Jiang Ling removed her sunglasses and politely greeted the tall, thin middle-aged man with a small mustache standing before her.
Wang Jianzhong listened and immediately looked Jiang Ling up and down.
Well, he had to admit, the young girl in front of him was indeed breathtakingly beautiful.
If she were in ancient times, she would absolutely be a top beauty, no less than Diao Chan or Xi Shi.
Being this beautiful, it was no wonder she had become the pinnacle of trending stars in just over a year.
However, in acting, beauty wasn't the most important thing; the key was having acting skills.
Without acting skills, no matter how beautiful one was, it was all in vain.
Wang Jianzhong had already seen Jiang Ling's solid and nuanced acting prowess in the role of Tianshan Tonglao.
But the acting style differed for each character; being able to play Tianshan Tonglao didn't mean she could handle a mentally unstable beauty.
Actors who could embody a thousand faces, transforming into whatever role they played, were truly rare.
He still needed to test her acting skills before deciding whether to cast Jiang Ling as Zhao Hede.
Wang Jianzhong nodded and smiled, "Miss Jiang, I am Wang Jianzhong, the director of 'Empress of the World.' It's a pleasure to meet you."
This sudden enthusiasm caught Jiang Ling by surprise.
Hadn't they said Wang Jianzhong had a bad temper and didn't give people a good impression?
Why was his attitude so good upon meeting her? It was abnormal!
Jiang Ling had no idea that Wang Jianzhong was a person with very distinct likes and dislikes.
For those he liked, found attractive, or admired, he was as enthusiastic as possible.
For those who put on airs, were overly sensitive, and lacked any acting skills, he gave them no face at all.
Wang Jianzhong had seen Jiang Ling's delicate and masterful performance in Tianshan Tonglao and believed she was a good actress, developing an appreciation for her talent, which naturally led to his good attitude. httpδ:/m.kuAisugg.nět
Jiang Ling smiled, feeling a bit flattered, "Director Wang is too kind. Director Zhang said there was a role here that suited me, so I came to try my luck!"
"The role you've been asked to play this time is the famous enchantress of the Western Han Dynasty, Zhao Hede. This is the script; feel free to pick any section to audition. If it's satisfactory, we'll sign the contract."
As Wang Jianzhong spoke, he signaled with his eyes, and his assistant handed Zhao Hede's script to Jiang Ling.
Jiang Ling had seen the drama "Empress of the World" and directly flipped to the second-to-last page of the script, pointing to the second-to-last segment, she said, "I'll perform this part!"
This segment depicted Zhao Hede, after the emperor's death, coming to the female lead Wang Zhengjun's palace late at night to protect her sister Zhao Feiyan. She confessed willingly, taking all the blame onto herself, mocking the female lead for failing to gain the love of her husband and son, deeming her life a failure, and calling her more pathetic than herself, the enchantress.
This scene was the climax for Zhao Hede and the most effective in showcasing acting skills.
Upon seeing this, Wang Jianzhong frowned and looked at Jiang Ling, "Are you sure you want to perform this part?"
Jiang Ling nodded with great certainty, "Yes!"
She enjoyed challenges.
Especially when facing a director like Wang Jianzhong with a fiery temper, if she couldn't impress him with her skill in one go, she might be scolded during subsequent filming.
"Alright, let's begin the audition!"
Wang Jianzhong gave Jiang Ling a deep look, then turned to his assistant, "You read Empress Wang Zhengjun's lines and act with her."
The assistant nodded in agreement, "Okay!"
Before Jiang Ling arrived, Wang Jianzhong had intended for her to casually pick a scene and act it out in the air.
Acting without lines, performing without physical props, was undoubtedly the most demanding test of acting skills.
Who would have thought that Jiang Ling, from the outset, would directly challenge a difficult segment, choosing the most challenging one.