Chapter 309: Character determines destiny

Cao Yang happened to have something to do at the Beijing Film Academy today. He didn't expect to meet Wang Baoqiang here.

"You are Wang Baoqiang, the actor who played Sha Gen in *A World Without Thieves*, right?"

Cao Yang pretended not to know Wang Baoqiang very well and asked with some doubt.

Wang Baoqiang's current situation is a bit awkward. After he became popular with the image of Sha Gen in *A World Without Thieves*, he didn't expect that it would be even harder to get roles.

He played the image of Sha Gen too prominently, which is not a good thing for a grassroots actor.

Mainly, if a director wants to invite him, he is worried that the audience will be "out of the play" because of "Sha Gen," affecting the viewing of the whole play, so there is no need to take risks.

And Wang Baoqiang himself also judged wrongly, thinking that he was "famous" and would definitely be able to get many roles.

So, when the director of *Soldiers Sortie*, Kang Honglei, invited him, he felt that he was already a film star, so he refused without hesitation. At this time, film stars naturally "despised" TV stars.

Then, he didn't wait for film directors to invite him to act.

Kang Honglei really couldn't find an actor who fit the image of "Xu Sanduo" in his heart. After a few months, he issued an invitation to Wang Baoqiang again.

After a period of no roles to play, this time Wang Baoqiang could only agree to act in a TV series.

Now *Soldiers Sortie* has finished filming, but no satellite TV is willing to buy it. They are not optimistic about this kind of military theme.

So, Wang Baoqiang is still in a state of no roles to play.

The mood of receiving the audition invitation for *Pieta* can be imagined.

In order to audition smoothly, he squatted to wait for Cao Yang at the Beijing Film Academy, just wanting to try to see if he could leave a good impression on Cao Yang. Of course, it would be best to get Cao Yang's guidance.

Squatting is the greatest sincerity he can think of.

Wang Baoqiang was so excited when he heard Cao Yang recognize him.

"Yes, yes, I am Wang Baoqiang."

Wang Baoqiang was full of smiles and stretched out both hands, "I am very happy to see you. It is a great honor for Cao Dao to recognize me."

Cao Yang reached out and shook hands with Wang Baoqiang, asking: "Do you have something to do?"

"There is something."

Wang Baoqiang touched his head habitually and said embarrassedly:

"I have been waiting here for two days, just wanting to try to see if I can run into Cao Dao. Cao Dao, don't mind, I used to squat at the gate of the Beijing Film Academy when I was an extra, this time I just wanted to try..."

He secretly glanced at Cao Yang and didn't find that Cao Yang had an impatient expression before continuing to explain:

"It's like this, I received the audition invitation for *Pieta* written by you. In order to play this character well, I wanted to ask for your advice, so as to have a better understanding of the character."

Cao Yang looked at Wang Baoqiang. Wang Baoqiang today is still full of youth, completely without the ruthlessness in *Kung Fu Jungle*.

If it were Wang Baoqiang at that time, he would be fully capable of playing the male lead in *Pieta*.

"Are you from a martial arts background?"

Cao Yang asked.

Wang Baoqiang nodded repeatedly, "Yes, I started learning martial arts at the age of six, was a secular disciple in the Shaolin Temple for six years, and practiced for eight years."

"Have you fought after becoming an actor?"

Wang Baoqiang was stunned. Can those who learn martial arts not have fought?

However, he didn't know what Cao Yang meant, so he didn't dare to answer easily, and could only say a bit evasively: "I have had conflicts with people."

Cao Yang looked at Wang Baoqiang again and thought for a while: "The character you are auditioning for is a gangster, very ruthless and heartless. Go back and think about this aspect, how to act."

Wang Baoqiang was stunned again. He didn't expect to get the character information he wanted to audition for so easily, but he was disappointed again.

A gangster, a ruthless and heartless gangster, doesn't sound like a protagonist at all.

Subsequently, he smiled bitterly in his heart and scolded himself for being greedy. His famous role "Sha Gen" was a supporting role, so how could he expect to play a very important role in a film jointly created by Cao Dao and Director Tian?

"Thank you Cao Dao, thank you Cao Dao."

Cao Yang originally wanted to leave, but added another sentence, "This character of yours was recommended by me for audition. Perform well."

He wanted to try to see if this "young" Wang Baoqiang could explode when he learned that it was his recommendation.

However, he was not too optimistic. At this time, Wang Baoqiang was "young," and second, under his simple appearance, he was a bit worldly and had not yet developed self-confidence.

Wang Baoqiang was a bit stupid. He didn't expect that such a big director as Cao Dao could remember him and recommend him.

"Thank you Cao Dao, thank you Cao Dao..."

He could only repeat this sentence over and over again.

