Chapter 183 - The Art of Acting

Clap, clap, clap-

“Excellent! Qingyi, your performance exceeded my expectations.” First there was Chu Ziyu, now there’s Qingyi. The former excelled in aligning with the character’s traits, while the latter emphasized a unique liveliness in his acting. The surprises ONE had brought to Zhang Dong were far beyond what he had anticipated.

Indeed, “the public’s eyes are sharp.” Thinking back to how he had rejected ONE multiple times before, Zhang Dong now felt a lingering sense of trepidation, while inwardly marveling at his own luck. It was as if these two roles had been tailor-made for Chu Ziyu and Qingyi. No wonder, after everything, the parts had inevitably fallen to the two of them.

Qingyi, unaccustomed to being praised so openly by Zhang Dong, rubbed his nose shyly and responded with a modest smile, “You’re too kind, Director Zhang.”

Noticing this, Qi Yue felt a spark of surprise flash through her mind-he had slipped out of character even faster than she had.

Before this, Qi Yue had never watched any of Qingyi’s performances and had always understood his public persona as that of a cheerful, sunny boy-next-door type, seemingly simple and pure-hearted. Naturally, she had assumed he was a method actor.

But the fact that Qingyi managed to step out of character faster than she did made Qi Yue realize that this young man might just be an innate “presentational” actor.

It’s true that as actors progress in their careers, they often combine different acting approaches, blending the strengths of each to form the method most suited to their style. However, in the beginning stages of an acting career, when performers first embark on this path, they usually gravitate toward one approach that comes most naturally to them, depending on their talent and personality.

This early phase also provides a rare opportunity to glimpse part of an actor’s character through their approach to acting.

While not entirely foolproof, this method of observation can often yield insightful results. Take method actors, for instance. They mostly adhere to the unspoken rule of “drawing from oneself.” They strive to immerse themselves fully in the roles they play, mentally becoming the characters themselves, and convincing their own minds that they are, in fact, the roles they portray. This results in powerful, deeply emotional performances.

Method actors often have particularly sensitive inner worlds and more emotional temperaments. While this allows their performances to be highly compelling and impactful, it also makes them more susceptible to being affected by the characters they portray. In the long run, this might even lead to psychological issues.

In stark contrast, presentational actors focus less on personal immersion and more on meticulously constructing a “character image” in their minds. Their approach emphasizes imitation and deliberate design, rather than instinctively living in a scene.

This fundamental difference in approach also reveals a great contrast in personality: presentational actors tend to be far more rational than method actors. They have a clear understanding that their characters exist only within the script, which minimizes the likelihood of psychological distress stemming from their roles.

At first glance, Chu Ziyu appeared more composed and rational, while Qingyi seemed more emotional and sensitive. However, their respective approaches to acting revealed that this was nothing more than an illusion. Chu Ziyu, who belonged to the method acting camp, and Qingyi, a presentational actor, demonstrated through their contrasting styles that their inner selves were the complete opposite of their outward appearances.

As for Qi Yue, she was a hybrid actor, blending elements of both method and presentational approaches. Her personality, too, frequently oscillated between emotional sensitivity and rational detachment. Comparatively speaking, her susceptibility to psychological challenges might even surpass that of method actors.

“Isn’t this what people mean when they say, ‘You can’t judge a book by its cover’?” Qi Yue thought to herself with a wry smile as she walked offstage. She couldn’t help but reflect that, oddly, she was more drawn to emotionally driven method actors, who occasionally caused trouble by acting on impulse, than to those who prioritized logic over feelings.

Noticing the unsettled expression on Qi Yue’s face, her agent, who had been waiting nearby, quickly approached her with a concerned look. “What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”

“No, I’m fine,” Qi Yue replied, shaking her head. Her gaze wandered in the direction where Qingyi and Chu Ziyu were. The two were joking around together, seemingly engrossed in a lively conversation. Whatever they were talking about, it made Chu Ziyu’s lips curve upward in an uncontrollable smile.

“I was just thinking,” she continued after a moment’s pause, “that most domestic groups probably don’t last very long…”

“What? Qi Yue, what are you talking about?”

“Nothing, just something random that crossed my mind. By the way, where’s my flower tea? Did you make it for me?”

“It’s all ready…”

The morning flew by in the blink of an eye, consumed by several scenes they had to shoot. By lunchtime, Chu Qianqian had returned to the ONE-exclusive lounge with Qingyi and Chu Ziyu in tow. After handing the boxed lunches to them, she initiated a casual conversation.

“How are you both feeling?”

Although she addressed the question to both of them, Chu Qianqian’s primary concern was Chu Ziyu. It was his first day filming, and while the process of shooting on set might not seem drastically different from recording music videos in a studio, the challenges were considerably greater. She couldn’t be sure if Chu Ziyu was adjusting well.

Sensing Chu Qianqian’s gaze, Chu Ziyu lowered his head, avoiding eye contact. In a noticeably soft voice, he replied, “It’s going well. Acting… it’s not as difficult as I imagined. And Qi Yue-she’s really nice. She’s been guiding me throughout the scenes.”

“Exactly, exactly,” Qingyi immediately chimed in enthusiastically at the mention of Qi Yue. “Qi Jie is honestly amazing. Acting alongside her feels so comfortable. She just lets you go with the flow, and if something’s off, she’ll guide you right in the scene. No wonder she’s such a renowned veteran.”

It hadn’t been obvious during the shoot, but now that both of them brought it up, Chu Qianqian finally realized that Qi Yue had been helping the two of them throughout those earlier scenes. Reflecting on the information she’d gathered about Qi Yue beforehand, Chu Qianqian couldn’t help but smile.

“Qi Jie started out as a child actor,” she shared. “She’s been acting for almost as many years as you two have been alive. Her skills are, of course, exceptional. And it’s not just her talent-her reputation in the industry has always been stellar. You’re both incredibly lucky to have met such a senior actor so early in your careers.”

Before they knew it, lunchtime passed in the midst of relaxed conversation.

After downing a glass of water and letting out a satisfied belch, Qingyi sighed dramatically. “I really wish I could have some of Qianqian’s braised eggplant. Ever since I’ve been forced onto this strict diet, I feel like it’s been forever since I last had it.”

No sooner had the words left his mouth than Qingyi was met with a look of utter disdain from Chu Ziyu. The boxed lunches provided by the Film Crew were pretty decent, and Chu Ziyu vividly remembered Qingyi wolfing his down with gusto just a moment ago. He certainly hadn’t seemed to be thinking about Chu Qianqian’s cooking then.

Besides, though Chu Ziyu himself also wouldn’t mind having a meal prepared by Chu Qianqian, he knew better than to entertain that idea under the current circumstances. First of all, the Film Crew didn’t even have a microwave on set. And even if Chu Qianqian were willing to get up early to prepare packed lunches for them, he couldn’t bear the thought of making her go through all that trouble.

After all, Chu Qianqian was already waking up at the crack of dawn just to make their breakfasts. The Film Crew’s boxed lunches weren’t bad at all, and there was no need to pile on extra demands.

“Finish your meal and get some rest while you can,” Chu Ziyu said flatly, snapping Qingyi back to reality. “Stop daydreaming. You think everyone has the luxury of sleeping in like you?”