Chapter 130: Casting Issues
When busy training and studying occupy all of the brain's capacity, it seems that the unexpected and hazy night will also be intentionally or unintentionally left behind.
Li Sishi wasn't unwilling to make a decision sooner, but the choice was just too difficult. Following her own heart would affect her career, while giving up seemed somewhat unwilling... So, she unusually resorted to a variation of the "delaying" tactic, letting things develop naturally for a while longer, observing and waiting before making a decision.
While the winter break was still ongoing, Li Sishi spent her breaks during training and her usual rest time engrossed in the script and the somewhat messy original novel of "The Romantic Swordsman," taking notes as she read. Occasionally, she would also read the prequel "The Romantic Swordsman of the Jianghu" and the sequel "The Romantic Swordsman of the Country" to further enrich her understanding of the characters and the story.
After all, she had only watched various film and television adaptations, and when a novel is adapted into a TV series, many things are destined to be difficult to be completely consistent with the descriptions in the original work.
TBL has always held extremely high expectations for adapting Gan Jun's series of ancient costume martial arts novels into film and television dramas, and the early TV adaptations have all achieved quite good ratings. Now, restarting the remake of a new version is undoubtedly an attempt to create a new round of glory.
However, there were already some excellent versions made in the last decade, so if we were to remake it now, the entire production team and the actors would inevitably face a lot of pressure.
If it's not done well, all the high expectations will turn into greater disappointment, and it will become a version that viewers despise both in their hearts and in their mouths. This will make local Hong Kong people and everyone in the area where TBL TV series can be broadcast feel that it would be better not to remake it at all.
As the producer of this new version, Li Xuansheng is very fortunate to have Li Sishi, a universally recognized real-life "Fairy of Yunya," from the very beginning. Moreover, Li Sishi is not only suitable for both ancient and modern roles, but also has commendable acting skills, making her the perfect choice for the lead actress.
Not to mention, Li Sishi is also very hardworking. Even though this is her first time filming a period drama, and a female action role with a lot of fight scenes, she never complained and followed the martial arts instructors and dancers to learn and train. She handled everything from prop swords to long ribbons with golden bells with great skill.
Even without wearing period costumes that match the character's personality, one can still feel her strength and beauty.
The problem lies in the fact that, although the primary female protagonist of the story "The Romantic Swordsman" is "Fairy Yunya"...
This stunningly beautiful woman, with her aloof and otherworldly beauty resembling a celestial fairy, is the focus of the entire storyline, which revolves around the absolute male protagonist, Yang Si.
The role of "Yang Si" requires someone who not only looks handsome, but also possesses a unique charm that is both romantic and passionate, with a smile as beautiful as a blooming peach blossom.
The male lead in the previous version was played by Hou Beihua, one of the Four Heavenly Kings. In Li Xuansheng's opinion, Hou Beihua was handsome enough, but his features were still a bit too rugged and resolute. In addition, the production effects and budget of film and television ten years ago were definitely not as good as they are now. Therefore, even if the entire crew and actors worked hard back then, Hou Beihua's "Yang Si" could only get 95 points in his eyes.
According to Li Xuansheng's idea, the "Yang Si" he wanted was more like the elegant, refined, and dashing Cheng Zhaoqiu. Unfortunately, Cheng Zhaoqiu's image as a thief was so profound that the original author was moved by his performance and changed the character's original "tough guy" persona to a "scholar".
Most importantly, even if Cheng Zhaoqiu maintains his good looks and is still attractive, it's not appropriate for him to play the male lead in this new version.
The role of "Yang Si" requires the actor to portray the character from his youth to middle age.
It's always easier for young people to look mature than for mature men and women to look young. Even if the makeup artists and stylists in TV studios are very skilled, it's still extremely difficult to make mature and charming male artists look youthful without any trace on camera.
Moreover, apart from Li Miaoyang, a veteran supporting actor with excellent acting skills who plays an old man in old-age makeup, most of the characters in the drama are played by actors whose ages are close to those of the characters. Especially the group of young beauties led by Li Sishi, if they are not real young people standing next to them, it is always inevitable that there will be a sense of incongruity in the style.
Li Xuansheng had been racking his brains over the casting of the male lead, to the point that he strategically expanded the edge of his Mediterranean hairstyle. Finally, after searching high and low, he interviewed a candidate who seemed to fit his vision in every way.
This young man's name is Luo Xuan.
In the eyes of the media at the time, he was called "Little Cheng Zhaoqiu" because he looked like Cheng Zhaoqiu. He was not only similar in appearance but also in spirit. The only difference was that Cheng Zhaoqiu's appearance was more gentle and elegant, while Luo Xuan's was more angular and handsome.
However, this personal trait makes him more suitable for portraying Yang Si's youthful spirit in the early stages of the story.
Therefore, even among the people who came for interviews at the same time, another young man named Cheng Erjian...
The person in question is better than Luo Xuan in terms of acting skills and experience, but Luo Xuan's unique and irreplaceable personal qualities allow him to achieve a level of compatibility with the character that is unmatched by others.
