制霸好莱坞

Jenny Jane signed the contract and officially secured the role of Juanita, with a per-episode salary of $5,000.

It wasn't a high salary, but it wasn't low either—it was about the same as what she would earn working a month at the restaurant. Emma Swan was straightforward with her: they had originally wanted to cast Kirsten Dunst, whose rate was close to $200,000 per episode. Since Jenny had taken over the role, it was impossible to offer the same price, and the producers were keen on saving their budget.

Jenny took it calmly. She had already discussed TV industry pay scales with Dave and understood that for an unknown newcomer, $5,000 was a fairly generous sum. Expecting the same rate as a seasoned child star like Dunst would have been a fantasy. She was lucky that her first role was with CBS—if it had been with a smaller network like WB, she might not even have gotten $5,000.

Having followed entertainment news in her previous life, Chen Zhen had a solid grasp of TV salary structures. In the industry, salaries had no upper limit, but they did have a lower bound, and negotiation was highly flexible. It all boiled down to bargaining power: whoever the show depended on the most had the upper hand. The actor's personal mindset also played a role.

For example, the cast of Friends had already achieved great success and no longer depended on the show. After playing similar roles for seven or eight years, over half of them weren't eager to continue. As a result, they collectively demanded $1 million per episode. Warner Bros. had no choice but to agree—since the six actors functioned as an inseparable unit, losing any one of them would disrupt the storyline.

On the other hand, Modern Family was another massively successful sitcom, but since it had a large ensemble cast and relied more on witty scripts than individual performances, the actors couldn't leverage the same level of bargaining power. Even as the show won multiple awards and soared in ratings, the main cast members didn't push for extreme salary hikes.

Of course, if Modern Family continued to grow and its characters became even more iconic, the power dynamic between the producers and actors could shift. Hollywood had no fixed rules—every negotiation was a battle, and every contract was the result of compromise.

Securing the Role

Returning to the main topic, CSI was a long-running procedural that relied on its cases rather than its characters to draw audiences. As long as one or two key cast members remained, the show could continue smoothly. Even regular cast members struggled to negotiate significant pay raises, let alone one-episode guest stars like Juanita. A famous film actor had initially been brought in for over $100,000 per episode to boost ratings for the new season, but with Jenny now in the role, the budget was slashed to $5,000.

The upside was that CBS always paid on time—working with a major network guaranteed punctual paychecks.

Once the filming schedule was set, Jenny returned to her job at Hollywood Star, keeping her good news to herself. Jessica assumed she had failed another audition, while Johnny, in high spirits, once again urged her to give up on dieting.

Jenny paid no mind to their comments. As soon as she received the script, she threw herself into preparing. During the audition, her presence and charisma had been the key factors in landing the role—projecting the aura of a star was enough to outshine the competition. But actual filming was different. The key now was her on-screen chemistry with her scene partner. A restrained, technically precise actor working alongside a deeply immersive method actor could result in a jarring contrast, and if that happened, the director wouldn't be asking the main star to adjust.

That's why Jenny focused on studying Nick, the character she would be acting opposite. He was played by George Eads. Since she had never watched CSI before, she wasn't sure how long his character lasted in the series. For now, he seemed like a charming, good-looking guy with a classic leading-man appearance. Acting-wise, CSI didn't give him much room to shine, and he didn't seem like a highly expressive method actor—he was more of a steady performer with a restrained style. Their scenes together risked lacking tension, or worse, Jenny's character overshadowing his entirely.

To prepare, she tried out multiple performance approaches and repeatedly practiced scenes with Nick using a training program until she was fully satisfied. By the time she felt confident in her work, filming was about to begin.

Entering the Industry

Since American TV shows were filmed while airing, the production cycle was long. Actors often spent nine months a year on set—an extravagant timeline compared to China, where 30 to 50 episodes were shot in just three months. But with Hollywood's significantly larger budgets, this slow, meticulous approach resulted in higher-quality series. It also meant more job stability for TV actors.

Securing a recurring role on a show—even a minor one—was often enough to sustain an actor's career. If someone landed a supporting role, it essentially became a full-time job with a solid salary and flexible hours. Many career supporting actors followed this path: securing a stable role, saving up money, and then using their free time to audition while managing side businesses like restaurants or clothing stores.

This allowed them to maintain financial security while continuing to network and pursue future roles. Even if they weren't famous, they often lived better than struggling film actors with a couple of indie lead roles under their belts.

On Set

When Jenny arrived on set, she noticed a stark contrast from the tense atmosphere she had experienced on Chinese productions. It wasn't that Chinese crews were inherently cutthroat, but the grueling schedules often led to high stress levels. Long hours and tight deadlines resulted in an intense working environment.

Hollywood, on the other hand, had strict labor laws. Work hours were regulated, and even if a production wanted to push overtime, the studio wouldn't allow it. Compared to China's efficiency-driven model, American crews worked at a much slower pace.

Jenny received her pass and went to hair and makeup, where the stylists took three whole hours to finalize her look.

"You're absolutely stunning, darling," said Anna, the makeup artist, admiring her work. "I'm sure you're going to be a star."

"Thank you," Jenny replied with a smile, though she didn't take the words too seriously.

She was about to adjust her hair when the stylist stopped her. "Don't touch it! I spent a long time getting it just right."

"Alright, I think the director should be done with his meeting now," Anna checked the time. "Let's go show him."

Since her role was somewhat important, the director wanted to personally approve her look. Jenny followed the team through the Universal Studios lot, walking past massive soundstages and industry professionals.

Dressed in an elegant evening gown—chosen for a crucial scene where Juanita is taken away during a grand event—Jenny turned heads as she walked. Even Anna giggled in delight.

"You look like a real movie star," Anna whispered excitedly.

Jenny was amused. "It's just the outfit."

"But you need to look the part for the awards ceremony scene," said the costume designer.

As they arrived, the showrunner and director examined Jenny's look and had her perform a scene. He nodded approvingly. "Alright, go get changed. Now I see why you were cast."

Jenny noticed several appreciative glances from the crew. She could already predict how much attention she'd get once filming began.

Glancing down the hallway, she spotted a few middle-aged men in expensive suits. They smiled at her, and one, a portly man, was staring so openly that it was almost comical.

Jenny smirked, entertained by his expression, before turning and walking away confidently.