Hollywood, I became a legend with special effects.

Chapter 46: Tailor-made

After they had eaten almost all, Jiang Yu put down his chopsticks, picked up a not-too-thick brown paper document bag from the chair next to him, and handed it to Liu Yifei.

"Take a look at this."

Liu Yifei took it and pulled out the documents inside.

At the top is a simple project summary, titled in English: "Black Swan".

Her English was excellent, so she quickly skimmed through it: a psychological thriller set in a top New York ballet company. The protagonist is Lin Xin, a talented but stressed Asian ballerina who, in her pursuit of the lead role in the new version of *Swan Lake*, gradually slides towards a mental breakdown… The story is filled with explorations of art, perfection, maternal control, cultural identity, and self-destruction. Nina's Asian background is cleverly integrated into the narrative, creating a dual tension between her family expectations, cultural repression, and the brutal competition of the ballet world.

She flipped to the back, where there were several more pages of a more detailed story outline and brief biographies of the main characters.

The text is highly expressive and evocative, conveying a chilling elegance and an undercurrent of madness that seems to leap off the page.

The character of Lin Xin has clearly been carefully adjusted to better match her background with the casting direction.

"This is..." Liu Yifei raised her head, her eyes filled with surprise and a hint of barely perceptible heat.

This script was unlike any role she had ever played before; it was complex, dark, extremely challenging, and the female lead was Asian.

"A project being developed by Light Chaser Animations North America and Searchlight Pictures, with Darren Aronofsky tentatively slated to be directed."

Jiang Yu calmly explained, "In the script, we set the female lead to be Asian, which added a new dimension of cultural conflict and identity struggle to the story, and also provided us with a more precise direction in finding the most suitable and promising actress."

He paused, looking at Liu Yifei: "This is a role that requires extremely strong psychological expression and the ability to understand the pressures of a specific cultural background. The actress needs to have a solid dance foundation, be able to complete high-standard ballet movements and postures; she needs to have a strong inner self to portray the complex transformation from repression to explosion and then to collapse; at the same time, she also needs to have sufficient cultural sensitivity to present the situation and struggles of an Asian artist in the top Western art halls."

"I remember when you auditioned for 'The Witch' last year, your English lines were excellent, and your emotional expression was nuanced. Plus, you have overseas upbringing, so you should have a personal understanding of the differences between Eastern and Western cultures. Although we couldn't work together in the end due to health reasons, I was very impressed. I recently heard from Mr. Yang that you've been resting and reflecting lately. This project has a larger investment than 'The Witch,' and the production will be very high-quality, aiming for awards and critical acclaim. The director will be very demanding of the actors, especially regarding physical exertion and mental commitment."

Liu Yifei's heart was pounding; she fully understood what Jiang Yu meant.

This is not just a role recommendation; it's an opportunity tailored specifically for her!

An opportunity that could pull her out of her current predicament and propel her directly onto the highest international competitive stage!

What followed was immense pressure.

Aronofsky is known for torturing his actors, and this role is extremely demanding both physically and mentally. Can her cervical spine withstand the higher intensity of professional ballet training and performance?

Can her acting skills handle such a complex, dark, and culturally rich inner drama?

Shu Chang listened with shining eyes, but couldn't help worrying about her best friend. She secretly squeezed Liu Yifei's hand under the table.

.......

"President Jiang," Liu Yifei took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down, and looked at Jiang Yu with sincere eyes, "Thank you so much for thinking of me and for showing me this project. The changes to the script and the character are very clever and extremely challenging. My dance foundation needs to be restored and strengthened, which I can dedicate time and effort to. Regarding the character's cultural background and psychological aspects, I feel I have some personal feelings and observations that can be shared."

She carefully chose her words: "As you said, the challenges are enormous. I must be very frank with the production team, or rather the director, regarding the actors' physical condition, especially old injuries, have any special considerations or protective measures in place? Also, what is the approximate timeline for this project? What will the specific audition process and requirements be?"

She wasn't overwhelmed by the surprise; instead, she quickly grasped the most crucial practical issue.

This clear-headed and incisive question drew a hint of approval from Jiang Yu.

