Hollywood:Starting out as an MV director

"Hello." Gong Li greeted the two warmly and sat down with them. Although they weren't in the same industry circles, they were familiar with each other's films and reputations.

"Which role are you auditioning for?" Michelle Yeoh asked.

"I'm auditioning for Hatsumomo," Gong Li replied. Michelle Yeoh nodded. "That role is unique and very striking. It suits you."

"Thank you. I think so too," Gong Li said with a smile and began discussing domestic matters with Michelle Yeoh.

While the two were talking, several more actors entered the room, including Zhang Ziyi, who was auditioning for Sayuri.

"Come over here," Gong Li waved to her. Chow Yun-Fat and Michelle Yeoh also smiled at her.

Having worked together on Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, they were all quite familiar with each other.

Zhang Ziyi greeted them brightly, "Yeoh, Gong Li, Yun-Fat."

"Yeoh" was Michelle Yeoh's English name, which many people used to address her.

"I think Ziyi will definitely land the role of Sayuri," Chow Yun-Fat said with a smile.

"Ziyi has that kind of charisma, which fits the role well," Michelle Yeoh agreed.

"But in the end, it's up to the director," Zhang Ziyi responded cautiously.

The group continued chatting about the production while keeping an eye on the ongoing auditions.

Inside the audition room, the actors naturally divided themselves into various groups based on nationality.

The Japanese and Chinese groups were the largest, completely ignoring each other as though the others didn't exist. Meanwhile, the Korean actors, being fewer in number, seemed far less competitive.

For many of these stars, who were used to solo auditions in their home countries, the crowded nature of this Hollywood casting call was an entirely new experience.

After some time, a staff member walked in and announced in English, "Thank you all for waiting. The auditions are about to begin. Those called will enter the rehearsal room."

Hearing this, Zhang Ziyi was reminded of her school days, when students had to line up to perform during assessments.

After working with Zhang Yimou, she hadn't experienced this type of treatment in years. Since her role in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, her reputation had skyrocketed internationally. She was a regular at major film festivals, and directors would personally invite her to auditions.

Yet here she was, standing in line like a rookie. While it was a nostalgic experience, it also felt frustrating.

Biting her lip, she resolved to give her best performance during the audition to secure the role and prove her abilities.

Many other actors felt the same, all determined to stand out from the crowd.

"Watanabe Ken!"

The first actor called in was a Japanese national treasure.

The Japanese actors watched Watanabe Ken enter the rehearsal room with admiration. Fifteen minutes later, they saw the assistant director, Rob Marshall, personally escort him out.

"Now that's a top-tier actor!"

"Exactly, Watanabe Ken is a leading actor, even in Hollywood!"

The Japanese actors were filled with envy, some even sneering at the other groups to display their perceived superiority.

But then the next name was called.

"Michelle Yeoh."

Hearing it was a Chinese actor, the Japanese group fell silent, watching Michelle Yeoh enter the rehearsal room, eager to see what kind of reception she would receive.

Inside the room, Ethan and the others greeted Michelle Yeoh with smiles.

"This is our first meeting. Please, call me Ethan."

"Hello, Director. You can call me Yeoh or by my Chinese name."

Ethan nodded, handing her a page. "Then, Yeoh, please perform this scene."

The script provided featured Hatsumomo interacting with Sayuri, showcasing Hatsumomo's elegance, grace, and confidence as a legendary geisha.

Michelle Yeoh studied the lines for a moment, then set the paper down. She stood gracefully, her posture upright, her hands folded neatly at her waist.

Ethan and the team were immediately captivated, feeling that she embodied the character of Hatsumomo perfectly.

She delivered the lines naturally, with just the right balance of emotion and movement. She seemed not like Michelle Yeoh playing a geisha but an actual geisha living in front of them.

Great actors possess a strong sense of authenticity in their performances, drawing everyone into the world they create. Michelle Yeoh had this ability.

Her years of unwavering confidence had allowed her to quickly grasp Hatsumomo's essence, despite not yet reaching the peak of her career.

When her performance ended, Steven Spielberg stood up to embrace her. "That was incredible. I loved your performance."

"Thank you," Michelle Yeoh replied with a slight bow.

Humility, confidence, and courage—these were the traits that had propelled her to success in Hollywood.

Ethan also enjoyed working with actors like her and immediately gave her full marks in his evaluation.

Outside the room, the Japanese actors were stunned into silence when Steven Spielberg personally escorted Michelle Yeoh out.

