Super Zoo-Chapter 652 - 643 HBO
Never underestimate a truly talented individual, even when they're down on their luck, because you never know if one day they might make a comeback overnight.
Nicolas Cage and Keanu Reeves are examples of such people; even when they had nothing and were drowning in debt, their true worth never diminished. Instead, because of life's hardships and accumulation, they became even richer in depth and layers.
That's why, despite their struggles, they still had the right to attend a high-level dinner like the one tonight. Those in Hollywood with real insight know that what they lack is simply a good opportunity.
Of course, wherever you are, those with real insight are always in the minority, and most people are opportunistic.
So the two former Hollywood leading men didn't receive the adoration of all the stars. Instead, they stood by the poolside, chatting over drinks in their down-and-out fellowship, and leering at the bikini-clad girls frolicking in the pool.
In such a setting, truly high-end actresses wouldn't swim in the pool wearing something too revealing. Those few girls in the water are either third or fourth-tier minor stars or outright call girls hired to liven up the atmosphere.
It was for this reason that Li Wanting had the chance to have a conversation alone with these two.
After a brief exchange of business cards, Jackson took Li Wanting inside the villa to join the real dinner party.
"An interesting woman," Keanu Reeves said, holding the rose-bordered business card from Li Wanting's Taoyuan Film Industry.
"Women like her are tough to handle, and that's exactly the kind of challenge Jackson enjoys," Nicolas shrugged.
"I'm not interested in women right now, only in making money," Keanu Reeves put away the business card and turned to ask, "Would you go if there really was a chance to film in the East?"
"Why not? Don't you think Hollywood is becoming more and more boring?" Nicolas said.
...
Indeed, as Jackson had introduced her, the reception Li Wanting received at the dinner was almost as warm as the well-known Hollywood actresses present that day, and Li Wanting virtually networked with everyone she could.
In the latter half of the dinner, the host at Jackson's place, legendary Disney producer Bruckheimer, went up to the study on the third floor to discuss some confidential company business, which wasn't appropriate for Li Wanting to join.
"Hey, I just can't understand how Jackson could leave such a dazzling beauty to talk about those boring numbers with that dull guy, Bruckheimer."
A man with a big beard came over and raised his glass to Li Wanting.
He was a stranger; she hadn't seen him during the introductions, and Li Wanting thought he was just trying to chat her up. But when she saw that he had brought along a female companion, she knew she had guessed wrong.
The big bearded man was unfamiliar, but his female companion seemed somewhat familiar.
Film and television, movies and TV shows. When Li Wanting was in China, besides going shopping like all girls do, she enjoyed watching American TV series in her free time.
The big bearded man's companion was not very tall, with a round face always ready to smile, and her figure was, well, not notably bad—sort of pudgy.
"Daenerys Targaryen?" Li Wanting blurted out, realizing that this slightly plump woman before her was one of the leading actresses from the hottest TV show of recent years, "A Song of Ice and Fire: Game of Thrones," the Mother of Dragons.
But as soon as she said it, Li Wanting realized her mistake; Daenerys Targaryen was the name of the character she played, not her real name. It was fine not to recognize someone at such a gathering, but to get their name wrong was quite rude.
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"I'm truly sorry..."
The blame lay with the series' characters being too famous. In the show, the little chubby girl bore a string of tongue-twister-like titles, similar to those from a fantasy game; Queen of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men, Queen of the Seven Kingdoms, Protector of the Realm, Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, Breaker of Chains, Queen of Meereen, Princess of Dragonstone, the Unburnt, Mother of Dragons, Daenerys of the House Targaryen born in the Storm and so on—each title represented a legend. Li Wanting could almost recite all her titles without missing a word, yet she failed to remember the actress's real name.
"As an actor, I'd rather people remember my character than myself," the plump woman laughed heartily, "Of course, my real name is Emilia Clarke, but my friends call me Emilia. And this handsome bearded gentleman is the executive vice president of HBO, Mr. Rivaldo."
Li Wanting, of course, knew about HBO, an American cable and satellite TV network, a subsidiary of Time Warner Group that broadcasts movies, music, documentaries, sports, and other entertainment programs around the clock. It's the only TV company in the world that doesn't sell advertising and relies solely on subscriber subscriptions, with a total of 35 million subscribers, accounting for 90% of the U.S. paid television channel market.
"The Sopranos," "Sex and the City," "Game of Thrones," and other highly popular TV shows all come from HBO.
"It's a great honor to meet you both," Li Wanting winked at the plump Emilia in a joking way to make up for the earlier 'faux pas', "Personally, I'm definitely your devoted fan."