Cao Yang not only told Wang Baoqiang the simple requirements for the character, but also said similar words to Duan Yihong, Liu Ye, Zhou Yiwei, and Fu Dalong, and didn't say it was the protagonist, just to see if several people would take it seriously.

This can also be considered a test.

Especially for Duan Yihong and Liu Ye.

Both are first-line actors on the mainland now. Just based on the words "ruthless and heartless gangster," they would definitely think it is a supporting role. Would they be willing to act?

All five people came to the audition that day.

However, one person came, which was equal to not coming.

Liu Ye came to find Cao Yang and Old Tian and said directly that he was not here for the audition, but to reminisce and apologize.

He explained that he had just finished filming *Curse of the Golden Flower*, which was filmed very hurriedly, often working overtime, and was very tired, so he wanted to rest for a while and didn't want to take any roles for the time being.

Liu Ye's resources in these years are very good. Chen Kaige's *The Promise* and Old Mouzi's *Curse of the Golden Flower* are the top resources in the country.

He called Cao Yang at that time and learned that the character for the audition was a gangster, so he was not interested.

The reason why he came today is of course to give Cao Yang face.

If Cao Yang were not there, with his personality, he would at most call Old Tian to decline.

"Cao Dao, it would be great if we could cooperate again. Filming with you is just relaxed and refreshing, much more relaxed than filming with Director Chen Kaige and Director Zhang Y

Liu Ye said to Cao Yang with a smile.

Cao Yang was left speechless. When will you ever change that big mouth of yours?

It would be one thing if we were just talking in private, but now you're actually saying this in front of Old Tian. Won't Old Tian wonder if you found filming with him exhausting too?

What a guy!

Your emotional intelligence is truly a fatal flaw.

No wonder the media is always breaking news of your "golden quotes."

Old Tian had been laughing just a moment ago, but now he had stopped.

"Alright, let's catch up another time when we're free. You can either head back now or find a place to wait for me. I need to hold auditions with Director Tian."

Cao Yang waved his hand, starting to shoo Liu Ye away. If he stayed any longer, there was no telling what else might pop out of this guy's mouth.

"You got it, Cao Dao. I'll wait for your call."

After this guy left, Ning Hao, who was standing nearby, snorted with laughter and teased Old Tian: "Teacher, that guy looks down on you, and he looks down on Director Chen and Director Zhang even more."

"Go on, you talk too much."

Ning Hao still knew how to talk; his interjection made Old Tian mind it a little less.

That's right, as everyone knows, Liu Ye is just a big-mouthed guy with low emotional intelligence. Why bother arguing with him? Didn't you see him directly bad-mouthing Old Chen and Old Zhang?

"Let's start the auditions."

In the following auditions, everyone performed decently.

However, comparing them overall, Cao Yang felt that Zhou Yiwei performed the worst. He didn't yet have that "rascal vibe," and his performance remained merely superficial.

Wang Baoqiang did manage to act out the pugnaciousness, but his eyes lacked the viciousness. Cao Yang only saw "petty cleverness"; his acting skills really hadn't been honed yet.

Duan Yihong was as stable as ever, acting out the viciousness, and his eyes were expressive.

On the contrary, Fu Dalong had a different acting style than Duan Yihong; the viciousness he portrayed was more "hard-edged" and a bit more manic.

It just depended on how Old Tian would choose.

After the auditions, Old Tian asked for Cao Yang's opinion.

Cao Yang didn't hold anything back; he shared his feelings about the few individuals and told Old Tian that he was the director, so he should just choose the actors according to his own understanding of the characters.

Old Tian nodded thoughtfully.

As for the female lead, Zhang Manyu considered it for two days before declining Old Tian's invitation, possibly unable to accept the character positioning of a "mother."

Hui Yinghong traveled specifically from Xiangjiang to Jingcheng, expressing her willingness to accept the role.

Old Tian did a quick screen test and decided on the female lead first.

As for the male lead, he needed to think about how he wanted to shoot this film and what the positioning of the male lead should be before deciding which actor to use.

On August 28, Cao Yang set off for Venice.

It wasn't because he had a film participating in the festival, but because the Venice Film Festival chairman, Marco Müller, had made an appointment with Cao Yang last year. This year, Cao Yang was to be a guest at the festival's opening ceremony and would also deliver a speech.

Old Ma had originally wanted Cao Yang to be this year's jury president, but Cao Yang refused. Old Ma settled for the next best thing, having Cao Yang be the guest speaker at the opening ceremony.

Cao Yang really couldn't refuse such a small request, so he had to agree.

Cao Yang took the script for "Poetry" along, planning to chat with Old Ma when the time came to see what he thought.

(End of chapter)