Hollywood:Starting out as an MV director

"In fact, the reason I took this role is exactly as you said," Zun Long said directly and calmly.

"So, Mr. Zun Long thinks that by taking on a mainland drama, he can gain everyone's recognition?" Ethan asked.

"That's right. TV dramas are the most popular and widely loved form of art in mainland China. Although this type of drama is a big challenge for me, I think I can give it a try."

Hearing Zun Long say this, Ethan almost couldn't help but laugh out loud.

What does a 'big challenge' mean? Isn't that just a polite way of saying that the script for the TV drama is terrible and that Zun Long has to adapt to such a poorly made product?

"Forgive me, Mr. Zun Long, but don't you think you're wasting your artistic life?" Ethan looked at Chen Yubing and then at Zun Long.

"Hmm…" Facing such a question, even Zun Long felt a bit uncomfortable, but he didn't lose his temper. Instead, he responded in a calm and graceful manner, "Perhaps, but this is my choice."

"But what if your choice doesn't bring good results?" Ethan asked again.

"Then I will face it calmly because this is my choice. I hope to let my fellow countrymen see me, and I hope to gain their recognition. That is very important to me," Zun Long said sincerely and earnestly.

Ethan sighed. "Sorry, Mr. Zun Long, my tone was indeed a bit harsh, but in fact, I just feel it's unfair that your sincerity has been misplaced."

He looked at Zun Long and said, "Deng Jianguo is not a good choice."

"Deng Jianguo is our partner. He has arranged many business opportunities for Mr. Zun Long. You cannot slander him," Chen Yubing explained.

In fact, the one responsible for Zun Long returning to shoot films in the country was Deng Jianguo.

He is a master of hype and the chairman of the Giant Star Film Industry Company. He started his business in Guangzhou in 1991, and in 1997, he produced "Anti-Corruption Storm" and "Kangxi's Private Visit," followed by many other dramas and films. In 2001, he was named the most influential figure in the film and television industry.

But these achievements only showed that he had great business instincts and was very bold. He didn't care about art, nor did he care about how his actions might hurt an actor's career. What he cared about was money and fame.

In fact, after 2002, he had never produced any notable works and instead relied more on hype and scandals to maintain his popularity.

So, the reason he was willing to connect Zun Long to return to the mainland market was because it was something with hype potential.

An international A-list Chinese star returning to the homeland is such a big deal for publicity.

Plus, Zun Long didn't know anything about the mainland market, nor was he familiar with the local entertainment scene, so he was naturally deceived.

Look at the projects he prepared for Zun Long—"Qianlong and the Fragrant Concubine," "Kangxi's Private Visit 5"—everyone knew that the fourth season of the series had no real influence or viewership, but Deng Jianguo shamelessly claimed that it was the highest-rebroadcasted TV drama in the country and loved by the people.

This led Zun Long to turn down offers from many top directors and lower his value to star in these poorly made TV dramas, which ultimately didn't make much of an impact.

This included Hollywood blockbusters like "Memoirs of a Geisha" and "The Countess."

After hearing Chen Yubing's explanation, Zun Long furrowed his brow.

At this point, he and Deng Jianguo had not officially signed a contract, so he hadn't yet seen this man's true face, not realizing that Deng Jianguo was deceiving him.

It wasn't until a few years into their cooperation that Zun Long gradually saw the man's shamelessness and greed. He later expressed his dislike for Deng Jianguo publicly.

But by then, it was too late.

So Ethan couldn't just let Chen Yubing paint a rosy picture of this man. He had to expose Deng Jianguo's false front.

"Partner?" Ethan laughed softly. "So, what kind of promises did Deng Jianguo make to Mr. Zun Long… Oh no, I mean, what kind of vision did he offer you?"

"He plans to arrange many media interviews for me, let everyone get to know me, and set up the hottest TV dramas and concerts in mainland China for me," Zun Long answered truthfully.

But Ethan smiled even more widely. "I remember, Mr. Zun Long, that you don't like media interviews."

Zun Long disliked media interviews. Even when he had to accept one, he would prepare himself beforehand, and even then, he would be quite nervous. This was because he didn't want to leave a bad impression of himself in front of others.

