Chapter 87: Big Heart

Everyone was an insider, and they had long heard that Wong Kar-wai felt that the small corner of Hong Kong was too small and wanted to go to Hollywood to break through.

But why would Chen Nuo be on his casting list?

The first difficulty Li Er thought of was language. She didn't know what Wong Kar-wai planned, but she didn't want Chen Nuo to go to the film as a vase who didn't speak lines and only mouthed the words.

Even if the director was Wong Kar-wai, it wouldn't do.

So she asked it directly.

Qi Yuntian scratched his head and said, "His spoken language is really very good. I think it's better than mine, there's no accent at all. If he didn't say it, I would feel he had lived in the United States for many years. Last time we went to meet Wong Kar-wai, the French translator at the time was an American, and Chen Nuo chatted with him in English the whole time. I guess this time Wong Kar-wai found us, and he had already considered this aspect, otherwise, language barriers might not be a big problem for other directors, but for him, it definitely wouldn't work."

Li Er turned to ask Chen Nuo, "Have you practiced?"

Chen Nuo couldn't say that he almost became a "run-person" because of Pan Chengrong in his previous life, so he could only lie, "Yes, I learned from the TV set since I was a child. I especially like watching that thing called, it's the one that saves people on the beach."

Li Er said unhappily, "Baywatch. This time you go to Hollywood, don't open your mouth if you don't know. I still remember the Bresson thing last time, it almost pissed me off. I don't require you to go to Hollywood to win any glory for our Film Academy, at least don't let people dislike you, okay?"

Qi Yuntian said, "Mom, do you think he should go?"

Li Er said, "Just like Teacher Huang and Teacher Ye said, if you don't go to film Wong Kar-wai's movie, what else do you want to film? Act as Yang Guo and then act as Linghu Chong? Go, must go!"

Speaking of this, Li Er changed the subject, "But after you go, Qi Yuntian, you must keep a close eye on him for me, no messing around, heard me?"

If you want to ask which region's movies had the deepest influence on the aesthetic taste of mainland audiences in the early 21st century, Hong Kong says second, and no place dares to say it is first.

From *The Eagle Shooting Heroes* to *A Chinese Odyssey*, from *Young and Dangerous* to *In the Mood for Love*, from *God of Gamblers* to *Infernal Affairs*... one Hong Kong movie after another influenced two whole generations in the mainland. There is no one born in the 80s or 90s who didn't grow up watching these movies.

Jet Tone Films' address is in Tongluowan, a three-story independent small building. Chen Nuo and Qi Yuntian were sitting in the business car sent by Jet Tone Films to pick them up. Just as they arrived, they were blocked by a group of people.

The car was turning, preparing to enter the small building's garage. There were about ten people blocking the car, all young people in their 20s, men and women, all dressed fashionably and looking quite good.

Everyone held exhibition boards of different materials, with Chinese and English names and phone numbers written on them.

For example, the one who was lying on the car window next to Chen Nuo and looking in right now, with long eyelashes and big eyes, flaming red lips, looked both sexy and charming. She used her towering chest to press a piece of white paper against the glass, and on the white paper was written "sunny, Zhang Jiaqi, phone xxxxxxxx."

Although blocked, the driver's expression was very relaxed. After making a phone call, he noticed Chen Nuo's eyes in the rearview mirror and said in broken Hong Kong-style Mandarin: "Chen Sheng likes this kind of mature and sexy girl? Can call them out to play at night."

Qi Yuntian coughed and asked, "Who are these people?" The driver yawned and said: "All are some newcomers who want to get ahead. Don't know where they heard the director is going to film a new movie, so they want to come over and see if there is a chance. But where is there a chance to give them, useless."

"Pa pa pa!"

That girl actually started patting the car window next to Chen Nuo and made a gesture, seemingly wanting him to roll down the window.

The driver smiled: "Chen Sheng, rest assured, they can't see inside. But, if you like, these girls and boys can all accompany you to play, but, just need to talk about safety. Also, don't let the paparazzi take pictures, and don't let them steal pictures. Small actors, very hard to get ahead, all very cunning."

Damn, so troublesome, so am I going to hook up or go to the underground party to meet up? Chen Nuo chuckled: "Let's go quickly."

"Chen Sheng, sorry, wait a while, wait for our security to arrive, we can leave."

Waiting in the car for a while, two security guards wearing blue uniforms came out of the small building. It seemed to be some kind of unwritten rule; as soon as they came out, this group of men and women scattered like birds and beasts.

After entering the garage, Wong Kar-wai and another boss of the company, Jeff Lau, were actually waiting to pick up the car. Before the car stopped steadily, Chen Nuo and Qi Yuntian jumped out of the car in a hurry, saying they didn't dare.

Jeff Lau exchanged pleasantries with them for a while and then went to busy himself with his own things, leaving Wong Kar-wai and a few assistants to chat with them in the conference room. This time, compared to the last time, Wong Kar-wai was like a different person, eloquent and endless. He is a Shanghainese, although he went to Hong Kong since he was a child and had a little accent, compared to the local Hong Kong people's Mandarin, it was already very good.

"Time is short, very short, StudioCanal wants me to finish filming within three months, because this film will be the opening film of the Cannes Film Festival in May next year."

Wong Kar-wai said, "I expect to start work in January and finish filming within 2 months. Originally, this role of Nuo Zai was to be played by Jude Law, but later Pierre liked Nuo Zai and convinced his boss, saying that this movie cannot only face the Western market, but also take into account the East. The pressure from that side is very high, and I can only agree. Do you know, just because of this, the heroine I originally wanted has been changed now."

Wong Kar-wai wore sunglasses and kept a straight face, looking very unhappy.

Before Qi Yuntian could speak, Chen Nuo smiled and said, "Director, how is that possible. Don't scare me. If it goes out, Wong Kar-wai was coerced by the investors to change the male and female leads. It's estimated that even the auntie sweeping the floor in Tongluowan wouldn't believe it."

As soon as the words fell, Wong Kar-wai laughed, looked around, and said: "I often say that fools can't film movies well. Look, Nuo Zai is so smart, only such smart people can act well."

Several assistants nodded in cooperation and started to flatter Wong Kar-wai in Cantonese.

Wong Kar-wai smiled, seemingly enjoying it.

"Okay, I'm talking to Nuo Zai now."

Wong Kar-wai had heard enough, pressed his hand down, and several people immediately stopped talking.

He said to Chen Nuo: "Nuo Zai, I won't tell you lies. I don't have much confidence in this movie, because the time is too short. The script is my idea, but it wasn't written by me in the end; it was requested to be written by Lawrence Block. Because dealing with these ghosts is very troublesome, the script must be handed to them in advance. Also, this availability is also fixed. These things are different from my usual ones."

"I told Ah Wei that if we film like this, there will definitely be no good results. I originally wanted to change the role, wanted Wei Zai to act as the male lead, but those ghosts didn't agree before, saying Wei Zai has no market, heh, I fuck his mother."

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 88 =====