10 Chapter 10
◎Villain◎
Time soon arrived at the climax of the original work.
First, number seven Cheng Wanrong auditioned.
Compared with the previous few times of eight, nine or ten minutes, when it came to Cheng Wanrong, the time she stayed in the inner room doubled.
The people sitting outside could imagine that the audition team must be conducting a more detailed examination.
This made the actors behind even more nervous.
Liu Qingran could still sit still, but her agent Fang Se next to her kept looking towards the door of the inner room.
Cheng Yu whispered to Zhang Li, "Cheng Wanrong is currently producing a movie that will be released during National Day. She also plays a favorite concubine. I heard she has a good chance of winning awards. I don't think Director Zheng will choose her."
These words immediately hit the mark of Zheng Wanying, the original author.
It was because of this consideration that he decided to use the newcomer Liu Qingran even though Cheng Wanrong performed quite well.
You know, Zheng Wanying is different from other directors who love hype. He prefers to create solid works and conquer the audience with his strength.
If Cheng Wanrong won the award, the drama he filmed would be able to gain popularity, but he is also afraid that it will affect the audience's perception of the drama.
Therefore, when the acting skills are comparable, he would rather use innovative actors.
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Cheng Wanrong stayed in the inner room for about twenty-five minutes, and when she came out, her expression looked as if she was sure of victory.
This put a lot of pressure on the others, and even Li Qinghong and Zheng Sheyi, who had not yet played, looked a little serious.
Next it’s the turn of the heroine Liu Qingran.
Zhang Li glanced at her thin back as she walked towards the inner room door, and could roughly imagine how she would behave inside.
However, others had already regarded Cheng Wanrong as their biggest rival. No one expected that Liu Qingran, who had never played a vicious supporting role, would be able to defeat Cheng Wanrong.
Liu Qingran must have felt pressured by Cheng Wanrong's attitude.
However, she has been very interested in this role from the beginning, and no matter what, she will keep her best condition and give her all.
After entering the inner room, she discovered that there was another world inside.
A large stage was filled with props, including weapons, tools, and costumes. In front of the stage sat the audition crew.
Unlike the usual situation where the producer was the main person, this time it was director Zheng Wanying who sat in the middle, with the producers, screenwriters and other team members sitting on both sides, which shows everyone's respect for Director Zheng.
Liu Qingran immediately understood that if she wanted to get this role, the most important thing was to conquer Director Zheng.
After clarifying her goal, she stood in the center of the stage with ease and introduced herself to the audition team.
"Hello, judges! I'm Liu Qingran. I've played roles like Fei Yao in An Ju Shan and Chen Yuan in The Original Thirty Stratagems. I'm skilled in classical dance and playing instruments like the qin, zheng, and konghou."
After she introduced herself, everyone in the audition group nodded frequently, obviously knowing her.
As a leading lady in the entertainment industry, Liu Qingran's appearance is naturally good. She has a natural movie face and can look good with either heavy or light makeup.
But for the audition, she only wore light makeup this time, and her skin looked clear and she looked very elegant.
But the audition team is not looking for vase actors.
Director Zheng was very direct: "First, try the fourth episode, scene three, when Concubine Li appears."
In fact, all the auditioners first audition for three fixed roles, and the audition team will then consider whether to increase the number.
This scene is when Concubine Li first appears.
"OK."
In the early days, Concubine Li seemed to be indifferent to the world, not much different from Liu Qingran's current image.
Liu Qingran, who had already memorized the script, easily performed the appearance of Concubine Li.
Liu Qingran has the experience of many works and has received guidance from famous actors in her acting skills. The audition team really recognized her acting skills.
Director Zheng had an idea: "Try again in the fifth scene of episode 48 where Concubine Li's true identity is revealed."
After he finished speaking, the other members of the audition group glanced at Director Zheng.
After all, the previous actors all performed in sequence, but this time Director Zheng directly let Liu Qingran jump from Concubine Li's appearance to the most difficult scene.
The attentive Liu Qingran quickly noticed the change in everyone's emotions, but remained calm and just followed the director's instructions.
The scene where Concubine Li's true identity is revealed not only tests the actors' acting skills, but also has a great impact on the progress of the entire play. After all, before this episode, the heroine in the play was frequently framed. Although she avoided them one by one with her wit, she could never find the murderer and her situation was worrying. It was not until the heroine's halo was blessed and she discovered Concubine Li's duplicity that she finally won by surprise after a layout.
This is also the scene that tests the acting skills of Concubine Li the most.
Before coming, Liu Qingran carefully considered Concubine Li's mental journey. After a little preparation, she began to perform.
From the calmness of not realizing that she had fallen into the heroine's trap, to the heroine telling the emperor everything and ordering someone to bring the witness, Concubine Li was panicked when she found out that it was her maid, and then to her confession of her true feelings to the emperor after her appearance was gradually exposed by the heroine.
Liu Qingran was held captive by the staff who had temporarily replaced the eunuch. Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked upwards. "...Your Majesty, do you still remember that time by the Yukun Pond, when you said to me, 'If it weren't for you in this life, I wouldn't have worried about matching my black hair with white clothes.' But when I lost my child, did you, still staying in Yihong Palace, ever truly feel sorry for me? Is it really all my fault that we've come to this point?"
At this time, Liu Qingran had obviously put himself into the situation completely, and vented all of Concubine Li's deep affection, grievances, and unwillingness towards the emperor.
The screenwriters and staff from the audition team were all impressed by her acting skills and their expressions became somewhat moved.
Zheng Wanying also nodded secretly.
When the emperor was supposed to finish his lines and Liu Qingran was dragged away by the "eunuch", his face turned into one of "despair".
After this scene, Director Zheng's attitude towards Liu Qingran obviously improved a lot, and he asked her to try out several more scenes.
