Shang Yechu was stunned by the cruel meaning in Ji Juntao's words, and before she knew it, her back was soaked with sweat.
Ji Juntao said in a hesitant and disgusted tone: "And so, the scene was reshot again and again until all the extras had bullied Huo Minmin before it finally ended."
"By the end of filming this scene, Huo Minmin could barely distinguish between hallucination and reality. But even so, Gao Sanfu was still not satisfied."
"He demanded that no one in the crew speak to Huo Minmin or smile at her. Otherwise, they would be reprimanded or fired."
Shang Yechu's eyes widened as she heard Ji Juntao say, "Everyone has a time when they're no longer acting, but Huo Minmin didn't. During those hundred days of filming, Huo Minmin lived in the play the whole time. She couldn't distinguish between illusion and reality, between play and reality... She was almost ruined."
Shang Yechu unconsciously gripped the bed sheet tightly.
Ji Juntao withdrew his hand, his face as cold as ice: "What you saw—the fear, vigilance, despair, and pain of Huo Minmin in the movie—is all real."
Shang Yechu slowly sat up, picked up the water from the bedside table that had cooled down, and took a sip.
Ji Juntao looked out the window: "After filming this movie, Huo Minmin developed a very serious mental illness. I don't know the specifics, but in short, she can no longer film any movies."
It was already bright outside the window. Ji Juntao heard a snapping sound, looked down, and saw that Shang Yechu had crushed the water bottle.
"《The White-Haired Beauty》 created a box office miracle for art films. It also swept the awards. The Hanjiang Awards for Best Director, Best Film, and Best Actress; the Liuyun Awards for Best Actress and Best Director. It won half of the four major awards at the Jiangshan Fengyun Awards," Ji Juntao scoffed. "A double win of fame and fortune!"
Without Ji Juntao needing to tell him, Shang Yechu already knew what happened next.
Winning the award did not heal Huo Minmin's trauma. In fact, Shang Yechu suspected that every time Huo Minmin saw those two golden trophies, she would be reminded of that painful past!
Soon after, Huo Minmin retired from the entertainment industry, leaving behind a regrettable, fleeting legend of talent.
Shang Yechu gripped the plastic water bottle tightly: "Why was this matter suppressed?"
Ji Juntao scoffed: "Huo Minmin is also from Tianding Entertainment."
Some things don't need much explanation. A single sentence is enough.
Ji Juntao stood up, stretched his limbs, and said, "Huo Minmin's contract still has many years left before it expires, but her determination to terminate the contract is very firm. Tianding Entertainment waived her termination penalty and even gave her an additional sum of money, which finally silenced Huo Minmin."
Tianding Entertainment lost a ruined female artist but gained a director who can rival Zhan Kexiang.
As for what Huo Minmin herself is like, that's the question that nobody cares about.
“My mom told me about this,” Ji Juntao said with his back to Shang Yechu. “That’s when she lost faith in Tianding Entertainment.”
Shang Yechu had already understood Ji Juntao's meaning.
The production team of "Half a Day" used a method similar to that used during the hottest days of summer!
Ji Juntao turned around, his expression cold and stern: "Besides Gao Sanfu, there are many similar cases abroad. Directors deliberately lead the entire crew to isolate a particular actor in order to get the actors into a certain state."
Doing so can indeed enhance the artistic effect of the work, but if it goes too far, the bullied and isolated actor could be ruined.
No wonder Ji Juntao vehemently criticized the "Tianban" production team for stealing. This kind of behavior is tantamount to overdrawing Shang Yechu's talent and inspiration, and even his artistic life!
What's the difference between this and stealing Ji Juntao's things?
"How could they do this?" Ji Juntao exploded. "Wasn't your acting good enough? Did you expect Li Yiming to be bullied in the ninth inning? The script should have her bullying others!"
"Why are they treating you like this? Even I wouldn't do this to you!"
"These things have corns growing in their bones!"
Ji Juntao began pacing back and forth in the room, his strides large and forceful. His refined and elegant face was contorted with anger.
"This is theft! This is bullying! This is fraud!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
