Huayu Entertainment: The Birth of a Succubus Top Star

Gu Zhiyan's work ethic impressed many crew members, who remarked that they had seen countless celebrities become arrogant after achieving fame, but Gu Zhiyan was the complete opposite.

With nearly 600 billion yuan in box office revenue and widespread online acclaim, he is at the pinnacle of the Chinese entertainment industry, yet he has been able to quietly immerse himself in the closed film crew for months without any leaks or deliberate attempts to create buzz, focusing entirely on his role.

The total box office of "Nanjing Photo Studio" is 44.3 billion yuan, and the box office of "The Swordsman" has also exceeded 40 billion yuan. Gu Zhiyan's current personal cumulative box office has reached an astonishing 580 billion yuan.

Occasionally, crew members would curiously mention the phenomenal success of the "Guardians of the Galaxy" roadshow, with thousands flocking to the streets. Gu Zhiyan would simply smile faintly and say, "Guardians of the Galaxy is a vast desert and a world of martial arts, while Liu Peiqiang is a boundless starry sea. The characters do not interfere with each other. What I need to do is completely immerse myself in the story I am telling."

During his short days off, Gu Zhiyan doesn't go out for social events or attend business gatherings. Occasionally, he'll meet with Shen Teng, Guo Fan, and others for a simple tea session to exchange ideas on character development.

There is no noise outside the screen, only perseverance inside the studio.

From a swordsman wielding a knife in the desert to a young astronaut heading to the stars.

Stripped of all external accolades, in the daily, monotonous, and rigorous filming routine, Gu Zhiyan slowly constructs a tragic epic of the young Liu Peiqiang, spanning the vast universe.

……

In April, Oriental Movie Metropolis arranged a limited number of closed-door visits for official media, strictly controlling leaks, prohibiting unauthorized filming, and allowing only designated reporters to enter the No. 1 science fiction studio.

A large number of entertainment media and film and television column reporters gathered outside the door, many of them curious about Gu Zhiyan. Not long ago, he was the lead actor of "The Swordsman," which swept the Spring Festival film season and drew huge crowds during its roadshow. Now, he has plunged into a closed film crew and disappeared from the public eye for more than two months.

On the day of the set visit, a group scene depicting the astronaut selection and testing was being filmed in the studio.

From a distance across the designated area, the reporter could see Gu Zhiyan wearing a light gray aerospace training uniform, with neat, short hair. He had shed the fierce,江湖-like air of a镖人 (bodyguard/escort), but his back was straight, and his brows held the indomitable spirit of a young man.

Several scenes involving extras with complex scheduling were filmed in succession, with back-and-forth movement, running, and emergency drills. He rehearsed more than ten times, maintaining a high level of concentration throughout without letting up for a moment.

During breaks in filming, a brief group interview was arranged.

The reporter asked first, "Having just broken box office records with 'The Swordsman,' and at the peak of your popularity, you've chosen to go into seclusion to film a sci-fi blockbuster. Aren't you worried about fading from the public eye for an extended period?"

Gu Zhiyan wiped the thin layer of sweat from his forehead and said calmly and composedly, "Popularity is temporary, but a role is lasting. What the audience remembers is the image on the screen, not the name on the trending topics. The story of the镖人 (bodyguards) has come to an end. Now I am the young Liu Peiqiang, and I need to fully immerse myself in this apocalyptic era."

A reporter pressed for details about the differences between the two characters: "The镖人 (bodyguard/escort) is a lone hero of the martial world, while Liu Peiqiang (Liu Peiqiang) heads to the stars. Both characters are full of righteousness. In your performances, did you deliberately look for commonalities?"

"The core may both have the insistence on 'dedicating oneself to the cause,' but the way they express it is completely different. Dao Ma lives in the world of martial arts and acts with wildness; Liu Peiqiang is an astronaut who has received systematic training, and is precise, restrained, and follows the rules."

I've been deliberately avoiding the physical habits I developed in previous action scenes, so that the audience wouldn't see any trace of a chivalrous knight-errant in the space capsule.

As the interview concluded and the reporter prepared to leave, he happened to witness a small incident on set.

A scene simulating weightlessness had just wrapped up filming. Gu Zhiyan had been suspended by wires for forty minutes, and after landing, his wrists had several clear red marks from the safety belt. The production crew quickly brought him ice packs and urged him to rest for half an hour.

He took the ice pack and applied it for two minutes. When he saw Guo Fan communicating with the action team about the next shot, he immediately went over and took the initiative to discuss the physical details of the wire work.

When I was floating in zero gravity just now, my body subconsciously exerted force, still showing traces of martial arts movements. I'll adjust my relaxation level for the next take.

Guo Fan nodded upon hearing this, while Liu Dehua, standing to the side, chuckled and joked, "As expected of someone who has practiced kung fu, the muscle memory in his body is hard to erase. But it's alright, take it slow. Young Liu Peiqiang is still in the growth stage, and it's reasonable for him to occasionally display a bit of tenacity."

During a break, many young extras and interns mustered up the courage to take photos with the crew, but hesitated to approach for fear of disturbing the filming. Gu Zhiyan noticed this and waved them over.

He was gentle and posed for photos with everyone without any airs. He also reminded the young actors, "Science fiction filming is tough, so conserve your energy and be careful during filming."

An interesting chat took place during lunch break.

Several staff members chatted about the popularity of various films during the Spring Festival. They mentioned that "The Swordsman" was still being shown in many cinemas with extended screenings, and that online fan-made edits were constantly being created.

Those around him jokingly remarked, "Brother Yan, your popularity with martial arts films hasn't waned at all."

Gu Zhiyan took a couple of bites of rice and laughed, "That was the glory of Dao Ma. Now I need to focus on being Liu Peiqiang. An actor can't get caught up in the glory of the previous role, otherwise it will be hard to move on to the next chapter of life."

The main event, a space-based emergency repair operation, began in the afternoon, using a green screen.

The entire studio was reduced to a giant green screen with no real-world references; all the stars, Earth, and frozen pipes were created entirely through imagination.

After filming an emotional scene, in front of the monitor, Li Xuejian nodded slightly and said softly to Guo Fan, "It's rare that Xiao Gu can remain calm even at this point."

As night falls, the lights inside the shed remain on all night.

Filming has begun for a night scene featuring Liu Peiqiang gazing alone into the deep sky, delivering a monologue.

There were no intense conflicts, no grand special effects, only the silhouette of a lone figure.

Gu Zhiyan stood quietly in the center of the green screen, needing no lines. His eyes held a mixture of confusion and longing amidst the apocalypse, as well as a resolute determination to make his sacrifice.

After a successful take, Guo Fan didn't immediately call for the next take, but quietly stared at the screen for a long time.

"That's the feeling: young people know that the road ahead is fraught with danger, yet they still choose to venture into the stars."

It was already 11:30 p.m. when we finished work.

The sea breeze rustled through the studio's ventilation openings, creating a deep sound; the vast space was empty and quiet.

The outside world's trending topics, box office success, and widespread acclaim seemed to be shut out by the heavy doors of the film studio.

Here, there are no box office kings with billions in earnings, and no top celebrities cheered by millions.

Only one actor, Gu Zhiyan, dedicated himself to meticulously crafting the character of young Liu Peiqiang.