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

Beijing was still chilly after the New Year. The train station exit was crowded with people. Li Xiang wrapped his coat tighter and spotted Uncle Wang in the back of the crowd.

This was something Uncle Wang had specifically instructed him to do early in the morning, saying he would personally take him to Zhang Yimou's studio.

Seeing him come out, they led him to the car and said, "Get in quickly, it's rush hour and the traffic is terrible."

Once the car merged into the traffic, Uncle Wang got down to business: "You might not know this since you're not in Beijing, but things have been quite turbulent in the entertainment industry lately because of the preparations for this film."

Otherwise, they wouldn't have only notified you so close to the end of the year, and if Director Zhang hadn't personally made the final decision, it would have been uncertain whether you would have gotten the role at all.

He paused, then abruptly swerved the steering wheel, narrowly avoiding a bicycle that had run a red light, and couldn't help but spit out a curse.

"You know, Guoli approached Director Zhang three times just to get his son into this movie. You should remember his son, right? The one from the Central Academy of Drama."

He played his father in "Kangxi's Private Visits" and "Ji Xiaolan 3," and now he's 28, but he's still determined to play the third son...

"Isn't this ridiculous? In the original story, the third brother was only in his early twenties, with a fresh and youthful vibe."

His son, on the other hand, has a roguish look, yet he insists on playing these kinds of roles, and he can't force himself to have that clean-cut vibe.

They would have been better suited to urban dramas; I don't know what they were thinking.

A gust of wind blew in through the half-open car window, carrying the noise of the street. Uncle Wang glanced at you in the passenger seat and added:

"It's just that Director Zhang is stubborn and won't budge, plus his son is involved in a film starring Jiang Xiaojun—"

You know, these two don't get along very well. Heh, they really think Yimou is some pushover made of clay... How amusing."

Li Xiang looked ahead, but his ears were perked up to listen to the gossip. After all, he was just a nobody. People wouldn't dare to hold a grudge against Director Zhang, but as for him... well, that was another story.

Moreover, such things are commonplace in the industry. Big shots or investors want to pave the way for their own people, always trying to fit the role into the mold, regardless of whether the role is suitable or not.

It's as if the opportunity is only for them. It was like this ten years ago, and it hasn't changed ten years later, even in 2026... it will still be the same.

If we were to really count those who came from humble backgrounds and were able to truly establish themselves in the industry, there would only be one person like Baoqiang. This shows just how difficult it is to make a name for yourself in this industry.

"Uncle, what did Director Zhang say?" Li Xiang turned his head and asked.

"To be honest, a big director like Yi Mou can make all the decisions himself in small productions."

Only when faced with a big-budget production costing over 100 million do we have to listen to the opinions of others.

After all, the name "Zhang Yimou" is a golden brand in itself, capable of attracting real box office revenue and attention.

As for forcing a cow to drink water, that's simply not something someone of his caliber would do. That's precisely why everyone's desperate to get a role in his show.

"You've got a head start, being the first to be approached by Director Zhang, plus you're definitely a good fit for the role."

No matter how much the others tried to sabotage it, it always lacked something; in a way, it was a lucky break.

"I'm telling you all this so you can have some peace of mind. Don't let gossip lead you to overthink things and make you feel inadequate."

The film crew was a small place, not too big, not too small either; it was like a mini-society. You're not a hundred-dollar bill; you can't expect everyone to like you.

"So when you get to the film set, just follow Director Zhang's instructions. Be polite to everyone else."

As for the rest, whether you can get along well with them and establish yourself is up to your own abilities.

In the short time it took to talk, the car stopped again in front of the office building in that old residential area.

Uncle Wang turned off the engine and looked at Li Xiang sideways: "I'll only accompany you this one more time. From now on, I'll have to rely on you. You'd better be smart in the future."

After saying this, he pushed open the door and got out of the car, leading Li Xiang to open the main gate.

The house was now bustling with activity, unlike the quietness of the last visit, with everyone busy with their own things.

Upon seeing the two of them arrive, no one was surprised. Instead, they all stood up to greet Uncle Wang before going about their own business.

At that moment, the door to the director's office opened, and a woman with outstanding looks and temperament walked out. Li Xiang didn't recognize her and figured she probably wasn't a celebrity.

She saw the two men laugh first, and after a few steps, she walked up to them and greeted Uncle Wang warmly, "Brother Wang, Happy New Year!" Judging from their tone, they were clearly acquaintances.

Uncle Wang also turned to Li Xiang and introduced, "This is your sister Lulu, Director Zhang's assistant director, who also acts as the casting director."

Li Xiang quickly nodded and greeted, "Hello, Sister Lulu."

The woman waved her hand cheerfully: "Call me senior sister, we're both from Beijing Film Academy, it sounds more intimate to call you senior sister."

He looked Li Xiang up and down, then smiled and praised, "It seems our school has found another promising talent."

Uncle Wang slapped his forehead: "Oh dear, I forgot about that. You two are from the same sect. Lulu, you'll have to keep a close eye on this junior brother."

"Of course. Uncle Wang doesn't know yet, but Teacher Huang called me specifically to talk about this."

She smiled and glanced at Li Xiang, "It seems our junior brother is highly regarded by the teachers."

"You know the state of the school. It has such a prestigious reputation, yet it has relied on some old guys to keep it afloat for so many years. It should at least have some sense of crisis."

When her alma mater was mentioned, the woman named Lulu was clearly helpless. She sighed softly before saying:

"With the current social climate, what else can we do? Besides, everyone around us is so dazzling and alluring; how many young people can resist?"

"How old are you to start spouting nonsense like an old man like me..."

As they were talking, the office door behind them opened again, and this time it was Director Zhang himself who came out. Seeing the three of them chatting happily nearby, he was clearly quite helpless.

"I've been waiting inside for ages, and all I heard was you two chatting so enthusiastically outside. Come on in, come on in."

He then beckoned to the woman, "Come in too, and help me with the contract later."

The group squeezed into his small office.

Once everyone was seated, Director Zhang didn't look at anyone else, but stared straight at Li Xiang: "Your Uncle Wang must have told you about the role, right?"

To be honest, even I didn't expect things to get this heated over a male lead role; even the school called specifically to discuss it.

As he spoke, he didn't notice the woman next to him and Uncle Wang exchanging glances.

The director was completely unaware of this while preparing for the film, but the two of them knew that the school wouldn't ask questions out of the blue.

It's because I heard that Guo Li's son, who's from the Central Academy of Drama, is eyeing this role. I was worried there might be some shady dealings involved, so I stepped in to try and be fair.

Director Zhang, oblivious to the subtle exchange between the two, continued, "Don't feel too much pressure, but you still have to take it seriously, after all, so many eyes are watching."

As he spoke, he glanced at Uncle Wang and said, "Old Wang has been drinking with me several times because of this, and he keeps bringing it up with me."

So when filming, I definitely won't be sloppy; we have to be strict when necessary.