novellhall Chapter 214 How dare a Chinese actor be so tough? [5000]
Chapter 214 How dare a Chinese actor be so tough? [5000]
Chapter 214 How dare a Chinese actor be so tough? [5000]
On the set of Fast & Furious 6 in London.
The tank scene has just come to an end.
Chen Xun was excitedly discussing with his stunt team how to make that drift angle even more pronounced.
The group chatted enthusiastically.
Don't let their quiet demeanor fool you; these stunt drivers are truly skilled.
[Special Effects +5]
[Special Driving Skills +8]
One by one, attribute balls related to special skills fell down.
Chen Xun absorbed the information with great enthusiasm.
Several stunt drivers were also very excited, as it was rare for a movie's lead actor to value them so much. Just then, Chen Xun's phone vibrated in his pocket.
It's Robert.
"Answer the phone!"
Chen Xun walked behind the relatively quiet backdrop.
Rob's voice came from the other end of the line, with some background noise, like being in a car: "Chen, is it a convenient time to talk? I just got a pretty interesting phone call."
"It's convenient, you tell me."
"It was a direct call from Warner's senior vice president's office."
Robert paused, seemingly organizing his thoughts: "He adopted a very humble attitude, his words expressing his hope to mend the unpleasantness that arose from a misunderstanding with Mr. Chen Xun."
"How do you fix it?"
Chen Xun never expected Warner would back down.
He leaned against the backdrop, ready to listen carefully to what the Warner people had to say.
"Add more money!"
Rob put it bluntly: "They offered to increase your salary by five million dollars if you were willing to return to the cast of Interstellar to complete Cooper's scenes!"
They're really going all out!
Chen Xun was a little surprised.
This is no small amount.
That shows quite a bit of sincerity.
Chen Xun was somewhat tempted.
After all, nobody turns down money.
"What are the conditions?"
Chen Xun did not believe that Warner was giving him money for nothing.
There's no such thing as a free lunch, especially not in Hollywood.
On the other end of the phone, Rob clicked his tongue: "The condition is that the return must follow their script, and you need to issue a statement to the public."
"After careful consideration and in-depth communication with director Nolan, you have decided to readjust your schedule and return to the Interstellar crew to continue playing the role of Cooper."
"In short, you came to your own conclusion and wanted to go back, rather than them asking you to."
After listening, Chen Xun was silent for a few seconds, then laughed: "So they want to spend five million to buy me a show of voluntarily returning, to help them cover up that cowardly story of replacing the actor under pressure? To make them look better?"
That's basically the idea.
Rob's voice also carried a hint of mockery: "Classic Hollywood tactic: using money to solve face problems. Although their stock price has stabilized now, the impression of their previous decision as foolish remains."
"If you, the one who was abandoned, can suddenly realize your mistakes and go back without holding a grudge, then their previous choices can be somewhat explained."
"What's your opinion, Rob?"
"I?"
Rob didn't hesitate for long on the other end of the phone and said directly, "From an agent's perspective, it's a fool not to make money. Five million US dollars, this job is a sure thing."
"Nolan's films are guaranteed to be high-quality, and they'll be a huge boost to your career. Go back and finish filming them, and you'll reap both fame and fortune."
"As for issuing a statement and saying a few nice words, that's nothing in Hollywood. Countless similar press releases are issued every day."
Rob's words were very realistic and entirely from his perspective.
Chen Xun could understand.
"But I refuse!"
Chen Xun spoke calmly, but left no room for negotiation.
"List----"
Robert was surprised that Chen Xun would refuse so readily, and seemed to want to persuade him otherwise.
"Robert, let me finish."
Chen Xun interrupted him, turning his gaze to the other end of the set, where Vin Diesel and Paul were talking about something and laughing loudly: "Money, I like it, and I really want to make Nolan's movies too. I know that's probably an opportunity that many people dream of."
"But I can't stand this attitude. It's not about how much money I have. It's that this whole thing is wrong. They thought I was a risk, afraid that the stock price would drop, afraid that the public opinion would explode. They kicked me out of the crew without saying a word, without even a decent explanation."
"Now they realize this has become a disgrace to themselves, and they want to use money to wipe it off, while I have to play along and say the disgrace looks good?"
"That doesn't make sense!"