However, after returning to the country, he had accepted countless media interviews and had completely restrained his sharp edges, starting to speak more smoothly.

After all, some of his previous blunt statements were seen by mainland media as arrogant, disrespectful, and not humble enough.

Chinese people tend to favor subtlety in their actions. When they see someone with sharp edges, they tend to want to break them, especially now that China's "herding industry" is thriving. A large number of "shepherd dogs" follow the trend every day, barking loudly.

On one hand, they believe that everything foreign is good, and on the other hand, they believe that Chinese people should do things in a low-key manner and behave humbly. So when they saw Zun Long's straightforwardness, they felt like he had offended their "master," and the media relentlessly attacked him.

Zun Long must have been frustrated when he saw these reports, which probably led him to change his nature.

"I really don't like media interviews, but I think if I want people to understand me, I can't avoid the media," Zun Long replied.

"True, but Mr. Zun Long, do you know why the media in the mainland has such a bad attitude towards you?"

"Do you know why?" Zun Long asked, surprised.

Ethan immediately switched from English to Chinese. "What do you think, Mr. Zun Long? I'm mixed race, and my father knows this country very well."

This was a lie, but it didn't matter. Zun Long couldn't exactly ask his father from the grave to confirm.

"You speak Chinese! So fluently and authentically!" When Zun Long heard this, he immediately felt a sense of closeness and switched to speaking Chinese. His Mandarin was quite good, so it seemed like he had practiced it.

"Yes, although I'm not in this country, I understand it very well," Ethan explained. "This is a very large and promising market. I believe that in the next decade or so, Hollywood films will be mass-introduced into mainland China and become the absolute core of people's viewing experience."

"Absolute core?" Zun Long raised an eyebrow, seemingly sensing Ethan's point.

"Yes, in fact, I think you are doing the right thing by wanting to gain recognition from the mainland people, but you are making your efforts in the wrong place."

Ethan spoke earnestly: "You must have noticed that the mainland market is not very welcoming of you. The media is criticizing you for being difficult to work with, the reporters are digging into your past, and your emotions. Let me put it this way: To them, you are not an actor, but an abstract symbol that can be deconstructed and consumed. They just want to gain topics and traffic from you, but they are unwilling to speak fairly on your behalf."

These words, spoken in Chinese, struck Zun Long deeply. He had read many newspapers recently, and indeed, the evaluations of him were as Ethan described.

Especially the claims that he was difficult to work with, and that when "Farewell My Concubine" tried to hire him, it was mainly due to several reasons that they didn't end up using him.

First, when the filming started, no one knew where Zun Long was, so the production had to book multiple international flights and even buy a ticket for his dog.

Second, during filming, his dog had to stay with him 24/7, never leaving his side.

Third, his "difficult" temper led to the crew eventually letting him go because they couldn't meet his living demands.

But these were all untrue. Zun Long had always been very dedicated to his work. He didn't have much of a "star" attitude or many assistants, and for this project, he even lowered his status.

But even then, he was still met with harsh criticism.

Zun Long was indifferent to fame and didn't want to explain himself, so he never made a public statement.

At that time, the internet wasn't as developed, and the media reports were considered the only source of information, which misled many people.

It wasn't until the rise of the internet that people could see the ugly side of those so-called famous directors. When they compared it to Zun Long's humble life, they realized just how much the mainland had missed out on.

Ethan continued as Zun Long's expression softened. "Honestly, you shouldn't have come back like this because coming back only exposes you to hostility."

"Why?" Zun Long immediately asked.

"Because the entertainment industry in mainland China doesn't welcome you," Ethan shrugged. "Do you know what you represent to these people? To put it bluntly, you are a target they can never reach in this lifetime. Your achievements are something they will never accomplish but desperately desire."

"So they oppose you, and there's jealousy in it, but more importantly, you've touched their cake and harmed their interests."

"That's ridiculous, Mr. Ethan. I think you're alarmist," Chen Yubing interrupted Ethan.

But Zun Long cut off his agent's words: "Let him continue."

"Alright." Ethan raised his hands. "It's actually quite easy to understand, isn't it? You're a Hollywood superstar, you've been nominated for an Oscar, and in fact, if it weren't for anti-Chinese sentiment and discrimination against Asians, you should have won that award. A person like you entering the mainland entertainment industry is like a dragon entering the territory of minnows."

