On the other side, Qin Lezhang was completely unaware that there were other Chinese actors present.
He lit a cigarette, squinted at the audience seats in the distance, and asked, "Where will Director Tannis be sitting?"
"That location."
The person in charge pointed him in a general direction.
"Then please arrange a few seats closer to the front."
"Currently, the only seat closest to him is this one in the front row next to him," the person in charge said. "Those other seats have already been booked in advance, so there's nothing I can do about it."
"That works too," Qin Lezhang said nonchalantly, a cigarette dangling from his lips. "I'll have to ask you to help me get in touch with them then."
"Yes, that's ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) not a problem."
The person in charge nodded: "However, I can't guarantee who the final choice for director will be."
"That's fine too."
Qin Lezhang readily agreed.
After the person in charge left, Qin Lezhang's agent, Wen Qicai, came over. While observing the situation around the audience, he said to Qin Lezhang, "This time, the old man is here to select actors. He will be observing the drivers more. Are you sure you don't want to appear as a gentleman driver?"
"I was almost injured in the last car accident, so I'm too lazy to participate again."
Qin Lezhang crossed his arms and said lazily.
"This endurance race lasts for three hours. If Director Tannis isn't paying attention, he might not even notice me. That would be a huge loss."
Wen Qi frowned and nodded in agreement: "That's true. These sports are still dangerous after all, and ensuring safety is the priority."
"Have all the Asian participants for this competition been confirmed?"
Qin Lezhang pushed up his sunglasses. "Anyone else who's heard the news?"
"No." Wen Qi shook his head. "Don't worry, no one else in the country knows about this right now."
"That's fine. I won't allow myself to fail."
Qin Lezhang wore a confident smile.
...
Meanwhile, a lively discussion broke out among domestic fan groups.
【Rumor has it that Brother Xiao is currently in Italy, preparing to participate in a competition there, and also taking the opportunity to promote his upcoming overseas film, *Law of the Jungle*.】
【Huh? Really? What competition? What time does it start? Where can I watch it?】
【I don't know the details either, but their studio posted a message wishing their boss all the best in the competition. You can check it out on Weibo if you don't believe me.】
【It really is true; judging from the helmet in the picture, it might be a racing helmet.】
【Wow, is there anything Brother Xiao doesn't know?】
【Haha, I can finally go live! I'm in Italy! I'm already planning to go tomorrow.】
【Hehe, I've already contacted my friends studying in Italy and asked them to definitely go and take photos on site.】
【But Brother Xiao is really low-key; he didn't publicize this at all. If it were anyone else, they would probably have been making a huge fuss about it.】
To be fair, Brother Xiao has always been quite low-key.
【Keeping a low profile is good, but fans are getting impatient! When will we see Brother Xiao again?】
【It's okay, let's wait a bit longer. Next month is Mulan, and I think Xiao Ge's Meng Zetian will most likely be on the shortlist. He'll definitely be back in China then.】
Wow, time flies! It's already Mulan.
【Yes, last time Xiao Ge (Xiao Ge) didn't have any projects to participate in, but now he's got box office success! I'm so happy!】
The Magnolia Award, also known as the Shanghai TV Festival Magnolia Award, is jointly organized by several official organizations. It is the only international TV festival award in China and is highly prestigious within the industry, enjoying a high level of recognition.
The Magnolia Awards are usually held in June each year, selecting outstanding works from the previous year and covering outstanding individuals across the entire industry chain, including directors, screenwriters, and actors. The selection criteria for actors are particularly stringent.
"Shining Stars" was a hit last year, and it belongs to the serious drama genre. This type of TV series is the easiest to enter the selection list and the easiest to win awards.
Many people have already speculated that Zhang Mo, who plays the male lead in "Shining Stars," will most likely win another Best Actor award this time.
As for the other characters in "Shining Stars", Su Shengxi has already retired from the entertainment industry, so the only one who can be nominated as a supporting actor is Xiao He. After all, Xiao He's performance in the drama is obvious to all, so there is not much controversy about his nomination.
As for whether he can win an award, that's another matter. As a newcomer, Xiao He's fans don't have high expectations.
While fans were researching this matter, Liu Rulan, who had returned to Shanghai, was also discussing it with He Wenming.
This was, in fact, the first time these two top agents had sat down face-to-face to discuss the situation of their respective artists.
"If Xiao He were nominated based solely on his role as Meng Zetian, there would be no problem with him being nominated, but it would be very difficult for him to be nominated for Best Supporting Actor."
Liu Rulan offered a rational analysis.
"His role is inherently a sensitive one."
Moreover, he lacks the necessary qualifications.
“If we really have to compete, that’s not out of the question.” He Wenming pushed up his glasses and said calmly, “There are five main judges this time, and I know two of them. I can help you make some connections.”
Liu Rulan immediately shook her head: "I heard that the judges' review standards will be very strict this time. I don't think it's necessary to go against the grain."
In previous years, the Magnolia Award had been embroiled in several public opinion crises, which seriously affected its credibility. However, things have gradually improved in recent years, and public trust has been rebuilt.
Liu Rulan felt that trying to use connections might backfire.
Moreover, awards won by force will only attract criticism and suspicion from many people. Xiao He's portrayal of Meng Zetian has already been the subject of a public opinion war. If he takes the lead again because of this role, it will likely damage his reputation.
Xiao He is quite popular with the public now, and Liu Rulan feels that this award is not something that must be won now.
"That's true."
He Wenming agreed with Liu Rulan's idea, and at the same time, he was quite emotional: "Now that we have these awards, they are not that useful. They are still not as famous as popular celebrities."
Ironically, this is the reality.
Even if they win awards, what good is it if their popularity and commercial value are not as high as others? Most directors and production teams will still turn to choosing actors with high popularity rather than truly talented actors.
It's really funny sometimes; not only are academic qualifications devalued now, but even these awards are devalued as well.
Liu Rulan smiled helplessly: "Do we really have to discuss this kind of issue now?"
To put it bluntly, Versailles are already one of the two most successful companies in the industry, yet they still need to discuss this kind of issue...
"There's nothing I can do," He Wenming shrugged helplessly. "I've been filming with Shu Han lately, and it's made me reflect a bit."
He Jinnian has been famous for a long time, with both popularity and acting skills. Shu Han, on the other hand, has acting skills, but he went abroad too early and missed the era of popularity and monetization. So now that he has returned, others do not treat Shu Han as well as they treat He Jinnian. As a result, He Wenming is not as easy to deal with many things that happen inside and outside the crew as before.
"What? Did you run into some young master or princess?"
Liu Rulan immediately understood He Wenming's troubles.
That's the good thing about being agents; you can understand each other's troubles instantly.
"I just ran into someone who wanted to steal my character."
He Wenming sighed.
"Do you need any help?"
“No need for that. I have enough connections in Shanghai.” He Wenming looked at Liu Rulan with a hint of envy in his voice. “Your artists certainly make things easy for you.”
He played one role after another without attracting any troublesome rivals. Even Su Shengxi, who had targeted him in the past, is now long gone from the entertainment industry.
Liu Rulan also revealed a proud smile: "Yes, my artists don't cause much trouble."
