'Crazy Rich Asians' sequel reportedly underway

The cast of 'Crazy Rich Asians along with author Keven Kwan and director Jon M. Chu.

The log-awaited movie sequel to Crazy Rich Asians is moving forward.

It has been four years since the critically acclaimed movie busted opened the eyes of Hollywood studios. The groundbreaking movie featured an all-Asian and  Asian American cast proving that a white hero is not necessary for a film to succeed at the box office and among critics.

Director Jon M. Chu will return to helm the sequels, which he said earlier that he would shoot the second and third book at the same time.

Based on the second book of the trilogy, "China Rich Girlfriend," will bring back Constance Wu and Henry Golding whose relationship was the centerpiece of the first film.

The second book also examines on the romantic entanglements of Astrid Leong, played by Gemma Chan. 

One of the reasons for the long delay was a pay dispute wherein writer Adele Lim was reportedly earning one-tenth the salary of fellow writer Peter Chiarelli. Chiarelli offered to cut his pay in order to make the pay more equitable but Lim turned down the offer, which she called "generous."

Still miffed that the Warners didn't offer to resolve the pay disparity, even after Chu and cast members wrote in support of Lim's situation, Lim left the project and went on to write the screenplay for the animated Raya and the Last Dragon.

Finally, Anna Wang was brought in to replace Chiarelli and Lim. It will be Wang's first effort on a major feature-length film.

With the delay caused by the pay dispute, the actors went on to other projects. The first task by Chu will be to find a time when the in-demand cast members Golding, Chu, Awkwafina, Michelle Yeoh, Gemma Chan and others will be available to film the second and third books, "Rich China Girlfriend" and "Rich People's Problems," written by Kevin Kwan.

With the success of Crazy Rich Asians, a slew of films with Asian American leads and themes were greenlighted by Hollywood Studios, many of them starring the cast of the movie.

Roles for the cast came rolling in. In the interim, Golding was particularly busy with leading roles in Last Christmas, The Gentlemen, Snake Eyes, Monsoon, and G.I. Joe.

Awkwafina starred in Shang Chi: The Legend of the 10 Rings, The Farewell, Oceans Eight, Raya and the Last Dragon, Jumanji: the Next Level and a TV sitcom, Awkwafina Is Nora From Queens.  

Constance Wu, Michelle Yeoh, Gemma Chan, Ken Jeong, Sonoya Mmizuno, Jimmy O. Yang, Harry Sum Jr., Ronny Chieng, and Nico Santos also kept busy with their numerous projects.

No date has been set for filming or a general release of the sequel has been announced.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news, views and tips, from an AAPI perspective, follow @DioknoEd on Twitter.

What surprised director Jon Chu on 'Crazy Rich Asians' success

DIOKNO

JON M. CHU

ASAM NEWS

DIRECTOR JON M. CHU says he went into production for Crazy Rich Asians with a sense of purpose. He wanted more than just a romantic comedy, he told Variety.
“We had something to say. That was not just from the writers; that’s from the actors, the crew, everyone; there was a sense of purpose.”

The final product, and reaction to it, surprised even him.

“We had to make a beautiful story about self-worth while going through our own self-worth journey. Then we finished the movie and went, “Okay.” We hadn’t even thought about the cultural context at that point, again, because we had to put it in the back of our minds,” Chu said to Deadline.

“Then you show the movie, and the cultural context is immediately seized upon because it’s the first fresh air for so many people to see themselves on the big screen. They have to breathe and they have to let it all out, and they’re so happy.”

He didn’t expect to see people crying in the lobby after seeing the movie. He didn’t expect to see people congregating outside the theater still discussing the movie 30 minutes after the final credits rolled.

“That was so amazing and then you get caught up in that,” Chu continued. “Then after a few months of that, your movie is number one and all this stuff. Then we all look at each other like, “Oh, but do they understand also that it doesn’t just happen?” It’s because we did something with care and attention to detail and actually told a great story. “

WARNER BROS.

Jon Chu, right, directs Michelle Yeoh and Henry Golding in a scene.

Even more amazing, he directed Crazy Rich Asians without a crazy rich budget. He somehow turned a $30 million budget into $238 million worldwide box office.

His biggest frustration about the movie are comments that Crazy Rich Asians is representative of all Asian culture.

“Our movie is an example of that in terms of how Rachel Chu represents an American going to Asia for the first time,” he said to Deadline. “Then, not just having Asians that have Asian accents, but having accents from all around the world and speaking different languages from all around the world, it just shows the amount of layers and textures to Asian culture from all around the world, not just one place.”

