Chapter 166: Exchange Conditions

This time going to the old American place, Cao Yang took Gu Changwei with him; Old Gu was nominated for Best Cinematography.

This was Gu Changwei's second Oscar nomination for Best Cinematography; the last time was for *Farewell My Concubine*.

It was also that time, although Old Gu didn't win the Oscar award in the end, it made him famous in the old American place, thus starting a four-year failed career.

Old Gu, like Chen Kaige, hates Hollywood to the bone when mentioned.

Even if he won an Oscar nomination again, it didn't change his view of Hollywood, which shows how much of a shadow those four years of Hollywood career left on him.

Chen Kaige is different from Old Gu; Old Chen simply filmed a film he thought was very good, and then returned in defeat in Hollywood, thus feeling that Hollywood is full of prejudice and doesn't understand art at all.

This time, because he couldn't stay in the old American place for long, Cao Yang originally wanted to book a hotel himself; he didn't expect Columbia to be so thoughtful.

They arranged Cao Yang in a business suite that the company had rented all year round; this was specifically for them to entertain distinguished guests.

Gu Changwei sighed again at the reality of the old Americans; he didn't expect that he would also "enjoy" such treatment with Cao Yang and become a distinguished guest of Columbia.

He still remembered that the last time he came to Hollywood with Cao Yang, even though Cao Yang was the project initiator and Columbia also invested in *The Bad Milk*, these foreigners were not so diligent.

It can be seen that ten Oscar nominations have greatly improved Cao Yang's status, and his directing ability has also been recognized.

As a typical failure of breaking into Hollywood, Gu Changwei knew too well how realistic these people in the old American place were.

After resting for a day, Tang Mu Luo Si personally received Cao Yang; as the executive director of Columbia Film Company, he was now personally responsible for matters related to *District 9*.

After the pleasantries were over, Tang Mu Luo Si didn't go straight to the point; the old man showed Cao Yang his humor and wit, but because of the differences between Eastern and Western cultures, Cao Yang didn't feel it was very funny.

Since the old man wanted to get closer to Cao Yang, Cao Yang didn't mind cooperating with him, sometimes smiling and nodding, sometimes laughing out loud.

It was very awkward.

Tang Mu Luo Si chatted for a while before talking about work; what surprised Cao Yang was that he wasn't talking about *District 9*.

"Columbia participated in the investment of an adapted film called *Memoirs of a Geisha*, which is adapted from the novel of the same name by American writer Mr. Arthur Golden, with Spielberg as the producer, and an estimated investment of 80 million USD."

Cao Yang nodded and looked at Tang Mu Luo Si in confusion; why is this old guy telling him this? Does he want him to direct this film?

He knew *Memoirs of a Geisha*, which is about the little Japanese, with a historical background starting from 1929 and continuing until the end of World War II.

However, this is a film that was extremely controversial after it was filmed; at the time, not only was it condemned domestically, but even in the little Japanese place, everyone was boycotting it.

The reason for the boycott in the little Japanese place was very simple; this is a film about the little Japanese, and the three main female characters are all Chinese; what are they doing!

Is it that the little Japanese don't have female actors?

Actually, they really don't.

At that time, the little Japanese really couldn't find three internationally famous female actors.

The old Americans couldn't help it either; for such a high-cost art film, if they didn't find a few female actors with international fame, what if they couldn't recover the costs?

Capitalists are not philanthropists.

"It's like this, the three main female characters in the film, after we and Spielberg discussed it, we want to use three Chinese female actors to play them." Tang Mu Luo Si spread his hands and explained with a smile.

"After discussing with Mr. Spielberg, we think the three international Best Actresses you cultivated are not bad; their acting skills definitely have no problems, and they are very suitable for this film. I want to ask you to convey it; after all, your relationship with them should be very good."

Cao Yang was only stunned for a moment, then said with a smile: "No problem, I will tell them about it; as for whether it works or not, that depends on their own decisions."

You want to eat shit, you want to pack all three of my international Best Actresses, and it's still a controversial film; filming it won't improve their status, on the contrary, it might become an object of accusation.

The most critical thing is that the scale of this film is quite large, and there are quite a few passionate scenes; film a hammer, you guys should find Zhang Ziyi; she definitely wouldn't mind.

However, not taking it doesn't mean you can't hype it up; after receiving the script, it's about the little Japanese, and there are passionate scenes, so he refused; in the future, it will definitely be able to improve the national favorability.

In addition, the three international Best Actresses refused, but Zhang Ziyi and Gong Li and the others took it, which invisibly can suppress them again—people looked for the three international Best Actresses first, and only looked for them after being refused.

This gives the impression that it was only after the three international Best Actresses didn't want it that it fell to them.

As for whether this will offend Spielberg, that's not necessarily true.

Even if he offended him, so what? Can he cover the sky with one hand in Hollywood? If he really had this ability, his DreamWorks wouldn't have been suppressed so miserably, and eventually ended up being split and acquired.

Actually, this kind of thing doesn't rise to that height at all; at worst, just say you don't accept passionate scenes, and there won't be any problems.

!

International Best Actresses, before their status falls, not accepting large-scale films is also understandable.

"Cao, I think we need to discuss the choice of the male lead."

Tang Mu Luo Si looked at Cao Yang and said: "As for the three girls you cultivated, I can guarantee that the three female leads in *Memoirs of a Geisha* will be them."

Eh?

What do you mean, old guy?

Cao Yang thought about it a little, and understood a bit.

The old guy actually treated this as a favor; he thought that letting Li Xiaoran and the others play the three female leads in *Memoirs of a Geisha* was giving him face?

And wants to make an exchange with him?

Cao Yang wanted to laugh a bit.

Actually, thinking about it, it makes some sense; an investment of 80 million USD, as an art film, is definitely a big production.

The first film Li An returned to art films after being beaten into residual blood by *Hulk*, *Brokeback Mountain*, had an investment of only 15 million.

Without auditioning, directly specifying Li Xiaoran, Gao Yuanyuan, and Yu Feihong as the female leads, at least on the surface, even if it's an exchange, Cao Yang definitely took advantage.

Cao Yang laughed out loud; since that's the case, Li Xiaoran and the others using this film to hype it up, then there would be no psychological burden.

"Luo Si, what thoughts do you have about the male lead?"

Cao Yang asked; actually, he understood in his heart that it was nothing more than wanting to choose a white big-name, denying the Chinese male lead he suggested earlier.

Speaking of which, it's still not trusting Chinese actors, worrying about the box office problem.

It's just wanting to add a layer of insurance, wanting a higher box office.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 167 =====