Constance Wu opens up on why Crazy Rich Asians is a 'historic' film for people of Asian descent

It’s been 25 years since a major Hollywood studio released an English-language film with a primarily Asian cast. The last was Wayne Wang’s adaptation of the generational tear-jerker The Joy Luck Club, which was released in 1993. But that dry spell is about to end with the release of the opulent romantic comedy Crazy Rich Asians. The film is based on Kevin Kwan’s best-selling book about a Chinese-American woman who gets a culture shock when she meets her boyfriend’s family in Singapore. [caption id=“attachment_4879621” align=“alignnone” width=“825”] Constance Wu. Image via Twitter[/caption] With its release a couple of weeks away, the film’s star Constace Wu opened up about why the film — with a female Asian-American lead and also a majority pan-Asian cast — is such a significant historic moment. Taking to Twitter, the actress wrote about how much the film means for those of Asian descent around the globe considering how rarely they see themselves in mainstream narratives. “I hope Asian American kids watch CRA (Crazy Rich Asians) and realise that they can be heroes of their own stories,” Wu wrote

Wu also stars in the popular sitcom Fresh Off The Boat, which itself was the first US network TV show about an Asian-American family since Margaret Cho’s All-American Girl in 1994. The series is currently in its fifth season. “Before CRA, I hadn’t even done a tiny part in a studio film…I never dreamed I would get to star in one…because I had never seen that happen to someone who looked like me,” Wu wrote. “CRA is changing that, just like FOTB (Fresh Off the Boat) did.” [caption id=“attachment_4879641” align=“alignnone” width=“825”] Crazy Rich Asians promo. Image via Twitter[/caption] She offered her gratitude to fellow Asian Americans, who encouraged her throughout her career. She also went on to quote acclaimed director Ava DuVernay, who said, “I work in an industry that really has no regard for my voice and the voice of people like me and so, what do I do? Keep knocking on that door or build your own house?” The film’s cast includes Henry Golding, Michelle Yeoh, Awkwafina, Jimmy O Yang, Kim Jeong, Ronny Chieng and Harry Shum Jr. among others. Crazy Rich Asians opens in US cinemas on 30 August. (With inputs from The Associated Press)