The grand banquet hall on the left side of the second floor of Changfu Spring Hotel in Guomao, Beijing, was usually used for company annual meetings and events.
However, for the past few days, this hall had taken on a special role. More than a dozen foreigners of different ethnicities had taken over the space. All tables and chairs had been cleared out, several large mirrors had been set up, and two cameras were positioned in place.
Outside the banquet hall stood a sign displaying the title of the film: Jackie Chan's Adventures: The Mystery of the Talismans. It also listed brief production details—Producer/Screenwriter: Gilbert Landrini, Director: Christopher Nolan, and starring Jackie Chan, among others.
Additionally, a synopsis was provided, outlining how archaeologist Jackie Chan discovered the secret of the Twelve Zodiac Talismans in an ancient tomb. At the same time, his niece Xiaoyu arrived in China. Along with their mentor, the trio embarked on an adventure to uncover the talismans' secrets.
Along the way, they encountered opposition and attempts at theft led by the villain Valon, resulting in a series of thrilling and dangerous encounters.
This sign had been standing here for three or four days, attracting the attention of countless passersby, including many well-known actresses.
Reportedly, this casting session was mainly for two roles. One was a ten-year-old girl, Xiaoyu, considered the film's leading female role.
Although many established actresses coveted this part, it was obviously impossible for them to turn back time and audition for a child's role. So instead, they set their sights on the other role—the character of Little Snake.
These days, simply attending an international event—whether it was a red carpet walk or an Asian film festival—was enough to earn the title of an "international actress."
If someone managed to attend one of Europe's three major film festivals, or better yet, land even a minor role in a Hollywood film, their status in the industry would skyrocket, elevating them to the ranks of top-tier celebrities.
In a previous era of rising national confidence, there had already been many who excessively idolized foreign cultures. In this time period, it was even more prevalent.
Though this type of marketing strategy was somewhat shallow since it didn't truly signify breaking into international markets it was highly effective. Many actresses wanted to give it a try.
By comparison, Jackie Chan was a true international Chinese movie star, with significant credibility in the industry.
With Jackie Chan as the lead actor, it seemed likely that the role of Little Snake would also receive considerable screen time. Additionally, since the auditions were being held in Mainland China rather than Hong Kong, it signified that Mainland actresses had a real chance to step onto the global stage and act in a Hollywood film.
This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and many celebrities were eager to seize it.
Unfortunately, this casting call was exclusively for female roles, leaving male actors out of the equation.
As auditions for Little Snake commenced, a wave of renowned Mainland actresses sprang into action. Some sought connections behind the scenes, some pretended to enter the wrong room to "accidentally" bump into Nolan, while others staged chance encounters in hopes of making an impression.
To leave a good impression on the two directors, many actresses with poor English skills began hiring tutors to rapidly improve their language abilities.
Some, having learned about the auditions in advance, had even been studying English for two or three months already. Since the film featured action scenes, actresses with martial arts backgrounds or experience in action films held a clear advantage.
On a bright and sunny morning, Changfu Spring Hotel had set up a dedicated entrance for the auditioning actresses. They arrived one after another, waiting in the specially prepared lounge.
These were the candidates who had passed the preliminary selection and had now entered the final round. Reportedly, neither Gilbert nor Nolan would be present for this stage. Instead, the auditions were being overseen by Hong Kong director Stanley Tong.
However, Gilbert had still decided to come. At this moment, he and Nolan were chatting in the hotel's café.
"I've had discussions with IMAX Corporation," Gilbert said. "They've been collaborating with me and Director Cameron to develop the next-generation IMAX camera and a 3D IMAX system. We've already made significant progress."
Nolan, intrigued, asked, "So, are the IMAX cameras ready for use now?"
"Of course," Gilbert stirred his coffee. "But there's one issue—the film stock required for IMAX cameras is much wider and has a longer reel length than regular film.
This means the cameras are significantly bulkier, and the cost of shooting is much higher."
Nolan wasn't concerned about weight or cost—his only interest was the visual effect. "How does the footage look?"
Gilbert smiled mysteriously. "All I can say is, it's stunning. I guarantee you'll love the IMAX camera."
As the two were engrossed in conversation, a familiar voice suddenly rang out.
"Director Gilbert, what a coincidence to run into you here. I'm really lucky!"
Gilbert turned to see that it was none other than International Zhang, accompanied by a beautiful woman who looked somewhat familiar—but try as he might, he couldn't recall her name.
"Miss Zhang, what a coincidence. And you are…?" Gilbert asked, puzzled.
Zhang explained, "I'm here for the audition. This is my classmate, Hu Jing. She's accompanying me today."
Gilbert nodded toward Hu Jing but didn't engage further. Instead, he focused on Zhang. "Congratulations! You must have advanced to the final audition, right?"
"Director Tong said I did, but the final decision depends on you…" Zhang gazed at Gilbert expectantly.
However, Gilbert gave no indication of special treatment. He merely responded politely, "Then I look forward to your performance. Good luck!"
That was it.
