Chapter 668 Choice
Jiang Yuqian certainly needs this opportunity right now, but she hasn't reached the point of constantly lowering her standards.
Ultimately, her desire to go international is to improve her career, not to cross a line and make Hollywood think she's a cheap actress.
She doesn't say that she has to get a very high salary to act in a certain movie.
If the film's production budget is limited, each actor's salary is low, and she really likes the script, then of course she can lower her salary a bit.
But if her salary is kept so low while others can receive normal pay, that won't do.
"Ultimately, it's because they know that the film we were in talks for, 'Doomsday,' has been shelved, so our schedule is now free. They also know that we've been actively contacting Hollywood actresses, so they're maliciously trying to drive down the price, thinking we'll agree," He Heng said.
Jiang Yuqian took a deep breath and shook her head.
“Our actions were indeed a bit too obvious; everything was written on our faces, and people could see it clearly,” Jiang Yuqian said. “There’s a completely different story between begging someone to take on a project and someone begging me to take on a project.”
"To put it bluntly, they see that we are Asian and know that we want to be in Hollywood movies, so they think they can control us."
After sighing somewhat irritably, He Heng said to Jiang Yuqian, "Actually, I've been reflecting on something lately."
"What is it?" Jiang Yuqian asked.
"Aren't we too obsessed with participating in Hollywood film and television works?" He Heng said. "Especially after seeing Yan He's success, we always subconsciously benchmark ourselves against him and refer to him. Of course, I'm not saying that film and television works are not important. What I mean is that many very popular stars may not have such successful film and television works. We won't accept film and television works that are not suitable. There's no need to force it."
For celebrities, the success of their film and television works is secondary; the key is whether they are popular enough and whether they are always in the public eye.
Jiang Yuqian said, "But if we want to go international and not participate in Hollywood film and television works, how can we let people all over the world see us through Hollywood's global publicity channels?"
He Heng said, "This is the question I really want to talk to you about: when we go international, do we really want to become a star with international fame and influence, or do we use internationalization as a label for ourselves among Chinese stars, while our main base is still in China? These are two different concepts."
Jiang Yuqian understood.
She looked at He Heng with some surprise.
He Heng said, "If it's the former, then we have to continue to work hard to find projects and resources. But if it's the latter, our current strategy should change. We can only produce one film or television series in Hollywood every two or three years at most. Attending more internationally influential events is enough."
Jiang Yuqian quickly understood what He Heng meant.
Actually, for Jiang Yuqian, getting roles in overseas films and television dramas wouldn't be difficult. With the success of "The Squid Game," she's not unknown to various overseas production companies; she's a Chinese actress with a certain level of recognition. Currently, the resources Jiang Yuqian can access are leading roles in mainstream, A-list productions, truly prestigious global brand ambassadorships—titles that carry real value—and solo covers for important months of top fashion magazines…
If Jiang Yuqian truly wants to pursue a genuine international career and become a globally recognized female star, then she cannot ignore these difficult-to-obtain resources; she must do everything in her power to conquer them and enhance her resume. However, if, as He Heng suggests, she simply needs an "international" label to solidify her status as a female star in China, she doesn't need to work so hard. Occasionally appearing as a Chinese actress at international events would be enough for her to maintain her current position.
Jiang Yuqian hardly hesitated.
"I still want to give it my all while I still can," Jiang Yuqian said. "Since we've already declared our intention to go international, it would be too self-deceptive and meaningless to just be an international star in the eyes of the Chinese people. If things really don't work out in the future, this is the only way we can get by. Right now... I feel that it's nothing, I'll just give it my all. Every difficulty will be overcome. If they don't offer me a normal market price for this role, then I won't take it."
He Heng nodded.
"Then who knows when we'll have another chance to play the female lead in a Hollywood movie," she cautioned.
“It’s okay.” Jiang Yuqian nodded. “There are no roles to play in Hollywood. I have plenty of roles to play in China. Why would I come here to suffer such a loss? Besides, I’d be willing to play a supporting role with only two or three shots in a big director’s film, like before. But to play a lead role and get paid less than a supporting role, I can’t bring myself to do that. It’s shameful.”
