Chapter 654: One agrees, one refuses

But Chen Ziyan had not expected that on her way driving to Huiziyuanqiao, she would receive a call from Lu Qingzhen.

"Minglan?" Chen Ziyan was taken aback.

Lu Qingzhen said on the phone that she had just received an email from Parameter, inviting Wen Minglan to audition for *Doomsday*.

This news was completely beyond Chen Ziyan's expectations.

Wen Minglan?

Wen Minglan was the only actress she was currently managing.

As an actress around the same age as Lu Yan He, if not for the comparison with Lu Yan He, her current fame, popularity, and status would be equally worthy of Chen Ziyan's reputation as a "Golden Hand" agent.

However, to say that she could therefore be noticed by a mainstream Hollywood commercial film like this and invited to audition for the female lead—Chen Ziyan, who was familiar with Hollywood rules, knew very well that this was contrary to common sense.

Of course, if one had to find a reason, it was because the show *Friends* was indeed quite popular on Maxine, and Wen Minglan, as one of the six leads, still had some fame because of this role.

However, the bad part was that if she didn't appear as this character, not that many foreigners would actually recognize her.

It was just like *Game of Thrones*; if you asked many Chinese people about Emilia Clarke, perhaps not many would have heard the name, but if you said "Dragon Mother," that image would immediately surface in many people's minds.

But the more a role exceeds the actor's own fame, the more limited the choices for other roles become.

Chen Ziyan inexplicably felt a bit strange.

About Wen Minglan receiving the audition invitation—

After meeting Lu Yan He, Chen Ziyan said to him, "I always feel something is wrong with this matter."

"What's wrong?"

"It's normal for many actors to audition for mainstream Hollywood commercial films, but the number of official audition invitations sent by the film production side is not large. Usually, they go through some public channels in the industry, publicly accepting audition clips from everyone. At the beginning, they often just send relevant materials via email, or complete this step through casting directors or companies."

Chen Ziyan said, "However, Minglan's invitation was sent by the Parameter company. This kind of treatment usually only happens to actors the film side is particularly optimistic about. If Minglan were really particularly favored, that would be one thing, but as of now, not only Minglan, but Jiang Yuqian and Caina also received audition invitations directly from Parameter."

"Where is the problem with doing this?"

"The problem... the biggest problem is that this film will lose value, giving actors the feeling that this film is not a big enough production," Chen Ziyan said. "Of course, this is just my view. For Hollywood film companies, strictly controlling the number of officially invited auditionees is mainly to give the actors they actively invite a sense of respect. After all, they are already famous actors, not in the stage of being unknown and waiting in long lines at the audition site to enter the interview room."

Lu Yan He: "Perhaps they also want to do marketing from the audition stage, so they sent audition invitations to so many famous actors, which will also be a marketing point later."

Chen Ziyan: "Perhaps, that's possible. However, it seems that the female lead of this film will likely have a bloody battle."

"Sister Yuqian's competitiveness is still the strongest, right?" Lu Yan He said.

"Currently, it looks that way. However, judging from Parameter's wide-net casting move, they are not that satisfied with Jiang Yuqian either; they must still be hesitating," Chen Ziyan shook her head. "However, that is not the point now. The point is I want to ask you, do you mind if actors from Shihu act with Chen Pinhe?"

"Forget about bad films. For an opportunity that adds so much to an actor's career, why not?" Lu Yan He said. "This is just a private matter between Chen Pinhe and me, and I can't let Sister Yuqian and Minglan give up such an opportunity because of my issues with him."

"Yes," Chen Ziyan said. "If you had such thoughts, I would really have to advise you to give them up. That would be very bad for you and your friends. This kind of opportunity is too important for 95% of actors. If they can successfully land this role, for Minglan, it can be said to be a direct leap to a higher level. For Jiang Yuqian, it can also further consolidate her current international fame and popularity, not to mention Caina, whose own Thai market is too small; to become a superstar, she can only take the international route."

Lu Yan He nodded.

"Thinking that the director initially wanted to find you to act in this film makes me a bit angry," Chen Ziyan said. "Chen Pinhe actually intercepted this film, and I didn't receive any news at all, whether it was a director wanting to find you as the lead or Chen Pinhe intercepting a project that originally belonged to you."

"Chen Pinhe must have other connections and channels behind him; such things cannot be known in advance," Lu Yan He said. "Unless that director contacted me at the first moment, otherwise, who would know he wanted to find me to film?"