Hu Jing blinked in surprise. Hadn't Zhang claimed to have a close relationship with Gilbert? But this interaction didn't seem to reflect that at all.
Zhang herself felt a bit awkward. However, since Gilbert clearly didn't want to chat further, she had no choice but to retreat, pulling Hu Jing away with her.
Hu Jing, tactfully, didn't expose Zhang's lie, but Zhang still felt her face burning with embarrassment.
Fortunately, in the entertainment industry, one needed thick skin. International Zhang quickly regained her composure.
There were quite a few actresses here today for the audition. Almost every well-known actress in the industry had shown up.
Inside the waiting room for the auditioning actresses, everyone sat far apart, each wary of the others, with no one engaging in conversation.
They only drank water brought by their own assistants, not daring to accept anything that passed through other people's hands—not even from hotel staff.
Incidents like this had happened before. One actress had accepted a bottle of water from a competitor before an audition, only to end up with stomach issues and miss her chance.
Since then, all actresses remained on high alert whenever auditions were involved.
Li Xiaobing sat near the door, taking small sips of water while scanning the room and assessing all her competitors.
She spotted Zhou Xun, Fan Xiaobing, and well-known actresses from Taiwan and Hong Kong, such as Xiao Qiang, Lin Zhiling, and Li Jiaxin.
She wasn't too worried about her mainland competitors, but the established Hong Kong and Taiwanese actresses made her nervous.
These actresses had been famous for years and had far more opportunities than she did.
One by one, actresses were called in for auditions. Li Xiaobing anxiously waited her turn, feeling uneasy. She knew this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity—and so did everyone else.
That was exactly why the competition for this audition was so intense.
Just then, a loud argument erupted outside the waiting room, immediately catching Li Xiaobing's attention.
"Why did you step on my dress? Did you do it on purpose?"
"I didn't step on your dress! You were careless yourself—why blame me?"
"It was you! My assistant saw it!"
"My assistant saw that I didn't do it!"
These weren't just any actresses—they were well-known celebrities. And now, they were arguing in public over a dress and looked like they might even get physical.
The commotion quickly attracted a crowd. The Hong Kong and Taiwanese actresses, in particular, found it amusing to watch the two mainland actresses fighting and eagerly gathered around.
Only a few actresses, including Li Xiaobing, stayed put. She had no interest in, nor dared to, get involved in such drama.
Just as things were about to escalate into an actual fight, someone suddenly shouted, "Enough! Stop arguing!"
"Who said that?" One of the arguing actresses turned to glare—only to see an unsmiling Gilbert standing there, with Nolan behind him.
"Director Gilbert…" The arguing actresses, as well as the crowd of onlookers, immediately lowered their heads, avoiding eye contact with him.
What was this? Embarrassing themselves in front of a foreign director?
Most of the actresses had done their research on Gilbert and knew he was familiar with Chinese culture. Now, they had no idea what he must be thinking after witnessing this spectacle.
To be honest, he had expected some drama but hadn't anticipated it getting to the point of an actual physical altercation.
Gilbert had hoped that, even if the audition process wasn't harmonious, at the very least, everyone could mind their own business and focus on their performances. But the role was too tempting, and some people were willing to take risks.
Lowering his voice, Gilbert told his assistant, "Take these two off the audition list. I don't want to see them again."
The assistant nodded and walked over to the two actresses. "Ladies, you can leave now."
Only then did the two women realize their mistake and tried to apologize, but upon seeing the sharp look in Gilbert's eyes, they swallowed their words.
Picking up their belongings, they left in humiliation.
The other actresses, who had been enjoying the spectacle, secretly felt pleased. Two competitors were gone fantastic!
Little did they know that Gilbert and Nolan had mentally taken note of everyone in the crowd. In their minds, they had already crossed those actresses off the list.
If they weren't focusing on preparing for their auditions but instead had the time to gather around and watch drama unfold, what did they think this was? A reality TV show?
Gilbert then stepped into the waiting room and glanced around. The few actresses who hadn't joined in the commotion quickly stood up and greeted him.
He gave them a small nod. Regardless of their acting abilities, at least their attitudes were serious. Unlike the rest, these ones might still have a chance.
Acting skills could be trained, but a bad attitude was nearly impossible to fix.
Gilbert made no comment about the argument. He merely glanced around before walking away. Once he left, the waiting room once again turned into a battlefield.
There were no swords drawn, but the atmosphere was just as tense as a duel.
After all, there was only one role available, yet more than twenty actresses were competing for it. The level of difficulty was clear.
What they didn't realize was that most of them had already been eliminated in Gilbert's mind.
Only a select few—International Zhang, Li Xiaobing, Fan Xiaobing, Zhou Xun, Zhang Manyu, and a handful of others—were still in the running. They had stayed focused on preparing for their auditions instead of getting caught up in the drama.
After the second round of auditions, the final selection process quickly followed.
Another dozen actresses were cut, leaving only nine contenders for the role. Nine people competing for a single part—still an incredibly tough challenge.
This was the final stage, and Gilbert himself would be overseeing the auditions.
Everyone knew—the moment that would decide their fate had arrived.
....
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