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Crazy Rich Asians director responds to actress told she’s 'not Asian enough' for movie

Former Disney star Brenda Song revealed in an interview that she was not able to get an audition for the hit movie for that very reason. Jon M Chu tweets his side of the story.

Crazy Rich Asians director responds to actress told she’s 'not Asian enough' for movie

Brenda Song. (Photo: AFP / Getty Images North America / Rodin Eckenroth)

Jon M Chu has responded to actress Brenda Song’s earlier allegations that she was told she was “not Asian enough” to audition for Crazy Rich Asians.

The director of the hit movie clarified his position when he responded to an Entertainment Weekly tweet of Song’s story on Wednesday (Nov 20).

Chu wrote: “Would these words ever come out of my mouth? Nope makes no sense. I feel horrible she thinks this is the reason. The fact is I love Brenda Song and am a fan. I didn’t need her to audition because I already knew who she was!"

Song had revealed in a Teen Vogue article that ran on Wednesday that her management was not able to get her a meeting or audition for a role in the rom-com.

She said in the interview: “A lot of people don't know this, but I never got to read for Crazy Rich Asians, ever.”

The former Disney star explained that her managers had conveyed a message from the movie’s people that she wasn’t right for a role.

Song added: "Their reasoning behind that, what they said was that my image was basically not Asian enough, in not so many words. It broke my heart. I said, 'This character is in her late to mid-20s, an Asian American, and I can't even audition for it? I've auditioned for Caucasian roles my entire career, but this specific role, you're not going to let me do it? You're going to fault me for having worked my whole life?’ I was like, 'Where do I fit?'"

The 31-year-old said she took some time off to travel and recover from the disappointment. “I got myself together and said, ‘Brenda, there is only one you, and you can't change who you are. You can't change your past.’ I am so grateful for every job that I've done. All I can do is continue to put good auditions out there, do the best that I can – that's all I can ask for."

Source: CNA/sr

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