Huayu Entertainment: Starting with Exorcising Evil from a Film Queen

Chen Fuguo kept his head down, so his reaction was not visible.

A faint smile finally appeared on Zhou Xun's face.

Gao Shuqun remained silent for a while, then suddenly turned to look at Zhou Xun.

"Xiao Xun, where did you find such a prodigy?"

Zhou Xun had been recommending Zhang Ze for a while.

To be honest, Gao Shuqun didn't take it seriously at first.

After all, Zhang Ze is not famous and his acting skills seem average. He's okay in TV dramas, but once he gets to the big screen, there are too many flaws.

It wasn't until a few days ago, after Zhou Xun told them about Zhang Ze's recent online popularity, that they reluctantly agreed to give him an audition opportunity, out of consideration for Zhang Ze's popularity.

Unexpectedly, Zhang Ze's performance today was so amazing!

Zhou Xun smiled slightly, but instead of answering directly, she asked a question in return.

"What does Director Gao think?"

This question drew everyone's attention back to Gao Shuqun.

Gao Shuqun didn't speak immediately. He picked up the documents on the table, glanced at Zhang Ze's name again, and then turned to Chen Fuguo next to him.

"Old Chen, what do you think?"

Chen Fuguo, who had been silent all along, finally made a move.

He leaned slightly forward, his hands crossed on the table, exuding a serious and scrutinizing aura.

He didn't look at Zhang Ze, but stared at the empty performance area, seemingly still savoring the scene from just now.

"His performance wasn't about portraying a person who has broken down."

Chen Fuguo spoke slowly, choosing his words carefully.

"He truly dismantled the process of a person's spirit being completely crushed right in front of me, and then showed it to me bit by bit."

"From the initial bluster and bluster to the physical reaction the moment he was reprimanded, that deep-seated fear was not faked; it was muscle memory."

"The final collapse and sobbing were not to elicit sympathy, but rather the instinctive reaction of a living being in extreme despair, abandoning all dignity and thought."

"That's terrifying."

Chen Fuguo gave it a very high evaluation: terrifying.

For an actor's performance to be described as "terrifying" by a veteran director is itself an unparalleled compliment.

Faced with Zhang Ze's acting skills, even Chen Fuguo, who had been trying to bring his own people into the production, couldn't find any fault with Zhang Ze at all.

Gao Shuqun nodded heavily, clearly agreeing with all of Chen Fuguo's analyses.

He turned his head, this time facing Zhang Ze directly.

"Zhang Ze, right?"

"It's me, the director."

Zhang Ze stood ramrod straight, his expression calm.

In his heart, however, he was secretly sighing.

This superb acting skill is truly a game-changer. The moment he entered the role, I really felt like I was that actor from the old era, with all his pride, inferiority, meanness, and cowardice becoming a part of him.

The fear of having his soul completely hollowed out still makes him feel uneasy when he thinks about it now.

Fortunately, Zhang Ze's superb acting skills allowed him to completely detach himself from the character after the performance; otherwise, if he had truly become that kind of person, he would have had nowhere to turn for help.

"Have you ever looked into the character Bai Xiaonian before?" Gao Shuqun pressed.

"I've read the script and thought about it myself," Zhang Ze answered truthfully.

"Just pondering it for a bit?" Gao Shuqun's voice involuntarily rose slightly. "You call that just now pondering it for a bit?"

He could hardly believe his ears.

He would believe that such a well-executed performance had been prepared for months, but the other party casually said that he had only pondered it for a while.

This can't be explained by talent; it's purely someone trying to take away other people's livelihoods.

Zhou Xun chimed in from the side, her tone carrying a hint of barely perceptible smugness.

"Director Gao, I'm sure I made the right choice in recommending this person?"

"That's more than just right!"

Gao Shuqun slapped his thigh, his whole body lighting up with excitement. "Xiao Xun, you've brought our crew a tremendous treasure this time!"

He looked at Zhang Ze, making no attempt to hide his admiration.

"Alright, no need to try anymore. The role of Bai Xiaonian is yours!"

"Go back and prepare. Have your agent contact the production team as soon as possible. We'll check the schedule and be ready to sign the contract at any time."

The result was swift and decisive, even exceeding Zhang Ze's expectations.

He had thought it would take several more rounds of discussion, or perhaps another scene to be tried, but he didn't expect Gao Shuqun to be so decisive.

"Thank you, Director Gao; thank you, Director Chen; thank you, Sister Xun." Zhang Ze bowed in gratitude, his attitude neither humble nor arrogant.

His calmness contrasted sharply with his previous manic performances, further convincing the two directors that he was an actor with exceptional control over his acting.

"Go ahead, go remove your makeup." Gao Shuqun waved her hand, already eager to continue discussing this unexpected surprise with Chen Fuguo.

Zhang Ze bowed again, then turned and left the room.

The heavy door closed, cutting off the faint sounds of excited discussion that could be heard inside.

"A monster! A true monster!"

"Did you see the change in his eyes? From arrogance to terror, and finally to deathly silence, it was absolutely stunning..."

In the hallway outside the door, Assistant Xiaowen was pacing anxiously back and forth.

Upon seeing Zhang Ze emerge, he immediately went to greet him and asked nervously in a low voice.

"Ze-ge, how did it go? Did you pass?"

Zhang Ze didn't say anything, but simply gestured for him to be quiet before leading him to the dressing room.

Only after returning to the dressing room and sitting down, allowing the makeup artist to remove the exquisite stage makeup from his face, did Zhang Ze say something to Xiao Wen, who was standing anxiously beside him.

"We got it."

"Really?!" Xiaowen almost shouted with surprise, but he suppressed it, his face turning bright red.

"Great! Ze-ge! I knew you could do it!"

Zhang Ze restored his original appearance and changed back into the clothes he had come in.

The silk gown was neatly folded and returned to the costume designer.

Stepping out of the audition building, the afternoon sun was a bit too bright.

Zhang Ze squinted, breathing in the fresh air outside.

From a supporting role in a TV series to such a significant role in a movie, this step was bigger and more stable than he had imagined.

He knew very well that if he played this role well, his career in the film industry would be completely paved.

Only then will the power of choice truly return to our own hands.

Investing in movies and starting your own company—these distant goals seem to have become within reach at this moment.

"Brother Ze, should we inform Sister Sun now?" Xiao Wen followed behind, still excited.

"Okay, tell her to get ready. The production team will probably contact her soon to discuss the contract," Zhang Ze instructed.

He was about to get into the car when his cell phone suddenly vibrated in his pocket.

Zhang Ze took out his phone and glanced at the screen.

The name displayed on the caller ID made him pause.

Li Xiaoran.

Zhang Ze glanced at the time and suddenly realized that more than half a month had already passed in his busy schedule.