[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-starting-from-stealing-the-role-in-1995-huayu":3,"chapter-starting-from-stealing-the-role-in-1995-huayu-starting-from-stealing-the-role-in-1995-huayu-chapter-300":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Starting from Stealing the Role in 1995 Huayu",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2321289,4540,"Chapter 300: I","starting-from-stealing-the-role-in-1995-huayu-chapter-300",300,"\u003Cp>Late April, the Pirates of the Caribbean series set sail again, with a launch ceremony held in Los Angeles; rather than immediately heading outdoors, the crew first filmed all interior scenes at the local studio base, including interiors of the Black Pearl and the Flying Dutchman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The film had been shooting for a week, but progress was far from smooth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, Wu Yuchen sat face-to-face once more with Depp’s agent, Fat Jack, while Depp himself, beside him, looked drained—he had just finished removing his makeup.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Yuchen stared sternly at Depp: “Depp, don’t you have anything to say?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Depp remained silent; his agent Fat Jack smiled at Wu Yuchen: “Hey, Wu, don’t get so tense—I think this is just a minor hiccup.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he spoke, he pinched his thumb and forefinger together, as if this were truly insignificant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A minor hiccup? He made the entire crew wait two hours—he alone stalled the whole production! You call this a minor hiccup?!” Wu Yuchen’s voice rose in volume; anyone could hear his anger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Wu Yuchen’s fury, Fat Jack gently pressed his hands against his chest: “Calm down, Wu—Johnny didn’t mean it. You know, everyone gets drunk sometimes…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Yuchen pointed directly at him: “I allowed Depp to drink, but not so the entire crew could fucking wait for him! Alcohol gives him joy, but it’s ruined everyone’s mood! The entire production’s schedule is being dragged down by him!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A month ago, before leaving, Wu Yuchen finalized the contract negotiations with Depp; Depp’s side ultimately accepted the studio’s salary offer, but Depp himself insisted on one special privilege in the contract: he must be allowed to drink during filming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had his reasons—alcohol kept him in good spirits and helped him portray Jack Sparrow. If this wasn’t granted, he refused to sign.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After speaking with Spielberg, Wu Yuchen ultimately agreed to Depp’s demand—after all, the Pirates project couldn’t be delayed any longer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And now, Depp was no longer the B-list star he’d been before Pirates; having risen to A-list status, he naturally demanded many privileges on set—like having his pet dog brought to him instantly whenever he missed it, with the crew covering all costs for the dog and its caretaker. Such clauses filled the contract.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Hollywood, when a star rises to A-list status, everyone circles around him—especially when his position on set becomes pivotal—and he enjoys countless privileges; everyone has grown used to it. Some stars even do drugs on set, and the crew helps cover it up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Yuchen didn’t mind Depp’s privileges—he didn’t care about the extra cost, as long as Depp delivered a great Jack Sparrow. But now, things had gone against his wishes…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After being scolded by Wu Yuchen for a long while, Depp finally snapped: “It was just an accident! Why are you dragging this out? Are you trying to show off your authority?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Yuchen laughed bitterly: “An accident? Fuck! You’ve been on set less than a week and already this happens—how many more ‘accidents’ are coming? Once a week? Every five days? Should we get you a custom whiskey tub to bathe in daily?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Facing Wu Yuchen’s mockery, Depp’s face flushed red: “Enough! I don’t need your accusations! You have no right to judge me—I drink because it’s written in black and white in the contract! It’s my freedom!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Yuchen slammed his fist on the table and roared: “Fuck your freedom! Fuck your alcohol! Fuck your damn dog! Fuck your privileges!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Depp, listen! Every right you enjoy is built on your ability to shoot properly on set! Look at the shit you filmed today! Do you even have the face to mention your privileges?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We didn’t gather here to be your babysitters, serving a drunk baby! If you can’t shoot properly, I swear I’ll kick you off this set!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Depp stiffened his neck, raised his hand, and shouted at Wu Yuchen: “Do whatever you want, you tyrant!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, Depp stormed off in a rage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Depp had left, but his agent Fat Jack stayed. Depp could throw tantrums—he couldn’t. He had to clean up Depp’s mess.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Yuchen watched Depp’s retreating back, narrowed his eyes, and said to his agent: “Jack, go get your lawyer.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fat Jack froze, then shuddered, stepping quickly to Wu Yuchen’s side: “Wu, is this really necessary? It was just a normal argument—what you both said was just anger talking.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Yuchen snorted coldly: “Anger talking? Do you think I’m bluffing?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He glared at Fat Jack: “You don’t grasp how serious this is. Today’s incident doesn’t just hurt me—it hurts the entire crew! Everyone waited two full hours because of Depp’s lateness! And he delivered garbage footage! This means we wasted an entire day—and it derails everyone’s plans!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is Depp the only star on this set? Do you know Hugh Jackman is scheduled for the X-Men 2 premiere and promotion in two weeks? If we don’t finish shooting now, we’ll have to wait until he finishes his schedule. The entire crew will be stranded in Los Angeles while other exterior shoots wait, and can you cover all the extra costs? And the precious time we’ve lost—can the crew afford to wait?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I won’t allow a self-centered baby who ignores others’ feelings to stay on this set!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Yuchen turned to leave, but Fat Jack blocked him—he knew Depp was at fault and quickly apologized: “Director Wu, I know Johnny caused the crew a lot of trouble, but he didn’t mean it! I swear, it won’t happen again!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Swear?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Yuchen scoffed: “Jack, your promise means nothing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fat Jack asked: “Director Wu, then what do you want?