Crazy Rich Asians author enjoying whirlwind ride
Crazy Rich Asians author Kwan opens up about whitewashing and Hollywood
As the revered poets of the Wu-Tang Clan once said: cash rules everything around me.
That seems true for both the city of Vancouver — where a wealth gap exists unseen in many places — and for Kevin Kwan.
Kwan is the author behind the best-selling Crazy Rich Asians trilogy. The books are a heartfelt and hilarious look at what money does to family. The novels, which have been translated worldwide, have been praised for showing diversity in Asian characters.
The author is riding high. The last few years have seen Kwan moving around the globe nearly non-stop to promote the series and oversee the upcoming film adaptation of his debut novel, Crazy Rich Asians, in theatres Aug. 15.
“I’m just trying to catch my breath,” said Kwan during an interview with Postmedia last month.
Kwan was in Vancouver as part of a Pacific Northwest book tour.
During the chat, Kwan spoke about his novels, seeing his characters come to life on screen, and whitewashing in Hollywood.
When we meet, Kwan is in his third city in four days, all while battling a toothache he plans to deal with when he gets home to New York. At Kwan’s suggestion, the interview is set in a private dining room at Market by Jean-Georges, the restaurant at the Shangri-La Hotel.
Earlier in the day, he went for dim sum during another media interview and later, Kwan is scheduled to speak at a book signing hosted at Indigo.
“I’m really excited, and I feel really fortunate. The time to sit and process it — I haven’t had that time yet,” he said. “But one of these days, maybe next year.”
Kwan’s 2013 debut novel centres on Rachel Chu, an American-born Chinese professor being whisked away to Singapore to attend a wedding, only to learn her boyfriend Nicholas Young is Asia’s most sought-after bachelor and his family is among Asia’s most fabulously wealthy.
He then went on to write the 2015 sequel China Rich Girlfriend, and last year’s Rich People Problems, the final instalment in the series.
The books are an indulgent look at wealth and tradition, at culture and generational clash among Asia’s ultra rich upper crust.
At times satirical but equal parts heartwarming, the books have found fans far beyond just those in the Asian community.
Soon after Crazy Rich Asians was released, Kwan topped bestselling lists around the world and — as most Cinderella publishing stories tend to go — talks began for a film adaptation.
Negotiations started as early as 2014 to find the right director (which ended up being firstgeneration Asian-American Jon Chu), the right Rachel (Fresh Off The Boat’s Constance Wu) and of course, the perfect Nicholas (film newcomer Henry Golding).
“We were relentless and patient and really dedicated to only choosing people that were perfect and right and not compromising,” he said.
The trailer for the film was released in spring, fanning even brighter the flames of a community hungry for representation in Hollywood. When it is released this summer, Crazy Rich Asians will be the first Hollywood-backed film with an all-Asian cast since The Joy Luck Club in 1993.
“You ain’t seen nothing yet. The trailer was done very purposely to give very, very little away and we have so many surprises in store for people,” Kwan said gleefully.
“I really hope people will be surprised and delighted by the ride they’re about to go on.”
It’s also been quite a ride for Kwan, who was born in Singapore and grew up attending Anglo-Chinese School before being moved to the United States as a preteen.
He earned a degree in media studies at University of Houston before moving to New York City and completing a fine arts degree at Parsons School of Design.
His professional career has seen his name attached to Andy Warhol’s now defunct Interview Magazine, as well as Martha Stewart Living. Kwan also established his own design firm, working alongside the New York Times and the Museum of Modern Art.
Did Kwan ever think this is where he would be? Author of a best-selling trilogy, jetting from city to city to attend book signings, source material for a massive Hollywood summer release?
“When I first started writing the first book, I had no idea it would even get published,” Kwan said, noting the story deals with a very niche segment of Asian society.
“So I was just writing it for myself and maybe would share it with a couple of friends but I never thought anyone would want to read about this at all.”
At a fan event later, Kwan went into detail about sharing the first, incomplete draft of Crazy Rich Asians with an editor friend.
The friend replied via email to let Kwan know he “ruined” her Thanksgiving weekend — she could not put down the book and dinner prep was waylaid.
She ordered Kwan to get the manuscript to an agent immediately.
