Global Film Emperor

Chapter 478 Beautiful Boy

Although he appeared calm on the outside, Lu Ze could still see a hint of unease in Charlie's eyes. He was nervous, which Lu Ze could understand. After all, he was only eighteen years old, and it was normal to be nervous during an interview.

The two stared at each other. For a while, Charlie didn't hear Lu Ze's words, which made him even more nervous. His mouth was watering, and he focused most of his attention on how to swallow his saliva at a steady pace.

Lu Ze was looking at him, scrutinizing the details of his face. He needed to see if Charlie had undergone plastic surgery, which was a very important point. They were recruiting actors, not just pretty faces.

For actors, plastic surgery is strictly forbidden because it makes facial expressions look unnatural, especially on camera, where they appear particularly stiff. Even formal acting schools pay special attention to this when admitting students, rejecting those who have had plastic surgery, as it renders further acting studies meaningless.

Lu Ze has seen too many young people who have great talent but have completely ruined their future because of plastic surgery. They originally thought that after plastic surgery they would become more beautiful and would have an advantage in applying to a formal college, so they went for the interview full of confidence, only to receive a rejection.

In the acting profession, beauty and success are often mutually exclusive. If you are born good-looking, that is your destiny; if you are of average appearance, you can only accept it. This is a very simple truth, but many people never understand it in their entire lives.

It's not just students preparing to pursue a career in acting; even seasoned actors who have been in the industry for a long time are caught in this dilemma, with actresses of exceptional looks being the main group affected.

As an actor, he found it hard to accept the fact that he had grown old, so he tried to defy fate by getting plastic surgery. However, after the surgery, he was ridiculed by the audience for the few roles he took on, and gradually no one asked him to act anymore.

Those who are happier in life will save enough money to fade out of the entertainment industry and marry a decent husband. Those who are less fortunate will have to rely on their barely recognizable human face to sell products and get support from their former fans, turning them into internet celebrities.

There are countless examples like this. Think back carefully: those actors who became famous at a young age, then faded from the public eye and haven't had any new works for a long time, but occasionally appear on your short video social media, awkwardly smiling while holding low-end products, and many of them can't sell a single item in half a day.

As for cosmetic surgery, "Universal Brothers" has even stricter requirements. Apart from having their teeth straightened and eyebrows tattooed, Lu Ze will not consider any actor who has had surgery on any part of their face, not even the simplest facial micro-plastic surgery.

After all, what Universal Brothers wants are top actors or top acting talents. Blue-collar actors can be arranged by the union or borrowed from other companies; there is no need to sign them to their own company.

Having been in the entertainment industry for so many years, Lu Ze should be able to easily tell whether someone has had plastic surgery or not. However, this time Lu Ze looked very carefully and didn't miss a single detail.

If it were any other handsome male actor with a rugged appearance, Lu Ze wouldn't have been able to observe him so carefully. But Charlie's appearance is different; it's rare for an ordinary person to look like that, yet it's also hard to see anything unusual about him. This requires even more meticulous observation.

After looking at it for a long time, he found no problems and finally put Lu Ze at ease. He made a note on a blank sheet of paper and gave it almost full marks in terms of appearance and image.

"Charlie, thank you for participating in our company's interview and for passing the first round so I can meet you. I have a general understanding of your information, but I'd like to ask, given your qualifications, I imagine other agencies have already contacted you, right?"

This was a rather personal question, unrelated to whether or not a contract could be signed. It stemmed from Lu Ze's curiosity, or rather, the curiosity any interviewer would have upon meeting a talented individual. Charlie's answer, however, was surprisingly swift, providing a response very quickly.

“I shot commercials when I was five years old and also acted in two movies. My father was a soldier who was stationed in Germany at the time, so he didn’t know that my mother had sent me to the film crew. When he found out, he was furious. He thought that I was too young to earn money, as if their child was just a tool for them to make money. He said that they could raise me well even if I didn’t act.”

"Hmm... so has your father agreed now?"

"Yes." He smiled brightly, looking even more radiant than the sun, still sitting very properly in his chair, one white tooth slightly showing, and nodded to Lu Ze and the other.

"Yes, because now I can be sure that I like acting for myself, not for my family. After I went to university, several agencies did approach me, but I rejected them all because they said that with my physique, I should first enter the fashion industry and make a name for myself quickly, and then slowly move towards the acting industry. But I have no interest in being a model."

Lu Ze crossed his arms and clenched his fists, resting them on his chin with a smile as he listened to him recount his choices over the years. Kesha, standing beside him, wrote a sentence on a piece of white paper and pushed it to Lu Ze's side.

"She is very opinionated, but has some problems with emotional control."

He glanced down, exchanged a silent look with Kesha, and then re-examined the young man in front of him. Before he knew it, his blood had returned to his head, and a blush gradually spread across Charlie's face. He had been relieved that he had kept his speech and breathing relatively well, but now he felt the warmth on his face, which made him lose his composure for the first time in front of Lu Ze.

"Then why did you choose Universal Brothers?"

"Because I feel... there are idols here that I can follow. Mr. Lu Ze, I want to learn from you and become an excellent actor, so that I won't be seen as a high-end toy who only relies on my looks."

His words did not surprise Lu Ze. All his thoughts were clearly revealed in his eyes. From the moment he entered the office, his gaze never once fell on Kesha. He just stared straight at Lu Ze, as if on a pilgrimage, his eyes radiating fanatical worship.

Despite his effeminate appearance, his personality is surprisingly straightforward. He doesn't hide his pursuits at all, is energetic, but doesn't leave himself too much room for maneuver. He always gives it his all, which is the kind of personality Lu Ze likes.

"Perhaps we'll become good colleagues, but before that, I need you to perform a short piece. Let me see... The topic Mickey gave you is... 'The Danish Girl'?"

Lu Ze almost spat out the coffee he was drinking. You know, Mickey is such a character. It's true that he looks a bit effeminate, but when you give him the role of Lily, the protagonist of "The Danish Girl," it just doesn't feel right. Lu Ze couldn't understand it. Logically speaking, although Mickey does some annoying pranks, he has never attacked people based on their appearance.

"How about... we switch to something else? Something you're good at."

Out of understanding, and also out of fear that the Universal Brothers might be attacking someone's appearance and subtly criticizing Mickey, Lu Ze had no choice but to clean up Mickey's mess.

"No need, Mr. Lu Ze. I chose this script myself. If I really mind playing a person of the opposite sex, if I mind this, if I mind that, if I mind a lot of things, then I am destined to be a bad actor. So I want to try this role and also break through myself. I believe that if this script requires you, Mr. Lu Ze, to perform, you would not refuse because you have to play a transgender person."

He understood Lu Ze well, at least in terms of Lu Ze's professionalism. This statement was a perfect compliment to Lu Ze. No one in the world dislikes being admired, and Lu Ze was no exception. However, the reason he liked being admired was different from others. It only existed in his profession and was rarely mentioned outside of the film set. This made Lu Ze have to admit that he admired this kid a little.

"Then please perform."

"..."

(End of this chapter)