The Chinese actors, on the other hand, were filled with pride, while the Korean actors could only watch in envy.

As the auditions progressed, the Japanese actresses took their turns in the rehearsal room, but many left looking dejected.

Ethan was brutally honest, offering harsh critiques:

"Sorry, but your acting isn't up to par. This scene requires allure and anger, but all I see is apathy."

"Stop. There's no need to continue. Your performance is so dull that I almost fell asleep."

"You're an actress, not a circus performer. The fan tricks are nice, but your acting feels as bland as unseasoned miso soup."

"Your delivery of this line makes it sound like a dying patient's final wish. Why are you using a breathy voice? Do you have a throat problem?"

"I need purity, not fake cuteness! Leave the room!"

In just two hours, actors from all three countries endured Ethan's storm of criticism, many left shaken and disheartened.

Even Zhang Ziyi, usually brimming with confidence, felt a twinge of nervousness.

Soon, it was Gong Li's turn.

Within ten minutes, applause erupted from the rehearsal room, and Ethan personally escorted Gong Li out.

The actors stared in amazement as Gong Li gracefully exited the audition, exuding confidence and poise.

When Zhang Ziyi's turn came, she entered the room determined to make an impression.

"I've seen your work in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. It was excellent," Steven Spielberg complimented her.

Zhang Ziyi responded with a bright smile. "Thank you."

She turned to Ethan and Rob, her smile now softer and more innocent.

Rob smiled back, feeling that she fit his vision of Sayuri perfectly.

Ethan, however, remained expressionless, merely nodding.

Zhang Ziyi felt a twinge of unease. She had heard that Ethan was the most demanding and sharp-tongued person on the team.

She began her performance, which included two scenes: one where Sayuri bids farewell to her mentor and another showing her transformation into a celebrated geisha.

While her first scene was commendable, capturing Sayuri's hidden love and reluctance to part, her second scene fell flat.

Ethan frowned. Zhang Ziyi's performance lacked the maturity and confidence of a renowned geisha, still too similar to the youthful innocence of the first scene.

"Stop," Ethan interrupted. "You need to better understand Sayuri's identity."

"What... identity?" Zhang Ziyi asked, feeling awkward.

"You're a celebrated geisha, someone who has earned great accolades. You've seen through many harsh realities and let go of much you once held dear. Yet your performance is still too immature."

Ethan's critique was pointed. "You're like a timid, curious kitten, not someone embodying the pride of a true geisha."

"But I think Sayuri is pure..."

"She is pure, but that doesn't mean she isn't proud," Ethan corrected her misconception. "She's no longer a child, but you keep portraying her as one."

"Fine… fine, I'll think about it," Ziyi Zhang said, her face flushing red with embarrassment. She muttered quietly in Mandarin, "So troublesome."

To her surprise, Ethan suddenly replied in fluent and serious Mandarin, "You need to exude the aura of a geisha in her prime. If you can't capture the essence of this character, then this role has nothing to do with you."

Ziyi's eyes widened. She hadn't expected Ethan to speak Mandarin.

Her face turned even redder, as if she'd been caught doing something she shouldn't.

During the subsequent performance, Ethan didn't say another word, but his silent expression threw Ziyi into complete disarray. By the time she left the rehearsal room, she still had no idea how she'd performed.

"What do you think, Ethan?" Steven asked.

"She's okay. She can be shaped," Ethan replied. He didn't believe the lack of acting depth in a movie was entirely the actor's fault—directors bore much of the responsibility too.

"I think she's perfect," Rob interjected, full of praise for Ziyi Zhang. This might explain why, later in his directing, Ziyi always performed like an innocent young girl.

Ethan shrugged. He acknowledged that Rob was an excellent musical director, but he lacked in areas like acting and script understanding.

After the discussion, Ethan called in the next actor.

A Japanese actress entered, slim yet curvaceous. She was auditioning for the role of Pumpkin, Sayuri's childhood friend.

Initially, Steven and the others didn't expect much from her, but her performance was striking. She captured Pumpkin's hidden jealousy toward Sayuri perfectly.

"Very good. What's her name?"

"Kyoko Fukada," Ethan read her name, a slight smile on his lips.

Although Ethan couldn't make the final decision on casting, that didn't mean he couldn't drop hints. That is, as long as Kyoko Fukada could rise to the occasion.

In addition to her, the film would feature more Japanese actresses. After all, this was a story about geishas.

The movie had many female characters, and most supporting roles would be decided independently.

Not long after, the auditions ended. However, the harsh critiques during the process spread through the actors to their agencies, which stirred controversy against Memoirs of a Geisha.

