The Best Director

Chapter 305: Chapter 305 Another Genius (Please give monthly votes!)

Thud, thud! With several harsh, heavy impacts, two burly players from the Vancouver Canucks and the Detroit Red Wings slammed viciously into the plexiglass boards, fighting with their hockey sticks; meanwhile, as the Canucks’ attack near the goal intensified, the entire home crowd suddenly went wild, with the always fierce Canucks fans punching the air and bellowing until their faces turned red: “Kill them!” “Vancouver! Canada!” “Stupid Yankee jerks!”… At that moment, the NHL Western Conference semifinal Game 3 was underway, with the Red Wings leading 2:1 over the Canucks.

Hearing these deafening shouts and watching the players fight up close, their fists pounding into each other’s faces, Heath Ledger felt uneasy with the frenzied atmosphere. What on earth was this all about? He really wanted to leave this noisy place; if it weren’t for Wang Yang dragging him out, he’d still be in the hotel, studying the blue gloves.

Michelle Williams, who had just confirmed her dating relationship with Heath Ledger, glanced at him and saw him shifting uncomfortably. She asked, “Heath, what’s wrong?” Heath Ledger shook his head: “I’m just not used to these kinds of places.” Michelle smiled, “I don’t see them much either.” What surprised her the most was that Heath Ledger and the extraordinary Yang, two people with completely different personalities, would actually come to watch the Stanley Cup playoffs together.

Without asking, she knew for sure that it was the extraordinary Yang’s invitation, and she was quite grateful for his “meddling.” Otherwise, there wouldn’t have been this date. Since Heath Ledger had said, “I want to lock myself away for a month,” they hadn’t met again, and no one answered his phone calls. Earlier she had even begun to wonder, what kind of dating relationship was this? Looking at that other couple over there, so excited and engaged in the game, it was really enviable.

“Left punch, YES! Right punch!” Standing in front of the plexiglass board, Wang Yang rose to his feet, clapping and shouting, remaining neutral and just wanting to see a fierce game; Jessica exclaimed when she saw a Canucks player’s helmet fall off: “Oh!” As the fight on the ice grew bigger, involving more players and getting rougher, the referee timely stopped the game and sent them off the ice to cool down for a few minutes. Wang Yang cursed and sat down: “Damn referee, why stop it so early, coward!” Jessica sat down beside him, also annoyed: “He should go referee a snowball fight!” Wang Yang replied: “No, it should be a curling match!” Jessica added: “It should be building a snowman!”

Heath Ledger and Michelle beside them were somewhat speechless. In fact, Wang Yang and Jessica were naturally the most loyal basketball fans, but instead of flying back and forth to Los Angeles, San Francisco, and other places to watch games, the best option in Vancouver was the Canucks, and hockey also had its unique charm. Violence of this magnitude would never happen on a basketball court, not even during the time of the Detroit Pistons’ “Bad Boys” team, yet it was legal on the hockey rink, and such violence inevitably made blood boil.

“Yang, why do you like these?” Heath Ledger finally asked, once the two had quieted down. With so many astonishing ideas and profound understandings, and finding the blue gloves, why would he still like this kind of stuff?

“What?” Wang Yang laughed. What should he be liking? Jessica, finding the conversation interesting, asked: “Why wouldn’t you like it? We all love the games.” Heath Ledger seemed to find a forgotten memory: “…I like it, too.” Michelle retorted with a laugh: “Heath, what are you thinking about?” Wang Yang knew the reason—he had realized that Heath Ledger had immersed himself too deeply in the blue gloves, almost to the point of obsession.

When an actor’s mind is so filled with a role’s thoughts, emotions, and philosophy that they can’t be separated, and these merge with his own to create confusion, even dominating over his personal side, it’s no wonder the actor feels psychologically bewildered and anxious.

In front of his wife and the girlfriend, Wang Yang boldly disregarded rumors of homosexuality and bisexuality, putting an arm around Heath Ledger’s neck, and in a lowered voice had a man-to-man talk: “Heath, this is life! Movies are for enhancing life, bringing joy, enjoyment, reflection, and changing people’s common life perceptions, but ultimately life is what matters most, understand? Life doesn’t need so much overthinking, you are just… just like this, hit ’em!”

