Chapter 978

"This is an old Hollywood promotional strategy."

Chen Ziyan said: "There is already ambiguity and sparks between the male and female leads in the film itself; at this time, spreading rumors about the leads is very helpful for driving the film's topic."

Lu Qingzhen: "Are Yan Liang and Lily Williams really not into each other? The look in their eyes in the film makes me fall for them a bit."

"You've been in this industry for so long, how can you still be deceived by the images in a film."

"I've been in this industry for so long, and I can still be deceived by the images in a film; that's the point." Lu Qingzhen said, "That's why I'm curious if they are really together in private."

"As far as I know, they aren't." Chen Ziyan shook her head, "Yan Liang is different from Yan He and Li Zhibai; he is the most rational of the three. You have to know that the more rational a person is, the harder it is to fall into the river of love."

"Yan Liang was pushed to this point by Lu Yanhe and Li Zhibai." Lu Qingzhen said, "To be honest, in terms of the support of time, place, and people for an artist, Yan Liang is the one who benefited the most. Relying solely on his own efforts, he really wouldn't have reached this position."

"You can't say it like that. Everyone's success is achieved under the circumstances of time, place, and people. This is something that cannot be quantified, so, very realistically, you can only judge by the final result." Chen Ziyan said, "Are those who won the Best Actor and Best Actress trophies the ones with the best acting skills? Should their status in the film industry be the highest? Not necessarily, but the rules are just like that. You say Yan Liang couldn't have reached this position today relying solely on his own efforts; could Lu Yanhe and Li Zhibai have? Actually, not necessarily, including ourselves."

Lu Qingzhen: "I understand what you mean, and I agree with it. What I actually want to say is—how should I put it, it's just, I'm not saying Yan Liang doesn't deserve his current achievements, I feel that, conventionally speaking, for him to achieve his current results, it means he has to make greater sacrifices. He can't just say he's going to rest like Yan He, nor can he be like Li Zhibai, almost defying the fans' wishes to officially announce he's dating Jiang Yuqian. His background determines that he is more cautious, and it's even more impossible for him to simply be himself and make decisions based on his own thoughts. Dating is especially like this."

Chen Ziyan: "Yan Liang is also almost thirty years old; he doesn't need to maintain a single persona to solidify his fans anymore."

"That's what you say, but you have to let Yan Liang realize it himself, let Yan Liang acknowledge it himself."

Zhou Ping'an didn't expect that Yan Liang wouldn't let him go back to be his agent, but only an operation director for his studio.

However, to some extent, Zhou Ping'an understood it himself.

Yan Liang, of course, couldn't invite him back to be his agent.

That was an impossible thing.

Yan Liang became a global hit with *Speed of Life and Death*—

The fan base accumulated from *Friends*, and the international fame brought to him by *Flypaper* previously, along with the box office explosion of *Speed of Life and Death*, brought his career to a new peak.

As soon as Zhou Ping'an took over, he began to face various sudden growth businesses.

This was immediately reflected in media interviews and brand contacts.

An actor is actually very difficult to balance commerciality and artistry.

Therefore, some people are curious why Jennifer Lawrence has such a high status in Hollywood; it's because she is the only one among the young generation of actresses in Hollywood who has achieved this.

*Winter's Bone* made her receive an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress at a young age, and *Silver Linings Playbook* directly made her the second youngest Academy Award Best Actress winner in history.

And the *X-Men* and *The Hunger Games* series maximized her global fame and commerciality. Unlike Scarlett Johansson, the *The Hunger Games* series was her big female-lead film.

Yan Liang is not an actor with outstanding acting skills.

But his experience in several films like *Gold Rush* and *The Summit* made him, under the shaping of the media, an actor who could make huge sacrifices for acting. This gave him a certain legendary quality as an actor. Especially his image in the first *Gold Rush*, which is still often taken out and spread and praised on social media to this day.

Therefore, when *Speed of Life and Death* once again displayed his side as a hunk and masculine sex symbol, the public and fans fell in love with his appearance, while critics and the industry gave high praise to his shaping ability.

"When *Friends* had almost stereotyped his image, he could still refresh the public's impression of him with *Speed of Life and Death*; this is a very scarce ability."

"Yan Liang displayed his greatest charm since his debut in *Speed of Life and Death*. Previously, he relied on various characteristic characters to show his ability as an actor; finally, his friend Lu Yanhe tailored a film for him, fully displaying his own charm. *Speed of Life and Death* is a work that marks his transition from a well-known actor to a big-name star."

Zhou Ping'an said to Yan Liang: "You should strike while the iron is hot and take on another Hollywood blockbuster."

Yan Liang said: "I've already accepted my next film; it's a drama."

Zhou Ping'an was stunned.

"A biographical story about a Chinese-American genius living in the United States." Yan Liang said, "So, in the short term, I can't take on another Hollywood blockbuster."

Zhou Ping'an: "This—"

Yan Liang said: "Brother Ping'an, regarding my career development, I have my own ideas, so don't worry about it. Just help me manage the team well."

Zhou Ping'an sighed helplessly.

"Alright."

Yan Liang trusted Zhou Ping'an's ability and his vision, however, at his current stage, he no longer needed Zhou Ping'an to plan his career.

No matter how strong Zhou Ping'an's ability was, his vision could no longer keep up.

He had never been a star with international fame like Yan Liang, nor did he understand the world film industry.

——Wasn't it because Lu Yanhe's situation had improved at the time, so he wanted to change agents?

Therefore, while so many actors in China were "going to sea," and the domestic agency system was constantly connecting with the international one, Zhou Ping'an was still staying in place.

Regarding the direction of Yan Liang's next film, Lu Yanhe had already told Yan Liang.

Yan Liang shouldn't position himself as an action superstar in commercial films and blockbusters, but should continue his image as a dedicated professional actor accumulated in the early stages.

Blockbusters, small films, action films, or dramas can all be accepted.

He had a wider range of choices than Li Zhibai and Lu Yanhe—

In terms of bearing box office failure.

Films starring Yan Liang, even if the box office is not very successful, including art films and so on, have little impact.

Lu Yanhe has a miracle of "box office winning streak" that needs to be maintained.