“I’m not that stupid!”
The corners of Fan Shuangbing's mouth curled up slightly. She glanced at Li Shuangbing, who was sitting opposite her, and thought to herself: *He seems to be very close with Feng Dapao. If she were to act foolishly, would he say something...*
Click, click!
As Cheng Sheng spoke on the stage, the reporters below quickly snapped photos, waiting to publish the news tomorrow.
This was big news!
Cheng Sheng attacking his peers.
“I’ve taken up a lot of your time. Thank you all for coming to the celebration banquet tonight.”
After finishing his speech, Cheng Sheng walked back to the center position and handed the microphone to the assistant director, Liu Meng.
Liu Meng took the microphone, stepped forward, and gave a few words of thanks before returning to his seat and handing the microphone to the lead actress, Zheng Guolin.
In the following moments, every key crew member gave a brief speech of thanks.
Once finished, the microphone was returned to the host, and everyone returned to their seats below the stage.
The celebration banquet lasted for over three hours before finally coming to an end.
After seeing the guests off, Cheng Sheng was about to head home when Su Chang approached him.
“Is something wrong?”
Seeing Su Chang’s hesitant expression, Cheng Sheng asked.
“I received an audition notice from Hollywood, but I can't decide whether or not to go. I wanted to ask for your opinion, Director Cheng,” Su Chang said in a low voice.
“Who sent you the notice?”
In this era, domestic actors were all scrambling to break into Hollywood. Regardless of whether they ended up battered and bruised, Hollywood was their holy land.
If any other actor had heard of an audition notice from Hollywood, they would likely have accepted immediately without a second thought, rather than being as indecisating as Su Chang.
“Spielberg.”
*What!*
Cheng Sheng was shocked.
He had assumed it was just one of those small Hollywood companies or scammers who had seen Su Chang's influence in Venice and intended to use her fame to break into the domestic market.
He never expected it would be this cinematic master inviting her.
“Do you know the name of the project?”
While he was happy for Su Chang, since she was asking for his advice, Cheng Sheng had to take it seriously.
“They told me it’s an art film with an 80-million-dollar investment...”
Before Su Chang could even say the title, Cheng Sheng frowned.
An 80-million-dollar investment for an art film? Wasn't that a bit exaggerated?
No matter how great Spielberg was, wasn't he afraid of not recouping the costs?
“The movie is called *Memoirs of a Geisha*, I think.”
Wait.
Hearing the title, Cheng Sheng suddenly remembered a movie called *Memoirs of a Geisha* from the future.
This movie primarily targeted the Japanese and North American markets, but the leads were three Chinese women.
Well, in this era, Japan truly lacked young actors with international recognition.
Furthermore, foreigners likely perceived all Asians as looking similar, so they figured Chinese actors could play Japanese roles.
However, this movie was destined to flop.
For a film that wasn't centered around white actors, achieving high box office numbers in North America was extremely difficult.
One had to realize that even with Jackie Chan, his films only broke into the North American market by pairing him with foreign leads.
For example, the *Rush Hour* series successfully combined action-comedy elements with North American audience tastes through his partnership with Chris Tucker, which is what made the films massive hits.
Relying on Jackie Chan alone to carry the box office might work domestically, but abroad, he wasn't quite enough.
Therefore, the movies Jackie Chan filmed in Hollywood almost always featured another Hollywood actor as a co-star.
“Changchang, if you want my honest opinion, I wouldn't suggest you take this film,” Cheng Sheng said.
This movie was a trap for Chinese actors.
Su Chang was the Venice Best Newcomer he had personally nurtured; he didn't want her to fall into a pit.
“Why? Director Cheng, an 80-million-dollar investment converts to six or seven hundred million RMB. Do you really think I should refuse such a massive production?” Su Chang said, conflicted.
In her heart, she wanted to take it; she was only asking for Cheng Sheng's opinion to put her mind at ease.
She hadn't expected Cheng Sheng to actually tell her to turn it down.
“This movie is hard to make successful. And judging by the name, it’s related to the Japanese. Once it's released, you might even be criticized by people back home! It’s a thankless task that ruins your reputation. It's best to refuse.”
“If you don't hold the superstition that Hollywood is the holy land of cinema, your most important task right now is to build a solid foundation. Stabilize your domestic market first, then consider attacking the international market.”
Cheng Sheng wasn't lying to Su Chang; *Memoirs of a Geisha* was indeed a massive pitfall for Chinese actors.
What exactly is a "Geisha"?
The reason the term is "Geisha" and not something else is due to its specificity. Although most work in places like "entertainment houses," the profession is a Japanese performing arts vocation that still exists as a cultural concept today.
Much like the ancient Chinese concept of "selling art, not the body," a Geisha is essentially that kind of existence.
In Japanese culture, Geishas are the vessels for these fantasies: young, beautiful, well-educated, tactful, and skilled in song and dance...
Of course, they undergo strict and grueling training from a young age, needing to master culture, etiquette, grooming, and various arts like music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, all to become excellent playthings for men.
As the lines in the script go: "You are not a true Geisha unless you can make a man stop in his tracks with just a glance." To become such "artists" of male culture, their "nobility" is equally "lowly." The coldness in their eyes is merely a means of self-protection, yet that sense of "distance" and "taboo" also places them in danger.
While the film romanticizes them, in the eyes of most people, aren't Geishas just high-end courtesans?
What were the consequences when Zhang Ziyi filmed *Memoirs of a Geisha*?
She was mocked by the Japanese, criticized by her own countrymen, and even slapped by Gong Li. Although her acting was recognized by many, it ultimately damaged her reputation.
Originally, Spielberg wanted Gong Li for the role, but she refused, stating plainly: "I don't want to insult my national culture and be cursed by my hometown!"
Upon hearing this, Zhang Ziyi volunteered herself for the lead.
It could be said that some people truly have no bottom line when it comes to fame and money.
Cheng Sheng did not want Su Chang to follow that path.
Fortunately, Su Chang was willing to listen. She said, “Then I'll have the company reject it.”
“Wait a moment. Don't rush to reject it yet. You haven't leaked the news about Spielberg inviting you to audition in Hollywood, have you?” Cheng Sheng stopped her.
“Only the company and Sister Li know,” Su Chang said.
“Have your company leak the news. Let the domestic market know that Spielberg invited you to audition. Use this to create some hype.”