"Then I have to tell you a secret, I love sleeping with fans," the plump woman said earnestly.
Li Wanting was taken aback.
"Haha! Of course, but only if the cinephiles are willing too," the chubby girl burst into laughter.
Li Wanting pretended to be shocked, patted her chest, and the motion caused her chest to shake a bit, which caught the chubby girl's eye.
Li Wanting didn't neglect Rivaldo either and asked, "Mr. Vice President, can you give me a spoiler? Is Jon Snow really dead?"
Rivaldo chuckled, "Last week I was speeding and got pulled over by a cop in Utah, and he said that if I could answer the same question for him, he'd let me off the hook. Beautiful miss, if you want to know a spoiler, you have to show some sincerity, don't you?"
"I don't have the power of law enforcement," Li Wanting said with a flirtatious laugh.
"Would you be interested in making a cameo in the next season? In the upcoming season, there will appear a beauty whose presence triggers a great war among four nations, and we've been looking for a long time for the right raven-haired beauty. The part isn't big, so it shouldn't take up too much of your time. The related scenes are expected to begin filming at the end of the year."
"Jon Snow's mother? But I am an Easterner," Li Wanting said, taken aback.
"That's the beauty of a fantasy series, and moreover, we have highly skilled makeup artists," Rivaldo said with a smile.
"Then, I must first ask my company," Li Wanting said.
"Of course."
Today was a gathering for the film industry, and these two HBO celebrities didn't have many intersections with others in the circle, so they chatted with Li Wanting in the corridor.
As they spoke, the conversation turned to Huaxia's film and television.
HBO, not relying on selling advertisements but on customer subscriptions, has developed into the leading television network in the United States, capable of creating television shows with the magnificence of feature films, indicating beyond doubt its strength.
Following Suming's development path of quality as king, HBO is undoubtedly an excellent mentor.
"Going global, I don't quite understand why Huaxia's filmmakers are always fond of this term."
Rivaldo shrugged his shoulders and said, "At HBO, whether it's making movies or TV shows, it's essentially about telling a story. A compelling story and fascinating characters are fundamental. Whether in the East or the West, there are great stories, so why is there a need to conform to so-called international standards?"
"Values?" Li Wanting asked.
"Perhaps, but truly positive and affirmative values are universal, comprehensible by any normal human, without the need for alignment," Rivaldo affirmed.
Speaking frankly, Rivaldo continued, "I've seen some of Huaxia's so-called internationally aligned films, but my impression is... they seem to have missed the true meaning of 'alignment.' Just as HBO has always believed, our core is not exaggerated special effects, grand explosions, nor various dazzling high-tech showcases - these elements only serve the storyline.
For instance, when we shot the first season of 'Game of Thrones,' we spent virtually nothing on special effects. Because the story was good and the audience liked it, the market responded enthusiastically. As a result, we started spending significant money on special effects from the second season onward.
A good story is fundamental; technology is just the icing on the cake. Conversely, no matter how much money you spend, the market won't buy it. If there is a need to align, it should be with the philosophy of filmmaking: to create an engaging story, not just special effects."
Li Wanting nodded her head, "So, what makes a good story?"
"Of course, the theme should be original. But no matter how novel the theme, it can't stray far from reality. We're not interested in rootless things. A good story is when a talented professional screenwriter finds the maximum impact on the audience based on an extraordinary storyline. Unfortunately, from the several Huaxia blockbusters I've seen, which all flaunt the tradition of Huaxia culture, their plot lines seem too far-fetched, and I can't see where their roots truly lie."
After some reflection, Li Wanting asked a bold question, "What do you think about 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon'?"
It was not customary to ask such a clearly prejudiced question among peers, especially since the teams behind 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' were all old predecessors of Taoyuan Film Industry.
But Li Wanting felt that a clear benchmark and comparison were necessary to understand the correct direction for the future.
Rivaldo pondered for a moment and then said, "The box office will tell you everything! I think that the movie did well at the box office, but it didn't reach the heights it truly deserved." He raised his glass to Li Wanting with a smile, "Audiences all over the world are waiting for good stories, which are scarce worldwide. In the eyes of Western filmmakers, the East is not just a huge ticket warehouse, but also a treasure trove of endless fantastic stories. If you don't explore them yourselves, sooner or later, Hollywood will."
Li Wanting felt a slight jolt in her heart.
The 'Wall' in Game of Thrones, a massive structure that plays a significant role in the entire series by blocking the invasion of the northern savages, was completely inspired by the Great Wall of Huaxia.
This moment marked the first time in her life that she felt the responsibility that an Eastern person in the film industry should bear.