Page 30 - ARUBA TODAY

A30 PEOPLE & ARTS
Thursday 9 augusT 2018
History-making 'Crazy Rich Asians' readies for release

By LINDSEY BAHR a film having a female
LOS ANGELES (AP) — It's Asian-American lead and
been 25 years since a major a majority pan-Asian cast
Hollywood studio released is significant. A USC Study
an English-language film found that 37 of the top 100
with a primarily Asian cast. films from 2017 featured no
The last was Wayne Wang's Asian-American speaking
adaptation of the genera- characters, despite making
tional tear-jerker "The Joy up 5.6 percent of the U.S.
Luck Club," which was re- population.
leased in 1993. "Since I've graduated from
But that dry spell is about drama school I never get
to end with the release of to play the lead," Wu said.
the opulent romantic com- "The fact that Asian-Amer-
edy "Crazy Rich Asians" icans never get to center
on Wednesday Aug. 15. the narrative means that
The film is based on Kevin their parts are always go-
Kwan's best-selling book ing to be not as whole and
about a Chinese-American fleshed-out."
woman who gets a culture That made it an emotional
shock when she meets her experience for many on
boyfriend's wealthy family the set.
in Singapore. "Everyone had gone
Veteran producer Nina Ja- The cast and crew of "Crazy Rich Asians arrive at the film's premiere at the TCL Chinese Theatre on through the process of
cobson said that when she Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2018, in Los Angeles. what it's like to be an Asian-
and her Color Force partner Associated Press American in Hollywood or
Brad Simpson ("The Hunger around the world," Chu
Games") read Kwan's man- They knew that the film ner Bros. would ultimately Having known Jacobson said. "You could see the
uscript, they knew it had to would likely never survive join to partner with them to and Simpson for years, he difference between some-
be a movie. the studio development release the film. knew they would "protect" one like Michelle Yeoh who
"We just tore through it," Ja- process, however, and de- "Hollywood has done a bit the film and do it right. He literally said, 'I'm the ma-
cobson said. "It was so spe- cided to have a vision, a of a disservice by not tak- signed on to transport au- jority where I'm from so I
cific that it became really script and a budget to sell ing us into these worlds," diences to an unbelievable don't understand the plight
universal: Anybody who as a package before going Simpson said. "There is a world of wealth, privilege that you guys are going
has ever faced in-laws who to the marketplace. Ivan- hunger for not just token and tradition — part Edith through.' It was very shock-
felt that they were not wor- hoe Pictures' John Penotti representation but to really Wharton, part "Gossip Girl." ing for her to see how it af-
thy of their beloved." signed on to help and War- dive into the world of differ- Chu brought on Malaysian- fected these young actors
ent ethnicities and races." born screenwriter Adele and how people would
Meanwhile, Jon M. Chu, Lim to give the script an just cry on the set and how
who would eventually sign Asian specificity and set off happy they were that they
on to direct "Crazy Rich to assemble his dream cast. got to do this."
Asians," had already been The worldwide search had Jacobson described it as
hearing about this new casting directors looking a "joyful sense of purpose
book from family members. in Canada, New York, Los that we all shared."
His last name is the same Angeles, Beijing, Shanghai, Wu, who is an outspoken
as that of the main char- Hong Kong, London, Aus- advocate for Asian repre-
acter, Rachel Chu, and tralia, Singapore and Ma- sentation on social media,
they're both from Cuper- laysia. All had to be English- said the film is significant
tino. There's even a refer- speaking — and have the for differentiating the Asian
ence to his family in Kwan's right accents, too. experience and the Asian-
book, but ultimately the "Fresh Off the Boat" star American experience.
book spoke to the unique- Constance Wu was chosen "You show that our culture
ness of the Asian-Ameri- to play the lead, Rachel. is more than just skin-deep,"
can experience. "I think a They found an unknown to Wu said. "You show our simi-
lot of Asian-Americans go play her boyfriend, Nick, larities and how we're dif-
through the same journey in Henry Golding, a hand- ferent."
... I relate to having that some and charismatic TV Warner Bros. has been en-
dual cultural identity of be- host who had the perfect thusiastically promoting the
ing full-on all-American, all- English accent to play the movie for months, with ear-
California boy, but having London-schooled heir, and ly screenings for press and
a Chinese side to me," Chu cast Michelle Yeoh to be influencers alike, along with
said. "I remember going to his disapproving mother, El- a full-force ad campaign.
Asia for the first time and eanor. But even this hand- "I hope people go see it
there's a very specific emo- picked ensemble caused because I think we have a
tion that you feel that's like, some consternation on the great movie and if they go
'Oh, this feels like home but internet over the specific see it, it changes things,"
it's not my home and these ethnicities and whether Chu said. "People have to
people don't see me as be- they matched exactly with show up. I guarantee four
ing part of this.' Then when what the book laid out. new stories of Asian-Ameri-
you're home you start to Chu said that there's even cans will be greenlit in two
notice people may not see a discussion is important. weeks if it comes out and
you as part of that either." But just the mere fact of does well. q