Just then, the plexiglass board was hit by players again with a loud thud, and a new fight started, causing the audience to erupt into a huge outcry! Wang Yang raised his fist and shouted in Heath Ledger’s ear: “If you can’t get out of character, then get yourself moving, intense exercise! Don’t stay cooped up in the house all day, it’ll suffocate you! Oh ho… Nice hit, get him!” He stood up excitedly, and Jessica, following his lead, also stood up nervously: “Careful of the referee, careful of the referee…”

Heath Ledger frowned and then tried yelling: “Hit him!” Michelle gave him a smiling glance.

Finally, it was snapped, confirming a long-rumored scandal. Apparently, having bonded over “Brokeback Mountain,” according to the latest entertainment edition of the Los Angeles Times, Heath Ledger and Michelle Williams are dating! They were recently spotted at an NHL game, accompanied by the magical Wang Yang and his wife, with pictures in the news capturing their excited expressions; meanwhile, Heath and Michelle appeared calm, merely clapping and applauding.

“Who’s dating whom, shouldn’t they go to Brokeback Mountain?” some troll quipped about the news, clearly implying that Wang Yang and Heath Ledger were a gay couple, with their intimate neck-hugging photo seeming to prove just that.

As for the Los Angeles Times’ caption, it read: “Heath has fallen under Yang’s spell!” Playboy Heath Ledger has ended his streak of dating younger women, seeing the one-year-younger Michelle Williams; even more April Fool’s-like is that the Australian rogue somehow ended up mingling with the ultimate married good guy, the magical Wang Yang. The report cheekily asked, “Are they talking about picking up girls or about family?” Not just the newspapers, but the movie fans reading them, as well as gossip enthusiasts, were very surprised. Could it be that Heath Ledger is also getting ready to marry and have children?

It’s unclear what others might think, but Jessica, after her craze about marriage, has now fallen into a baby fever, especially when seeing a bunch of adorable, lively kids outside the audition studio, watching them cuddling and laughing with their parents. Her breath and heartbeat sped up. However, the children auditioning this time were all Caucasians, different from the dark-haired, dark-eyed mixed-race baby image in her mind, making her yearn even more for a baby of her own.

“Next child,” Wang Yang said to his assistant from behind the audition camera. The blond girl’s parents immediately felt regret, knowing their child most likely hadn’t succeeded in the audition, but the innocent little girl wasn’t upset at all, as she received some candy and an Ice Age 2 stuffed toy as audition keepsakes. Such a cute and smart child was eliminated just like that; she seemed to have caught Jessica’s eye, who felt a little sorry for her, and said softly to Wang Yang, “When I was as young as her, nobody liked to play with me.”

This audition in Vancouver, which gathered a large group of kids, was for two important little girl roles in “Firefly.” Agents knew that if they could appear in “Firefly,” and if “Firefly” was a success, even if they couldn’t become as well-connected as Drew Barrymore, the child actors’ future prospects would be very bright. But sometimes, on the silver screen where appearance and temperament matter more, butterflies are always prettier than moths.

When this little girl walked in next, the eyes of Wang Yang, Joss Whedon, the casting director, art director Kevin Cavanaugh, and several other auditioners lit up. In terms of aesthetics and temperament, she was well-suited for the role of the little girl left alive by the killer with blue gloves and taken into the secret police force to become the new Blue Glove.

Not many had seen the “Firefly” series and the whole big story’s script outline, so the photographer, art director, and others considered the first part, where she had only one scene; script rewriters like Wang Yang and original scriptwriter Joss Whedon, the director, and the director of the hypothetical sequel had to consider her temperament for the coming years—whether this little girl could fight, and if she did, whether she would look cool and handsome… Jessica was simply there for fun, also tasked with helping the kids relax.

Seeing this little girl, Wang Yang was almost certain she was the one. He had been nearly sure when looking over her file earlier, as the other children had brought no surprises. Chloe Moretz, born on February 10, 1997, now 7 years old, was a child model with no big screen or TV acting experience and was in the stage of auditioning around. According to future information, she would soon succeed in consecutive auditions to debut on screen, gaining acclaim for the 2005 release of “Amityville Horror.”

