program for the Olympics, making him a true "triple threat."

Not long after, another bombshell dropped in the entertainment industry:
Stephen Chow revealed in an interview that "Kung Fu Hustle" may be scheduled for release at the end of the year!

The media immediately sensed tension and speculated that Stephen Chow was probably seeking revenge for Feng Xiaogang's previous mockery of him!
After all, Feng Xiaogang had already declared his intention to enter the Lunar New Year film season when "A World Without Thieves" started filming.

Now, with two blockbuster films about to clash, a box office battle is undoubtedly inevitable!

On June 3rd, Warner Bros. sent good news, informing Lu Rui that the casting and location setup were successfully completed.

With this, the cooperation between the two parties was officially finalized.

On June 5th, amidst the uproar in the media, the cast of "The Prestige" was officially announced:
"The suspense blockbuster 'The Prestige,' co-produced by Rui Vision, China Film Group, Warner Bros., Shanghai Film Group, Enlight Media, Huayi Brothers, Wanda Group, and Huayi Brothers Media, and directed by Lü Rui, has completed its casting process today."

The cast includes Jiang Wen, Hu Jun, Li Xuejian, Zhou Yun, Fan Bingbing, and Zhang Jingchu, with international stars such as David Bowie and Andy Serkis also joining the cast.

The news caused an immediate uproar!

At that moment, as Lü Rui was rushing back to school with his thesis to prepare for his graduation defense, a system notification suddenly sounded in his mind...

(End of this chapter)