So what’s the bottom line?

“We weren’t allowed to fail on this one,” he said to Variety. “I hope that burden is lifted; I hope it’s lightened the pressure on other films.”

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Sequel to 'Crazy Rich Asians' may be filmed in Shang-Hai

WARNER BROS.

Crazy Rich Girlfriend's' sequel will expand the story of two favorite chracters, Astrid and Charlie (Gemma Chan, Herry Shum, Jr. respectively).

ASAM NEWS

PRODUCERS of the cultural phenomenon Crazy Rich Asians have announced their intentions to shoot the sequel in Shanghai, reports Variety .
China Rich Girlfriend, the second book of Kevin Kwan's trilogy. takes place two years after Crazy Rich Asians and is largely set in China.

Those familiar with Wang's novels know that the story continues to follow Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) and Nick Young (Henry Golding) relationship and also delves deeper into the storyline of Astrid Leong Teo (Gemma Chan) and Charlie Wu (Harry Shum Jr.).

The president of SK Global, John Penotti, made his intentions known at the Chinese American Film Festival’s Co-Production Summit in Los Angeles.

““We certainly tried to make the (first) film as a China-U.S. co-production. But (as a company, we) haven’t been very good at doing co-productions.”

China has been slow in allowing Crazy Rich Asians to even be shown in China. It is not scheduled to be released there until Nov 30.

The approval process was a long one.

“We were never told there was something specific. There was an upheaval over the approval process over the last few months. We fell prey to that, rather than anything content-related,” said Penotti.

Given the long approval process for the screening, permission to shoot in China certainly is not guaranteed.
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Work begins on sequel to 'Crazy Rich Asians'

WARNER BROS.

Nico Santos, left, and Constance Wu, center in 'Crazy Rich Asians.'

ASAM NEWS

FANS of Crazy Rich Asians are getting what they want. A sequel is in the works just one week after its national debut last week.
The Hollywood Reporter reports director Jon Chu will get to work on the follow up after completing his adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Broadway hit, In the Heights, which is scheduled for released on June 26, 2020.

The creative team, with producers Nina Jacobson, Brad Simpson and John Penotti, plan to join Chu for the sequel. Deadline confirms screenwriters Peter Chiarelli and Adele Lim will once again join forces. 

Warner Bros will likely give the greenlight to the project once a script is completed. With a $35 million dollar haul in just the first five days, few have doubt about what WB CEO and chairman Kevin Tsujihara will decide. His risk casting an all-Asian cast has clearly paid off.

“Making a sequel won’t be a cynical play,” producer Brad Simpson told Deadline because Kwan “always had a roadmap” with the books.

If you haven’t seen the movie yet, don’t walk out on the credits. You’ll get a preview of what the sequel will be about just a minute or so into the credit roll.

"We have a plan with Kevin [Kwan] for the next two films," said Simpson. For the uninitiated, there are three books in Kevin Kwan’s series. The others are China Rich Girlfriend and Rich People Problems.

Based on Kwan's second book, the pending sequel will follow in the steps of CRA by featuring an all-Asian cast. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Henry Golding, Constance Wu and Michelle Yeoh all have options to return for the sequels.

Golding has already indicated he’d like to return.

“I hope there’s something in the future,” he tells THR. “It would be so much fun to get everybody back together, back to sweaty old Singapore.”

Views From the Edge contributed to this report.

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Crazy Rich Asians, crazy rich box office: Love trumps sharks and guns

The romantic comedy 'Crazy Rich Asians' stars Henry Golding, left, and Constance Wu

THE ROMANTIC COMEDY Crazy Rich Asians surpassed Hollywood expectations at the box office over the weekend.

Crazy Rich Asians, which features an all-Asian cast, took in an estimated $26.5 million over the weekend topping the Jason Statham shark thriller The Meg followed by the Mark Wahlberg-led shoot-m-up Mile 22 

UPDATED: Aug. 20 -- Revised numbers put the five-day total at $35.3 million, and the three-day total at $26.5 million.

Since its debut on Aug. 15, the romantic comedy took in $35.3 million in five days exceeding industry expectations that predicted a $25 million opening. The movie, distributed by Warner Bros., cost an estimated $30 million to make.

Adapted from Kevin Kwan's bestseller, Crazy Rich Asians tells the story of an Asian-American woman who gets a culture shock meeting her boyfriend's ultra-wealthy family in Singapore. 

