Chapter 193: A Stunning Explosion
"I believe in Director Qi's ability. He can indeed train any actor well." Hu Xiaoxiao looked embarrassed and added, "But if Director Qi does this, I'm afraid others will not trust his judgment."
"What do you mean?" The judge on the side asked with a smile, as he rarely saw anyone dare to confront Qi Weiming directly.
"Do you think that small island could have produced someone as beautiful, confident, bright, and generous as me? Only a girl from a prominent family, raised in a prestigious household, could have my presence."
Hu Xiaoxiao looked at Director Qi with a smile, her eyebrows curved, and her brows were full of confidence and boldness.
She rested her elbows on the armrest, leaning back in a leisurely and lazy manner. Her every move, including the hint of rebelliousness, was exactly the same as Xie Weihua's.
Several judges have read the script and understand the characters, which is why they sit here to select the actors. Besides the screenwriter, the person who is most familiar with the script is the director.
Qi Weiming thought of a very important scene involving Xie Weihua, one of the most exciting in the entire play. This was when Xie Weihua, after protecting Zhao Zhenchuan, was suspected by the Japanese and taken in for questioning. Xie Weihua at that time should have looked like Hu Xiaoxiao now.
Qi Weiming also noticed that Hu Xiaoxiao had already taken on the role of Xie Weihua from the moment she came in. Xie Weihua's temperament and behavioral logic were all portrayed by her.
"You are a very talented actor." Qi Weiming said to Hu Xiaoxiao.
Hu Xiaoxiao noticed Qi Weiming's intention and didn't miss any opportunity to enhance herself: "I'm not only very talented, but also very hardworking. Director Qi, what do you think of my etiquette? Doesn't it have a Republican style? In order to play Xie Weihua well, I went to consult with Shanghai socialites of that time and learned their manners and living habits. If the crew needs me in the future, I can also act as an etiquette teacher and correct everyone's Republican-era manners..."
Hu Xiaoxiao mentioned the name of her teacher. As soon as the name came out, everyone who knew about old Shanghai knew about this famous socialite who was well-known in Shanghai during that period.
Qi Weiming's eyes suddenly lit up, "You took that old man as your teacher?"
"If it weren't for that old man's personal instruction, how could I have learned so well in such a short time?" Hu Xiaoxiao stood up and displayed her outfit for the director and judges to see more clearly. "This dress and the accessories I'm wearing were all lent to me by that old man."
When Hu Xiaoxiao came in and saw her outfit, Qi Weiming and several judges felt that it looked familiar and didn't think much about it. They thought that Hu Xiaoxiao borrowed it from some crew or had someone make it herself.
After hearing what Hu Xiaoxiao said, I realized that this outfit actually had such a history.
"Real Shanghai socialites all said I had no problem. I think I would have no problem in front of Director Qi and the judges, too."
Qi Weiming had never seen an artist as dedicated as Hu Xiaoxiao, willing to do so much homework, spend so much time and energy for a play. He asked curiously, "Did you do this when filming in the past?"
Hu Xiaoxiao looked at the judges and said, "Teachers, you should know how I film. From the role of Zhou Bijun that became popular at the beginning to the recent role of Mu Guiying, I have always given my all to play the role well."
Several judges knew a lot about Hu Xiaoxiao's deeds. They told Qi Weiming how she learned martial arts in order to play the role of Mu Guiying well, and how she could hang on wires for hours without complaining of being tired.
After hearing this, Qi Weiming finally understood how this incredibly young girl had quickly become a star and a leader among the younger generation of the company. Furthermore, in Hu Xiaoxiao, he seemed to see the same dedication to his career that he had in his youth.
Qi Weiming sorted out the information, selected a section of Xie Weihua's plot, and asked Hu Xiaoxiao to perform it.
The cameraman inside turned on the camera and aimed it at Hu Xiaoxiao.
Hu Xiaoxiao hardly needed any preparation and performed it very naturally.
From the moment she entered the door, she began to identify herself as Xie Weihua. There was no difference between having a camera and not having one. She was the role, and the role was her.
Qi Weiming nodded secretly. After the photoshoot was finished, he pondered for a moment and said to Hu Xiaoxiao, "Okay, you can go back first. I will announce the candidate for Xie Weihua within three days."
"Then I'll wait for good news from Director Qi." Hu Xiaoxiao stood up and said sincerely, "Director Qi, you've spent years honing your skills, and if you don't make a sound, it will surely be astonishing. I hope I can be lucky enough to share in your glory and soar to the sky with you."
Qi Weiming smiled slightly, "With your ability and perseverance, you can still fly high even without me."
"There are many good horses, but there are few good horse trainers. Director Qi, you are the TV station's good horse trainer. Whether it's filming or casting, you have a unique vision. No one in the industry doesn't admire you for that."
Only after coming out of the audition room did Hu Xiaoxiao finally breathe a sigh of relief.
Although director Qi Weiming did not immediately decide on Xie Weihua, his hesitation meant that she had at least a 50% chance.
And what she wants is this half chance.
Hu Xiaoxiao closed the door gently and was about to call the next person to audition when he saw Yuna running towards him hurriedly from a distance.
Compared with her previous makeup and dress, Yuna has changed her outfit now. She is wearing shorts, cloth shoes, a straw hat on her head, and a white towel around her neck.
It was running from afar, as if there was a rickshaw pulling behind it.
Yuna finally stopped when she saw Hu Xiaoxiao coming out of the audition room, holding her waist and breathing heavily. "It's my turn, right?"
Hu Xiaoxiao made way and nodded: "You can go in."
She looked at Yuna, who was sweating all the way out and had no makeup on her face. She saw Yuna wipe the sweat off her forehead with a towel, and she looked just like An Baojuan herself.
It would take three days to find out who between her and Xia Lu could win over Xie Weihua, but Hu Xiaoxiao knew that the answer to who could win over An Baojuan was now known.
The auditions for that day were not completed until the afternoon, and Qi Weiming quickly decided on the candidates for other important roles.
The only thing he was hesitant about was whether to choose Hu Xiaoxiao or Xia Lu for the role of Xie Weihua.
He rewatched the footage shot by Hu Xiaoxiao and Xia Lu. Xia Lu had more acting experience, more diverse interpretations, and better attention to detail. However, Hu Xiaoxiao's image, age, and temperament were more suitable for the role of Xie Weihua.
After thinking about it, he simply called screenwriter Lin Yi and talked about this matter.
Lin Yi laughed on the other end of the phone. "Actually, the fact that you're calling me means you already have an idea. If you have time, come to my house. I'll show you some photos. Maybe that'll help you make a decision faster."
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