In fact, one potential producer had the wrong idea entirely of what would appeal to Kwan.
That was their strategy, he remembers.
They wanted to change the heroine into a white girl.
Sanja Bucko/Warner Bros.; Risling/Toronto Star/Getty Images
I was like, Well, youve missed the point completely.
I said, No, thank you.'
The idea wasnt surprising to Kwan, of course.Hollywood has tended to whitewash Asian roles in the past.
You shouldve heard them scream, he says.
They were like, Nooo!
To hear that reaction really confirmed for me what the audience wanted.
That was in 2013, way before the whole Hollywood whitewashing movement happened.
Theyre seeing the importance of this.
Crazy Rich Asianshits theaters Aug. 17, 2018.
