Just look at the countless criticisms and doubts she had faced in the past—every time someone questioned her, it always ended the same way: the facts would slap those doubters in the face.
There were too many examples of this. Some media outlets even made special compilations summarizing all the cases where people criticized her beforehand and ended up being proven wrong afterwards. The compilations had fans and bystanders laughing out loud, all saying that those who doubted Laila must've had their faces swollen from all the metaphorical slaps.
Jimmy wiped imaginary sweat off his brow in front of the camera. "My bad. I shouldn't have doubted Director Laila's casting judgment. So, Zhang, what was it like being part of Laila's crew?"
Leslie Cheung tilted his head in thought. "The atmosphere was really good. During filming, everyone was focused on making the movie the best it could be. And when shooting ended, it was like a family—everyone was happy, everyone communicated."
Jimmy chuckled. "Sounds like you all had a great time. I'm dying to know what the film is actually about." He turned to Laila. "Hollywood movies don't typically cast many Asian actors. What made you choose him for the role? I mean, if it were you, I'd think you could've easily cast someone from another ethnicity, right?"
It was a sensitive question. Racial discrimination in America was common, but it was the kind of thing people were well aware of yet never talked about openly. If it ever got exposed with clear evidence, the fallout could be severe.
Just look at some of the current American shows—you must have Black actors, Asian actors, or people from other ethnic groups. It was all about avoiding a cast dominated by white people. In crime dramas, high-ranking officials were almost always Black, and most of the criminals had to be white.
There was even a show that portrayed a military officer assaulting female soldiers—and the victims? Three of them: one white, one Black, and one Asian.
Seriously, what kind of person with such refined tastes and zero shame would make choices like that?
All in the name of political correctness, even basic common sense had been thrown out the window.
Before shooting began, Laila had also considered casting a Black actor to pair with Roy. But after searching for a while, she gave up on the idea and instead chose the one person she had always wanted to cast—someone she had deliberately avoided thinking about due to various concerns.
If it hadn't been for Roy saying a few words to encourage her, who knows how long she would've stayed stuck in indecision?
Although she did end up casting Leslie, certain underlying issues—like the one Jimmy just brought up about ethnicity—had to be addressed.
It was a question that sounded inherently sensitive. If Jimmy hadn't already discussed it with her beforehand, he never would've dared to ask it on his show, even if he knew it would attract huge attention.
Everyone knew just how touchy the issue of racism was. If you accidentally touched that landmine and messed up, the backlash could be even worse than what Laila had faced with the gender discrimination controversy.
But Laila was thinking clearly. She knew this was a knot that needed untying. Sure, she could've chosen not to bring it up on this program, but who could guarantee it wouldn't be asked in the future? That's why she believed it was better to lance the boil herself, here and now, in a setting she could control—rather than be blindsided down the line.
"I never thought there was a real 'replacement' option," Laila said, revealing the answer she had long prepared. "Different ethnicities bring different kinds of charm and unique qualities."
"At the start, I did plan to cast a Black actor for the role that Mr. Zhang eventually played. We even auditioned several excellent actors."
"They really were very good, and I admired their performances. But I had lingering doubts about whether they were right for the film. Maybe it sounds a little whimsical to say it like this, but filmmaking is an art. And like many other forms of art, it's often driven by intuition."
"When I watched those auditions, my rational mind told me they were fantastic, and that any of them could have given an outstanding performance. But my gut kept telling me—something's missing. Just a little bit off."
She deliberately praised the Black actors who had auditioned, making sure it didn't seem like they'd lost out because of poor acting. That way, they wouldn't feel slighted, and it could even help their careers. After all, if Laila Moran says an actor is talented, that's a strong endorsement. A little digging would lead casting agents straight to them, with new scripts in hand.
And she wasn't exactly exaggerating either. She was no longer the Laila who had to settle for unknown actors. If she so much as whispered that she needed someone for a role, countless A-list stars would line up to recommend themselves. Those Black actors she'd auditioned were already highly skilled—so this was simply a "win-win" approach.
If even the Black actors themselves didn't feel they were discriminated against, who else would dare challenge Laila's authority over casting? Don't underestimate those two sentences—what she said went a long way in neutralizing the racial tension implied in Jimmy's question.
It was all about the feeling. That instinct.
Like a spark of inspiration—intangible, but real.
By describing her decision to cast an Asian actor as being driven by feeling, Laila left no room for reproach. No one could tell her she was wrong. That is, unless the movie flopped, and the actor she chose failed to deliver. If audiences rejected the final product, her whole "I just had a feeling" story would become a joke.
On the other hand, if the film turned out to be a success, and audiences saw that this Asian actor absolutely nailed the role—brought the character to life—then her so-called "feeling" would be seen as nothing short of genius. A divine intuition.
Would Silent Whispers bomb?
Of course not!
That's why Laila was so confident in her answer.
She went on, "I agonized for days trying to find the actor who gave me the right feeling. In the end, it was Roy who introduced Mr. Zhang to me. I invited him to audition just to give it a shot, and the moment I saw his performance, I knew. He was the one. He brought to life the character I had imagined in my heart."
Sure, the actual story was slightly different. But who cared? Aside from the few people involved, no one knew that she had always wanted to cast Leslie Cheung, and that there hadn't even been a formal audition—she'd sent over the script directly after contacting him.
Only a handful of people knew the truth, and none of them were about to call her out for lying, right?
Jimmy played along with a surprised expression. "Now I really want to see how he performs in the movie! So, Zhang, how do you feel about your own performance? Do you think you lived up to Laila's expectations?"