The film's all-Asian cast, led by Fresh Off the Boat's Constance Wu, newcomer Henry Golding and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon''s Michelle Yeoh, is the first such studio-backed project showing contemporary Asians and Asian Americans since the Joy Luck Club 25 years ago.

The film is being hailed as a long overdue showcase of a long-marginalized part of American society.

One of the questions was whether or not non-Asians would be attracted to the moviewith its Asian theme. The answer is a resounding "Yes!"

While it is no surprise that Asian Americans came out in droves to watch the highly anticipated film, the movie showed its cross-over appeal with its universal themes of love and family.

Nearly 40% of the audience for Crazy Rich Asians was Asian, bolstered by free screenings as wealthy Asians bought out theaters under the #GoldOpen campaign spurring a strong word-of-mouth campaign through social media.

Asian Americans accounted for 11% of frequent moviegoers in the US, as of 2016. They’re the demographic with the highest attendance per capita, going to the movies approximately 6.1 times per year, according to the Motion Picture Association of America.

Nevertheless, that meant 60% of the audience was non-Asian demonstrating in no uncertain terms to Hollywood that a diverse cast is no hindrance to box-office success. Caucasians made up 41% and Latinos and African Americans splitting the balance.

Chu and his cast were ecstatic at the wide acceptance his film has garnered. 

SCREEN CAPTURE

'Crazy Rich Asian' director Jon M. Chu was interviewed by CNN over the success of his movie.

The successful opening may be a harbinger of more Asian and Asian American-led projects. "I personally know of six projects waiting to be greenlit," said CRA director Jon M. Chu. That could very well mean the other two books in the Kevin Kwan trilogy will be made into movies.

Two weeks ago, when the director was asked at his father''s Bay Area restaurant if there would be a sequel, Chu said, "It all depends if people show up."

Well ...?
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REVIEW: Crazy Rich Asians' is a groundbreaking, playful romp

Eleanor Young (Michelle Yeoh) left, face to face with her son's girlfriend Rachel Chu (Constance Wu).

ASIAN AMERICA! You wanted representation? In Crazy Rich Asians, there is representation galore. 

Not only did the movie feature that rarest of rarities, an all-Asian cast, in front of the camera, but just as important, Asians were behind the camera too -- from the director, Jon M. Chu and Kevin Kwan, the author of the novel on which the movie is based to scriptwriter Adele Lim, -- to ensure that the Warner Bros. project would not resort to stereotyping or whitewashing.

From the colorful graphics, split screen and jaunty music -- reminiscent of the openings of the I Love Lucy TV series and other TV sitcoms such as the 60's Dick Van Dyke Show and Bewitched  -- the audience is instantly put into a joyful mood.

Chu has managed to create a fun romp through the glitz and clamor of fantastic Singapore high society with all the cultural tripwires to make things interesting even though the ending was never in doubt.

The movie is not perfect and it doesn't attempt to be more than what it is -- a romantic comedy -- but at the same time, it is so much more.

Awkwafina is a revelation as Rachel Chu's girlfriend. The Asian American comedic actress dominate every scene she is in with her bubbly energy and comedic timing.

Awkwafina, along with Nico Santos, who tempers his characterization of Nick Young's cousin Oliver T'Sien just short of a stereotype, get their roles expanded beyond the novel, a wise decision by director Chu because they help maintain the comedic side of the equation to balance off the straight-arrow characters of the main leads of Rachel Chu and Nick young, who essentially play straight man and woman to the comedic pair.

All the controversy surrounding the casting of Henry Golding as the male romantic lead should be cast by the wayside. It's hard to imagine anyone else in the role of Nick Young, the bachelor scion of an uber-rich Chinese-Singaporean family. What ever "it" is, Golding has it. The role doesn't demand too much for him in his first movie role, but he makes up for it in exuding a Cary Grant-style charm and charisma onscreen.

REALITY:

• 'It's not just a movie. It's a movement' 
• Movie presents new dimension of Asian men

Constance Wu, free from the Taiwanese American accent she uses in Fresh Off the Boat, is a surprise as she reveals a side of her we haven't expected of her. As Rachel Chu, she is innocent, sexy in a girl-next-door kind of way and ultimately, a toughness that isn't revealed until near the end.

Michelle Yeoh as Eleanor, Nick Young's overbearing mother constantly considering the social strata consequences of Nick's romantic choices, is another perfect casting. Before she accepted the role, Yeoh made it clear she didn't want to resort to a Tiger Mom image for her character and she was able to pull it off. Overbearing, yes. Meddlesome, yes, Icy, definitely. But everything she does as Eleanor is for love and family.

