Chapter 181: Casting

*District 9* needs to find two Chinese people for the main roles. Cao Yang has also been considering this matter recently.

At the premiere of *Milk* last time, Li Li Lianjie and Cheng Long, who came to attend, both said privately—of course, in a joking form—asking if there were any roles suitable for them in the new film, even a walk-on role would do.

Playing a walk-on role was definitely just talk, but wanting to participate in *District 9* was definitely true.

They mix in Hollywood and know more news.

They knew that in Cao Yang's new film *District 9*, there was still a main role that needed a Chinese person, which is why they said it in a joking form to avoid the embarrassment of being rejected.

Still the same sentence: it is not easy for Chinese people to mix in Hollywood.

Throughout the year, there are very few films that use Chinese people as protagonists.

Otherwise, Hollywood wouldn't just have the few Chinese people who are considered successful.

In some big productions, even for important supporting roles, very few use Chinese people.

Li Li Lianjie and Cheng Long's status has gone up, and their pay has gone up. Looking back, there are even fewer suitable roles, and it's harder to find work.

Don't talk about Hollywood; even domestically, if they don't set up the game themselves, very few films are willing to use them.

It's not that they don't want to use them, but relative to their pay, the cost-performance ratio seems too low.

Of course, if they don't lower their pay, not even big directors can afford to use them.

Cao Yang's *District 9* is really a once-in-a-lifetime good opportunity for them.

A co-production publicly announced at 70 million USD, plus later promotional expenses, can barely be called an A-level production.

Cheng Long and Li Li Lianjie in Hollywood can mostly only receive B-level productions.

*Rush Hour*, which allowed Cheng Long to gain a firm foothold in Hollywood, had an investment of only 30-plus million USD for the first one. It was only the third one, because both protagonists wanted a share, that caused the investment to increase greatly.

Li Li Lianjie is about the same; the resources he receives are mostly films with an investment scale of 30 or 40 million, and there are almost none exceeding 50 million.

Actually, Cheng Long's situation is much better than Li Li Lianjie's. He has distinct characteristics and has a series of films in his hands; this is his confidence.

*Around the World in 80 Days*, which made him "critically wounded," has to wait until June to be released. Only when the box office comes out will he panic.

So his current mindset is that it's best if he can get on Cao Yang's film, and if he can't, he won't force it.

Li Li Lianjie is different.

After his *Cradle 2 the Grave* was released last year, he was severely injured, and it is temporarily very difficult for him to receive films in Hollywood.

*Cradle 2 the Grave* had an investment of about 26 million USD, a North American box office of 34 million, and a global box office of 56 million. To break even, he can only rely on subsequent discs and peripherals; this is a long process.

Li Li Lianjie is the one who most wants to get on Cao Yang's film.

Having not received a promise or invitation from Cao Yang, he found Han Zong of China Film Group, hoping to achieve his goal through Han Zong.

In his mind, *District 9* is a co-production. He definitely has no way with Columbia, and they won't give him face, but as another investor, isn't it simple for China Film Group to decide on an important role?

The result proved that he thought too simply.

Han Zong was very happy when he heard him say he wanted to join this film.

"Very good. We have Oscar Best Actor Depp, and with your joining, it's definitely a good thing. By the way, have you talked to Cao Dao? Has Cao Dao agreed?"

A smile appeared on Li Li Lianjie's face, but after hearing the words that followed, he still froze for a moment.

"Han Zong, it's not a protagonist, just an important male supporting role. Does it need Cao Dao's agreement? Aren't you the producer of this film? In the US, the producer can decide everything."

The smile on Han Zong's face faded a bit, and he just repeated: "Haven't you talked to Cao Dao?"

Li Li Lianjie felt something was wrong and quickly explained: "Han Zong, I sincerely want to join this film and really want to talk to Cao Dao, but Cao Dao has been busy and has no time at all, and I can't see Cao Dao."

"Han Zong, like this, to show my sincerity, I can give a 50% discount on my pay, only charging 5 million USD."

5 million USD?

Converted, it's only 40-plus million, which is quite a big gap from the 100-plus million pay he claimed when appearing in *Hero*.

Relatively speaking, this definitely counts as giving a lot of face.

Han Zong couldn't help but be tempted.

This is Li Li Lianjie, one of the best-developed Chinese actors.

However, Han Zong was still very clear-headed. He chatted with Li Li Lianjie for a while and finally didn't give a clear answer, yet still made Li Li Lianjie feel very grateful.

Probably this is the art of leadership speaking.

However, Han Zong still called Cao Yang. He felt that 5 million USD was still quite cost-effective compared to *Hero*.

Han Zong now likes to make big productions and stack big-name actors. When Cao Yang received Han Zong's call, he was chatting with Duan Yihong.

It was Duan Yihong who took the initiative to come over, and his opening words surprised Cao Yang: he said he wanted to sign his agency contract with Cao Yang's studio.

Cao Yang didn't think about making the studio big for the time being. His goal was to invest in cinema chains and those few companies with internet discourse power, and he didn't think about signing people for the studio.

