Yes! Her eyes lit up instantly.
If she wasn't worried about Roy, then why should she be so anxious about him? Even if this project did fail, with the future knowledge she possessed, she could simply shoot more films and push him to the top, step by step! Worst case? She could return to the East and film there. With all the brilliant scripts stored in her mind, how could she not make him a star?
"Thank you, Roy. I think I know what I need to do now." Laila finally felt reinvigorated, her spirit lifted.
"That's my girl." Roy grinned, rubbing her head and giving her his usual kiss on the forehead. "Take your time—we've got plenty of it. And since this script means so much to you, do it right. Make it the best it can be."
He'd sensed how much weight she placed on this particular script the moment she brought it up.
Laila had always been serious and professional about filmmaking, but even during major projects like The Lord of the Rings, he'd never seen her so hesitant or torn.
Now he was curious—who exactly was this person who had kept her conflicted for so long? Could it be someone more famous than him? But to Roy's knowledge, there weren't any non-white actors in the world with more renown than him, especially in the same age bracket.
What he didn't know was that later that very night, Laila finally pulled out an old business card from her collection and made a long-overdue call.
There was a 12-hour time difference between the U.S. and Hong Kong. When Laila called, it was morning on the other end.
"Director Moran?" Chen Shufen, who had been eating breakfast, nearly choked on her bun when she saw the caller ID.
She'd saved this number back during their last collaboration, but even during that project, she'd barely dared to use it. After the film wrapped, she had even less reason to call—aside from a congratulatory message when Laila gave birth.
She had assumed they would never cross paths again. So this sudden call? What could it mean?
Could it be… another collaboration?
The realization made her heart skip wildly, pounding so hard she worried it might leap right out of her throat. If it was about another collaboration, that would be incredible! Their last film together had opened up the Western market for Gorong. He hadn't taken any foreign scripts since, but that single film had made him one of the rare few Asian stars who received Hollywood scripts at all.
The only issue was that Gorong was extremely picky about his roles. Other than the one Laila had provided, every Hollywood script offered to him so far had been filled with tired Asian stereotypes. The pay was tempting, sure—but he was never one to sell his soul for money. He'd rather stay in the East, doing what he loved.
But Director Moran was different.
Everyone in the East knew she had a genuine appreciation for Eastern culture. She didn't look down on it or exoticize it. If she was sending over a script, it had to be worth considering.
"Hello, Ms. Chen. This is Laila Moran," Laila said with a warm, professional tone.
Chen Shufen's heart beat even faster. "Hello! And congratulations—Blood Diamond just passed 400 million at the box office!"
"Heh, thank you," Laila said, clearly pleased but staying on task. "I wanted to ask—does Gorong… I mean, Mr. Leslie, have an open schedule next year?"
If Chen Shufen hadn't already been grounded by the importance of the conversation, she might have fainted on the spot. This is happening!
Asking about his schedule meant a possible collaboration.
Even though she was inwardly ecstatic, her voice remained composed and steady. "As of now, Gorong doesn't have any major commitments next year."
Well, technically, there were concerts, endorsements, and TV appearances, but all of that could be postponed for Laila Moran.
"That's wonderful. I have a script here—I was hoping to see if he might be interested."
Of course, he is! Chen Shufen clenched her fist. Even if he wasn't, she would make sure he was. This was Laila Moran—a dream director for any actor on Earth!
Leonardo DiCaprio? Sure, he was great. But even he had jumped at the chance to work with Laila. And just look at Blood Diamond. Everyone was saying that thanks to her coaching, Leo now had a real shot at the Oscars next year!
Laila had already helped multiple actors win Oscars. If her own Gorong could be next…
To be the first Asian actor standing on the Oscar stage—that would be history.
Chen Shufen cleared her throat and tried to rein in her excitement. Okay, maybe that's too ambitious. An Oscar win might be far-fetched, but even just a nomination for Best Supporting Actor would be more than enough.
"Director Moran, could you tell me a bit about the role?" she asked cautiously.
She wasn't asking for much—just hoping the role was decent, at least up to the same standard as the last one. If it was another stereotypical part like most Hollywood scripts, she honestly wouldn't be able to convince Gorong to take it.
Laila, unaware of her inner struggle and perfectly understanding the reasonable concern, replied, "Give me an email address. I'll send the script over now."
"Of course!" Chen Shufen quickly sent one over and, moments later, received an email with an attachment.
Once Laila confirmed that she had the script, she added, "I'd appreciate a reply as soon as possible. This project is extremely important to me, and I hope he'll give it careful consideration."
"Absolutely. I understand completely. I'll make sure he gives you an answer soon," Chen Shufen said earnestly, promising with full sincerity.
The moment she ended the call, she printed out the script and rushed to where Leslie Cheung was staying.
His depression had shown noticeable improvement over the past two years. Something must've happened on set to help, because these days, he was doing much better—he even smiled regularly now.
When she arrived, he was reading. Sunlight streamed through the windows, spilling across the dark wooden floor like a dusting of golden powder.
A cup of tea sat beside him, and the entire room was filled with its soothing fragrance.
Even after so many years working together, Chen Shufen couldn't help but slow her steps, afraid to disturb the peaceful, almost sacred atmosphere before her.
"Gorong," she said softly, walking over and sitting across from him.
He set the book down. "You said Director Moran has a new script?"
"Yes. Here it is." She pulled it from her bag and passed it to him. "I read some of it on the way here—it looks like a truly great piece of work."