He Heng: "That's true. If this gets out, it will be really embarrassing."
"Oh, right." He Heng suddenly remembered something and asked, "Have you heard the news that Li Zhibai is going to star in 'Buried Alive'?"
"I've heard about it." Jiang Yuqian nodded. "What happened?"
“Didn’t you talk to Lu Yanhe privately? Since he has a script like ‘Buried Alive’ that could give Li Zhibai the lead role, he might also have a script that could give you the lead role,” He Heng said.
Jiang Yuqian: "Maybe, but let's not bother him. If he really has a suitable role for me, he will definitely come and tell me. I don't need to ask. Also, Sister Heng, I hope that, besides Yan He, we can also build our own network and strength overseas. I particularly admire one thing about Yan He: wherever he goes, he can put down roots in that place. For example, the movie 'Buried' was developed by his production company in the United States in collaboration with director Lune Reese's production company."
“His situation is special, and we can’t just learn from him.” He Heng shook his head. “If he didn’t have the identity of a screenwriter and hadn’t produced scripts like ‘Buried’ and ‘Source Code,’ he would just be a very representative actor among Asians in Hollywood. He wouldn’t be able to get directly into the development of some projects like he is now.”
Jiang Yuqian asked, "Sister Heng, do you think it's possible for me to lead the development of a project?"
"Huh?" He Heng was taken aback.
“For example, if I read a really good novel and I think it’s suitable to be developed into a movie or a TV series, I’ll buy the rights and develop it,” Jiang Yuqian said.
“The idea is good, but it’s hard to implement. Just look at Li Zhibai’s ‘Nineteen Years of Crime Records’. It was only with the help of many people that it was made to that extent,” He Heng said. “Developing a project from scratch requires a lot of effort. Unless you do nothing else for a year and devote all your energy to the project, you have to find someone who understands what you’re thinking and knows what you want to achieve, to act as your producer and take care of all these things.”
Jiang Yuqian nodded.
“However, I think Yan He is right about something: if actors want to gain a voice and control over their careers, they can’t just passively wait for scripts to come to them forever,” Jiang Yuqian said. “There was no way to do that before, but now I want to gradually get involved in this area.”
He Heng: "Of course, that's certainly possible."
Jiang Yuqian: "Actually, every time I encounter some problems in my own career, I can't help but be amazed by Lu Yanhe. You see, every step he takes is extremely accurate, and in hindsight, it all has the effect of being prepared for a rainy day. We are still going around in circles like donkeys pulling a millstone on the acting track, while he has already opened up a new track for himself. You really can't compare people."
“There’s no need to compare. Everyone is different. In fact, it’s just that our domestic film and television industry hasn’t become a global center like the United States. Otherwise, if you’re a top female star in China, you’ll naturally be famous worldwide,” He Heng said. “You’ve already done a great job. As for someone like Lu Yanhe, let alone in China, do you see any young people in Hollywood who can rival him?”
“Stop talking. Every time I see his new moves in Hollywood, I want to ask myself what I’m doing. Why do I feel like we’re not even in the same Hollywood? He gets one project after another, while I keep hitting walls.” Jiang Yuqian nodded and said firmly, “Actually, in the end, it’s because I don’t have any core competitiveness. That’s the key issue.”
He Heng nodded. "On the one hand, he is very capable, and on the other hand, he is really lucky. Look at the movie 'The Mist.' He is just a villain. Although he is also the lead actor, the focus is not on him. However, from the beginning of filming, there were several news stories that attracted a lot of attention about him and his Asian identity, which gradually shifted the focus of the movie to him. Before the movie was released, the promotional strategy of the movie was even changed to watch how an Asian ghost takes revenge on his family who were brutally murdered.
It really was luck on his side. If it weren't for this reason, people wouldn't be able to attribute most of the success of "The Mist" to him. There's another aspect of him that's now receiving a lot of attention: the Asian market he represents. This film showed Hollywood that Asians have a box office potential, something that wasn't a consensus before. That's why, in the past year or so, we've actually come across quite a few English-language scripts featuring Asian characters—there weren't nearly as many before.