"The specific timeline will depend on the director's final confirmation and the completion of pre-production. The initial estimate is that filming may begin in the fall. You will have ample time for professional-level ballet intensive training. We will hire the best ballet coaches, physical trainers, and rehabilitation therapists to provide full support and develop personalized plans to ensure scientific training and minimize the risk of injury. There will also be appropriate protective measures during filming."

Jiang Yu answered frankly, "The audition will be conducted by the director himself after training has progressed to a certain stage. The focus will be on your understanding of the character, your body language, and whether you can present that dangerous, liminal feeling in your performance. The competition will be very fierce, and qualified actors from Hollywood and other regions will also be considered."

He didn't offer any guarantees, but rather provided an entry ticket to a modified competitive platform.

This ticket is incredibly precious to Liu Yifei now.

Liu Yifei knew that if she accepted this challenge, it would mean that she would have to stay away from the hustle and bustle of China for the next six months or even longer.

But did she have a better option?

She looked at Jiang Yu; his eyes were calm and deep, offering no prompting, only waiting.

She glanced again at Shu Chang beside her, whose face seemed to say, "Say yes! Sisi! This script was made just for you!"

Finally, her gaze fell back on the script title, "Black Swan".

The fragile yet transformative black swan, elegant yet destined for destruction, and the Asian girl struggling in the gap between Eastern and Western cultures, seem to be sending a silent, fateful call to her through the paper.

"President Jiang," Liu Yifei looked up, her hesitation gradually replaced by a resolute determination, "I need to have a thorough discussion with my family and my rehabilitation doctor. Personally, I'm extremely interested in this project. I'm willing to put in all my effort to secure it. Approximately how much time do I have to make a decision and begin the initial preparations?"

"Give me a clear answer within two weeks. If you decide to give it a try, the training team and preliminary preparations can begin immediately." Jiang Yu gave a clear timeframe.

"Okay." Liu Yifei nodded solemnly, carefully putting the document back into the file bag. "Thank you, Mr. Jiang. I will get back to you as soon as possible."

The conversation became more relaxed in the latter part of the meal.

Shu Chang finally dared to ask a few more interesting trivia questions about Hollywood and film production, and Jiang Yu also gave some answers that he could.

Liu Yifei was mostly processing the information she had just received, occasionally asking a question or two about the psychological motivations of the characters in the script and the cultural background settings.

It was already late at night when we checked out and left.

Jiang Yu called a car and first put Liu Yifei and Shu Chang into the car.

"Keep in touch," he told Liu Yifei.

"Goodbye, Mr. Jiang. Thank you for dinner and this opportunity." Liu Yifei waved goodbye, her eyes much brighter than when she arrived.

As the car drove away, Shu Chang immediately grabbed Liu Yifei's arm and excitedly whispered, "Sissi! Black Swan! Asian female lead! Hollywood award-contending film! This script must have been written for you! My goodness! President Jiang's move is so brilliant! This is such a huge show of sincerity and recognition!"

Liu Yifei leaned back in the back seat, looking out at the dazzling street scene, clutching the brown paper bag tightly in her hands.

My heart was still pounding strongly from the conversation, and a surge of heat, a mixture of immense pressure and barely suppressed excitement, was coursing through my chest.

"Sing," she said softly, her voice carrying an unprecedented certainty, "This is indeed like a map drawn for me, but I have to walk the path on the map step by step, treading on the edge of a knife."

"Then let's go!" Shu Chang gripped her hand tightly. "Whether it's a knife's edge or a precipice, I'll be with you! This time, we're not going to an audition, we're going to conquer!"

Liu Yifei smiled, her eyes shining.

That was a light that had reignited with even greater fervor and determination after a long period of silence.

Jiang Yu looked in the direction where the taxi's taillights disappeared and breathed a slight sigh of relief.

He took out his phone and sent David a short message:

"For the Black Swan project, we have communicated with the first potential candidate for the Asian female lead. We have notified the screenwriting and directing teams to prepare supplementary materials on the character's background and training plan. At the same time, we have begun contacting top ballet training institutions and rehabilitation teams in North America, as we need to prepare for potentially long-term, high-intensity training."

After sending the message, he put away his phone and walked into the night.