After working with Jessica on the American version of “The Eye,” although the movie didn’t perform well, Chloe Moretz’s impressive performance won her the lead role of Hit-Girl in “Kick-Ass,” making her an instant star.

Could there be a more suitable choice? Even though the first part was the main consideration factor because it was unclear if there would be a sequel, since she matched the temperament, Wang Yang didn’t think Chloe Moretz would have any trouble with that scene or those few shots. After making eye contact with Joss Whedon and a few others, Wang Yang glanced at Trevor Duke Moretz’s file and said, “Hmm…”

While others came with agents or parents, Moritz, who has four brothers, was brought by her 18-year-old, not-yet-of-age older brother, Trevor Duke Moretz. She wasn’t too nervous, but seeing an idol within the director’s range, and the idol’s wife, Trevor Duke was quite nervous. He gave his sister an encouraging look and introduced her with a smile, “Hello ladies and gentlemen, I’m Chloe’s brother Tye…” Wang Yang interrupted, “Thank you, Tye, let her speak.” Chloe Moretz wasn’t new to this kind of scene either; she smiled with twinkling eyes and said sweetly, “Hello everyone, I am Chloe Moretz, I like dogs, basketball, swimming…”

Seeing such a cute little girl, everyone couldn’t help but smile, and the pretty big sister Jessica played her role well, her face filled with maternal love reassuring Chloe Moretz considerably. Just like the previous auditions, Wang Yang smiled and said, “Hi, Chloe! Are you nervous? My name is Yang, and I’m in charge of this audition.” Chloe Moretz, still just a 7-year-old, was a bit timid, “I’m okay.” Wang Yang nodded, “Then let’s start, turn around…” After completing the basic camera perception process, he continued, “Can you show me a very scared expression? The kind of fear where you’re so scared you’re stupefied, like zombies coming out to eat people. Do you know what zombies are?”

“…” Meeting her sister’s gaze, Trevor Moretz though silent, had already offered plenty of tacit hints and encouragement, prompting Chloe Moretz to start performing immediately.

It must be said, her debut in horror films and subsequent fame in the genre were no fluke. With “Amityville Horror,” “The Evil Seed,” “The Grounding,” the American versions of “Ju-On: The Grudge” and “Forbidden Siren”… it wasn’t only because she showcased her talent for portraying fear and terror to perfection; she was also not too pretty or sweet, her expression of shock and blankness stirring genuine concern and tension in others.

Seeing the judges’ hardly concealed satisfaction, Trevor Moritz silently clenched his fist, proud of his sister. Chloe had embarked on the path of acting under his influence, and he believed and was committed to helping his sister become a star performer. Chloe Moretz performed “trembling with fear” almost entirely on instinct, without much thought; she only knew that the good-looking “High School Musical” was produced by them, and Gabriela was sitting right there; she only knew her brother said this time we have to go all out!

“Hmm, very good.” Wang Yang didn’t hide his thoughts—was she born to act in horror thriller films? Truly a remarkable talent, it seemed “Firefly” was set to gain another prodigy. He then said, “Give me an expression like you’re about to cry, but you’re too afraid to cry or make a sound,”…

“Hahaha!” Once they left the Flame Movie Studio and came out to the street, Trevor Moritz laughed loudly, lifting his sister in his arms, his laughter growing louder, “Chloe, we did it, we did it, we did it! Oh my God! You’re going to star in ‘Firefly’! Incredible—Yang! Oh my God! Hahaha!” He stroked his sister’s hair vigorously, his young face brimming with hope, “We did it! My sister is going to be on the big screen!!!”

Holding a mammoth plush toy in one hand and chewing candy, Chloe Moretz also beamed with joy, excited to shoot a movie!

Because the crew was about to start filming studio shots with blue gloves, not only would “Heath” Ledger return to the team, but Chloe Moretz would also perform and complete the shooting, of course after signing a contract. Another important little girl role ultimately fell to a girl born in Georgia, Elle Fanning. Compared to Chloe Moretz’s almost blank resume, Elle Fanning had a big background—her sister was one of the hottest and most successful child stars, Dakota Fanning.

