Upon hearing this, Guan Suyi looked curious. "Oh? Who is it?"
Jiang Ling hesitated for a moment before saying, "It's Jiang Yushuang's younger brother, Jiang Yulei."
"It's him? Why would you think of recommending him?"
Guan Suyi had also heard about the past grievances between Jiang Ling and Jiang Yulei.
Three years ago, Jiang Ling had not yet terminated her contract with Huohua Media and was at the peak of her popularity.
To maximize her commercial value, Huohua Media invested a large sum of money into a major IP, inviting Jiang Yulei, who had just won the Best Actor award, to play the male lead and boost her popularity.
Unexpectedly, Jiang Ling's acting skills were too poor. An investment of hundreds of millions only recouped twenty million at the box office, resulting in a massive loss.
Jiang Yulei was greatly affected. His popularity declined, his reputation plummeted, and his career took a nosedive, from which he had not yet recovered.
After Jiang Yushuang's identity was exposed, many people approached Jiang Yulei for acting opportunities.
Jiang Yulei saw that these people were all sycophants. They claimed to admire his talent, but in reality, they wanted to leverage his connection to curry favor with the Jian family and seek benefits.
When Jian Fan married Jiang Yushuang, it had caused considerable upheaval within the Jian family.
Jiang Yulei did not want people to gossip privately, calling his sister a "support-a-brother demon" who only helped her younger sibling, making it seem like he had climbed the ranks through connections. Thus, he politely declined these invitations.
The consequence of refusing to leverage his connections and rely on his brother-in-law's help was a continuous decline in his career, from which he had yet to recover.
Jiang Ling said sincerely, "On one hand, it's my personal motive. I implicated him in that incident back then. On the other hand, I believe his acting skills are suitable for the role of Xiao Ting."
Guan Suyi listened and remained noncommittal. "Jiang Yulei's Best Actor award was well-deserved, and his talent is undoubtedly impressive. However, his appearance… If he plays Xiao Ting, he might be cursed to death by the audience after the drama airs."
For a righteous male protagonist, a slightly less attractive appearance is acceptable. As long as his actions are righteous, the audience won't find fault.
It's different for a villainous male lead. If he commits many wicked deeds and even causes the death of the female lead's entire family, every action would be stepping on the audience's sensitive spots.
If a male artist with sufficiently high颜值 and excellent acting skills doesn't play such a role, wouldn't he be verbally torn apart by the audience?
Jiang Ling, however, smiled and said, "If the appearance isn't enough, makeup can make up for it. Director Guan, don't just look at Jiang Yulei's ordinary appearance. As long as the costumes and makeup are in place, I guarantee he will amaze the audience."
In the entertainment industry, there are actors who might seem ordinary to the audience, not particularly handsome.
However, with the right styling and makeup, they can become captivating and surprisingly stunning.
A classic example is Mao Xiaotong (pseudonym).
Many viewers find her appearance rather plain. In an entertainment industry crowded with beauties, her beauty is at best that of a delicate maiden.
Yet, in her portrayal of Concubine Ying in "The Legend of Pure Fragrance," her styling was dazzlingly beautiful.
That dignified, serene, yet cool and detached beauty was truly astonishing.
A considerable portion of the audience even believes she was the most beautiful character in the drama.
When the audience learned that the actress playing Concubine Ying was her, everyone was stunned.
Even her fans couldn't believe she possessed such a beautiful side.
Then there's Brigitte Lin. Previously, the audience's consistent impression of her was that of a great beauty.
Director Tsui Hark, with his sharp eye, discovered that beneath her beauty, she possessed a heroic spirit that other actresses lacked. Therefore, he cast her in a cross-dressing role as Dongfang Bubai, making her androgynous and leaving an unforgettable classic impression on the audience.