009 Only Actors Who Think Are Truly Good Actors

Although the previous scene had left Yan Li feeling a bit unsettled, overall he was quite pleased.

That was because he hadn’t strictly followed the script during that scene.

Witnessing Xie Junhao’s portrayal of the character Yang Guang had a profound impact on Yan Li.

In the original script of "Heroes of the Sui and Tang Dynasties," Yang Guang, like Yuwen Chengdu, was depicted as a one-dimensional, debauched tyrant.

He was evil without reason, bad for the sake of being bad, mainly serving to highlight the heroism and righteousness of the protagonists and act as a plot device.

However, Xie Junhao, without altering the storyline, delved into the deeper layers of Yang Guang’s character, bringing him to life with richness and vitality, even reducing the villainous repulsiveness and endowing him with a unique charm.

Yan Li had wanted to emulate this but soon realized it was quite challenging.

Partly due to character design and plot constraints, and partly because Yang Guang was the secondary antagonist with relatively more screen time, providing room for development.

In contrast, Yuwen Chengdu had fewer scenes and often existed merely as a foil to the antagonist, making it hard to work with limited material.

More importantly, Xie Junhao was a Golden Horse Best Actor winner — confident enough to negotiate with the director.

Yan Li was just a minor supporting actor and a newcomer, ranking at the bottom among the main cast, and even changing a line might bring a barrage of harsh criticism.

So, despite having ideas, Yan Li kept quiet and obediently filmed.

Only today, during a scene centered on him and Yuwen Huaji, after persuading Yang Shulin, who played Yuwen Huaji, and roughly understanding the director’s temperament, did Yan Li dare to tentatively communicate with the director.

Yan Li did not change the plot or character design!

This was crucial — even Xie Junhao’s portrayal was based on the original script, enhancing the role through his performance.

Essentially, Yan Li’s Yuwen Chengdu was still the shameless scoundrel from the script, just refined with subtle tweaks in lines and acting to make the dialogue smoother and the moments when Yuwen Chengdu suddenly caved more comical.

An actor who thinks while acting is a good actor!

This was a lesson taught by Yan Li’s teachers at the Beijing Film Academy, profoundly influencing him. He was known in class as a thoughtful actor who loved to analyze his roles.

However, what was encouraged in school was not always tolerated in the industry.

Yan Li’s most vivid memory was from his sophomore year when he and his roommate Zhang Songwen snagged a rare bit part with lines.

Their scene was just two tavern patrons gossiping, but after rehearsing, they felt the script’s lines and director’s requirements were off — their costumes reflected wealthy young masters, yet their speech resembled street vendors, incongruent with their status.

So, they revised their lines and performed as affluent gentlemen.

This enraged the assistant director, who scolded them fiercely. If Zhang Songwen hadn’t held him back, Yan Li might have fought the man.

Since then, Yan Li understood: without status or fame, you have no say on set.

When he joined "Heroes of the Sui and Tang Dynasties," he kept a low profile, resolved to stay silent and just act as told, taking the paycheck and leaving.

Every actor has done bad roles or bad projects; as a newcomer, having a role was already lucky; no room for picking or complaining.

But he couldn’t help but encounter Xie Junhao.

Seeing Xie bring the stereotypical villain Yang Guang to vivid life made Yan Li look at his own role as Yuwen Chengdu with increasing dissatisfaction.

Moreover, director Hu Mingkai’s lenient attitude toward actors encouraged Yan Li’s boldness.

From script to screen, creation is a collaborative effort — not just the writer and director, but actors too.

A script is dry lines and descriptions; the final effect depends on the actor’s interpretation.

The same scene and character performed by different actors can feel completely different, which is why there are distinctions between ordinary actors, good actors, and award-winning actors.

The director’s role is crucial as well.

Different directors have different styles — some demand rigid adherence to the script, forbidding changes; some provide a framework and direction, then refine through discussion; others give actors free rein and judge the results afterward.

Director Hu Mingkai of "Heroes of the Sui and Tang Dynasties" leaned toward the last type, relatively tolerant of appropriate actor improvisation.

Yan Li’s tentative move today proved that: as long as the final product was good and the overall story unaffected, Hu Mingkai didn’t mind small actor suggestions.

This gave Yan Li room to express some ideas about Yuwen Chengdu.

Yan Li knew well that Yuwen Chengdu’s character was irredeemable.

He couldn’t alter the plot or character design, his scenes were few, and the looming presence of the leading lady waiting for him to “line up” was a huge obstacle.

