Crazy Rich Asians is a victory for minority representation
The all-Asian cast of Crazy Rich Asians (italicized) celebrates a record box office turnout after its premiere on Aug. 15.
After 25 years, Asian Americans receive a win in the film industry. Crazy Rich Asians, the first major Hollywood movie with an all-Asian cast since The Joy Luck Club in 1993, has sparked positive reactions all over the world since its debut on Aug. 15. Critics hail it as the “rebirth of rom-com;” more importantly, the film serves as a victory for Asian representation in entertainment.
According to a study by USC Annenberg, of the top 100 movies in 2017, only 4.8 percent featured a character of Asian descent with a speaking role. For years, Asian American actors have endured prejudice and stereotypes within their careers.
“They think we’ll say yes to anything, and we’ll just be grateful,” Constance Wu, the film’s lead actress said to Times. “We are not supporting roles. We are stars on our own journeys.”
Female Asian actresses often portray stereotypical roles, such as the vindictive dragon lady or the nerdy A-plus student. Crazy Rich Asians avoids these, instead showing the nuances of Asian women’s experiences across generations.
“When I was a little girl, all I had to really look up to was Mulan, and I think it’s really cool that younger Asian kids now can see movies like this and see role models that look like them,’” Kim Le (10) said. “Also, the movie doesn’t show Asians as like the typical nerd. It has actual culture and the characters spoke Mandarin.”
The movie was seen as a watershed moment by not only many Asian Americans, but also moviegoers of other races. Responses echoed the ones received toward Black Panther, which featured heavy African American representation in its cast.
“Even though I’m white, it felt good to see Asian Americans on the big screen,” Maddy Dickerson (12) said. “I think this will allow more Asian representation in the industry and provide more opportunities. It’s entertaining to watch movies not centered around white people.”
Prior to its release, Variety reported that Crazy Rich Asians was on track for an $18 million opening—a reasonable goal. The film defied all expectations. The widely-praised rom-com soared to the top of the box office with $34 million after only five days, proving only the beginning of the journey to a newer Hollywood.
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