Reborn in the Entertainment Industry: This Top Star Has Real Achievements

The car drove back onto the road, and the car was quiet for a while.

Uncle Wang gripped the steering wheel, glancing out of the corner of his eye at Li Xiang in the passenger seat. Seeing him staring out the window in a daze, he finally asked:

"What are you thinking about? You look preoccupied."

Li Xiang snapped out of his thoughts and shook his head: "I wasn't thinking about anything."

Uncle Wang chuckled, guessing that he was probably still thinking about the audition, so he turned the steering wheel while offering some words of encouragement:

"Don't overthink it. When directors are casting actors, do they only look at one person? Director Zhang's words just now clearly indicated that he had other candidates to consider, which is perfectly normal."

Besides, you're still a long way from being tailor-made for a director.

He paused, then gave another example: "Back when Leslie Cheung auditioned for 'Farewell My Concubine,' Brother Kai (Chen Kaige) also went through the process of choosing between him and John Lone..."

Even with that actor's unparalleled acting skills, we still have to wait. In our industry, the director is the one in charge.

"Those like Gong Li, who can get roles tailor-made for them by directors, are extremely rare. Don't think that becoming a top actor is easy!"

Take the filming of "The Story of Qiu Ju" for example. To prepare for the role, Gong Li spent three whole months living in a rural area of ​​Shaanxi.

"Working in the fields with the villagers, eating coarse grains and drinking well water, speaking with the local accent, even walking with a rustic air—that's how you passed the director's test?"

Having said that, he turned to look at Li Xiang, his eyes carrying a hint of advice from someone with experience: "I'm not telling you this to discourage you."

I want you to understand that the path of an actor is never determined by a single audition.

Don't be discouraged if you don't get a definite answer right away, and don't think you're so capable that you can give up if you're not elected.

"To put it bluntly, in this industry, actors are the ones who get picked. All you can do is hone yourself to be better so that directors will give you a second glance when they're casting."

The words were a bit rough, but Li Xiang felt a warm feeling in his heart as he listened.

He understood perfectly well that Uncle Wang was trying to prevent him from feeling disappointed, and was subtly preparing him for the worst. This sentiment from an elder was truly profound.

Then a smile spread across his face: "Don't worry, I'm not that fragile. Besides, a great director like Director Zhang has worked with countless excellent actors."

"I'm only getting this audition opportunity because of you; otherwise, I probably wouldn't even have a chance. So I'll just wait patiently for the results."

Seeing his clear-headed expression, Uncle Wang felt much more at ease.

Regardless of how much truth was in those words, the fact that the child could say such a thing shows that their emotional intelligence is quite high.

In this circle, people with high emotional intelligence generally don't have too much trouble.

Thinking it over, he considered it further and then said:

"Just focus on your acting studies at school. Your uncle may not have any other great skills, but he can still find you some decent resources."

"Didn't you see how I, your uncle, managed to get you an audition? How bad could you possibly be?"

"Then we'll have to rely entirely on you, Uncle?" Li Xiang said, his tone shifting, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"If all else fails, I'll give you a role when you become a director yourself. I've only been learning for half a year, so I'm really not picky."

Uncle Wang was amused by him and slapped him on the back of the head: "You little rascal, you're actually thinking about this for me. If that day ever comes, you'll definitely get your share of the credit!"

As they chatted and laughed, the atmosphere in the carriage completely relaxed, and the earlier thoughts were dispelled by the laughter of the old man and the child.

The traffic was congested all the way, and by the time the car arrived at the entrance of Beijing Film Academy, it was almost noon.

Li Xiang politely declined Uncle Wang's invitation to have a bite together. After getting out of the car, she watched it merge into the traffic before turning around and walking into the campus.

After walking a few steps, I bumped into Teacher Huang Lei, who was about to go out for dinner.

He quickly jogged a few steps forward and called out, "Teacher Huang."

