The other roles were relatively easy to cast. For the role of the father, Gilbert accepted Stanley Tong's suggestion and chose Hong Kong's legendary supporting actor, Ng Man-tat.
Since Jackie Chan's Adventures was fundamentally a lighthearted action-adventure comedy, Ng Man-tat's acting style was a perfect fit.
Moreover, for a role like the father, only a seasoned character actor like him could truly bring it to life.
As for characters like Tohru and Valmont, they would be cast through auditions over time. There was still plenty of time for the project.
When it came to selecting actors in China, it was necessary to find someone with local connections to help navigate the process.
After some thought, Gilbert picked up the phone and called an old friend, Tian Congming, asking for his assistance.
Tian Congming was surprised. "You want to cast actors in China? What kind of film are you making?"
Gilbert briefly introduced Jackie Chan's Adventures and then said, "The actors we're selecting this time are fairly young—around ten to fourteen years old.
We may also cast a few supporting roles. Since you're familiar with the Chinese film industry, I was hoping you could provide a suitable list of candidates."
Tian Congming could already imagine the shockwave this news would create when it was made public.
In an era where simply walking the red carpet at an international event could elevate someone to "global star" status, landing a leading role in a Hollywood film with a budget exceeding $100 million was an opportunity of a lifetime.
It wasn't hard to predict that once the news spread, countless people would fight tooth and nail for the chance.
And that was exactly what happened. When word got out that a major Hollywood director was casting for a new film, the entire Chinese-language film industry was shaken—this was a golden opportunity!
If someone could catch Gilbert's eye and land a leading role in a Hollywood movie, it would be an instant career breakthrough.
Tian Congming worked with China Film Group to release the casting requirements. Among the roles listed, the one that drew the most attention was undoubtedly the character of Jade. But to the disappointment of many established actresses, the role was meant for a child.
However, other roles were still highly desirable. One, in particular, a female thief named Viper, became the subject of intense competition among many actresses.
"Why aren't there any opportunities for male actors?" someone asked.
Another person quickly interrupted the naive question. "Are you serious? Don't you know that the lead role was locked in for Jackie Chan long ago? Are you planning to compete with him for the protagonist spot?"
"Uh, well, no… but at least there should be other roles for us!"
"Don't be greedy. This is a Hollywood film. The fact that they're even casting a Chinese lead is already a big deal. We should just focus on our work at home instead of aiming too high."
Setting aside unrealistic dreams, taking a steady approach was often the key to success.
But roles like Jade and Viper were rare opportunities. Landing one meant overnight stardom. Even if they failed to establish themselves in Hollywood, returning to China as a star in a major Hollywood film would instantly elevate them to A-list status.
As a result, the homes of the casting directors in China were practically flooded with visitors. Every day, countless people tried to pull strings just for a chance at an audition.
What went on behind the scenes—favor exchanges, personal favors, and hidden deals—was unknown to outsiders.
Even securing an audition slot was enough to spark fierce competition within the industry.
After all, Gilbert was unfamiliar with the actors and actresses in China's entertainment scene. So who got through to the final auditions depended entirely on the initial casting directors.
"You know, this Gilbert guy really stirred things up. Just holding a casting call has sent shockwaves through the industry.
The other day, someone gave Lao Kuang a Qi Baishi painting just to secure a role—but he refused it."
A well-maintained, elegant woman was speaking to a middle-aged man while leading a teenage girl.
The middle-aged man found it unsurprising. "Giving gifts is normal. No one cares about that. As long as the right actor is chosen, it doesn't matter.
But when it comes to this kind of audition, the final say lies with the Americans. Lao Kuang doesn't have that authority.
If he could influence the decisions of a major Hollywood director, do you think he'd still be working here? If he accepted bribes and failed to deliver, he'd end up in serious trouble."
The elegant woman nodded in agreement. "You're right. But… do you think you could use your connections to make sure Xixi lands the lead role?"
The middle-aged man frowned. "Do you think I'm the American boss? Even if I were, it's not up to me. Stop looking for shortcuts—just let her audition properly."
"Fine," the woman sighed in disappointment before turning to her daughter. "Xixi, you have to prepare thoroughly for this audition. Mom is rooting for you."
Xixi nodded eagerly. "Don't worry, Mom. I'll do my best!"
It wasn't just Xixi's family—many young actors were preparing for the upcoming auditions.
Names like Yang Mi, Shu Chang, and even other child actors from the 90s generation were all in the running.
Lao Kuang, the man responsible for overseeing the casting process in China, knew better than to make any unilateral decisions.
He had no real say over the final casting choices.
The funny thing was that some fools actually thought he could influence a Hollywood director's decision. These people didn't realize that Hollywood directors didn't care about him at all.
At most, Lao Kuang could decide who got the chance to audition, nothing more.
And even that was already a huge opportunity for the actors.
Sometimes, what an actor lacked was just that one opportunity. If they couldn't even secure an audition, they could forget about landing the role.
Meanwhile, the role of Viper had also sparked fierce competition among many established actresses. The open and hidden battles between them could have been the plot of a palace drama.
Zhang Ziyi, upon returning to China, leveraged her advantages to secure an audition for the role.
She didn't try to take shortcuts by approaching Gilbert directly—she knew that wouldn't work. Gilbert wouldn't agree to anything like that. So, she had no choice but to go through the audition process like everyone else, hoping her performance would impress the casting team.
However, she did have one advantage: she understood the story of Jackie Chan's Adventures better than most other actresses. This gave her a clearer direction for shaping her performance.
Other actresses, including the "Three Flowers" and the "Four Little Dan Actresses," had also made it to the audition stage. It was clear that the competition would be intense.
But the actual auditions were still months away. Based on the schedule, Hollywood casting representatives wouldn't arrive for the final selection until the end of the year.
That meant everyone still had about half a year to prepare for the film.
Actresses with martial arts backgrounds naturally had an edge. Those without martial arts skills had already started seeking training from masters.
A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity like this was worth every bit of effort.
Gilbert had no idea that his decision had caused such a storm in the Chinese film industry, though he could more or less imagine the situation.
He didn't know how many people had sacrificed or struggled for this chance, but he wasn't a philanthropist, nor did he care about such matters.
Everyone made their own choices, and they had to bear the consequences themselves. There was no need for sympathy.
Before long, Lao Tian provided Gilbert with a shortlist of candidates for auditions. The names Gilbert had specifically requested were all on the list, which pleased him.
In Gilbert's opinion, since the film was intended to become a franchise, the actress playing Jade should ideally be younger—around ten years old.
That way, as she grew up, they could shoot two or three sequels before Jade's character naturally aged out of the role.
.....
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