A Full Lineup

"We run a modest operation in difficult times, so please bear with us." Chen Qi felt not the slightest bit self-conscious, pressing on, "A pair of adult actors and a pair of child actors—the total ideally shouldn't exceed a hundred thousand US dollars. When the children come over, they'll need guardians accompanying them, won't they? And we'll have to cover their room and board?" "Naturally!" "Then we have to keep costs down even more. The maximum budget for *Orphan* is 2.5 million Hong Kong dollars. We'll have to trouble you to put some thought into it and help us find quality talent at a bargain." "All right, I'll do my best!" Jessica agreed. Chen Qi had little choice. He had never been to the United States, so he couldn't invoke his usual clairvoyant tricks. Besides, it was too early; the Hollywood stars he knew best were either still children or already famous. Without scouting in person, casting from afar was a tall order, so he could only rely on Jessica's competence. The production costs for *Orphan* were split evenly between the two companies, with shared copyright and equal profit-sharing. Chen Qi served as screenwriter, creative planner, and producer, while the actual execution rested entirely in the hands of Great Wall's crew. He and Fu Chi trusted each other completely. Going by history's timeline, Fu Chi and Shi Hui wouldn't retire for another ten years, leaving plenty of time to build something grand. Fair was fair—though a few individuals kept dragging their feet, plenty of others were lending him a hand. Chen Qi was not alone, and it gave him the strength to keep marching forward. *** Jessica stayed for one night and flew out the next day as expected. Washington, D.C. Inside a handsome, spacious house, fifty-six-year-old Chen Xiangmei sat writing at her desk. She wore a neatly tailored Chinese-style jacket, a huge ring on her left hand, and a necklace of gleaming, round pearls around her neck. In her later years, her ties with the mainland would grow even closer, and she would serve as a special advisor to the China National Tourism Administration, a senior advisor to the Television Department of the China Film Critics Society, and more. In 2015, she would be awarded a commemorative medal for the victory in the War of Resistance at the Great Hall of the People. Regardless of what she had done in her youth, she was ultimately counted as one of their own. "Madam!" "Ah Juan is back!" Chen Xiangmei addressed Jessica by her Chinese pet name. Jessica dared not utter a peep, reporting dutifully, "I met with the people Liao Gong introduced and got the full picture on the film." "Oh? And how did it strike you?" "Highly original. Exceeded all expectations." Chen Xiangmei was slightly surprised. "Coming from you, that's rare praise indeed. Quick, tell me, how is it original?" Jessica gave a brief overview of *Orphan*. After listening, Chen Xiangmei smiled. "I had assumed mainland cinema would need at least a decade of stumbling in the dark before breaking free of political narratives. I never expected a vanguard to emerge so soon. "Then again, it makes sense. If he weren't someone truly exceptional, my uncle wouldn't have recommended him to me." "Madam, Liao Gong personally facilitated this matter—what is his real intention?" Jessica asked. "Nothing more than using film to build a bridge, foster Sino-American cultural exchange, and ideally open a line of communication with Taiwan. The mainland is interested in easing relations with Taiwan, and cinema is an excellent channel. I have plenty of old friends in Taiwan, after all." What made Chen Xiangmei so important was that she had the ear of all sides. "Then to what extent should we help?" "Didn't he give his requirements? Follow them as requested. Do not go beyond those bounds." "Understood!" *** Los Angeles. Hollywood was in the midst of a full renaissance, ushering in a new era as domestic box office grosses climbed year after year. A few years ago, twenty million dollars could break into the annual top ten; now, forty million was practically the baseline. The previous year had seen one film surpass two hundred million and two cross one hundred million. This year was no different, with the championship already locked down by *Raiders of the Lost Ark*, which had stormed to 210 million dollars. It had also launched a classic franchise. George Lucas and Steven Spielberg had risen meteorically to become the two hottest directors in town. The former had *Star Wars*, while the latter had *Jaws* and *Raiders of the Lost Ark*, and word had it Spielberg was currently prepping an alien movie titled *E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial*. None of this concerned thirty-one-year-old Ed Harris. Cradling two paper bags packed with bread and cheese, he strode into an ordinary apartment building and entered the unit he rented with his girlfriend. In Los Angeles, real estate was exorbitant. As minor actors, just affording the rent was no easy feat. Ed Harris had been born into a middle-class family. A former athlete, he possessed a rugged, hyper-masculine screen presence. After years of bit parts in film and television, his career was finally looking up. A few low-budget B-movies had even offered him leading roles. The pay wasn't high—around ten thousand dollars—but it kept him satisfied, feeling that his career was on a steady upward track. Recently, however, an exceedingly bizarre offer had arrived, leaving him torn. "Ed?" "Haha, you bought groceries too? So did I—look!" His girlfriend, Amy Madigan, stepped through the door right behind him, holding up two paper bags with a hearty laugh. He chuckled as well, stepping over to give her a kiss before they began preparing dinner together. Their relationship was rock-solid, and they were already discussing marriage. Over dinner, Ed Harris spoke up. "There's something I want to talk over with you." "I have something to tell you too!" "You go first!" "My agent brought me the most fascinating offer today. Hong Kong—you know Hong Kong?" "Yeah." "A Hong Kong company wants me for a movie. Not directly, of course; through some American connections, you know how it goes. I even got the script. Honestly, it's surprisingly well written. And the money is great—a full twenty thousand dollars..." The more Ed Harris listened, the stranger it felt. He couldn't resist cutting in: "Is it a horror movie?" "How did you know?" "An adult pretending to be a little girl?" "Wait, don't tell me—" Ed's mouth twitched, and he nodded vigorously. "You just said everything I was about to say." "Oh, how is that even possible? We both got offers for the same Hong Kong movie... Wait, wait, let me piece this together... We're a couple, and we're both actors, and the script just happens to call for a married couple. So they just came straight to us?" Amy broke it down, finding that the explanation made more and more sense. Ed thought so too. "So, do we take it?" Both fell into contemplation. Hollywood actors generally disliked filming abroad, let alone traveling all the way to Hong Kong. Hong Kong productions had to pay a premium to lure American talent, effectively factoring in the overseas travel compensation. After discussing it for a while, they decided to take the roles. The main draw was getting to go together; they could treat it as a vacation on the company dime. Ed Harris might not be a familiar name to some by sound alone, but anyone would recognize his face—known for *The Rock*, *The Truman Show*, *Enemy at the Gates*, *Westworld*, and more. His girlfriend, Amy, was less well-known in China, but she would go on to win a Golden Globe and earn an Oscar nomination. Naturally, that was all in the future; for now, they were merely minor actors. With that, the core cast of *Orphan* was finalized: Male lead, John—Ed Harris. Female lead, Kate—Amy Madigan. The little girl—Qiu Shuzhen. Having grown up in a British church orphanage, her character initially went by the English name Esther, only for her Japanese identity to be uncovered once her true nature was exposed. Social worker—Liu Xuehua. Director—Tsui Hark! Screenwriter / Creative Planner / Producer—Chen Qi!