Although Chen Xun is usually easy to talk to, he is unwilling to back down on matters of principle.
If you stay away from home for too long, you'll become useless!
"But this is Hollywood, Chen."
Rob sighed. "It's all about business here most of the time."
"I know it's business."
Chen Xun remained tight-lipped, though he understood that Robert, as his agent, wanted to maximize his profits.
"But I know very well what businesses I can and cannot do!"
"If I were to agree to their demands today for five million dollars and a Nolan film, and issue that kind of statement as they requested, what would happen in the future?"
"From now on, will any company or production crew be able to kick me while I'm down, and then throw some money at me when they need it, and I'll have to smile and offer them the other side of my face?"
Chen Xun recalled what Justin Lin said about family on the set of "Fast & Furious," and Vin Diesel said that no one can bully family.
Although the situations are not exactly the same, the principles are the same.
Some things are more important than the price of a transaction.
"There are plenty of movies, Rob."
Chen Xun didn't want to cause any resentment in Robert's heart by refusing him this time.
After all, 10% of those five million belonged to Rob.
"It's not only Warner Bros. that makes movies, and it's not only Nolan's movies that are considered movies. I'm doing very well on the Fast & Furious set. Everyone treats me like one of their own, and filming is going smoothly."
"If Warner Bros. really wants me to come back, let them come forward themselves and admit that their previous decision was ill-considered and that they need me to come back and finish this movie."
"Their pay should be increased, but they have to put on a show. They want to save face while also making me cooperate with their acting?"
"Sorry, I'm not taking this role!"
There was silence on the other end of the phone for a while.
Then came a sigh from Rob, sounding both helpless and relieved: "Okay, I understand! I'll relay this to them verbatim. I reckon those suit-and-tie gentlemen will need to order a few more bottles of blood pressure medication after hearing that."
"Thank you for your hard work, Rob!"
"What's so hard about it? This is what I do—negotiate for you, and take a bullet for you!"
Rob chuckled on the other end of the phone: "But seriously, although your confrontational approach might cost you a lot less money in the short term, in the long run, it might earn you more respect from them."
"In Hollywood, sometimes the less you compromise, the more valuable they see you. Of course, you might also completely offend people. Risk and opportunity go hand in hand."
After hanging up the phone, Chen Xun walked back into the crowd.
Conference room at WarnerBurbank headquarters.
The vice president's assistant's hands trembled slightly as he pushed the door open.
He hesitated outside the door for a long time before finally deciding to come in.
The assistant gently placed the tablet on the gleaming mahogany table and pushed it toward the vice president, not daring to say a word.
The vice president didn't look at the tablet; instead, he looked directly at his assistant and asked, "When will Chen Xun join the crew?"
Having held a high position for many years, he didn't think anyone would refuse Warner's invitation.
What's more, this person is a Chinese actor who works in Hollywood.
The assistant didn't dare to say anything.
The vice president glanced at the tablet, his gaze sweeping over the summary of Rob's reply to the email on the screen, and his finger, which was tapping the table, stopped.
He picked up the tablet and squinted at it for a few seconds.
It seems they need to confirm whether what they are seeing is true.
The others in the meeting room fell silent instantly.
Even the distribution manager, who was passionately presenting his PowerPoint presentation, froze, standing there bewildered.
The vice president put down his tablet, each word seemingly squeezed out through clenched teeth: "Our five million dollars, plus a lead role in a Nolan film, in exchange for a Chinese actor's rejection?"
No one dared to speak.
He slowly stood up, placed his hands on the edge of the table, leaned forward, and scanned the faces of the people holding their breath in front of him: "Has anyone here ever heard of one of the six major Hollywood studios having to make a gesture of admitting to a lack of consideration from an actor who has held a card from the Screen Actors Guild for less than three years and whose number of leading roles can be counted on one hand?"
His voice gradually rose, until it almost became a growl: "Fuck! Can anyone give me an example?"
A younger production manager shrank back and whispered, "Maybe this is just a negotiation tactic; he just wants more—"
Snapped!
The vice president slammed his hand on the table, making the coffee cup rattle loudly.
"Is it negotiation to insult us by refusing all conditions and demanding an apology?"
"Fuck! This Chinese actor is too arrogant!"