Of course, Cheng Erjian had previously played the legendary "Zhonghuanglong Qingming Ancestor," one of the Five Great Masters of the martial arts world, in another film and television series adapted from Gan Jin's novel. Under that premise, if the founder of the Chaoyang School, Zhong Qingming, were to transform into a disgraced disciple of the Chaoyang School, the topic would certainly generate buzz, but for viewers who had just finished watching Cheng Erjian's costume drama not long ago, it would not be an image or impression change that they could immediately accept.
With producer Li Xuansheng providing support, Luo Xuan was pleasantly surprised to receive notification that he had successfully auditioned for the role of Yang Si.
However, when he received the notification that he had passed the interview, he was sitting side by side with his old friend Cheng Erjian at two adjacent dressing tables. So, while Luo Xuan was pleasantly surprised, he couldn't help but glance at his old friend next to him with a little worry.
Hearing this news, Cheng Erjian was somewhat disappointed, but he wasn't one to dwell on it too much. As a natural "gamer" who was addicted to games and entertainment, he must have read a lot of Gan Gan's martial arts novels before, so when he and Luo Xuan went for the interview, he was already prepared to be just another runner-up.
After all, although he and Luo Xuan were not much different in terms of conditions, Luo Xuan's stubborn temperament, which was extremely in line with the character's personality, was something that he, with his more Buddhist personality, could never perfectly portray.
In casting, sometimes the suitability of the role is far more important than the actor's acting skills.
It has to be said that some people are truly born to play this role; their natural performance alone is enough to earn them a score of 99.
The fact that they didn't get that last point simply means that people still have some expectations for the next actor in this role, which will definitely be remade again.
"Congratulations." Cheng Erjian took the initiative to shake hands with Luo Xuan, easing his worries and anxieties about his old friend's current mood.
Luo Xuan gripped Cheng Erjian's hand tightly: "Thank you."
"Hey, don't thank me, thank the producer. It was the producer who chose you, so you should know how to thank the right person." Cheng Erjian waved his hand and joked, and for a moment the atmosphere between the two returned to the old good brotherly banter.
"I will definitely work hard!"
Luo Xuan clenched his fist and said with a determined look.
Watching Luo Xuan happily studying the original novel and the newly acquired script, Cheng Erjian stroked his chin, but his mind began to wander to other things.
.
He has already gone through a lot in the TV drama industry, having tried both the second male lead in big productions and the first male lead in small productions. If he wants to go further, he has to rely on seniority and wait for the senior actors who can play the leading role in big productions to gradually reduce their output, retire, or take a back seat to play elder roles before he can become one of the new leading men in TV dramas.
But he was a little reluctant to continue working in the TV drama industry. It was time-consuming and didn't pay much. Compared to movies, it was worlds apart.
Moreover, in people's eyes nowadays, the film industry is generally considered to be "noble" than the television industry. While filming TV series can certainly build popularity and a solid foundation, if you really want to move forward, you have to try your luck in the film industry.
Just like Li Sishi, even though she is currently preparing to film a TV series, this TV series is an adaptation of a classic martial arts novel with extremely high popularity, and Li Sishi's character is the white moonlight of many novel readers. If the filming is done well, it will definitely win the audience's favor and popularity.
For Miss Zhuang to be able to "demote" Li Sishi to film TV dramas, it must be either an anniversary drama or a classic role with a strong fan base—otherwise, she wouldn't want her rising star to lose her status by filming TV dramas.
Thinking about this, Cheng Erjian's mind started to wander: He's been doing quite well in the film industry lately, and his contract with TBL is about to expire. Wouldn't it be a good idea to take this opportunity to try his hand in the film industry?
Even if he fails in his venture, he can always return to acting in TV dramas and start over. But if he doesn't try his luck in the film industry when the time is right, and instead chooses to stay in the small circle of TV dramas to gain experience and wait for his turn, will he regret not taking the risks back then?
The thoughts and choices of young people seem to determine their future direction and fate.
However, on the road to striving towards the future of our dreams, we will always encounter some unavoidable difficulties and trials.
On this day, Luo Xuan arrived early at the office where Li Xuansheng had arranged to meet him.
Seeing that the office door hadn't opened yet, Luo Xuan glanced at his watch and realized he'd arrived half an hour early due to his excitement. He then obediently leaned against the corridor wall, waiting for his "mentor."
The producer appeared, expressed his gratitude, and explained his determination to do his best to play the role well.
But to his surprise, Luo Xuan, who was quietly waiting in the corridor, was not greeted by Li Xuansheng, the producer who admired him, but by a group of paparazzi who appeared out of nowhere.
"Luo Sheng, I heard that you were sentenced to a reformatory for fighting and injuring someone before, is that right?!"
"I received a message saying that you used to be a gangster? Did you turn over a new leaf after being sent to a reformatory?"
"I heard that you went to the audition with your friend Cheng Erjian, and Cheng Erjian's audition performance was even better than yours, but in the end the role of Yang Si fell to you... Could you tell us how you 'turned defeat into victory'?"
"Many television viewers have written to complain that they don't want to see such an 'unhealthy' actress as you playing Yang Si. What are your thoughts on this?"
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