Jon M. Chu reveals he regrets casting South Asian actors in stereotypical roles

Jon M. Chu reveals he regrets casting South Asian actors in stereotypical roles in his 2018 smash hit movie Crazy Rich Asians


Director Jon M. Chu is opening up about the controversy around his 2018 smash hit movie Crazy Rich Asians.

While the movie fared well at the box office and was critically acclaimed, it did face criticism for casting South Asian actors in more stereotypical roles.

Chu, 41, was promoting his new film In the Heights in an interview with Insider, when he revealed that he wished he would have handled that differently.

Criticism: Director Jon M. Chu is opening up about the controversy around his 2018 smash hit movie Crazy Rich Asians

Stereotypical: While the movie fared well at the box office and was critically acclaimed, it did face criticism for casting South Asian actors in more stereotypical roles

Stereotypical: While the movie fared well at the box office and was critically acclaimed, it did face criticism for casting South Asian actors in more stereotypical roles

While the movie featured a predominantly Asian cast, he revealed that he regretted casting South Asians as security guards and other menial roles, adding he ‘totally gets’ the criticism.

‘That’s a lesson that I did not understand until it happened. I was like, this is a book that exists, and I’m making this book into a movie. I can’t add a new character into this book,’ he began.

Most of the South Asians cast in the film were seen as security guards at Nick’s (Henry Golding) massive mansion nestled in the woods.

Guards: Most of the South Asians cast in the film were seen as security guards at Nick's (Henry Golding) massive mansion nestled in the woods

Guards: Most of the South Asians cast in the film were seen as security guards at Nick’s (Henry Golding) massive mansion nestled in the woods

They’re featured in one scene where Rachel (Constance Wu) and her friend Peik (Awkwafina) are approached by the guards while lost, trying to find the party.

‘Looking back, I should have had a joke there [for the guards] being like, ‘These idiots,”‘ Chu added.

‘There’s stuff to do to make them more human instead of just, like, these guards,’ Chu added.

Rachel: They're featured in one scene where Rachel (Constance Wu) and her friend Peik (Awkwafina) are approached by the guards while lost, trying to find the party

Rachel: They’re featured in one scene where Rachel (Constance Wu) and her friend Peik (Awkwafina) are approached by the guards while lost, trying to find the party

The filmmaker added that he loved that scene in the original novel by Kevin Kwan, and he wanted it to be in his movie. 

‘I didn’t understand some of the other contexts to that. So hearing it from people, for me, it was a learning experience,’ the filmmaker added.

He added that he would ‘pay more attention to that stuff’ in the future and that, ‘hopefully he, ‘won’t make that mistake again.’

Novel: The filmmaker added that he loved that scene in the original novel by Kevin Kwan, and he wanted it to be in his movie

Novel: The filmmaker added that he loved that scene in the original novel by Kevin Kwan, and he wanted it to be in his movie

Chu added there were South Asian actors present at the luxurious party at Nick’s home, but he didn’t, ‘accent it in any way’ to highlight them.  

‘They’re just sort of there. I don’t give them the space to be there,’ Chu added.

His new film In the Heights, based on Lin-Manuel Miranda’s hit musical of the same name, debuts in theaters and on HBO Max June 11. 

Accent: Chu added there were South Asian actors present at the luxurious party at Nick's home, but he didn't, 'accent it in any way' to highlight them

Accent: Chu added there were South Asian actors present at the luxurious party at Nick’s home, but he didn’t, ‘accent it in any way’ to highlight them