Jon M Chu has denied Brenda Song‘s claims that she was “not Asian enough” to audition for Crazy Rich Asians.
In an interview with Teen Vogue, the Secret Obsession star said she “never got to read for Crazy Rich Asians” because she was “not Asian enough.”
“A lot of people don’t know this, but I never got to read for Crazy Rich Asians, ever,” Song said.
“Their reasoning behind that, what they said was that my image was basically not Asian enough, in not so many words. It broke my heart,” she continued.
“I said, ‘This character is in her late to mid-20s, an Asian American, and I can’t even audition for it? 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?’ I was like, ‘Where do I fit?’”
In response, Chu said the claims were untrue and he was already familiar with her so did not need her to audition.
“Would these words ever come out of my mouth?” Chu tweeted. “Nope makes no sense. I feel horrible she thinks this is the reason. The fact is I love Brenda Song and am a fan. I didn’t need her to audition because I already knew who she was!”
“I love @BrendaSong and that sucks if anything of that nature was ever communicated. It’s gross actually. 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.”
🤷🏻♂️would these words ever come out of my mouth? Nope makes no sense. I feel horrible she thinks this is the reason. The fact is I love Brenda Song and am a fan. I didn’t need her to audition because I already knew who she was!
— Jon M. Chu (@jonmchu) November 20, 2019
??Nope. I love @BrendaSong and that sucks if anything of that nature was ever communicated. It’s gross actually. 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.
— Jon M. Chu (@jonmchu) November 20, 2019
In other news, Chu recently expressed his support for Crazy Rich Asians writer Adele Lim who quit following a sexist pay-gap scandal.
