After Crazy Rich Asians, six other Asian books that should be adapted for the screen
Asian actors have long been under-represented in American cinema and TV. With Crazy Rich Asians gaining global attention for breaking the bamboo ceiling, here are six other books by and about Asians that should be turned into films
Many Asians grew up yearning to see actors that looked like them on screen, so when it was announced that Hollywood was turning Kevin Kwan’s novel Crazy Rich Asians into a film, a cry of euphoria was heard around the world.
That may sound overly dramatic, but it’s important to consider what this film means to the more than 17 million Asian Americans living in the United States, and to people in Asia. As a major feature film with Asian Americans in leading roles, Crazy Rich Asians is important.
Many Asians expect that this film will be their Black Panther, announcing to Hollywood that they are here, they belong and they are ready for more. To celebrate, here’s a list of six books that should be adapted for the screen next.
1. What We Were Promised by Lucy Tan
This recently published debut novel is set in glittering modern Shanghai, where the Zhen family lives in a luxury hotel-apartment complex. Wei, Lina and their daughter are Chinese-born, Western-educated and full of complex drama. When Wei’s long-lost brother returns after years on the run, questions about family, loyalty and past love threaten to tear the family apart. Woven into this narrative is the Zhens’ housekeeper, whose friendship with the family’s driver provides a stark contrast to their wealthy bosses’ lives. Dramatic and deeply moving, this would be perfect Oscar material.