Elle Fanning, born four years after her sister on April 9, 1998, was only 6 years old but had already starred in several films. The Fanning family was originally an athletic family, with their father Steven J. Fanning being a former MLB player, their mother Joy Arrington a professional tennis player, and their grandfather a football player. With a passion for performing, securing an agent, appearing in TV commercials, Dakota Fanning became famous, and the family moved to Los Angeles, with Elle Fanning following the same path to become an actress…

At any rate, Elle Fanning possessed an air of cuteness, transparency, sprightliness, innocence and naturalness, her clear eyes and radiant smile like that of an angel’s. Different from many “like an adult” child stars, the charm she exhibited was purely that of a 6-year-old child, which was exactly what Wang Yang was looking for; since her character’s only line was the core line of the movie, ensuring the “straight to the soul” child’s voice was also part of the audition process, and clearly, there was no issue.

With one scene, a few shots, a string of laughter, and a single line, the character named “Little-Girl” seemed on paper to be an inconsequential, easily forgotten minor role. However, Elle Fanning’s current status was already that of small roles with names, like the daughter Ruth Cole in “The Door in the Floor.” Yet “Firefly” was a $200 million investment with a big production and director Wang Yang, who even revealed, “This is the most important shot in the entire film.”

This truly excited the Fanning sisters’ shared agent, Cindy Osbrink. Although the godspoiled, prodigiously talented Elle Fanning was almost certain to become a huge star, this time, following the blueprint laid out by the incredible Yang, if “Firefly” was a success, she could suddenly surpass her sister Dakota Fanning and become a superstar child actress.

The Fanning family was also very joyful, but the Fanning sisters’ grandfather, Rick Arrington, had some reservations. Of all the films to act in, why Wang Yang’s? It was not a matter of racial prejudice, but rather because both of the Fanning parents’ families were followers of the Southern Baptist Convention. The Southern Baptist Convention, a conservative denomination with over 16 million members, had for years been the largest Protestant Christian denomination in America. They had just officially severed ties with the Baptist World Alliance this year due to dissatisfaction with the Alliance’s tolerance of homosexuality and the ordination of women pastors.

Homosexuality is a sin! The Southern Baptist Convention was already prepared to boycott and protest the release of “Brokeback Mountain” on a large scale next year. They could offer help to homosexuals, providing God’s grace for their redemption, but they absolutely, absolutely did not condone this behavior. Now here was Elle Fanning, off to act in a film by Wang Yang, the initiator of “Brokeback Mountain”—how could Rick Arrington not be furious?

However, it wasn’t just him who believed in the Southern Baptist Convention, and each issue should be addressed separately. Wang Yang had already guaranteed that “Firefly” contained no promotion of homosexuality, only some fraternal love, and this was also written into the contract as a clause. So, the Fanning family was reassured and allowed Elle to take part in the film.

And so, 7-year-old Chloe Moretz and 6-year-old Elle Fanning officially joined the cast of “Firefly.”

Since April 28th was Jessica’s 23rd birthday, the set of “Firefly” was especially joyful that day. They finished the afternoon shoot early and everyone on set held a simple birthday party for this sweetheart angel. The busiest were Harry George, who was filming the behind-the-scenes footage, and Joshua, who was doing private video recording. And of course, the happiest was Jessica herself, who kept exclaiming, “Oh my God, I’m 23!” But she had a ring on her finger—what did being 23 matter!

Looking at the cake filled with candles in front of her, Jessica gave Wang Yang a smiling look. He blinked and clapped his hands, “Make a wish! And don’t be shy about it!” Everyone around her, who had just sung the birthday song and gathered in a circle, watched her with a chuckle.

“OK, I will!” Jessica took a deep breath, closed her eyes with a blissful smile, and clasped her hands together to silently wish, “Lord, please let the filming of ‘Firefly’ go smoothly! May my married life with Yang be blissful and happy, and next year give birth to a chubby and cute baby!”

※※

※※

※※

PS: Last night, we briefly stayed in the tenth place in the monthly ticket ranking. Wow, thank you everyone for your efforts and support! Now we’re behind by 30 tickets, I don’t know if there is still hope to catch up, but wow, I still continue to ask for monthly tickets, let us at least keep the achievements of the top 50 in the overall rankings! Thank you!

Also, congratulations to Smile Again on becoming the leader, wow, I’m so grateful! Thank you! ^0^(