Chen Ziyan: "Our layout in Europe and America is still a bit lacking."

"Take it slow, how long has it been," Lu Yan He said. "To have the current situation, I already feel it is very rare."

Chen Ziyan: "Time waits for no one. Chen Pinhe can make a move once, he can make it twice. He has acting skills, seniority, and works. If he really returns to his prime and goes head-to-head with you, you might not necessarily be able to handle him. He has accumulated too many connections in the past."

Lu Yan He: "It's fine, let's just wear him down slowly. Anyway, I'm young, he will definitely die before me."

"If you can have such a mindset, that's fine."

Lu Yan He: "However, Sister Ziyan, you are right, time waits for no one. I can wait, but I don't want to sit idly by and wait. He wants to return to his prime, I don't want to watch him recover just like that. If he intercepts a film that was originally going to find me, then I will just use his own methods against him."

"What do you want to do? Do you want to snatch this film and act in it yourself?"

"I won't snatch it myself, I don't have the schedule to act in it. However, I can help others fight for it," Lu Yan He smiled slightly. "For example, Teacher Jiang Jun, the male lead of *Squid Game*, who was also nominated for a Golden Globe. He has high popularity, and his overseas social media accounts have millions of followers."

Chen Ziyan suddenly realized and laughed.

"Are you trying to snipe Chen Pinhe?"

"Let's try to snipe him. If we don't hit, there's no loss," Lu Yan He said. "Even if we don't hit, we can still cause him some trouble."

"Jiang Jun—he is indeed a candidate who can pose a threat to Chen Pinhe," Chen Ziyan said. "In terms of the influence of Chinese male actors, Jiang Jun has really been capable these past two years."

"And, if it's a *Squid Game* combination like Jiang Jun plus Jiang Yuqian, collaborating again, wouldn't Parameter be tempted?" Lu Yan He said. "*Doomsday* is a commercial film, it's aimed at making money and profit. No matter how famous Chen Pinhe is or how high his status is, in terms of commercial value over the last two or three years, Teacher Jiang Jun's is definitely higher."

"But Jiang Jun is a pity. At the time when *Squid Game* was hottest, he didn't consolidate his international popularity and fame like Jiang Yuqian did; he had less exposure," Chen Ziyan thought for a moment and said, "If we are going to help Jiang Jun fight for this film, relying on him alone might not be enough."

Lu Yan He asked: "Do you have any good ideas?"

Chen Ziyan said: "To make Parameter tempted by Jiang Jun, to make their executives realize that using Jiang Jun will have a greater effect on the box office performance of *Doomsday*." Her eyes turned, and she said: "Got it, I thought of it."

"What?" Lu Yan He asked.

"Release the news that we are going to develop a *Squid Game* film," Chen Ziyan said. "Let Hollywood film companies know that you want to collaborate with a Hollywood film company to develop it. Aiming at the influence of this show on streaming media, every film company will definitely be interested; it's just that different companies offer different conditions. We, on the other hand, don't really want to develop this film, we just use this matter to bring the attention of various companies back to Jiang Jun. Then the core information of this film version will be: Jiang Jun returns to star in this film."

A disguised form of hype.

Lu Yan He said: "Can this make Parameter include Teacher Jiang Jun in the consideration range for the male lead?"

"No, but it can make Parameter remember the actor Jiang Jun. Through this news, let the film company see that Jiang Jun still has a place in the market and is still receiving attention and expectations. There are too many actors; you must first give them a positive impression that they can collaborate with," Chen Ziyan said. "Next is the matter of public relations; it depends on how we handle it."

Lu Yan He understood Chen Ziyan's idea.

"There is just one point, Teacher Jiang Jun might not necessarily be willing to act in it."

"Jiang Jun will definitely be willing to act," Chen Ziyan said. "He just doesn't like the social aspect, but he is not stupid. He knows the help such a mainstream Hollywood commercial film will have for his career. His situation in the circle after that surgery, his past experience of not being popular for a long time, all make him cherish everything he has now. Don't think Jiang Jun doesn't care about these; he cares even more, which is why he is more cautious."

Lu Yan He nodded.

【No errors, first release, content seen at a glance!】

"And, Jiang Jun's contract is finally about to expire; he is coming to Shihu," Chen Ziyan said. "We are operating this film for him, it's justified."

Lu Yan He: "Okay, that's great."