He grabbed the tablet, as if to slam it down, but held back: "We've offered the top market price! It's for the male lead in a Nolan film!"
"Warner Bros. is even willing to help him come back with a story of voluntary re-entry, so that everyone can save face!"
"Haven't we shown him enough respect?"
"Are we supposed to kneel down and beg him?"
The strategic advisor cleared his throat, attempting to soothe the situation: "Sir, from a public relations perspective, his firm refusal could be a talking point. We can guide netizens to portray Chen Xun as disrespectful to white people, which might—"
"He's a Chinese actor, living on our turf, using our resources, what gives him the right to be so arrogant?"
The vice president was furious and wouldn't listen to the strategic advisor's advice at all.
He paced back and forth in the conference room, his expensive custom-made leather shoes slamming against the carpet. "I finally understand," he muttered. "Some people just can't wrap their heads around it. They think that just because they acted in a movie that did well at the box office and got called 'brother' by fans a few times, they can set the rules?"
"Naive and laughable!"
The vice president stopped and stared at the studio outside the window with a sinister look: "Since Chen Xun thinks his integrity is more valuable than Warner's connections, then we'll help him face reality."
He walked back to the table, his tone resolute and brooking no argument: "Inform Nolan that the Interstellar project is going to start at full speed, and the original production cycle will be shortened by 15%."
"The official and only choice for the role of Cooper is Matthew McConaughey. All pre-release promotional materials, press releases, and internal documents must be completely cleaned up, removing the name of Chen Xun and any related traces. I want it to be as clean as if he had never been involved in this project."
"We're not just going to start filming, we're going to film it in a big, high-profile way."
The vice president gave a cruel smile: "Increase the publicity budget by 20%. I want to see the first trailer on the front page of every entertainment section, and the film's initial box office target—"
He looked around and said, slowly and deliberately, "One and a half billion dollars!"
"I want it to be the absolute king of the summer box office!"
The distribution manager cautiously interjected, "Sir, isn't 1.2 billion too much for Nolan's *Inception*?"
There are only 800 million people worldwide!
"We aim to reach 1.2 billion!"
The vice president interrupted him, his eyes brimming with confidence: "I'm going to use this movie to completely shatter some people's unrealistic fantasies. I'm going to make everyone, including Chen Xun himself, see clearly what the price is for rejecting Warner in the Hollywood pyramid."
"His idea of making over a billion dollars with a popcorn movie like 'Fast & Furious 6'—relying on muscle cars and explosions—is simply delusional!"
"I want to use box office numbers, awards, and industry influence to clearly show him what he missed out on, and that his self-righteous pride is worthless in the face of real power and resources."
The conference room was deathly silent, with only the hum of the central air conditioning audible.
The vice president sat back in his chair, waving his hand wearily and with disgust: "Execute it as is. Meeting adjourned!"
After most of the people had left, his confidant, the strategic advisor, whispered, "From a business risk perspective, targeting an actor like this could trigger unnecessary—"
"This isn't directed at anyone!"
The vice president interrupted him again.
"This is about setting a precedent. If he dares to refuse Warner today just for the sake of his image, others might follow suit tomorrow. Hollywood can't set this precedent. We must let everyone know who's in charge here."
He looked out the window, his voice tinged with annoyance: "For a Chinese actor to dare to be so defiant, it's unbelievable!"
The news reached Nolan's studio.
Nolan and the art director were discussing the problem of light refraction in front of a huge wormhole model.
The assistant quietly told him Warner Bros.' final decision and new box office targets.
Nolan listened, then simply nodded and continued to mark a point on the model drawing with a pencil.
"Tell the production department to stick to the new schedule, and contact Matthew's agent to confirm the final contract details and training schedule."
.
The assistant responded, but didn't leave immediately. After hesitating for a moment, he whispered, "Director, the sample footage from Iceland that Chen Xun filmed is actually outstanding, from a creative perspective—"
Nolan looked up.
-
Thinking of Chen Xun, his eyes were filled with regret.
Nolan was silent for a moment before speaking: "Chen Xun's performance in training in Iceland was very special, and his direction was different from Matthew's."
"I have no doubt that Matthew can deliver a great performance, but the fresh, unpolished quality that Chen Xun brings may be closer to Cooper's original character, making him more captivating."
