Chapter 202 New Invitations

Chapter 202: A New Invitation

After the May Day holiday box office season kicked off, the momentum of "Nightly Observing the Heavens" gradually subsided.

For a movie market that had become increasingly quiet, the 5.5 billion box office bombshell undoubtedly brought tremendous confidence, indicating that there was still potential to be tapped and that audiences had not completely abandoned cinema.

Thanks to the boost from "Nightly Observing the Heavens," Lu Xu's total box office earnings as a lead actor officially surpassed 15 billion, making him almost invincible among his peers.

Moreover, Lu Xu's strong presence in the films he starred in meant that his box office success was closely tied to his personal appeal, undeniably solid achievements without any water content.

Compared to before, after the release of "Nightly Observing the Heavens," there was no significant change in the resources available to Lu Xu, as he was already receiving what were widely recognized as top-tier projects within the industry—winning the Best Actor award at the Zhengming Awards and the massive success of "Fearless Life" had made him a sought-after talent, with various production teams vying to offer him scripts.

Because Lu Xu could definitely handle them.

After the huge success of "Nightly Observing the Heavens," it became difficult for the scripts Lu Xu encountered to improve further; they had reached their peak.

The popularity generated by "Nightly Observing the Heavens" also boosted the attention on "Code A77," which Lu Xu was filming. This film had previously been criticized for lacking depth, but now many industry insiders predicted that it would also bring in substantial revenue.

Lu Xu's mysterious box office magic could not be ignored by anyone in the industry.

A low-budget, underappreciated film like "Wings of Youth" could earn over a billion, and despite some mocking Lu Xu for not having acted in major productions, when he did, it turned out to be the second-highest-grossing film in history.

Therefore, even if "Code A77" appeared to have a high risk of flopping and was considered a "low-end film" by the industry's elite, it still had the potential to become a blockbuster.

Just as when Lu Xu was still shooting TV series, recently, any script that had passed through his hands, even those he intended to act in but ultimately did not, became highly sought after by other actors.

Lu Xu's ability to select scripts was widely acknowledged in the industry, and even those he ultimately abandoned for various reasons were bound to have their merits.

The promotional period for *Nightly Astrology* concluded, and Lu Xu returned to the set of *Code A77*. The major scenes in the script had been mostly filmed, leaving only the finishing touches.

Director Wu Ming quietly called Lu Xu over, saying that just as the movie was almost done, a group of enthusiastic investors suddenly appeared: "If they had approached me before shooting, I wouldn't have to worry about saving money and could have added more special effects."

Unfortunately, even with additional investment now, the best they could do was upgrade the crew's boxed meals by one level.

Wu Ming was well aware that these investments were all aimed at Lu Xu.

*Code A77* had been shot rather uneventfully, with little attention from the public. The most notable aspect of the production was undoubtedly the casting of Lu Xu as the lead actor. Recently, Wu Ming had been receiving call after call, some inquiring about the shooting progress, others asking if he needed more funds, their enthusiasm overwhelming him.

He now understood why big-name directors often became arrogant; everyone around them was too good at flattery, always agreeing and never opposing, treating them like emperors.

After observing for a while, Wu Ming noticed that despite the immense success of *Nightly Astrology*, Lu Xu remained completely unaffected.

This time, when he returned to the set, he still brought only one assistant, never arriving late or leaving early. No matter how simple the scene, he would diligently fulfill any request from the crew.

Typically, productions wouldn't make big stars wait; once they arrived, they would start filming immediately, never wasting a single minute of the star's time. However, Lu Xu was patient enough to wait. Some scenes, where the director feared he might get bored waiting, were scheduled for the next day, but he preferred to wait until other scenes were completed and finish his own shots on the same day.

Wu Ming could only describe his experience working with Lu Xu in one word—comfortable.

Although Lu Xu had a feud with Liu Renong and had criticized many celebrities, he was always the most welcome among the directors and actors who had worked with him.

For an actor, being good with people is crucial.

Lu Xu wasn't the type of actor who made everyone feel at ease wherever he went, but he was the kind of actor every production team wanted—the kind who would bring multiple times the return and create endless profits.

In short, although their collaboration was not long, Wu Ming held a high regard for Lu Xu.

The plot of *Code A77* was relatively simple, and Wu Ming did his best to capture Lu Xu's charm on screen. The acting requirements were not high, but Lu Xu still tried his best to deliver the best performance within the character's framework.

He was the most cooperative, diligent, and dedicated actor Wu Ming had ever worked with.

Of course, he was also handsome, which was very important.

...

After the wrap of "Code A77," it was still early for Lu Xu to join Mu Lang's new film, so he found himself with some free time again.

The next project after the next one hadn't been decided yet, and Xu Wen was helping him select suitable scripts. One afternoon, while discussing an upcoming business deal, Xu Wen received a call. A few moments later, the agent returned with a serious expression.

"What's wrong?" Lu Xu asked curiously.

"Guess who just called me."

Lu Xu tried guessing from company executives to various production teams, then to platforms and TV stations they had worked with, but Xu Wen only shook his head. After a while, the agent finally revealed a name.

It was a familiar name to Lu Xu, belonging to an authoritative figure from the Zhengming Awards committee.

"They want to invite you to be a judge for this year's Zhengming Awards."

There were two types of judges for the Zhengming Awards: one type voted on the films to create the nomination list, while the other voted on the nominees to determine the final winners.

The Zhengming Awards specifically contacted Lu Xu to invite him to serve as the latter.