Yan Li had no power to redeem this character.

So, his ambitions were modest — just to add some highlights to make the role less beastly, elevate the character’s layers, and avoid a purely one-dimensional villain tool.

He had been pondering this for days and finally came up with a good idea.

While studying at the Beijing Film Academy, Yan Li had audited a screenwriting class in the literature department, where he learned a blunt method to quickly bring flat characters to life.

That was to give a good person a minor flaw to make them relatable, and give a villain a redeeming quality to reveal a glimmer of humanity.

People aren’t purely black or white; pure good or pure evil feels fake. Adding some gray instantly makes a character complex and real.

But Yuwen Chengdu’s evil was rooted deeply.

He was a coward who bullied the weak and feared the strong, greedy for fame and gain, violent and ruthless, lustful and shameless, and even betrayed his ruler... Finding a positive trait was tough.

He couldn’t exactly show him saving grain or caring for his men.

Even if there was some logic there, Yan Li couldn’t build on it — did he have to beg the director for another scene where Yuwen Chengdu lined up his brothers or others?

Therefore, after studying Yuwen Chengdu’s script, Yan Li shifted his focus to the father-son relationship between Yuwen Chengdu and Yuwen Huaji.

Filial piety was one of the most valued virtues in Chinese culture, if not the foremost — after all, filial devotion is the root of all virtues.

No matter how villainous a man was, if he showed filial piety, many would look upon him more kindly, at least seeing some humanity within.

Another key point was that the original script left some room for development in the Yuwen father-son relationship.

For instance, Yuwen Chengdu listened to his father, and Yuwen Huaji trusted and relied on his son — a potential breakthrough for characterization that wouldn’t affect the plot or displease the director.

Moreover, Yan Li had grown familiar with Yang Shulin, who played Yuwen Huaji, and could count on some support.

Filial piety wasn’t just about the son; it required interaction with the parents to spark real chemistry.

With these thoughts, Yan Li felt invigorated, bought a portion of fried rice, and returned to his hotel.

Eating while studying the script, he pondered how to interact with Yuwen Huaji in scenes, how to showcase filial piety within limited conditions, and how to persuade Yang Shulin or the director when the time came.

He didn’t rest until past midnight, mindful of having scenes tomorrow, finally falling asleep full of ideas.

At dawn, woken by his alarm, Yan Li rose and headed to the bathroom, multitasking by opening his system, which showed only five pieces of daily intelligence.

[Daily Intelligence ①: Actor Yang Shulin admired Yan Li’s performance yesterday, believing the young man had a clear grasp, dared to think and act boldly, and was a promising actor.]

[Daily Intelligence ②: Director Hu Mingkai neither approved nor disapproved of Yan Li’s actions yesterday, caring more about smooth filming (Note: Hu Mingkai values directorial authority; be mindful of attitude when communicating).]

Seeing these, Yan Li felt reassured.

Earlier, he had been anxious that these two might secretly hold grudges; now things looked quite positive.

In the future, he could get closer to Teacher Yang and be more careful to flatter Director Hu, maintaining proper attitude and boundaries.

[Daily Intelligence ③: Some pork in the lunch boxes for "Heroes of the Sui and Tang Dynasties" has mildly spoiled due to restaurant stock issues, with a slight chance of causing diarrhea (Note: Montmorillonite powder can treat).]

Uh, maybe he should eat out at noon and buy some medicine — even if not for himself, it could be useful for favors.

[Daily Intelligence ④: Today at 2:30 PM, the quarterfinal of the Japan-Korea World Cup will be held: Brazil vs. England. Brazil plans to use a 3-4-3 formation with Ronaldo, Rivaldo, Ronaldinho among the starting eleven...]

Yan Li: “...”

Where did this intel come from? Did he accidentally glance at a sports news article yesterday? Or did someone on set talking about football trigger the system?

Not being a coach or sports journalist, Yan Li couldn’t make sense of it or act on it, so he immediately discarded it in the [Trash Bin].

He would have preferred a big betting tip on which team was favored — at least then he could try his luck with the lottery.

[Daily Intelligence ⑤: Qin Lan, who has no scenes today, declined a companion’s invitation to go shopping and plans to visit the small grove, hoping to verify if she can encounter Yan Li again; if so, it would mean they truly share a bond.]

Yan Li paused, recalling who Qin Lan was, and fell into thought.

Was this girl imagining things...?