He sighed softly, almost imperceptibly: "It's a bit of a pity. It's not a question of who's right or wrong, it's just that a very good possibility has disappeared."
He didn't say anything more, turned around and continued his discussion with the art director, as if the momentary regret he had just felt was just a trivial lapse in concentration during a work break.
But those who know him well know that Nolan rarely uses the word "regret" to describe a missed casting choice.
London, the set of Fast & Furious 6, an outdoor racetrack.
Chen Xun had just finished filming a series of close-up shots inside a car at high speed. He climbed out of the car, which was fixed to a swaying platform, and a small patch of his costume on the back was soaked with sweat.
The stunt driver leader, a bald, burly man nicknamed "Brake Pad," handed him a bottle of water.
"That body movement was very well executed, moving in sync with the rhythm of the swaying!"
Brake Pads gulped down some saliva, wiped his mouth with his sleeve, and said, "Watching you drive is always a treat. If I didn't tell you, who would know you're a professional actor, not a race car driver!"
Chen Xun unscrewed the bottle cap and smiled: "I learned it from you guys. You'll get it after watching a lot."
"Don't flatter us, we're even less honest than you!"
The brake pads had a friendly look in their eyes.
Their stunt driver team was completely convinced of Chen Xun's abilities.
Just then, my phone vibrated in my pocket.
Chen Xun took it out and looked at it.
It's Robert.
"After receiving our reply email, Warner Bros. got furious and officially announced Matthew McConaughey as the lead actor, accelerated the project, and set a box office target of $1.2 billion. They're clearly determined to crush Fast & Furious 6 and teach you a lesson."
Chen Xun leaned against the tire, remaining noncommittal.
Fast & Furious 5 has already surpassed 1 billion at the box office, and it's not impossible for Fast & Furious 6 to hit 1.2 billion.
Let's hope that we finish it ourselves, but Warner Bros. can't finish it.
That would be hilarious!
Not hearing Chen Xun's surprised reaction, Rob seemed a little dissatisfied: "They've officially declared war. The vice president's office is probably trembling with anger right now. They feel like you've really slapped them in the face. Guess what they're calling you internally now?"
"What's your name?"
Chen Xun never expected that these capitalists at Warner, who were detached from the common people, would give people nicknames.
"That arrogant, stubborn Asian guy!"
Rob laughed heartily on the other end of the phone: "Feeling a lot of pressure, huh?"
"They've really gotten used to being high and mighty!"
"They think that being given money and opportunities is like being rewarded by an emperor, and not accepting it on your knees is considered a great act of treason. This is the classic mindset of an old white Hollywood man."
Chen Xun rarely made a few complaints.
Rob couldn't stop laughing on the other end of the phone, causing his voice to tremble: "Next, they will use resources to downplay your role as much as possible and elevate 'Interstellar.' When 'Fast & Furious 6' is released, the public pressure may be immense."
Whether a film is good or not is ultimately decided by the audience. They can't possibly blind them, can they?
Chen Xun did not feel much pressure.
These bosses always feel that they have it tough, and then they do some strange things, only to suffer the consequences in the end.
"Great mindset!"
Rob praised them highly on the other end of the phone, then lowered his voice and said with concern, "But be careful. It's easy to dodge a spear in the open, but hard to guard against an arrow in the dark. These people are experts at playing dirty tricks."
"clear!"
Chen Xun's heart tightened.
I almost forgot this is Hollywood.
It's not difficult for capitalists to cause your accidental death on set.
Chen Xun felt that he really needed to be more careful.
Especially since we're currently filming racing action scenes, it's perfectly normal for accidents to happen!
After hanging up the phone, Chen Xun walked back to the filming area.
Director Justin Lin walked over with a walkie-talkie, looked at Chen Xun, and said directly, "Because of Chen Xun, Warner Bros. is now competing head-to-head with us. Their total box office is $1.2 billion. Everyone, keep up the good work!"
"But don't worry too much!"
Seeing everyone's expressions turn serious, Justin Lin clapped his hands: "Our box office success is built up shot by shot. I'm confident we can reach 1.2 billion. Do you all have that confidence?"
"have!"
Everyone responded in unison.
It was as if at that moment, my body was suddenly injected with adrenaline, and I was filled with energy.
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