In other words, Lu Xu would become a member of this year's jury.

"Me?" Lu Xu pointed at himself, "Am I qualified?"

His question amused the agent: "Why not? Do you know how many actors in the history of the Zhengming Awards have been nominated twice and won both times?"

Currently, Lu Xu is the only actor who has won the Contention Award upon nomination, with a 100% success rate.

In the history of the Contention Award, the number of actors who have won Best Actor twice is not many, and currently, only Lu Xu and one other are still alive.

For such prestigious awards like the Contention Award, they usually favor actors who have a closer relationship with them, at least those who have won their awards before.

It seems inappropriate to let a young actor like Lu Xu decide the award recipients who are older and more experienced than him, but considering the basic criteria for judging, no one is more suitable than Lu Xu.

The organizing committee's invitation to Lu Xu this time was also well thought out.

Members of the jury are typically selected from various professions such as directors, actors, and screenwriters. Looking back over the years, most jury members tend to be older, and the Contention Award needs a relatively young judge who can represent young filmmakers.

Unfortunately, there are very few young people in this industry who can command respect.

At least in the acting circle, young talents occasionally emerge; it’s even harder to make a name in the director and screenwriter circles.

"Is the Contention Award trying to challenge the Golden Flame Award?" Lu Xu asked curiously.

"I don't know," Xu Wen shook his head. "Even if they are, it was the Golden Flame Award that started it."

The Golden Flame Award believes that Lu Xu does not deserve to win, but the Contention Award insists on telling the world that not only does Lu Xu deserve it, but he also has the right to decide who wins.

"The timing is indeed quite delicate," Lu Xu said. "Since they invited me, I accepted."

Regardless, the Contention Award has bestowed him with two Best Actor honors, something even Lu Xu himself did not expect.

For an award with a long history and good reputation, achieving this is no easy feat.

The trophy he won for "Fearless Life" was given without the Contention Award considering whether Lu Xu already had one or the potential consequences of awarding another major prize to a young actor. The judges simply felt he deserved it, so they gave it to him.

The jury for this year's Controversy Award consists of five members, and Lu Xu is one of them. This year's chair is director Cheng Chi, with whom Lu Xu has never collaborated; he only knows that Cheng Chi is a low-profile yet outstanding director.

Despite having a small number of works, Cheng Chi has swept the three major domestic awards early on and is also one of the most honored directors in international awards.

...

The three major awards have traditionally been held in the second half of the year. The jury members are announced first, followed by the nomination list, and some pre-award activities are held to build anticipation.

For instance, before the Controversy Award ceremony, there is a new film promotion event aimed at providing a platform for low-budget films, short films, and animations that usually do not reach academic institutions.

Of course, the most exciting moment is when the nomination list is released. Fans of actors and ordinary audiences alike buzz with excitement, making predictions, expressing regret over their favorite works not being nominated, and criticizing those they believe are undeserving.

However, as soon as the list of jury members for this year's Controversy Award was announced, it immediately caused a stir online.

The name of the last member on the list was rather unremarkable, and the Controversy Award poster was equally plain, exuding a sense of calm detached from the entertainment industry.

But this name itself represented endless attention—

"Lu Xu?? Is it the actor Lu Xu, or is there someone else with the same name?"

"I searched through the entire membership list of the Controversy Award; there is only one Lu Xu, and his profession is listed as an actor. It can't be anyone else."

"The Controversy Award seems a bit too aloof, not even including personal profiles."

"So... does this mean Little Dog Lu can decide this year's winners? What’s with this feeling that he’s really making us proud?"

"It feels like Lu Xu was just nominated recently, right? 'Urban Reversal' wasn't that long ago. In the blink of an eye, Lu Xu is already a juror."

As soon as Lu Xu's name appeared, certain people with fixed prejudices tried to prove that he was unsuitable or lacked the qualifications and strength. However, after reviewing the credentials... among the jurors of this year's three major awards, Lu Xu's actual achievements were... quite fitting!

The three living Grand Slam winners rarely participate in public activities anymore. Below them are those who have won two awards, and Lu Xu is one of them. Moreover, he has won the Controversy Award twice.

In an era when domestic films no longer focus solely on international accolades, the Big Three remain the highest honor for actors.

Perhaps Lu Xu himself may not be the most suitable, but among this year's Big Three judges, there are several who are even less fitting than him.

Lu Xu's new role has drawn the audience's attention to the judges of the Big Three. After the judges of the Controversy Award and the Critics' Award gained prominence, the list of judges for this year's Golden Flame Award also attracted notice.

"Speaking of which, doesn't anyone feel that the overall caliber of this year's Golden Flame Award... seems weaker compared to the other two?"

"Agreed."

"+1, the jury president is indeed a renowned director, but the other judges... they look like they're just filling the spots. Can we say that?"

Like the Controversy Award, the Golden Flame Award also has five members in its jury panel. Compared to last year's lineup, this year's Golden Flame Award has clearly taken a step back, or rather, plummeted.

Among the five judges, only one is a former Golden Flame Award Best Actress winner.

This lineup, even when compared to the Critics' Award, fails to showcase the prestige of the Golden Flame Award.

"At this moment, I can only silently @Liu Renong, take a look at what you've done!"

"This is karma, isn't it? There aren't many productions entering this year, and this isn't the most awkward time yet. Wait until the nomination list comes out, and you'll feel even more awkward."

"Ha, karma is swift. Remember how arrogant a certain award was before? I wouldn't mind if the Big Three became the Big Two."