"Of course, there is one more point. If they are willing to switch to Jiang Jun, we can help this film connect with investment," Chen Ziyan said. "Bringing capital into the group, even for Parameter, they won't complain about having too much money."

"Then what if it loses money?"

"Investment always has gains and losses; who promises that investment will definitely be profitable? The *Doomsday* project, in a sense, is already a film with very profitable prospects. This kind of visual effects film has a basic foundation," Chen Ziyan said. "Actually, on the way here, I was still thinking about how to persuade you to temporarily put aside your disgust and resistance toward Chen Pinhe, and try not to let your private relationship affect other people's opportunities. I didn't expect your idea to be bolder, but I like it. You are right, from now on, as long as it is Chen Pinhe's project, we will snipe it."

Lu Yan He nodded: "Although I can't flip the table, I have to fire a few shots to satisfy my craving. If I can snipe Chen Pinhe's role this time, I must celebrate fiercely. At that time, I will hold a big party and invite all my friends to come and play."

"Let everyone know you are celebrating your successful revenge on Chen Pinhe?"

Lu Yan He widened his eyes.

"Of course, it's to celebrate Teacher Jiang Jun's success!"

Just as Chen Ziyan said, after Jiang Jun learned of such an opportunity, he immediately expressed that he wanted it.

However, Jiang Jun had another problem.

He heard that for this film, Parameter had already decided on Chen Pinhe, and he didn't really want to snatch a role from Chen Pinhe.

Chen Ziyan said bluntly: "Before the contract is signed, everything is an unknown."

Jiang Jun said: "But this is not according to the rules. Someone else's play, I go to snatch it, what kind of thing is that."

Chen Ziyan said: "Jiang Jun, others are not as noble as you think. This role, this play, the director was prepared to find Yan He to act in it, but he used means to snatch it. Although even if this film finally came to find Yan He, Yan He would not have time to act and would decline it, but these are two different things."

Jiang Jun was stunned.

"When Chen Pinhe snatched this play, he didn't let go because the director's first choice was Yan He," Chen Ziyan said. "The entertainment industry is a place where the weak are prey to the strong. We are not breaking the law or committing crimes; snatching roles is a common occurrence for actors, it's not something shameful."

Jiang Jun fell into silence.

Chen Ziyan waited for him to think it through himself.

Like Lu Yan He, she was unwilling to hide it from Jiang Jun, use him as a gun, and let him rashly snatch a role without knowing about Chen Pinhe's matter.

Chen Pinhe snatching Lu Yan He's role is Chen Pinhe and Lu Yan He's business; if Jiang Jun really goes to snatch Chen Pinhe's role, then it has something to do with Jiang Jun.

Chen Ziyan actually didn't have moral pressure for this kind of thing.

She sincerely believed that for a good project and a good role, only an unaspiring actor would not fight or snatch.

As an agent, she understood very well that in the entertainment industry, not fighting or snatching and being as indifferent as a chrysanthemum can be a persona, but it absolutely cannot be your style—an artist who really has this style must have an agent who can protect this style very well, such as herself.

Lu Yan He being able to have his current purity and kindness, she doesn't boast or brag, definitely has half of her credit.

Without her, Lu Yan He would either have been eaten clean and eliminated, or he would have struggled and long ago trained himself into a body of iron and copper, absolutely impossible to be like he is now.

And Jiang Jun didn't hesitate much. After thinking for about a few minutes, he said: "Okay, whatever you need me to cooperate with, tell me. This opportunity is very precious to me, I cannot give it up easily."

"Good, we will do our best to help you compete for this project and strive to treat it as a greeting gift for you coming to Shihu," Chen Ziyan said with a smile.

Jiang Jun shook his head: "Let's not say these polite words. Me coming to Shihu is a matter of course. Before, my overseas agency was always handled by you. Even if my full contract wasn't signed over, basically my affairs were all managed by you. I was actually already a signed actor of Shihu."

Chen Ziyan smiled, "Thank you."

At this time, Lu Yan He also received a call from Liu Teli.

"Sorry, Yan He, I thought about it seriously for a long time. This film is still too risky for me; this is not the screen image I am good at," Liu Teli said. "I won't tell you empty words. I am afraid to take risks, it's not that your script is not good, it's too good. I struggled for a long time before I resisted the temptation to act in it. I hope we can collaborate next time."

Recommend the new Xianxia novel *Jiyao Jian*, already! (End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 655 =====