Chapter 15: Immersion
For a fan, being able to see their idol often is a blissful thing. However, Mi Hongdou now felt a little unlucky… because she had just thrown away such a big bag of jerky. Could it be that Ji Junxin came over because she regretted it and wanted the jerky back? What could she give her in return?
Even after the scene was finished, Mi Hongdou still lingered, carefully stealing glances at Ji Junxin, who was standing not far away. There was a strange sparkle in Ji Junxin’s eyes when she looked at her, a keen interest that even delicious food couldn’t elicit. Mi Hongdou became even more hesitant to leave, but the crew members were already changing the set, and she wasn’t in the next scene.
In reality, Mi Hongdou had completely misunderstood Ji Junxin. Earlier, Yang Lianyi had been urgently looking for Mi Hongdou for her scene, but couldn’t find her anywhere, and her phone was unanswered. Yang Lianyi guessed that the “Imperial Secrets” crew might have temporarily changed their schedule and taken her, so she called Qiao Rubai. Coincidentally, Qiao Rubai wasn’t on set that day and could only ask Ji Junxin about it. Before she could get back to Yang Lianyi, Yang Lianyi found Mi Hongdou by the trash can. Afterward, busy with Mi Hongdou’s makeup and pre-scene coaching, Yang Lianyi forgot her phone in her bag and missed several calls from Qiao Rubai. Qiao Rubai was a little worried and couldn’t return herself, so she asked Ji Junxin, who hadn’t started filming yet, to check on the two of them.
This coincided with the second take after the NG. Mi Hongdou didn’t want to be underestimated as soon as she joined the crew, so she put in a lot of effort. It wasn’t until the scene was successfully completed that she snapped back to reality and noticed Ji Junxin. For Ji Junxin, Mi Hongdou’s performance in this scene was even more impactful than her performance as the shy empress the day before. In the previous scene, Mi Hongdou played the shy, newlywed empress. The final look she gave Ji Yan was tender, loving, shy, and joyful, even carrying a sense of fulfillment and the bittersweet feeling of a dream finally realized. That look wasn’t something that could be achieved purely through acting skill. Either Mi Hongdou was looking at Zhang Zijing, thinking of the person she truly loved, and completely substituting Zhang Zijing with that person in that moment. Or, Mi Hongdou was truly immersed in the role, becoming Qin Muxue, the Qin Muxue who loved Ji Yan. Ji Junxin had watched the entire scene the previous day, and while amazed by Mi Hongdou’s performance, she hoped that Mi Hongdou’s success was due to the first method.
However, seeing Mi Hongdou’s performance as Lin Qiao now, Ji Junxin was certain that Mi Hongdou had become immersed in the role. Gone was her usual honest and lively demeanor. The moment she opened the door, she transformed into Lin Qiao. Careful, reserved, clearly caring and yearning, yet masking everything with indifference. She was a young girl who had longed for familial affection for so long that she had convinced herself she didn’t need it. Ji Junxin felt a pang of sympathy in her heart… Fortunately, the scene didn’t last long. After it ended, the young girl in the center of the set instantly switched back from Lin Qiao to Mi Hongdou, the Mi Hongdou who had given her roast pork. Speaking of roast pork, it was crispy this time too… Wait, she seemed to be thinking about something strange. Ji Junxin secretly pinched her palm, pulling her wandering thoughts back.
