The casting process for the highly anticipated Hong Long Meng remake to be directed by Hu Mei is well underway. Local casting calls and competitions started last November and have already taken place in Beijing, Chengdu, Shanghai, Jinan, Xian, Zhengzhou, Shenzhen, and Shenyang. Guangzhou and Taiwan are still to come. If the Hong Lou Meng special I watched last year is still accurate, the official search will end this April, filming will start in the fall, and the series will be broadcast after the Olympics in 2008.
Below are the 3 main roles and a few candidates for each. Here's a more complete list, with hopefuls grouped by locality. Refer to the official website for more information, frequent updates, and to cast your votes.
JIA BAO YU
Jiang Chen Yang:
$this->handle_bbcode_img_match('http://image2.sina.com.cn/ent/v/2007-01-20/U1935P28T3D1419324F326DT20070120221853.jpg')
Liu Zhuo:
$this->handle_bbcode_img_match('http://image2.sina.com.cn/ent/v/p/2006-12-31/U1343P28T3D1394542F326DT20061231191049.jpg')
Fang Wen:
$this->handle_bbcode_img_match('http://image2.sina.com.cn/ent/v/p/2006-12-31/U1343P28T3D1394541F326DT20061231191031.jpg')
LIN DAI YU
Li Xu Dan:
$this->handle_bbcode_img_match('http://image2.sina.com.cn/ent/v/2007-01-20/U1935P28T3D1419326F326DT20070120222334.jpg')
Wang Xin:
$this->handle_bbcode_img_match('http://image2.sina.com.cn/ent/v/2007-02-11/U1343P28T3D1447219F326DT20070214174851.jpg')
Lan Yan:
$this->handle_bbcode_img_match('http://image2.sina.com.cn/ent/v/p/2007-02-10/U1935P28T3D1446312F326DT20070213155555.jpg')
Yin Ye Zi (perhaps if this was a porno version of HLM...):
$this->handle_bbcode_img_match('http://image2.sina.com.cn/ent/v/2007-02-02/U1343P28T3D1437227F326DT20070202224027.JPG')
XUE BAO CHAI
Yao Di (kind of resembles Fan Bing Bing from this angle):
$this->handle_bbcode_img_match('http://image2.sina.com.cn/ent/v/p/2006-12-31/U1343P28T3D1394523F326DT20061231190450.jpg')
Ma Jing:
$this->handle_bbcode_img_match('http://image2.sina.com.cn/ent/v/p/2006-12-31/U1343P28T3D1394517F326DT20061231190302.jpg')
Wang Ting:
$this->handle_bbcode_img_match('http://image2.sina.com.cn/ent/v/p/2007-01-20/U1935P28T3D1418828F326DT20070211114643.jpg')
From the pics I've seen, it seems like slim pickings for the two lead characters (JBY and LDY) thus far, but not for the role of Bao Chai. Yao Di and Ma Jing are 2 of my favorites.