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Screen & Stage • Film

Crazy Rich Asians

Crazy Rich Asians is a 2018 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by Jon M.

Updated July 30, 20261 min readCited sources

Crazy Rich Asians is a 2018 romantic comedy-drama directed by Jon M. Chu. It follows Rachel Chu as she discovers her boyfriend's family is among Singapore's wealthiest.

What it is

The film is based on Kevin Kwan’s 2013 novel and stars Constance Wu as Rachel Chu, a Chinese American professor who travels to Singapore with her boyfriend Nick Young (Henry Golding). There she learns his family is extremely wealthy and socially prominent, leading to romance, family conflict, and class clashes.

Key details

Directed by Jon M. Chu and written by Peter Chiarelli and Adele Lim, the film features an ensemble cast including Michelle Yeoh, Gemma Chan, Awkwafina, and Ken Jeong. It was produced and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures and released in 2018.

Why it matters

Crazy Rich Asians was a commercial success and widely noted for featuring a predominantly Asian cast in a major Hollywood studio film. It helped spark broader conversations about representation in mainstream cinema.

In short

  • Based on Kevin Kwan’s best-selling 2013 novel.
  • Set largely in Singapore, focusing on Nick Young’s wealthy family.
  • Directed by Jon M. Chu with a predominantly Asian cast.
  • Released in 2018 to commercial and cultural impact.

Quick questions

What is Crazy Rich Asians about?
It is about Rachel Chu visiting Singapore with her boyfriend Nick Young and discovering that his family is extremely wealthy and influential.
Who directed Crazy Rich Asians?
The film was directed by Jon M. Chu.
What is Crazy Rich Asians based on?
It is based on Kevin Kwan’s 2013 novel Crazy Rich Asians.

Sources

  1. Wikipediahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crazy_Rich_Asians
    Supports: Basic film identification, year, director, screenplay, source novel, cast, and plot premise.
  2. Rotten Tomatoeshttps://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/crazy_rich_asians
    Supports: Plot synopsis, director, screenwriters, distributor, genre, release year, runtime, and cast.
  3. IMDbhttps://www.imdb.com/title/tt3104988/
    Supports: Director, writers, premise, and principal cast.
  4. Warner Bros. Pictureshttps://www.warnerbros.com/movies/crazy-rich-asians
    Supports: Official title, release year, and genre classification.