Truly impressive… For an actor, immersion isn’t actually that difficult. Year after year of acting, there are always a few dramas, a few scenes, where they become immersed. The emotions, state of mind, circumstances, even the environment, and the co-stars… there are too many factors that can influence an actor and lead to immersion. Once immersed, the line between drama and life blurs. Except for a small number of artists, most actors have experienced immersion to varying degrees in their careers. The difficulty has never been in immersing oneself, but in detaching from that state. This is incredibly challenging, so much so that many fail. That’s why so many on-screen couples become real-life couples, even marrying. Immersed in the role, investing genuine feelings, they can’t detach, can’t let go, and can only continue the relationship in reality. Therefore, many actors don’t allow themselves to become fully immersed. Firstly, immersion doesn’t necessarily equate to good acting. Zhang Weiguo’s NG earlier was a perfect example. Immersed in the role, becoming that person, they might not strictly adhere to the script, negatively impacting the filming. Secondly, immersion isn’t just about the love in the drama, but also the grudges, joys, and sorrows—both positive and negative emotions—which can easily be absorbed by the immersed actor. This is why some actors who play overly negative and dark roles become immersed, unable to detach, and develop symptoms of depression, requiring psychological help. For some, immersion is passive, like Zhang Weiguo, like many others. For others, it’s active, unintentional, like Mi Hongdou just now, and also like… Ji Junxin.
Whether during periods of obscurity or fame, Ji Junxin maintained only superficial relationships with her fellow actors. Interaction was more frequent during filming, but once the drama wrapped and promotions ended, everyone went their separate ways, with little lasting personal connection. The industry whispered that it was because her childhood friend, Qiao Rubai, was fiercely protective, but few knew that this was also Ji Junxin’s own preference. The reason was simple: Ji Junxin immersed herself too easily in her roles. Her immersion was different from Zhang Weiguo’s. Zhang Weiguo, influenced by Mi Hongdou, was drawn into the scene. He became Lin Qiao’s father, momentarily forgetting that he was the middle-aged actor Zhang Weiguo. However, when faced with his daughter’s accusations, he reacted with Zhang Weiguo’s usual thought process, leading to that brief hesitation and the NG. Ji Junxin was different. In Qiao Rubai’s words, Ji Junxin was like a dry sponge. Give her a role, and she would absorb everything about it, becoming that character, feeling what the character felt, thinking what the character thought. As filming progressed, she would become increasingly like that character. Precisely because Ji Junxin immersed herself so readily, so easily became the person in the drama, and because, unlike Zhang Weiguo, she didn’t deviate from the script after becoming immersed, this ability allowed her, despite lacking formal training, to quickly rise to fame. However, this came with a significant problem.
She was the type who couldn’t quickly detach from the immersed state. Such a person was both perfectly suited and terribly unsuited for acting. Upon realizing this, Qiao Rubai had advised Ji Junxin to quit acting, but she couldn’t dissuade her. Ji Junxin loved acting, loved experiencing other lives through her roles. So, Qiao Rubai eventually relented, but became even more cautious and protective. After filming wrapped, Qiao Rubai, with her aloof demeanor, would act as a gatekeeper for Ji Junxin. She always scheduled breaks for Ji Junxin after each film or TV series, ensuring she had time to readjust, and never allowed her to take on overly negative roles. Furthermore, for a considerable period after filming ended, Qiao Rubai limited Ji Junxin’s contact with her co-stars, especially those she had romantic scenes with. In her previous life, Qiao Rubai had managed this well, until she inexplicably failed with Jiang Duo. It was unbelievable! Qiao Rubai’s caution stemmed from her concern that Ji Junxin’s immersion would cloud her judgment. So, when that concern became reality, Qiao Rubai was powerless.
The current Ji Junxin, acutely aware of her own weakness, was fascinated by Mi Hongdou’s ability to quickly detach after immersing herself so deeply.
The next scene didn’t involve Mi Hongdou, so she had to leave the set. Unable to ignore Ji Junxin approaching her, Mi Hongdou forced a smile and greeted her. However, to Mi Hongdou’s surprise, Ji Junxin didn’t mention the jerky. Instead, she asked Mi Hongdou if she knew about a phenomenon in acting called over-immersion in a role. Because Mi Hongdou was a newcomer, Ji Junxin explained it in detail. But to Mi Hongdou, it was simply the concept of immersion.
Should she continue playing the newcomer, feigning ignorance, or demonstrate her understanding of the topic, engaging in a deeper discussion with her idol and earning brownie points? Mi Hongdou was torn.
However, she quickly made a decision, one she didn’t realize would have such far-reaching consequences.
Leave a Reply