Ken Jeong, Jon Chu team up for Netflix stand-up slot
I am thrilled to work with Jon again, and his brilliant cinematic eye will capture the energy and excitement of my first stand-up special.
LOS ANGELES: What did the trick for comedian Ken Jeong was a laugh-out-role in current blockbuster Crazy Rich Asians.
Now he’s getting into a Crazy Rich Asians reunion, with his first-ever comedy special.
He has enlisted Crazy director Jon M. Chu to direct.
The Hangover star was most recently seen in the breakout hit Crazy Rich Asians, which has stacked up a pile of cash amounting to US$80 million (RM328 million) in just two weeks at the US box office.
Tentatively titled Ken Jeong: First Date, he will take the stage to reflect on his journey from doctor to comedy star, and will open up about how his wife’s battle with breast cancer led to him starring in 2009’s The Hangover. The Netflix special will premiere next year.
Filming will take place on Sept 15 at the Ice House Comedy Club in Pasadena, where Jeong first got his start in comedy. Jeong will executive produce with Brett Carducci.
“I am thrilled to work with Jon again, and his brilliant cinematic eye will capture the energy and excitement of my first stand-up special,” says Jeong.
Netflix has become the goto home for stand-up specials, with top talent including Chris Rock, Dave Chappelle and Jerry Seinfeld. Earlier in August, the streaming giant announced that breakout comedian Tiffany Haddish has set her next standup special for 2019.
In Crazy Rich Asians, Jeong plays Wye Mun Goh, the colourful father of Peik Lin (Awkwafina), who helps Rachel (Constance Wu) find acceptance among her boyfriend’s (Henry Golding) wealthy Singaporean family. The actor will next be seen in several films, including Goosebumps 2, Boss Level and Wonder Park. Jeong’s TV credits include Community and Dr. Ken, which he created, executive produced, wrote and starred in. In 2019, he will serve as a judge on Fox’s celebrity singing competition The Masked
Ken Jeong, comedian
Singer. Jeong is repped by ICM Partners, Brett Carducci/ Aligned Entertainment and Stone Genow.
Chu, whose previous work includes Now You See Me 2, the concert doc Justin Bieber: Never Say Never and G.I. Joe: Retaliation, helmed Crazy Rich Asians, the first non-period studio picture in over 25 years to feature an all-Asian cast, based on Kevin Kwan’s hit book.
He has never been busier: Chu will soon direct the film adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Tony Awardwinning musical In the Heights for Warner Bros., and is set to direct and exec produce a series inspired by 11-year-old investigative reporter Hilde Lysiak for Apple. Additionally, the plan is for him to return to direct the sequel to Crazy Rich Asians at Warners. Jeong’s Netflix project will be Chu’s first time directing a comedy special.