"Geishas are a unique cultural treasure of Japan, a part of our history. Only Japanese people can truly bring this to life!"

"The production team is heavily auditioning Chinese actors. Are they planning to cast Chinese people as geishas? Can Chinese actors understand the essence of geishas? This is disrespectful!"

"Steven Spielberg should seriously reconsider casting Chinese actors. These choices could destroy the movie."

"Respecting history is the only way to make a good film. If the production doesn't respect our history, then we have every reason to deny them filming locations here."

Japanese media launched an intense critique against Memoirs of a Geisha, accusing Spielberg of tarnishing their cultural treasure. In reality, this backlash stemmed from the fact that Japanese actors hadn't performed well in auditions.

While the uproar seemed significant, it barely made waves in the United States. It remained a niche controversy confined to Japan.

American audiences didn't care whether the actors in an Asian film were Chinese or Japanese. To them, there wasn't much difference.

Ethan wasn't particularly bothered either. If Japan truly respected history, they wouldn't rewrite textbooks.

As for the threat to deny filming locations? Ethan thought they were far too naive.

In fact, Memoirs of a Geisha had already scouted locations in Japan but found very few suitable spots.

The team decided to rent a ranch in Los Angeles instead, building a set for the geisha district required by the script. They even planned to dig a river to complete the scene.

Ethan didn't need to oversee the project constantly but occasionally checked to ensure progress.

In the meantime, he was busy on the Little Miss Sunshine set, coaching actors.

Jim Carrey, for instance, had great acting skills, but his exaggerated expressions often needed adjustment. Ethan worked to get him back to the subtlety he showed in The Truman Show.

"Jim, that's too much. Your expressions are still too exaggerated. In this scene, you need to show annoyance because your wife rejected you, but also guilt because you know the family's financial struggles are your fault."

"So after the annoyance, you should show a bit of appeasement."

"Got it," Jim Carrey nodded and quickly adjusted his performance, nailing the scene.

In contrast, the actor playing the uncle struggled more.

"F**k! You're not confessing to a woman! He's a man, and you're his teacher. You need to maintain your dignity, not act like a desperate, lovesick puppy."

"Ethan… that's harsh," the actor complained.

"I can be harsher. Do you want to hear more?" Ethan narrowed his eyes.

"No, please… I'll try again," the actor quickly relented.

Sometimes, Ethan's sharp tongue motivated the cast.

No one wanted to be scolded, so they gave their best effort. After each scene, their first reaction was to check Ethan's expression.

If he said nothing, that was the best feedback.

By the time Little Miss Sunshine wrapped up, the Golden Globes had concluded. Ethan originally planned to attend, but when he heard Jessica Alba, Scarlett Johansson, and Anne Hathaway would be there, he suddenly became "too busy."

Instead, he took Kyoko Fukada to the Los Angeles set, snapping a few photos to prove he was working.

Meanwhile, at the Golden Globes, Charlize Theron won Best Actress as expected.

When she tearfully accepted the award, she thanked Ethan among others, saying, "This year has been incredible. I can't believe it… Ethan, thank you. You said I'd be here, and you were right."

Her words sparked whispers in Hollywood. Ethan's name was now associated not only with skill but with uncanny foresight.

"Achoo..." Ethan, who was being thought about by several women at the same time, sneezed multiple times in front of the television.

Kyoko Fukada, behind him, immediately and gently handed him a tissue.

"Ethan, are you feeling cold? Come back under the blanket," Kyoko said, her fragrant shoulder exposed, while the rest of her was covered by the blanket.

"Alright." Ethan wiped his nose, feeling the early signs of a cold. He quickly got back under the blanket, using Kyoko's warm, soft body to heat his hands.

The set for Memoirs of a Geisha was almost complete, and the casting process was nearing its conclusion.

In a few days, official invitations would be sent out to the actors, which might stir up some waves in the Asian entertainment industry. But that wasn't Ethan's concern—it was Steven's.

So there wasn't much to worry about.

Soon, the production would enter a five-month training period for the actors. Ethan wouldn't need to be present the entire time, giving him the opportunity to focus on his projects at Supreme Creativity.

The matter of International United Media's advertising channels was finally making some progress. After lengthy internal debates, they had decided to sell the channels externally.

It remained unclear whether the channels would be sold in separate portions or as a single package.

With these thoughts swirling in his mind, Ethan slowly pulled the blanket up, concealing the intimate and amorous scene on the bed.

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