CONTAINS NO SPOILERS.
Background:
The production of Crazy Rich Asians in 2018 was a risky gamble. The plot of the movie was based on Kevin Kwan’s best-selling Crazy Rich Asians trilogy. It was the first all-Asian cast and Asian-American lead in 25 years, with the last debuting in 1993. The romantic comedy plot was also a considerable risk amongst high-grossing action films and productions.
The producers were hesitant, at first, about the success of an all-Asian cast in Hollywood. In fact, they even suggested displaying a Caucasian woman as the lead instead of an Asian woman. After turmoil about whether Asian representation in Hollywood would be well received, producers shifted to the original plan of replicating Kevin Kwan’s trilogy with a cast of all Asian American actors. The producers, in the end, had so much faith in their decisions, that they opted to sign with Warner Brothers instead of with Netflix, which offered a lucrative contract but with less potential views.
These crucial decisions paid off with $237 million worldwide in the box office and the title of highest-grossing romantic comedy in the last decade.
Plot Overview:
The story follows an NYU economics professor, Rachel Chu. She travels to Singapore to meet her boyfriend Nick Young’s family for his best friend’s wedding. Unbeknownst to her, she is dating the “golden” apparent heir to an incredibly wealthy family fortune, and she is forced to meet his family who looks down on her humble lifestyle and background.
Impact:
The production of Crazy Rich Asians in 2018 caused Asian representation in Hollywood to skyrocket. Shang Chi, boasting a predominantly Asian cast, generated over $400 million in global box office revenue in 2021. Several actors such as Ronny Chieng, Awkwafina, and Michelle Yeoh can be seen in both movies.
Still, Hollywood has a long journey ahead in recognizing Asian-Americans in mainstream media. Hollywood tends to treat being Asian as a monolithic identity. For instance, the movie fails to acknowledge the differences between Chinese culture and other Asian cultures; instead, it meshes them together as one identity.
However, Crazy Rich Asians has impacted Hollywood significantly, demonstrating the massive success Asian-American representation can have. For decades, Asian-Americans have been underrepresented in Hollywood and have played stereotypical roles that usually encompass a “quirky” and “nerdy” character. The generalization is that Asian-American actors are so grateful for the role that they would be willing to play a role no one else would. This stereotype stems from generations of deep-rooted racism regarding “quiet” and “shy” Asian Americans. Crazy Rich Asians dismantles these stereotypes by making the lead character, Rachel Chu, an intelligent yet confident, strong female lead. Crazy Rich Asians breaks boundaries by showcasing both female and Asian-American empowerment.
Crazy Rich Asians paved the way for Asian-Americans in mainstream media, thereby breaking barriers of Asian-American stereotypes and xenophobia. This influential movie has absolutely changed Asian-American perception.
Links:
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQ-YX-5bAs0
Movie: https://www.warnerbros.com/movies/crazy-rich-asians
Sources:
https://time.com/longform/crazy-rich-asians/
https://www.nyfa.edu/student-resources/asian-representation-crazy-rich-asians/
https://www.looper.com/160617/how-crazy-rich-asians-changed-hollywood-and-no-one-noticed/
https://www.vox.com/2018/12/21/18141213/crazy-rich-asians-success
https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/crazy_rich_asians
https://screenrant.com/shang-chi-box-office-worldwide-gross-china/
https://screenrant.com/crazy-rich-asians-2-movie-updates-henry-golding/
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