He Heng added, “So, I think this is also an advantage for you. You have representative works, and you are Asian, so you caught up with the trend of Asian roles in Hollywood. Apart from these projects that are maliciously undercutting prices, we still have other projects to choose from. A few years ago, if you wanted to break into Hollywood, you might not have encountered a single Asian role with lines in a whole year.”
Jiang Yuqian: "Almost every Asian I meet here will mention the movie 'The Mist.' You can really feel what this movie means to the Asian community in Hollywood."
“Isn’t there going to be a sequel to ‘The Mist’?” He Heng said. “Filming will start next year. I estimate that the sequel to ‘The Mist’ will definitely emphasize the Asian aspect more. There might be a suitable role for you, and you will definitely be one of the most competitive candidates.”
“But they might choose actors from other countries. 'The Mist' can’t be released in China, but it will be released in other Asian countries like South Korea and Japan. Using actors from those countries will help the sequel to be box office hits in those countries,” Jiang Yuqian said. “Moreover, it will make the film’s cast more diverse. Isn’t that what Hollywood is pushing the most right now?”
He Heng said, "It all depends on your abilities. I'm already in contact with D19, and D19 will also consult Lu Yanhe. It's just a bit of a pity, because you were originally a very good candidate for the female lead in the movie 'Doomsday'."
Jiang Yuqian: "There's nothing we can do about that."
Just then, He Heng's phone rang.
She took it, glanced at it, and said, "Wait a minute, Stephen is calling."
Stephen is Jiang Yuqian's agent in the United States, and he is basically in charge of all of Jiang Yuqian's work in the United States.
About five minutes later, He Heng returned.
She looked pleasantly surprised.
"The Washington Post just reported the reason behind Tom Felton's withdrawal from 'Doomsday.' It's said that he overdosed on drugs and had health problems, making it impossible for him to work normally. Stephen said that there should be a turning point for the movie 'Doomsday,' and it will continue to move forward. Parameter asked him about your schedule. Although nothing is finalized yet, the possibility of it continuing to move forward is very high."
He Heng's words brought a look of surprise and delight to Jiang Yuqian.
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"So, 'Doomsday' has been resurrected?"
Lu Yanhe, who had been following the project closely, was also surprised and asked Chen Ziyan.
Chen Ziyan said, "Parameter must have spent some money on the early development of this movie. Tom Felton's previous reasons for leaving the movie caused a lot of doubts. Now that it has been revealed that Tom Felton's reasons for leaving the movie are different, the previous reasons are no longer valid, and the situation of 'Doomsday' has naturally taken a turn for the better."
"But this movie definitely needs a top-tier star like Tom Felton to star in it for the project to move forward smoothly, right?"
“That depends on whether they still intend to use the original production budget to make this film,” Chen Ziyan said. “It’s also possible that the budget will be downgraded, and this film will become a B-movie.”
Lu Yanhe said, "This movie has a lot of special effects scenes. If it were turned into a B-movie, would it be watchable?"
"Whether it can be viewed or not... I don't know, but Parameter will keep track of the costs and benefits, they won't be at a disadvantage."
"It's one thing to avoid losing out, but if the movie is really bad, should we still help Teacher Jiang Jun compete for it?"
Chen Ziyan shook her head, "If it really becomes a B-movie, then forget it. Jiang Jun fought for it before and got it. At least he got the lead role in a Hollywood A-list production, which greatly helped his career. But if it becomes a B-movie... It's not that B-movies can't have good works, but it's not worth it for an actor like Jiang Jun to fight for. It will lower the market's perception of him."
Lu Yanhe nodded, "I think so too. I already felt bad about asking Teacher Jiang Jun to help us compete with Chen Pinhe for the role."
“Then you don’t need to feel embarrassed. It’s normal for Jiang Jun to compete for a good project,” Chen Ziyan said. “Even if it weren’t for your affair with Chen Pinhe, I would definitely have fought for this project for Jiang Jun. For a resource of this caliber, any suitable male actor would fight for it.”
Lu Yanhe: "I know, but we must objectively admit that I did drag him into this for my own sake. Chen Pinhe will definitely hold a grudge against him."
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No, my head is still spinning. I'll stop here for now. See you tomorrow.
(End of this chapter)
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