Crazy Rich Asians director Jon M. Chu says he regrets casting Asian actors in stereotypical roles
- Jon M. Chu is apologising for how the 2018 hit romantic comedy cast South Asian actors in stereotypical roles, such as domestic workers
- Chu said he felt he could not deviate from the film’s source material, the bestselling novel written by Kevin Kwan, which features an all-Chinese main cast
The director of Crazy Rich Asians has regrets about stereotypical depictions in the international blockbuster film.
Jon M. Chu is apologising for how the 2018 hit romantic comedy portrayed South Asian characters.
During a recent interview with Insider, the director – who was born in America but is of Taiwanese and Southwest China lineage – addressed the controversy over casting South Asian actor in stereotypical roles, such as domestic workers.
Crazy Rich Asians was set in Singapore, a country where South Asians make up the third-largest demographic, according to population data.
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One scene that particularly generated backlash occurred early in the film when Constance Wu and Awkwafina’s characters pulled up to a mansion and were surrounded by armed guards that were all seemingly of South Asian descent. Chu agrees he should have made those characters “more human”.