The glamorous role of Nick Young's cousin Astrid Leong Young-- the woman every girl wants to be -- could be a breakout role for British-born Gemma Chan, who's called upon to display a range of emotions way beyond what is called for in her role as a robotic "synth" in the TV series Humans. The combination of her vulnerability and sophistication ala Grace Kelly has been missing from most Hollywood leading ladies for so long, to see it onscreen is refreshing. Look for her to get more attention from Hollywood. 

Near the end, director Chu hints there's more storylines for Astrid in the future as she deals with her marital and romantic dilemmas.

The actors in supporting roles reveled in their characters. It was as if all their pent-up talent was allowed to come forth. 

The variety of characters spanned a whole spectrum, including the social climber Edison Cheng (Ronny Chieng), best friend Colin Khoo (Chris Pang), over the top Bernard Tai (Jimmy O. Yang), bride-to0be Araminta Lee (Sonoya Mizuno)  to philanderer husband Michael Teo (Pierre Ping).

In a way, Chu is sending the movie industry a couple of messages. Not one of the characters was one of the typical stereotypes Asian actors are usually asked to portray and that there are many stories to tell. Hollywood needn't have to settle for the same ol' stories over and over again or reboots of previously made movies.

The music was a clever way to link Asia and the West by employing recognizable tunes like "Money," and "Material Girl" and even when it is sung in Chinese, the audience is totally familiar with the music and English lyrics.

Chu was able to artfully tell the Asian-based story but still provide plenty of access points for western audiences by telling universal stories of a young couple in love, an outsider getting rejected by a loved one's family, 

The mother of all weddings was was the key event in 'Crazy Rich Asians.'

Crazy Rich Asians is not a perfect movie. It is totally predictable. but in a good way.

 it presents a picture of Asians having fun, kissing each other, fashionable and strugging with western culture's impact on their lifestyle. CRA takes the audience where it wants to go. In that respect, it satisfies the audience hoping for a happy ending after getting shortchanged in so many other movies, where the Asian guy doesn't get the girl, or the familiar plot in which the Asian girl falls for the white leading man.

While it is true that the world portrayed in CRA is something totally unfamiliar to most of us, we need to keep in mind that it is a fantasy, not a documentary. However, by depicting the rarified world of the upper strata of Singapore society, it is does present a new facet of  Asian culture that is not usually shown on the big screen. CRA is successful is showing that people from Asia are more complicated and interesting than what has usually been portrayed by Hollywood. They laugh and cry. They have ambition, hopes and dreams, They're witty and funny. They're fashionable, attractive, sexy and desirable.

Chu has managed to blend the right amount of Asian and western values and perspectives -- exotic yet familiar -- in telling a familiar story of love conquers all, no matter what part of the world you're from.

By all means, go see it. Bring your family and friends. It's a pleasure and a relief to see a film devoid of special effects, explosions, killings and super heroes and instead see a movie about human beings, with all their flaws and glory. Above all, Crazy Rich Asians passes the ultimate test: It's entertaining!

Crazy Rich Asians hits U.S. and Canadian theaters this Wednesday, Aug. 15.
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Crazy Rich Asians: Before its general release, expectations soar

Michelle Yeoh, Henry Golding and Constance Wu in 'Crazy Rich Asians.'

EXPECTATIONS ARE HIGH that Crazy Rich Asians will surpass box-office projections during the 5-day weekend that starts on the film's Aug. 15 general release.

The Aug. 8 sneak previews of the movie based on Kevin Kwan's best-seller, earned around $500,000, a huge step towards to the expected $20 million the film is expected to make that first weekend. A $20 million launch, while not reaching the blockbuster heights of Black Panther or Titanic, would go a long way to ensuring the box-office success of a film that cost only $30 million to make.

As the first reviews come in, CRA is delivering on several fronts, according to Rotten Tomatoes, a movie review aggregator website, where it earned an almost unheard of 100 percent favorable rating from film critics.

Rotten Tomatoes writes:

"Crazy Rich Asians has more baggage and built-in expectations than just about any this (film) year (and yes, we’re including Infinity War). CRA has to satisfy fans of Kevin Kwan’s insanely popular book series. CRA has to save the rom-com, a genre which has been flailing on the big screen – if not on Netflix – for quite some time now. And CRA arrives with a huge burden of representation: It is the first wide release with an Asian-American lead cast since 1993’s The Joy Luck Club. Hopes, expectations, and even fears, are high – fairly or otherwise.

