Chapter 00035: The Mysterious Art of Casting
# The Mysterious Art of Casting
Chapter 35
Novel: 1979 Golden Age
Chapter 35: The Mysterious Art of Casting
In the following days, everyone continued to watch performances from the Central Academy of Drama and various theater troupes.
Within the creative team of Lushan Love, some felt that Fang Shu was a good fit, and Wang Haowei also thought it was worth giving her a try.
So, Fang Shu and Zhou Lijing were paired up and asked to come to the Beijing Film Studio every day to discuss the script, study, and further audition.
Zhang Tielin, Chen Baoguo, and others had already been eliminated.
Chen Chong had even made a special trip from Shanghai.
She had already gained some fame from her role in Little Flower and had enrolled in Shanghai International Studies University, majoring in English and American literature.
In 1981, she went to the United States and married a Hollywood movement coach.
Initially, everyone had high hopes for her, but after the audition, it became clear that she didn’t quite fit the role.
She was still young, with a baby face, and lacked the aura of a leading lady, so she was also cut.
Early one morning, Chen Qi arrived at the meeting room as usual.
He always came early to sweep the floor, wipe the tables, and sometimes even prepare tea.
In terms of position, he was the screenwriter, and in terms of age, he was the youngest, which created a somewhat contradictory situation.
But he didn’t mind, and his likability kept growing.
Today, however, he was surprised to find someone already sitting in the room, wearing a white short-sleeved shirt and writing something with his head down.
“Ahem, hello, comrade!”
“Oh, hello, hello!”
The man looked up and quickly stood up, revealing a strikingly handsome face with bright, sparkling eyes.
His skin was fair and smooth, and he had a good build, standing tall and lean.
Ha!
Chen Qi couldn’t help but laugh and immediately went to shake his hand. “Ah, Prime Minister, when will you lead us on the Northern Expedition? I’ve got my excavator ready!”
This was none other than the dashing, top-tier heartthrob, Tang Guoqiang!
“Hello, I’m Chen Qi, the screenwriter for Lushan Love.”
“I’ve heard so much about you! I’ve long known that a young talent had arrived at the Beijing Film Studio, and now that I’ve met you, the rumors are true!”
Tang Guoqiang’s voice was deep and magnetic, and he warmly invited Chen Qi to sit down. “I had nothing to do, so I thought I’d come early. Turns out I came too early—no one else is here yet.”
“They’ll be here soon. Everyone’s having breakfast now. Did you come from the August First Studio?”
“Yes, do you live at the Beijing Film Studio?”
“Yeah, I’ve been staying at the guesthouse.”
The two chatted for a while, and Chen Qi couldn’t stop staring at Tang’s face. “Wow, your skin is amazing!”
In those days, most people’s skin was rough, but Tang was naturally blessed with fair, smooth skin, even more delicate than a woman’s.
When they were filming Little Flower, it happened to be his birthday, and Chen Chong asked him what he wanted.
He said, “I love cream. Can you get me a cream cake?” After that, Chen Chong would tell everyone, “My brother’s skin is even softer than mine—it’s all from eating cream!”
At the time, society idolized tough guys like Ken Takakura, and Tang Guoqiang was often teased, especially after he starred in The Peacock Princess in 1981. His gentle demeanor, refined features, and fair complexion made him exceptionally handsome, and the nickname “Cream Boy” spread far and wide.
This caused him a lot of trouble, and he tried hard to break out of this typecasting, but with little success.
He carried the “Cream Boy” label for many years until he played Zhuge Liang in Romance of the Three Kingdoms.
Later, he took on roles like Chairman Mao and Emperor Yongzheng, solidifying his status.
Objectively speaking, his acting skills were quite good.
His early portrayals of Chairman Mao were decent, but as he took on more roles, they became somewhat formulaic.
As he aged, he often played emperors and generals, and his performances started to feel repetitive.
Subjectively, he seemed to lack ambition, and his acting skills declined.
