Regarding "Dalian by the Sea", Li Shengyao wanted to select actors, find actors to audition, and select the most suitable male lead.

And "Three Billboards", he didn't plan to choose actors, he flew directly to Hong Kong Island and found the actress he wanted to work with the most - Zhang Manyu.

Outside, it was drizzling, and the gentle sea breeze had a faint salty taste.

From time to time, sports cars pass by in the narrow streets, and there are old people with gray hair pulling wheelbarrows.

At a table by the window in the tea restaurant, Li Shengyao and his assistant sat on the left, and Zhang Manyu and her sister sat on the right.

Zhang Manyu is reading the script.

Zhang Manyu in 2012 was not as thin as she was later, at this time she was in a slightly better condition, with slightly curly shoulder-length hair, all her hair tied up, wearing a peaked cap, a short women's leather jacket, and wide-legged jeans.

She watched very seriously and slowly.

Zhang Manyu is not a talented player, she was a vase a few years before she entered the circle.

When she was young, with her youthful and beautiful appearance and daring to fight style, she was quite popular with commercial films, from 84 to 87, she starred in 27 plays, on average, seven movies a year.

Although the massive performance did not improve her acting skills, she quickly accumulated acting experience.

Next, she acted in Wang Sunglasses's "Mong Kok Carmen", and she was enlightened at once, and since then she has embarked on the road of being a movie queen.

Zhang Manyu has won four Golden Horse actresses, five Golden Statue actresses, one Cannes actress, one Berlin actress, debuted for 20 years, plus some awards at small film festivals, and won a total of 26 actresses, which can be called the most in the Chinese entertainment industry.

When Li Shengyao studied in his previous life, he admired and liked Zhang Manyu very much.

If you want him to choose his favorite actor and actress, the actor chooses Al Pacino and the actress chooses Maggie Cheung.

In his opinion, Al Pacino's small stature has a lot of energy, and he is the most explosive actor in the world.

And Zhang Manyu is the most natural actress in the world, with the most delicate, accurate and rich expression in Li Shengyao's heart.

After Zhang Manyu opened his mind, in addition to acting in the scene of Wang Sunglasses, there were a lot of MV-style close-ups, and an expression was often frozen for a long time. (plus a "Hero")

She plays other directors' plays, and her expressions are rich, colorful, and natural, which is the best among actors.

Among them, the most obvious is "Sweet Honey", Zhang Manyu and Liming play against each other, in a random scene, Zhang Manyu changed ten expressions, and there were only one or two opposites.

There is a scene where the male and female protagonists say New Year's greetings to each other.

Dawn stood there, smiling, and constantly saying congratulatory messages.

Zhang Manyu was cleaning the glass, thinking, laughing, and saying, his head was shaking and his body was moving.

Not only is the expression rich, but also very natural.

It's the dawn of the explosion.

When "Sweet Honey" was released, Liming was hacked by the Hong Kong Island media, it's really not that Liming can't do it, his role as Li Xiaojun is already good, quite aura, but he met the peak Zhang Manyu, the comparison is too tragic.

The same is true of Zhang Manyu's other plays, there are a lot of expressions, very natural, she rarely freezes there, motionless for more than a second, and her expression changes are the top in the world film industry.

After Zhang Manyu opened his mind, the number of expressions in any movie exceeded that of Yang Yang, Sign, and Zhang Han's expressions for the rest of his life.

Such an actress, there is no director who does not like.

McDormand of the American version of "Three Billboards" is a very good actress, a three-time Oscar-winning actress, her advantage is that she is very explosive, and she is very suitable for playing some Hollywood-style strong women.

The script of "Three Billboards" written by Li Shengyao, in order to be more in line with Zhang Manyu's style, the heroine is more feminine and gentle in her daily life.

He thinks it's better than being hard and hard, the American version of "Three Billboards" has only hatred in life, just a vengeful mother, and can't see the characteristics of a woman.

The heroine usually wears solid-colored overalls and a headscarf, which is completely dressed as a car washer.

And his adaptation of "Three Billboards", under the condition that the general plot remains the same, the heroine is more warm and weak, and the portrayal of weakness is more like an old saying - women are like water, and mothers are strong.

"Da Da Da!"