"If early reviews are anything to go by, Crazy Rich Asians is set to deliver on a number of fronts. The embargo broke this Wednesday, a week out from the movie’s release on August 15, and with 19 reviews counted, it is sitting at 100% on the Tomatometer. Critics are talking breathlessly about the extravagance of Jon M. Chu’s film – costumes! beaches! wealthy parties! – and incisively about the film’s representational burden. But most of all they’re saying that the movie, which stars Fresh Off the Boatbreakout star Constance Wu, Michelle Yeoh, “it” guy Henry Golding, and features Ocean’s 8 scene-stealer Awkwafina, is an A-plus example of old-school unironic rom-coms."

On top of all that, CRA is a romantic comedy, a genre that has suffered among a generation of a movie-going public who have been numbed by movies featuring special effects, computer graphics and muscle-bound heroes in Spandex.

“Ultimately, the film delivers as a blockbuster romantic comedy: It’s joyous, decadent, and yes, extremely predictable," writes Anne Cohen for Refinery29. "But seeing new characters inhabit and thrive within a story we’ve seen countless times before is a major achievement in itself.” 

Directed by Jon M. Chu, CRA follows Asian American Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) as she meets the crazy rich family of her boyfriend Nick Young (Henry Golding) in a comedy of manners and cultural clashes. The movie also features Michelle Yeoh, Gemma Chan, Awkwafina, Chris Pang, Ken Jeong, Jimmy Yang, Nick Santos, Sonoya Mizuno and Lisa Lu among others.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Watch for the movie review in the cocming days.
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#GoldOpen buys out theaters for 'Crazy Rich Asians' screenings

Henry Golding and Constance Wu star in 'Crazy Rich Asians.'

TO SAY THAT THE MOVIE Crazy Rich Asians is generating considerable excitement and buzz in the Asian American community would be a gross understatement.

"It's more than a movie," said the movie's director Jon M. Chu. "It's a movement."

The movie with its all-Asian cast will have its general release Aug. 15 nationwide but first, all eyes will be on its red carpet premiere Tuesday (Aug. 7). It is expected that fans will be gathering early to catch glimpses of the movie's star-studded cast walk the red carpet. at -- appropriately -- at Graumman's Chinese Theater in Los Angeles at 6:30 p.m. The premiere is by invitation only.


Cast members from Australia, Asia and Great Britain are expected to join their American co-stars. Some of the cast you might spot include: Constance Wu, Henry Golding, Michelle Yeoh, Gemma Chan, Awkwafina, Ken Jeong,  Lisa Lu, Sonoya Mizuno, Chris Pang, Jimmy O. Yang, Ronny Chieng, Remi Hii, Nico Santos, Jing Lusi, Kris Aquino and director Joh M. Chu.

Industry leader NRG estimates Crazy Rich Asians to debut in the $20 million range for the five-day run.. The film cost a modest $30 million to make. Warner Bros. insiders give a more modest prediction of $18 million.  In either case, it would be one of the better showings for a romantic comedy in recent times

To help the historic film meet box office expectations, ddigital media entrepreneur Bing Chen has been employing social media to raise awareness with the hashtag #GoldOpen movement.

"This is a movement—but every movement needs its mafia," posted Chen. "And we know that the old systems only speak Green. That's why 100+ of the nation’s creatives, founders, leaders and their organizations have rallied to buy out theatres (sic) to help secure a $20million+ opening."

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the creative team of director Jon M. Chu and author Kevin Kwan opted for Warner Bros. over Netflix in order to get the movie in theaters.

“We don’t want to just buy tickets, we’re here to buy theaters,” said Chen of the #GoldOpen movement.

One of the reasons Warner Bros. was chosen was so that film could be seen in theaters and box office receipts could validate the film's success, said Chu at a press conference last week in the San Francisco Bay Area where he grew up.

The last time a Hollywood studio movie had a predominantly Asian cast was the Joy Luck Club which in 1993. Netflix, which reportedly offered an enormous guaranteed sum (in seven figures) for the movie rights and a greenlight for two sequels.

RELATED: 'Crazy Rich Asians' presents new dimension to Asian males

In choosing Warner Bros., Kwan and Chu took a risk but also showed confidence in their movie.

Kwan and Chu wanted audience members to "make the conscious decision to go see the movie … to park, sit in the dark, in a big room – it’s worth your time ... that we (Asians) are worth that time to enjoy something so very special, said Chu.