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Yuchen said calmly: “An apology.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fat Jack’s expression changed: “Director Wu, I know Johnny offended you, but can’t you just reconcile?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Depp’s agent, he knew Depp’s temper well—he knew asking Depp to apologize to Wu Yuchen, who had screamed at him, was nearly impossible—it would feel worse than death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Yuchen shook his head: “Not to me—to the entire crew.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fat Jack fell silent for a moment: “Must it be this way?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If he wants to stay on this set, he must do it!” Wu Yuchen walked away without another word.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fat Jack rubbed his temples in pain, sighed, then hurried after Wu Yuchen, his bulky frame moving quickly: “Director Wu, give me three days—I’ll convince Johnny.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Yuchen studied Fat Jack’s face for several seconds, then nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching Wu Yuchen leave, Fat Jack knew he couldn’t handle this alone—he picked up his phone and called Depp’s wife, Vanessa, asking her to come with their daughter, Lily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two days later, accompanied by his wife and daughter, Depp had transformed into the perfect father—calm, composed, and sober for two full days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this Depp, Fat Jack smiled, then arranged a private talk with him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Apologize? Impossible. I will never bow to a tyrant!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing his agent’s words, Depp refused outright.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fat Jack spoke gently: “Hey, Johnny, no one’s asking you to bow to anyone, or to apologize to Wu—just to the entire crew. These are two different things, completely different—do you understand?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Depp insisted again: “I can drink—it’s written in the contract! It’s my right!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, Johnny, you can drink—no one says drinking is wrong!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But the issue isn’t drinking—it’s that you wasted everyone’s time, you were late, your performance that day was terrible, and you made everyone’s hard work meaningless. You won’t deny that, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Depp said nothing—he’d been drunk, dizzy, and his performance had been awful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fat Jack continued: “Johnny, if you insist, I’ll stand by you. We can sue the crew, even win a huge breach penalty.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But then he spread his hands: “But honestly, if we do this, your image will be destroyed. No major Hollywood studio will hire you again. The public will label you a drunkard—and your career will suffer severely…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Depp frowned—he knew this outcome was likely. No financier would hire someone who caused massive disruptions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fat Jack put his fat hand on Depp’s shoulder:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I know you don’t care what others think—but don’t you want Lily to grow up hearing only good things about her father?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Depp turned and looked at his three-year-old daughter, happily playing with a Jack Sparrow toy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Career, family, his daughter’s growth… Depp fell into thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fat Jack knew Depp was already convinced—he just acted like a stubborn boy, unwilling to save face. He needed one final push.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Johnny, you’re not apologizing to Wu—you’re apologizing to the entire crew. This isn’t bowing down—it’s standing tall and owning your mistakes. That’s true manhood!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a pause, Depp finally spoke: “Jack, as you said—I’m not bowing to anyone. I’m just taking responsibility for my actions.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Fat Jack smiled—he knew Depp had agreed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m sorry—I got drunk, arrived late, and wasted everyone’s time…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The entire crew stood together in silence, watching the lead actor, Depp, apologize to them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Honestly, most people didn’t react strongly to Depp’s drunken delay—there were thoughts, but they were numb. Drunkenness? Was it worse than drug-fueled madness?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was an A-list star—he had these privileges. The crew waited for him. From past experience, this would’ve been forgotten—maybe the director and producer would talk to him, he’d tone it down a bit, then slip back into it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this time was different. For three days, Depp didn’t show up—rumors spread: Wu Yuchen was firing him, Depp was bullying Wu, the film might collapse—everyone was unsettled…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, this morning, Wu Yuchen gathered the entire crew—and they saw the lead actor, Depp, humbly apologizing to them!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In all their past experiences, they’d never seen anything like it!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Regardless of what Depp thought, to every crew member, this was Wu Yuchen breaking Depp—making the A-list star bow and apologize to the entire crew!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But no one looked down on Depp—many even respected him more. After all, someone who admits fault earns goodwill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Yuchen watched the scene too. Fat Jack said to him: “Wu, are you satisfied?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Yuchen nodded: “Not me—I’m satisfied because the crew is.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he turned to Fat Jack: “This matter is closed. I won’t target Johnny. We’re here for one goal—to build an efficient team and make a great film.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Yuchen had been so firm because he had to rein in Depp’s bad habits early—before the six-month shoot turned into a nightmare of chaos.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He knew this guy was trouble—he’d cause endless headaches if left unchecked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After this, Depp would tone it down. His agent would watch him closely. And the entire crew would grow more united and efficient.\u003C\u002Fp>",1760,"2026-06-20T16:09:30.828Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","6876d14970685cd396cb859adbce064d8416d136f1e1921a5487197ce469d71d","starting-from-stealing-the-role-in-1995-huayu-chapter-301","starting-from-stealing-the-role-in-1995-huayu-chapter-299",335,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fstarting-from-stealing-the-role-in-1995-huayu-cover.jpg"]