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In the waiting room, seeing that Liu Qingran was taking longer and longer to enter, even surpassing Cheng Wanrong, many people's faces became even uglier.
Cheng Wanrong had already left, and the remaining two, Li Qinghong and Zheng Sheyi, looked at each other suspiciously.
Cheng Yu didn't expect Liu Qingran to stay for so long. She looked at her phone and then looked at Zhang Li, only to find that Zhang Li had closed his eyes and was resting without her knowing when.
Half an hour later, the door of the inner room opened and Liu Qingran finally walked out.
She politely thanked the staff and seemed neither arrogant nor impatient.
Cheng Yu turned around and wanted to remind Zhang Li, but saw that Zhang Li had already opened his eyes and stood up.
She wiped off some of her lipstick with a wet wipe she had prepared in advance and reapplied it with a pink color.
"Please invite Miss Zhang Li, number nine, to audition."
At the staff's instruction, Zhang Li passed by Liu Qingran without even glancing at him and headed towards the inner room door.
Liu Qingran did pause for a moment as he passed by, but he didn't say a word. He greeted others and left directly.
The audition team in the inner room was already discussing Liu Qingran's acting skills.
Producer: "Although Liu Qingran performed well, I think Cheng Wanrong is still better, right?"
Screenwriter: "Liu Qingran really impressed me, but I feel Cheng Wanrong is more in line with the image of Concubine Li..."
Assistant Director: "I also think Cheng Wanrong is more reliable."
…
Hearing their comments, Zheng Wanying had different thoughts in her heart and just said, "Let's wait and see."
Just as he finished speaking, Zhang Li also walked in.
The audition team all had nonchalant expressions, but the moment they saw Zhang Li coming in, they all lost their focus for a moment.
Beautiful, truly beautiful. Standing under the light, Zhang Li, in her red dress and white skin, seemed to be glowing all over.
The screenwriter who had originally said that Cheng Wanrong was more in line with the image of Concubine Li suddenly stopped talking and just stared at Zhang Li.
Even female screenwriters are shocked by her beauty, let alone others?
The producer strategically pushed his glasses up and looked at the others.
Sure enough, even Zheng Wanying was stunned for a moment.
"Hello judges, I'm Zhang Li, I played Fang Yue in "Black and White Pursuit" and Li Jiajia in "Road to Success."
Both characters are unfamiliar to everyone and are not considered excellent productions.
Zheng Wanying thought about it and realized that he seemed to have included Cheng Yu in the audition because of her.
Everyone calmed down, except for the screenwriter, who kept looking at Zhang Li as if he couldn't get enough.
Zheng Wanying followed the usual routine: "Try the fourth episode, scene three, when Concubine Li appears."
"Director, can I change my costume?"
Zhang Li's request made Zheng Wanying frown, but he still agreed.
However, this action also made everyone lose some points in their impression.
After all, none of the previous actors made such a request, and they all wore suitable costumes. Only she was dressed beautifully, but it was troublesome.
Zhang Li seemed to be completely unaware of it. She picked out a pink dress from the props area and went to the changing room.
I don’t know what Zhang Li did, but when she came out a few minutes later, she seemed like a completely different person.
Her hair was tied up, and her original flamboyance disappeared in an instant. Her slightly furrowed brows revealed a hint of gentleness and innocence.
The screenwriter's eyes lit up.
I saw her walking towards this side from the door, her steps light and graceful, as if I saw a room full of concubines, with the emperor who ruled the world sitting in the middle.
She came to a certain position and bowed, lowering her eyebrows and eyes, looking quite weak and frail. "Your Majesty, am I late?"
After waiting for a few seconds, as if she heard the emperor say "Just in time", she raised her head and smiled.
Just one glance and the screenwriter sitting opposite her was flabbergasted from head to toe.
She could fully understand why the childless Concubine Li could remain in favor among the three thousand beauties in the harem.
She didn't write these expressions, it all depends on the actors' personal performance.
Cheng Wanrong and Liu Qingran both performed very well in the previous parts, one was charming and the other was elegant, but it always felt like something was missing.
Now she knew that what they lacked was something that aroused people's desire to protect!
Zhang Li's performance continues.
She performed the scene very smoothly from beginning to end.
The screenwriter has been so bewitched by her that she has lost her mind and her eyes are almost blurry.
The assistant director next to her had noticed this strange phenomenon and looked speechless.
Zheng Wanying was somewhat pensive.
After Zhang Li finished, he spoke again: "Try the last scene of episode 44, where Concubine Li first showed her true colors."
This was the audition order that everyone had decided on long ago.
However, Zhang Li's subsequent performance completely overturned the image he had just created.
This scene is a scene in which Concubine Li personally abuses the palace maids around her and even executes them. The screenwriter did not write how to abuse them, and the actors need to improvise freely.
Cheng Wanrong played the role of slapping him a few times and having his confidants drag him away and execute him.
Liu Qingran's interpretation was more fitting, as he lost control and caused the death of the palace maid.
When she arrived at Zhang Li, she was still dressed the same way, a pink silk dress and a graceful bun.
She took a half-body prop as a 'palace maid' and put a silver needle on her palm.
“Bitch!!”
The scene begins with a slap in the face of the "palace maid", causing her to fall to the ground.
Before the audition team could react, Zhang Li walked up to the "palace maid" and slowly squatted down.
But her eyes were very strange, and seemed particularly gentle. She even lifted the 'maid's' head with her hands and placed it on her knees, gently touching the 'maid's' face.
"Does it hurt?"
She pinched the maid's chin with a gentle smile, "Ying'er, you probably don't know the consequences of your betrayal, right?"
After saying this, another hand holding a silver needle appeared silently above the 'palace maid's' head...
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