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Brenda Song Claims She Wasn’t ‘Asian Enough’ for ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ — and the Director Responds

Crazy Rich Asians Director Denies Brenda Song's Claims of Not Being Asian Enough
Jon M. Chu and Brenda Song. MJ Photos/Shutterstock; David Buchan/Variety/Shutterstock

His side of the story. Director Jon M. Chu shut down “gross” allegations that Brenda Song was told she wasn’t a good fit for the massive box office hit, Crazy Rich Asians.

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“A lot of people don’t know this, but I never got to read for Crazy Rich Asians, ever,” Song, 31, recalled in a recent interview with Teen Vogue. After asking her team if she could sit down with the film’s creators to set up an audition, the former Disney star claimed that the filmmakers thought she “was basically not Asian enough.”

Chu, 40, was quick to deny the Dollface actress’ comments when he came across the story on Twitter.

“??Nope. I love @BrendaSong and that sucks if anything of that nature was ever communicated,” the director replied to fans on Wednesday, November 20. “The fact is, obviously I know who she is and didn’t need her to audition. I’m a fan of hers! 🤷🏻‍♂️ Nothing more nothing less. Bums me out she thought it was anything but.”

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Crazy Rich Asians was the first feature-length film to showcase an all-Asian cast since Joy Luck Club premiered in 1993. The 2018 romantic comedy centers around a Chinese-American economics professor (Constance Wu) who travels to Singapore with her wealthy boyfriend (Henry Golding) to meet his family and friends. Making over $238 million worldwide, Chu’s film was the highest-grossing romantic comedy in a decade.

The movie was an instant hit, earning countless awards, nominations and marking a major victory for diversity in Hollywood. Despite its box office success, Song admitted to Teen Vogue that her experience made her question where she fit in the industry.

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“It broke my heart,” the Suite Life of Zack & Cody alum said. “I’ve auditioned for Caucasian roles my entire career, but this specific role, you’re not going to let me do it? You’re going to fault me for having worked my whole life?’”

Chu, however, insisted on Twitter that he had always been a big fan of the actress and knew her talents well enough that he didn’t feel the need to see her read for the movie.

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