"We needed this to be an old-fashioned cinematic experience, not for fans to sit in front of a TV and just press a button," Kwan told The Hollywood Reporter.
“The intent from the beginning was to make a really great movie so that people can see that (Asians) can be leads in movies,” said Chu.

The hope is Crazy Rich Asians will perform well on its opening weekend, but more importantly, that #GoldOpen will lead to more diversity on the silver screen.

“We want this to do well because it will help enable a rising tide of other opportunities for us,” said Chen.

The film follows New Yorker Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) as she accompanies her longtime boyfriend, Nick Young (Henry Golding), to his best friend’s wedding in Singapore. Excited about visiting Asia for the first time but nervous about meeting Nick’s family, Rachel is unprepared to learn that Nick has neglected to mention a few key details about his life. It turns out that he is not only the scion of one of the country’s wealthiest families but also one of its most sought-after bachelors. Being on Nick’s arm puts a target on Rachel’s back, with jealous socialites and, worse, Nick’s own disapproving mother (Michelle Yeoh) taking aim. And it soon becomes clear that while money can’t buy love, it can definitely complicate things.

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First 'Crazy Rich Asians' trailer dazzles

HERE IT IS!!

OMG!, it looks so g-o-o-o-o d!

Crazy Rich Asians won't be released until August but excitement is building for the first Hollywood studio movie with an all-Asian cast since the Joy Luck Club in 20 years.

If you haven't read the Kevin Kwan best-selling novel the movie was based on the following won't spoil the movie for you:

Crazy Rich Asians follows Chinese/American Rachel Wu as she meets her boyfriend's Singapore family for the first time. She discovers that her boyfriend Nick Young belongs to an uber-rich family, part of high society of old Chinese families that rule Asian economies.

Rachel Wu is played by Fresh Off the Boat's Constance Wu and Nick Young introduces newcomer Henry Golding. They are joined by super-attractive all-Asian cast drawn from the U.S. Singapore, Great Britain. and Australia.

For Rachel, from a middle-class family from the San Francisco Bay Area, her Singapore visit is a culture clash. U.S. audiences, no matter what race, will be able to identify with all-American girl Rachel as she maneuvers through Singapore's high society and dodges the sling's and arrows hurled her way by Nick's family and the plethora of jealous women who want to woo Asia's most eligible bachelor.

The trailer gives us glimpse into this world and a look at this trail-blazing movie. Written by Kevin Kwan, directed by Jon M. Chu and starring a great cast, the movie is poised to be a breakout movie for its stars. 

It also gives us a peek at a side of Asians not usually depicted in western movies where Asian/Americans are usually relegated to one-dimensional supporting roles, as the nerd, the best friend, the loyal servant or the martial artist.

Enjoy the trailer!

'Crazy Rich Asians' stars Constance Wu and Henry Golding and the city of Singapore.

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Time magazine: List of 100 Top influencers include 18 Asians and Asian Americans

The covers for Time Magazine's issue of April 19, 2018.

THERE WERE 18 Asians and Asian/Americans on Time magazine's list of the 100 Most Influential people for 2018.

We're not surprised that award-winning actor and social commentator Kumail Nanjiani, Olympic gold medal winner Chloe Kim or Crazy Rich Asians author Kevin Kwan made the list, but what about scientist Jian-Wei Pan or social activist Sinta Nuriyah and others who are not well known outside of their respective fields?

While some of the picks can be argued, i.e.. how many people follow cricket that Viral Kohl makes the list? Time's picks include the expected politicians like the leaders of South Korea, Japan and China, but also some leaders in tech like Bhvish Aggarwal and Satya Nadella; and social movement activist Janet Mock.

It's important to note that they were not necessarily the "most famous" individuals, nor is it a list of the "good" people in the world.

Only a half-dozen of the influencers are Asian/Americans. Seems like there should have been more, but the list fluctuates, year-to-year. For instance, restaurateur Roy Choi and Crazy Rich Asians actress Constance Wu made it last year, and arguments could be made they should have been included this year as well.

"The TIME 100, always a reflection of its moment, looks quite different than in the past," Time Editor-in-Chief Edward Felsenthal wrote. 

Forty-five of the people on the list are women, the most ever included. "While we remain much too far from gender parity in global leadership, there are more women than ever on this year’s TIME 100—proof that there are ways of changing the world beyond traditional power structures," Felsenthal wrote. 

It should be noted that a last-minute ferocious drive to include the Korean pop group BTS on the list by the boy band's fans failed to sway Time's editors.