As they chatted, Tang Guoqiang noticed something odd. “Comrade Chen, why do you keep staring at me?”
“I just think your skin is amazing. Do you have a skincare routine?”
“Skincare routine? I think it’s just natural.”
“Natural? That’s incredible! Look at me—my skin’s rough, and with the change of seasons, I’ve been breaking out…”
“Oh, you young people!”
Tang Guoqiang slapped his thigh, exasperated. “Two grown men sitting here talking about skin—what kind of scene is this?”
“Alright, alright, I’ll stop. But your skin really is great…”
For some reason, Chen Qi couldn’t help but laugh every time he looked at Tang and felt the urge to tease him.
Fortunately, Wang Haowei and the others arrived, saving Tang from further embarrassment.
The relationship between the August First Studio and the Beijing Film Studio was excellent.
The August First Studio often lacked directors, while the Beijing Film Studio had plenty, so they frequently helped each other out.
Actors also moved between the two studios.
Today’s meeting was more relaxed than usual.
Everyone sat down casually, and Tang Guoqiang said, “Director Wang, thank you for considering me. I’ve read the script for Lushan Love, but I have a question—I’m 27 this year. Isn’t that a bit old?”
“But you look young!”
Wang Haowei laughed. “We’ve already considered that. What matters most is the image and the feeling. Besides, there’s a five-year gap between the male and female leads, so by the end, they’ll naturally be more mature.”
“Oh, in that case, I’ll give it a try. Thank you for your confidence in me.”
“Of course, we’ll communicate more and find the right feel. But I’ll be upfront—I can’t guarantee you’ll get the role.”
“Naturally, I’m not a rookie anymore.”
After chatting for a while, Tang Guoqiang excused himself.
Before leaving, he glanced at Chen Qi, who had left a deep impression on him.
Talking about skin right off the bat—what’s with young people these days?
After he left, the meeting continued.
Wang Haowei said, “Fang Shu and Zhou Lijing are one pair. Tang Guoqiang’s image and talent are undeniable, so he’s definitely worth considering. We just need to find a female lead to pair with him. That way, we’ll have two potential pairs, and we can decide which one fits best.”
“What about Pan Hong?”
“Or Jiang Lili?”
“Zhang Weixin (Li Xiaolu’s mother, a dancer)?”
One by one, names were suggested, but either the actresses were unavailable or their studios wouldn’t release them.
In the end, no decision was made.
…………
After the meeting, Chen Qi returned to the guesthouse and closed the door behind him.
He paused for a moment, then pulled out a chair, sat down, and spread out some paper.
He felt that progress was slow, and he knew it was partly his fault.
Moving Lushan Love from the Shanghai Film Studio to the Beijing Film Studio had caused a lot of changes.
“I guess I’ll have to rely on the mysterious art of casting!”
He finally gave in.
He thought about it—who were the actresses of this era?
He Qing was only 15, still in the Zhejiang Kunqu Opera Troupe.
Chen Hong was even younger, just 11, probably serving as the arts committee member in her elementary school.
Tao Huimin was 13 and had just joined the Yue Opera Troupe…
These three were young, but they could be useful in the future.
Chen Qi made a note of them.
Additionally, He Saifei, Ru Ping, Dong Zhizhi, Zhou Jie, and Lin Fangbing were all too young.
Lushan Love had a five-year time span, from the early twenties to the late twenties, so they didn’t need to cast someone too young.
“What about Li Jianqun?”
Chen Qi suddenly thought of her.
She was probably studying in the stage design department at the Shanghai Theater Academy and had no acting experience.
But he made a note of her for future reference.
“Where’s Zhu Lin? She’s working at some health research institute, right? Would she be suitable for the role of the motherly figure in Lushan Love?”
Thinking of Zhu Lin naturally led him to another name.
These two would later become a topic of fascination for netizens in the future.
He pondered for a moment, then drew a circle on his notepad.
“It’s her!”
(End of Chapter)