Outside, the rain was heavier, and the wind was heavier.

The slanting wind mixed with the raindrops blew on the glass windows.

Pedestrians hurry, running through vehicles.

The refreshments had already been cold, and the sensible waiter saw that it was Li Shengyao and Zhang Manyu, so he took it and reheated it, steaming hot at this time, wafting with an attractive fragrance.

Li Shengyao picked up his chopsticks and sandwiched a piece of taro cake.

When he put down his chopsticks, Zhang Manyu finally finished reading the script of "Three Billboards".

"Director Li, this script is really good, it's the best script I've read in the past few years."

"Three Billboards" won the Venice Award for Best Screenplay, the plot is constantly reversed, and the story is absolutely wonderful.

Lee Shengyao nodded, "Yes, I think this story can be compared to "Parasite", better than all my other films. ”

Zhang Manyu glanced at her sister, and then said: "I like this story very much, and I also want to act in a movie, but it's ......"

The most annoying.

"But I haven't acted for too long, I'm afraid I can't finish such a good story now, and my current state is much worse than before.

And I rested for too long, my body was lazy, and I didn't know if I could get up. ”

"Mr. Zhang, there is absolutely no problem with your acting skills, I believe in your strength."

"Director Li, this story needs a lot of explosiveness, and I'm really worried that I won't be able to complete it."

"Three Billboards" does require strong explosiveness, especially in a scene, the billboard erected by the heroine was secretly burned by her ex-husband.

The faith she had been holding on to almost collapsed, she went to put out the fire, her son stopped her, she yelled at her son.

That roar, unwillingness and anger seemed to burst out from the soul.

When Li Shengyao watched it in the cinema, he burst into tears instantly, and two simple words can make people feel the despair and grief of a mother.

And explosiveness is precisely Zhang Manyu's weakest one, not that Zhang Manyu's explosiveness is not good, but she is too good in other aspects, relatively speaking, the strong explosive side is slightly weaker.

Li Shengyao continued to persuade for a while, but Zhang Manyu never let go.

He vaguely understood Zhang Manyu's thoughts at this time, it was not that she didn't want to film, on the contrary, she actually wanted to act, she was expressive.

It's just that the past was too glorious, and honors and awards have become shackles.

She is worried that she will not be able to act in a new play, so it is better not to take on the play and keep her style.

Li Shengyao thought about it and planned to come up with a killer idea, "Mr. Zhang, this movie, I will arrange to participate in the Venice International Film Festival next year." ”

Zhang Manyu was stunned when he heard this.

Venice?

She then reacted, "Director Li, is it too late?" ”

"In time, I will start the production of "Dalian by the Sea" next month, and it will be completed in March next year at the latest, from April to October, there is still half a year, and there is no problem in terms of time."

Zhang Manyu lowered his head, looked at the script in his hand, and was silent for a moment, "Okay, I'll take this play." ”

My sister hurriedly glanced at Zhang Manyu, hoping that my sister would think about it again.

There's no need to say yes now, you can think about it for a few days.

Li Shengyao was overjoyed and stretched out his right hand, "Mr. Zhang, I believe in your strength, let us work together, fight hard, and create a myth in the Asian film industry." ”

Zhang Manyu won the Cannes Film Queen, the Berlin Film Queen, and the Queen of the three major film festivals, which is one Venice shorter.

In the world film industry, there are only three major European actresses, only Juliet of France. Binoche, she is a French actor who has a home advantage in Cannes.

If Zhang Manyu gathers the three major European actresses, the gold content will be even higher.

In terms of film awards, Liang Chaowei is in the Asian film industry, and Toshiro Mifune is pressing.

Zhang Manyu is now the first person in Asia, if he can add a Venice actress, it is not only in Asia, but the whole world can compete for the top three.

Zhang Manyu retired from filming a few years ago, and many media on Hong Kong Island felt sorry for her, hoping that she would rush to the Venice actress.

It's not that she doesn't have this idea, it's just that at that time, Hong Kong Island movies were in decline, and the group of mainland veterans Kai Zige also began to make commercial films.

Now Lee Shengyao wants to use "Three Billboards" to impact the Venice Film Festival, which is in her heart.

(End of chapter)