"If you gain recognition and fame, what will happen to those in the entertainment industry? They've been kingpins in this country, sitting in their own small worlds. Winning an international award would let them live comfortably for a lifetime, but you—those awards, in your light, are like children playing house."

"This will make the public realize that it's not that Chinese people can't win awards, it's that mainland actors can't succeed, they can't break out. Do you think they'll still be able to lie in bed making money then?"

Zun Long furrowed his brows.

"That's why they're trying so hard to slander you. Your achievements are too high, you're like a god to them. They have to use dirt to smear you, to reduce you from a god to a mere man. That way, they can point fingers at you on the same level."

The more Ethan spoke, the more Zun Long felt the truth of his words, as it reflected his recent experiences and the source of his pain.

"So, what should I do?"

When Zun Long asked this question, Ethan knew something had changed. The course of history, influenced by his metaphorical butterfly's wings, was starting to shift.

Ethan smiled slightly: "What you need to do is not to play in the mud with the minnows. You need to make them respect you and need you."

"I don't understand," Zun Long looked at Ethan sincerely. "You have an idea, don't you?"

"I think, Mr. Ethan, you should leave now, as it's already Zun Long's rest time," Chen Yubing stood up and forcibly separated their gaze. "Zun Long, we've already made arrangements with Mr. Deng Jianguo, and we must maintain our credibility. Although what Ethan said makes sense, as long as we stick to clarifying things with the media, the public will recognize you."

Zun Long fell into thought.

Seeing this, Ethan stood up: "It's fine, Mr. Zun Long, you can think about it. I'll come visit again."

With that, he turned and left.

But Ethan didn't really leave. He waited in the fire escape corridor, occasionally peering through the glass at Zun Long's room.

About an hour later, Chen Yubing came out and entered the room across the hall.

Ethan immediately left the fire escape corridor, walked to Zun Long's door, gently knocked a few times, and then slid a card through the gap in the door.

He then returned to his room, washed his hair, changed clothes, and sat on the sofa waiting.

Not long after, the door was knocked again.

Ethan opened the door, and Zun Long stood at the entrance in a knitted pajama set.

"Please come in, Mr. Zun Long."

"Ethan, I want to know what I should do?" Zun Long got straight to the point. The more he thought about Ethan's words, the more he felt they made sense. Even though Chen Yubing had been persuading him for a long time, he couldn't shake the thoughts Ethan had planted in his mind.

So, after getting Ethan's room number, he immediately came over.

"First of all, Mr. Zun Long, pursuing TV dramas isn't going to earn you recognition." Ethan cut off Zun Long's naive idea from the start. "Because TV drama actors need to be relatable, they need to have a down-to-earth feel. Simply put, they need to have enough of a 'life' in their performance for people to remember them. But you, you've been living in America, you're out of touch with the public here. You can't portray that earthy feeling unless you're willing to live here for a few years, fully immerse yourself in the local customs. Then I believe you can definitely play vivid characters."

"Secondly, pursuing a film career is the route that suits your identity and is the most likely to earn you public recognition."

Ethan smiled: "Since the revenue-sharing system for foreign films was introduced in 1994, the number of imported films has been increasing every year, and the audience base for domestic films has been growing steadily. So if you want to increase your recognition with the public here, it's actually quite simple—just shoot more commercial films. When they're introduced here, the public will naturally see you."

"And when they see a Chinese person in a commercial film, they'll naturally want to know about you. It's like a romance—if you try too hard to please someone, you won't get true recognition. What you need to do is make everyone know that a Chinese person is making it big in Hollywood, and is very successful. The public will then start discussing and recognizing you. And once you win an award and say something patriotic, they will feel you're bringing glory to the country."

Ethan extended his hand: "That's the best form of recognition, Mr. Zun Long. The public isn't stupid. No matter how many bad dramas you act in, they'll never be as effective as you starring in a good movie."

"But I've made many films before, but hardly anyone here knows about them."

"That's because you've been out of touch with mainland China for too long. You need to re-establish a connection with the country and find a partner." Ethan held up two fingers: "That brings us to the second step."

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