His studio was just an empty shell, established at the time just to invest in *Nine-Tailed Fox*.

"Isn't your work unit the National Theatre of China? Can you still sign outside?"

Cao Yang then said with a smile: "My studio is just a nominal one. Even if you sign over, it's useless. I don't have time to find resources for you."

"It wasn't explicitly said that I couldn't sign an agency contract outside. I just saw that some colleagues signed agency contracts outside, so I thought, Cao Dao still has a studio, can I sign to Cao Dao's studio?"

Duan Yihong smiled and explained: "To tell Cao Dao, I don't have too much ambition. I just think about being able to occasionally film a movie with Cao Dao, and spend other time acting in stage plays. I think this is quite good."

Cao Yang wanted to laugh a bit. Would someone without ambition think about signing to his empty-shell studio?

Would someone without ambition run over and say they want to sign to his studio when he is casting for *District 9*?

Forget it, looking at Duan Yihong's sincere face, maybe he really has no ambition and just wants to study acting and stage plays.

Cao Yang was chatting with Duan Yihong when Han Zong called.

!

When Cao Yang knew that Li Li Lianjie wanted to participate and even gave a 50% discount, "lowering his pay" to 5 million USD, he couldn't help but laugh.

"Han Zong, his pay is not a secret within the film company."

"His first film in Hollywood was *Lethal Weapon 4*. The production side directly pressed his pay to 500,000 USD. His market price at the time was 20 million Hong Kong dollars, but in order to develop in Hollywood, he accepted this film for 500,000 USD."

"The second one, *Romeo Must Die*, his pay rose to 2.4 million; the third, *Kiss of the Dragon*, rose to 5 million; the fourth, *The One*, rose to 7.5 million—that was when he shouted a quote of 10 million to the outside world."

"But this film had an investment of 49 million, and the North American box office was only 44 million, with a global box office of 79 million. The production side could only rely on subsequent income to break even. Han Zong, you understand what I mean, right?"

Cao Yang counted it for Han Zong with a smile. This was the data he obtained within Columbia when he was casting in North America for *District 9*.

Han Zong was silent.

He was such a smart person; he understood immediately.

That is to say, if Li Li Lianjie wants to receive films in Hollywood, because he messed up two films in a row, his pay has to be lowered... no, because the previous two were messed up, he has very few resources in Hollywood.

Damn, and he even dared to tell me he gave a 50% discount, quoting 5 million USD!

Han Zong was a bit angry. You directly quote 5 million, or even 7 million, it's no problem. The key is don't damn hypocritically tell me you gave a 50% discount. Isn't this playing me for a fool?

After hanging up Han Zong's call, Cao Yang looked at Duan Yihong. Although the other party didn't know he was refusing Li Li Lianjie, he could definitely guess that Han Zong was recommending candidates to him.

"Just now Han Zong recommended Li Li Lianjie to me, but now the budget for actors is not much, so I won't invite him."

Cao Yang could clearly see Duan Yihong breathe a sigh of relief.

It's also normal. No matter what they say, since they are actors, how many are truly not "competing" and not caring?

"Alright, I won't say any extra words. Later I will give you the script. There is a role with a very heavy part; go back and prepare."

Having confirmed the candidate for the commander in *District 9*, now only the candidate for the alien leader remains.

This role can also be considered one of the protagonists, but because the alien shape doesn't show the face, it just leaves a protagonist's name.

But no matter what, in a film with such a large investment, even if it's just a nominal protagonist, even if the face isn't shown, many people are fighting for this role.

During this period, many people found Cao Yang through various relationships, and Cao Yang was also annoyed, so he simply called Wu Qihua in Xiangjiang and asked if he was willing to play this role.

Wu Qihua was very happy and joked that even if Cao Yang let him play a walk-on role, he would flock to it, let alone such an important role.

As for not showing his face, so what if he doesn't show his face? Can't he write on his resume that he once participated in a film with an investment of 70 million USD just because he didn't show his face?

Can't he count the future box office of the film on himself just because he didn't show his face?

As long as the film sells well, when he writes his resume in the future and finds some reporters to release press releases, he is still the male lead of a big-selling Hollywood film.

Most importantly, Wu Qihua felt that Cao Dao finally remembered him.

He actually wanted to call Cao Yang a long time ago, wanting to continue to participate in Cao Dao's films.

But he was afraid of calling. If there was no suitable role for him, he would annoy Cao Dao for not knowing his place, so he kept holding back and didn't ask about the role.

Now it's good; he doesn't have to worry either. At least Cao Dao is thinking of him.

Cao Dao is not only thinking of him, but also thinking of Dong Xuan, who likes to tie double ponytails at night.

There is a female role in the film with a light part, a female reporter, so Cao Yang gave it to Dong Xuan.

Cao Dao is a nostalgic person. The old crew members who followed him all know that this role was given to Dong Xuan because of nostalgia, not because of other reasons.

Yeah, that's it.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 182 =====

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