CRAZY RICH ASIANS (2018)

Based on the bestselling novel of the same name by Kevin Kwan, Crazy Rich Asians (2018) was the first Hollywood film since The Joy Luck Club (1993) to feature an Asian majority cast. The film is currently the top-grossing romantic comedy in a decade and has received multiple accolades, including two Golden Globe nominations for best motion picture and best actress.

Fashion played a key role in the film, with designer outfits used to display the characters’ wealth and taste—or sometimes lack thereof. One of the most famous dresses in the film, the light blue, V-neck Marchesa gown worn by lead actress Constance Wu in the wedding scene, is now having a second life off camera. The dress was presented to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in celebration of Asian-American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

The pivotal scene in the film where Constance Wu and Michelle Yeoh’s characters play mahjong together also ignited interest in the Chinese tile game. Multiple news sites including CBS, Vox, and Vice all produced programmes or articles explaining the rules of mahjong.

The phenomenon that is the first film, and the global attention it has received, have paved the way for the book’s sequels China Rich Girlfriend and Rich People Problems to also be adapted into films. Crazy Rich Asians has further cemented the careers of actors Constance Wu, Henry Golding, and Nora Lum, popularly known as Awkwafina, and the three stars have continued to pave the way for Asian representation in leading roles in Hollywood.