Besides the aforementioned Nanjiani, Kim and Kwan, the Asians and Asian/Americans on the list include:

Bhavish Aggarwal, co-founder of Oka, the Indian version of Uber or Lyft.

Jian-Wei Pan, scientist who achieve quantum communication for more secure modes of communication.

Deepika Padukone, Indian actress and model, "she's here to represent the world," said Vin Diesel.

Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft, enough said.

Sadiq Khan, London mayor of Pakistani descent.

Xi Jinping, President of China, enough said.

Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan, enough said.

Shikh Hasina, Prime Minister of Bangladesh.

Moon Jae-In, President of South Korea, enough said.

Kim Jong Un, President of North Korea, enough said.

Janet Mock, TV host who is biracial and transexual.

Sinta Nuriyah, widow of former Indonesian president who advocates for tolerance and diversity.

Masayoshi Son, Softbank CEO, visionary investor.

Viral Kohli, up-and-coming cricket player from India,

Pony Ma, founder of Tencent, China's social media giant.

(EDITOR'S NOTE: We excluded people from the Middle East and Russia even though, geographically, they can be called Asian, that is not what they consider themselves to be.)

For Time's complete list, click here.
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TGIF Feature: First look at 'Crazy Rich Asians'

Henry Golding and Constance Wu in 'Crazy Rich Asians.'

OH,YES! A teaser trailer was released Thursday (April 19) for Crazy Rich Asians, the movie, and it looks terrific. It's slick, sexy and gorgeous!

It's a preview for the first trailer that is being released Monday.

We get our first glimpse at the interplay between Harry Golding and Constance Wu, playing the lead characters Nick Young and Rachel Chu, respectively, in the complex romantic comedy set in Singapore.

Based on Kevin Kwan's best-selling novel of the same name, the plot follows Rachel's first visit with Nick's family and discovers that her boyfriend comes from an insanely rich family. The family's senior women have a difficult time accepting Nick's American girlfriend because her family is not good enough. It's a comedy of manners and errors in the resulting cultural clash.

Directed by John M. Chu, it is Hollywood's first feature with an all-Asian cast in 20 years when the Joy Luck Club came out.

The international cast includes Michelle Yeoh, Awkwafina, Ken Jeong, Gemma Chan, Jimmy O. Yang, Harry Shum Jr., and Ronnie Chieng, 

Crazy Rich Asians arrives in theaters on August 17th.

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Asian Hall of Fame inductees include an author, culinary and media personalities

Kevin Kwan

ASAM NEWS

THE NEW INDUCTEES to the Asian Hall of Fame have been announced.

They include powerbrokers in Hollywood along with personalities from the media and culinary worlds.

The four inductees are Kevin Kwan, best selling author of Crazy Rich Asians; Kourtney Kang, writer and producer of Fresh Off the Boat and How I Met Your Mother; Melissa Lee, journalist and host of Fast Money on CNBC; and Roy Yamaguchi, chef/founder of Roy’s, Humble market Kitchin and Eating House 1849 Restaurants.

Kourtney Kang

Kwan moved to the United States from Singapore when he was 11. He went from working on Martha Steward Living to establishing his own creative consultancy to producing visual projects for the New York Times and Oprah Winfrey.

His 2013 book Crazy Rich Asians was developed into a trilogy and a movie based on the book is coming out this summer. He is also working on a TV series.

Kang is on a hot streak. She worked on Crazy Rich Asians for Warner Bros, White Girl Problems for Lionsgate and Amusement Park for Paramount Animation.

Melissa Lee

She has teamed up with JJ Abrams to write a new script.

Kang was born in Hawaii to Korean-Irish descent and currently lives in Los Angeles with her husband and three daughters.
Lee mixes with the rich and famous on Wall Street as host of Fast Money and a regular contributor to Power Lunch on CNBC.

She has also reported on several one hour documentaries for the business channel and has focused on China’s growing influence in the world’s economy.

Roy Yamaguchi

Yamaguchi is a James Beard Award-Winning chef. His cuisine has been influenced by his Hawaiian roots, his time living in Japan, and his training in classic French cuisine.

He has also promoted travel and worked in the Obama administration on the board of the Corporation for Travel Promotion.

Yamaguchi is the host of Hawaii Cooks with Roy Yamaguchi on PBS which has aired the show for six years.
The Asian Hall of Fame is a project of the Robert Chinn Foundation in Seattle. The honorees will be inducted May 5 at the Fairmont Olympic Hotel in downtown Seattle.

