Chapter 873: Contrast
Translator: Lan_ Editor: Efydatia
Their identity made it impossible to appear in the crowded Lan Kwai Fong. Tse chose a Thai hotpot restaurant. In that hot, dry city, it was entertaining to have a private talk in a room with an air conditioner.
People rarely met the right person at the right time. The Thai restaurant was renowned for its authentic tastes. Plus, the owner was good at keeping his mouth shut. A lot of Hong Kong stars were regular patrons there. The restaurant could be considered a holy land of the circle.
Director Ang Lee also happened to show up there, accompanied by a group of friends with gray hair and wrinkled faces. Their graceful upbringing made them seem different from young people.
Ang Lee was the first to recognize Qin Guan and Nicholas Tse. The Los Angeles-based Chinese director was really glad to see them.
"Qin Guan, come over here! Let me introduce you. This is Wong Kar-Wai, Johnnie To..."
Wow! They were all famous directors from Hong Kong!
Despite his current status, Qin Guan still felt like a fish out of water around them. He bowed before them and said hello like a well-behaved schoolboy, explaining why he hadn't contacted Lee as soon as he had arrived in Hong Kong. His guilt made Qin Guan look like a quail surrounded by a group of eagles.
"What? Tse is getting married? Does Albert Yeung from the Emperor Group know?"
"Yes, he does. The invitations must be ready. He is my boss, so he will be getting one."
"Did you make a decision about the role? Listen to me, if you turn it down, I'll go with Tony Leung. Do you know him? He works exclusively with Wong Kar-Wai. He is steadier than you and more restrained. He is such an elegant man!"
"Do you know why I chose you? For your looks! You seemed like a perfect match for the heroine!"
Qin Guan's ears trembled at his words. Ho ho! Does this mean that...
"The leading actress is very interesting. She is only self-taught. She's neither beautiful nor elegant, but she looks perfect in a cheongsam, which is rare for an actress. Will you do it? Just give me an answer!"
Actually, I wanted to learn more about the heroine... Anyway, it's hard to please everyone. A good role is more important than the SARFT and the Ministry of Culture! Deal!
Qin Guan expressed his faith in Director Lee. This would be a good footnote for his resume.
Satisfied by his response, Ang Lee let Qin Guan go. There was cold sweat on his forehead as he returned to his own booth and told the other men what had transpired.
The dishes were served quickly. The unique scent of Thai food spread around the room. As the host, Tse expressed his admiration to his guests. Actually, he had no signature films in Hong Kong, just like Fan Pingping didn't on the Chinese mainland. In that tiny area, actors were ranked by seniority, so it was difficult to cut in line.
The fame of a second-generation star didn't bring Tse a lot of profit. There were so many big shots out there. Plus, all the successful directors had their own exclusive actors.
Tse was even inferior to Daniel Wu, who had won a few awards for supporting roles.
Tse was usually cool with strangers, but he was a straightforward man with his friends. Qin Guan sent Lee his choice when he joined the crew. Unfortunately, it was denied.
Ang Lee wanted Qin Guan to play the supporting role of a patriotic youth that wanted to assassinate a traitor. The character matched Qin Guan, who was a cheerful, faithful boy. The director was not satisfied with that though.
That role would be a piece of cake for him. It was so easy that people would think Lee was just a cunning man who wanted to use Qin Guan's fame to his advantage.
The director, who was a perfectionist, wanted Qin Guan to play Mr. Yi, the cunning, heartless traitor.
Thus, Lee selected a tall, bright young man to play the young rebel. It was Leehong Wang, the popular singer that everyone loved.
Tony Leung was not cast after all. A controversial role, a typecast actor, a secret project, a shocking effect... Lee was really interested in this.
Disappointed, Qin Guan called Tse to inform him that the island in the Philippines was ready. It was all thanks to Xie Hanren, a rich businessman from Thailand.