Huang Lei clearly knew what day it was, and seeing this, he pulled him into his car, closing the door before asking, "How was it? Did it go smoothly?"

Facing his teacher, Li Xiang didn't hide anything and told him everything about the audition.

From the casual chat at their first meeting to the audition clips, and then to Director Zhang saying to wait for news and exchanging phone numbers, everything was explained clearly.

After listening, Huang Lei tapped his fingertips lightly on the steering wheel.

Although he wasn't very familiar with Zhang Yimou, he had been in the industry for many years and had a good understanding of what directors were thinking.

A moment later, he started the car and said as he turned the steering wheel, "I think you have a good chance, kid."

"You just said that Director Zhang took the initiative to ask for your contact information and said he would notify you of the results—that speaks volumes."

"If Director Zhang didn't like you, he wouldn't bother asking for a young person like you for contact information. He could have just told your Uncle Wang directly."

A director of his caliber has incredibly valuable time; there's no need for him to be polite with irrelevant people.

Upon hearing this, Li Xiang nodded repeatedly, feeling a weight lift from his heart.

"Furthermore, there aren't many juniors your age in this industry who are also formally studying in a professional field."

Furthermore, given that the drama is set in a rural area, the accents from Hong Kong and Taiwan would be a hurdle to overcome, while the age requirements are very strict for mainland actors, so there aren't actually that many suitable candidates.

"So even if you're on vacation, don't let your guard down. Think more about the character, especially the eyes—didn't you say you have expressive eyes? Then amplify that strength."

He would never speak without a purpose upon first meeting; at the very least, it proves that his focus is on that area...

If this drama is really confirmed, then the female lead will definitely be the focus of the show. If you don't want to be overshadowed, you'll have to work hard on your eyes.

After all, it's a pure romance drama, and it's a story set in that era, so there's not much physical movement. Most of the time, it relies on eye contact.

Whether it's pity, admiration, or tenderness hidden in your eyes, if you can let your emotions shine through them, even a "Zhang Yimou girl" can't overshadow your brilliance.

"Speaking of which, you've caught a good time."

Look at films like "The Story of Qiu Ju" and "Raise the Red Lantern"—in which one doesn't the female lead's screen time far surpass the male lead's? The male actors barely have any room to showcase their talents.

Only in this pure romance film are the male and female leads' screen time roughly equal; otherwise, even if they acted in it, they might only end up with a good-sounding reputation.

"So if you really get selected, you better not let me down."

If you act well, you might not become an overnight sensation, but at least you'll become a familiar face in the industry.

By then, your Uncle Wang and I will have access to a lot more resources for you.

Unlike now, you're just a freshman, not only are you inexperienced, but you don't even have a single decent piece of work to show for it—

There are several projects I'd like to connect you with, but I haven't had the confidence to ask.

These words startled Li Xiang. He really didn't expect that this teacher in front of him had considered so much for him behind the scenes.

It's often said that to succeed in the entertainment industry, you need a mentor to help you avoid pitfalls.

Looking back now, Teacher Huang was more than just a benefactor to him; he was practically a mentor.

"Don't worry, teacher. If I really get the role, I'll do my best to play it well. Our professionally trained acting students from Beijing Film Academy will never be outdone."

Huang Lei relaxed his brows a little and a faint smile appeared on his lips: "Good that you understand."

This industry is all about seizing opportunities; if you miss them, you'll be relegated to the back of the queue. Once you have this work as a foundation, the road ahead will be much easier.

As they were talking, the car turned into the alley, and the smell of cooking oil from the restaurant wafted into the car. Li Xiang rolled down the window and took a deep breath:

"Then I'll be waiting for your guidance in the future. When I achieve great success, you'll be the mentor of a superstar—that'll be amazing!"

Huang Lei laughed and scolded, "You're so good at coaxing people. You should focus on securing your role first."

Despite saying that, he couldn't hide the satisfaction in his eyes.