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TGIF FEATURE: Crazy Rich Asians release set for mid-August

The cover of the latest issue of Entertainment Weekly is historic.

BE SURE to grab this week's cover of Entertainment Weekly  for your collection of historic Asian/American literature. 

The magazine features a collection of articles about the upcoming movie Crazy Rich Asians based on the Kevin Kwan novel of the same name. The movie is set for an Aug. 17 premiere.

The cover itself is startling, featuring lead actors Constance Wu and Henry Golding. Having an Asian couple not in superhero costumes or in martial arts poses is groundbreaking.

EW dives into the making of the film, from Kwan’s first meetings with eager producers to Chu’s ambitious mission to cast responsibly, and finally, to filming on location amid the splendor of Singapore and Malaysia. The author and director weren’t the only ones with stories to share of the book’s move from the page to the screen; Wu, Golding, Yeoh, and fellow cast members Gemma Chan, Sonoya Mizuno, Awkwafina, and Ken Jeong also reflect on what it was like to not be the only Asian face on set.

The EW interview with Henry Golding, who plays the romantic lead, is interesting to have his perspective of the casting controversy. Golding, who is racially half-Malaysian and half-European stirred up controversy from fans who’d hoped the role would go to an all-Asian actor. Actress Jamie Chung even commented on the casting, initially calling the choice to cast the mixed-race Golding “bulls—” before walking back her remarks, saying, “It goes both ways. It’s just frustrating to lose a job or not have a shot at it (because) of your race.”

The commotion over his casting felt “quite hurtful,” Golding tells EW. “For me, it was almost like being kind of stabbed in the back. I was like, ‘Aren’t we meant to be in this boat together? Aren’t we meant to strive together for something bigger than these boundaries that we’re putting on ourselves instead of bullying each other?'”

Kevin Kwan’s debut novel was snapped up by The Hunger Games producer Nina Jacobson just four months after hitting shelves in 2013, and it’s not hard to see why: The real-life, jaw-dropping opulence of Asia’s über-rich is perfectly suited for the big screen.

The title can be interpreted a number of ways: Either the rich Asians featured in the book are crazy; or the Asians are crazy rich.

Author Kevin Kwan has completed his trilogy about the uber rich Asians of Singapore and China. The first novel, "Crazy Rich Asians," has been followed by "Crazy Rich Girlfriend" and "Rich People Problems."

In his Crazy Rich Asians novel, the first of a trilogy, New York City-based Kwan details outrageous luxuries, from climate-controlled closets packed with next season’s couture pieces (why, of course!) to yachts equipped with swimming pools (yes, more than one!) and even to private planes with state-of-the-art yoga studios and heated floors (why not?!). His subjects aren’t just crazy rich, but filthy, unspeakably, hilariously rich.

The story’s even crazier, says EW. Directed by Jon M. Chu (Now You See Me 2), Crazy Rich Asians follows Rachel Chu (Fresh Off the Boat‘s Constance Wu), an NYU economics professor who heads to Singapore with her boyfriend, Nick Young (newcomer Henry Golding), for what she thinks will be an ordinary visit to meet his family and attend his best friend’s wedding, only to discover that he’s the multi-zillionaire scion of one of the most affluent families in Asia and the wedding they’re headed to is the social event of the year. To make things worse, the clash between the cultures of practical American Rachel and the rarified air of the uber-rich 1 percent of the 1 percent complicates the relationship between her and boyfriend Nick.

It will be interesting to see the reaction of non-Asians to seeing Asians in roles that go beyond being the best friend, the loyal servant, the exotic temptress or the super smart geek. Kwan's characters could burst a few stereotype bubbles.

From the outset, author Kwan and director Chu insisted that the movie stay true to the novel and feature an all-Asian cast despite pressure to make the Rachel character white. 

That casting decision puts the movie in a rare category in an industry that’s still working on breaking its habit of “whitewashing” (i.e. casting white actors in ethnically Asian roles). Few Hollywood films have exclusively featured Asian principal casts since The Joy Luck Club more than two decades ago.

Michelle Yeoh, a superstar in Asia, has had only a handful of lead roles in Hollywood productions, understands the significance of Crazy Rich Asians. “It’s been too long since there’s been an all-Asian cast,” says the Malaysia-born actress, who stars as Nick’s intimidating mother, Eleanor. “I’ve been very lucky to have worked on one before (2005’s Memoirs of a Geisha), but they’re too few and far between.”

The latest issue of Entertainment Weekly is available, Friday, Nov. 3.
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