“It was quite a shock, a very pleasant shock,” he said of that response.
While it seems like it’s been a whirlwind adventure for Kwan, it’s also been a careful process shepherding his book to screen, particularly as the discussion about representation in Hollywood marches on.
Early on, Kwan was approached by film producers about possibly changing the female lead from an Asian woman to a white woman.
Kwan declined, adding it wasn’t a difficult conversation to have.
“When you see whitewashing, it is so idiotic and unbelievable — in this day and age that exists — that characters that were meant to be a certain race would be portrayed by people of a different race but made to look like that race,” he said.
“When we have so many talented Asian actors or black actors or whatever it is — it’s unbelievable that it can still be done, so I don’t mind making people feel uncomfortable if we need to have that conversation because it shouldn’t be happening.”
The lead role eventually went to Wu, an actress who topped the wish list of many fans and one the most vocal Asian performers in Hollywood calling out whitewashing.
In April, Wu spoke about the joy of Crazy Rich Asians and what it represents to performers of colour.
“You hear the words representation and diversity — people want to see that,” she said at the Warner Bros. CinemaCon presentation in Las Vegas.
“But what’s special about this film is it differentiates Asians from the Asian-American experience. A lot of times they think putting in a face of colour and filling a quota. Our culture is more than skin deep.”
Wu’s castmates also include Chinese film icon Michelle Yeoh, Ken Jeong, Awkwafina, Gemma Chan, Jimmy O. Yang, Sonoya Mizuno, Ronny Chieng and more.
The stars hail from film, television, late-night and comedy fields from around the world.
“The way I see Crazy Rich Asians, the book and the movie, is that we were that ice breaker and I’m hoping that now, more projects can really flow through,” said Kwan.
“There needs to be so much more work out there showcasing the amazing talent and diversity that exists in all Asian communities.”
Filming began in April 2017 and took place over three months in Kuala Lumpur and in Singapore.
On-set photos shared to the stars’ Instagram accounts show a cast that appear joyous and genuinely ecstatic to be a part of a watershed for Asian representation in Hollywood.
“For me, the most enjoyable process has been witnessing the production,” said Kwan.
“When I went to Malaysia and first walked into the set of Tyersall Park (where much of the book is set) and saw how they created it and saw in the flesh these actors we’ve chosen to play these roles, bringing these people to life in a scene — it was just mind-blowing.”
Kwan praised director Chu for his vision in adapting the book, adding he “supercharged” the words Kwan wrote.
“It was even better than what I had imagined,” he said.
But is there something perhaps too excessive about revelling in the flashes of success, luxury, fortune and money depicted in Kwan’s books and in early glimpses of the film?
Not quite, since we all know money doesn’t solve everything and it certainly doesn’t buy you happiness.
“I’m really trying to show a multi-dimensional role in a lot of characters, especially in book three,” said Kwan, referencing some of the new characters introduced in Rich People Problems.
“You’re really seeing the flip side as well, you’re seeing people who are have-nots and in my own subtle way I’m trying to show the incredible wealth gap that exists in Asia, and it’s up to the audience to decide how much of a problem they have with it.
“At the same time, I’m also showing that some of these characters who have millions of dollars, the best clothes money can by, the best houses, are desperately unhappy people so I’m humanizing them in a way that hopefully makes people more understanding.”
In a cheeky moment at the fan event, a fan boldly took to a mic to ask Kwan how rich he was and whether he could be considered “crazy rich.”
There is laughter, of course, but even though Kwan has built his literary reputation on characters flush with money, one gets the sense he prefers to appreciate the finer things in life without advertising it to the world — much like Astrid Leong, a character in Kwan’s books.
Kwan is an avid fan of the TV show Survivor and, after years of chatting about his books on tour, he seemed to relish spending a few extra minutes discussing the popular reality television competition and what his gameplay might look like.
When asked if we might ever hear from some of the Crazy Rich Asians encountered in his books, Kwan doesn’t shy away.
“I hope so,” he said eagerly. “For now, I need a break — I’ve written three novels in five years and I’m really trying to spread my wings and do something totally, totally different but you know, I definitely wouldn’t mind revisiting some of these characters in the future.”