‘Crazy Rich Asians 2’ sets writer Amy Wang to replace Adele Lim, Peter Chiarelli following pay controversy
‘Crazy Rich Asians 2’ sets writer Amy Wang to replace Adele Lim, Peter Chiarelli following pay controversy
And how the Oscar-nominated ‘Licorice Pizza’ made Asians a ‘punchline.’
“Almost half of all Asian roles serve as a punchline, study finds.”
You’re not the only ones disappointed by that headline. For us, “crushing the myth” means dismantling stereotypes and improving Asian representation across all industries, including Media & Entertainment. Because to “see” our community is to see us on screen.
So welcome to Entertainment Exclusive, Crushing the Myth’s weekly newsletter that breaks down the latest Asian Entertainment news & newsmakers.
Get ready for new shows to binge, videos to keep you on the edge of your seat, and Asian celebs to stan. If that’s not enough, there are also job listings for the entertainment industry & open casting calls just a scroll down.
🏆 The Headlines
‘Crazy Rich Asians 2’ sets writer Amy Wang to replace Adele Lim, Peter Chiarelli following pay controversy — The news, first reported by Deadline, comes nearly two weeks after cast member Henry Golding told E News that Chu and his team have been “trying to figure out the writing.”
Reports of Lim’s exit broke out a year after the original film’s 2018 release. Sources claimed that she was offered a starting salary of $110,000 for the pair of sequels, while Chiarelli, in contrast, was invited to write for up to $1 million. The stark pay difference was attributed to their respective experiences, as Chiarelli had worked on several feature projects, with Lim’s previous credits having primarily come from television.
“Being evaluated that way can’t help but make you feel that is how they view my contributions,” Lim then told The Hollywood Reporter. Chiarelli reportedly volunteered to split his pay later, but Lim declined, saying “what I make shouldn’t be dependent on the generosity of the white-guy writer.”
Chu at the time stepped up to support Lim, saying he “leapt into action” along with producers and studio executives to “ensure we got to a place of parity between the two writers at a significant number.” He also said he would work with Lim again in the future.
‘Licorice Pizza’ made Asians a ‘punchline.’ And the fallout is bigger than the Oscars — Paul Thomas Anderson’s shaggy ’70s coming-of-age dramedy “Licorice Pizza” has garnered more than 125 award season accolades, including a BAFTA screenplay win and three nominations at this weekend’s 94th Academy Awards. But the film, which is up for best picture, director and original screenplay Oscars, has also faced accusations of anti-Asian racism due to a pair of scenes some have called harmful at worst and tone deaf at best.
The controversial vignettes unfold early on in Anderson’s rambling ode to the San Fernando Valley of his youth. Actor John Michael Higgins, playing Jerry Frick, the real-life owner of the Japanese restaurant the Mikado, speaks to his wife, Mioko (Yumi Mizui) — and later his second wife, Kimiko (Megumi Anjo) — in overly exaggerated Japanese-accented English. Defenders of the film counter that exposing Frick’s racism is the point. Its critics say his wives, two of the only nonwhite characters in the film, are robbed of agency and are themselves stereotypes that play into anti-Asian tropes.
Although interpretations of its intent vary, “Licorice Pizza” drew a small but vocal outcry as it rolled out in theaters and prompted articles in the Hollywood Reporter, The Atlantic and NBC Asian America. With few exceptions, Anderson and stars Cooper Hoffman and Alana Haim — who appear in the scenes as the main characters Gary and Alana, respectively — have largely ignored the controversy while promoting their film. (It likely helps that they have barely been asked about it.)
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Exclusive look at ‘Pachinko’ shows incredible strength, love of Korean immigrant family — Apple TV Plus released an exclusive “Inside Look” for the highly anticipated series adaptation of Min Jin Lee’s historical fiction novel “Pachinko.”
In 2017, “Pachinko” became a critically acclaimed New York Times bestseller and a National Book Award finalist for weaving together the excruciating tale of a displaced Korean immigrant family in Japan through occupation and war.
“This is the story of Sunja,” series creator and Executive Producer Soo Hugh says in the clip. “A poor Korean girl who becomes pregnant and has to travel far from home to start a new life in a country that doesn’t even want her.”
The clip cuts between scenes of a young yet haggard Sunja peddling kimchi to a much older Sunja and the modern, bustling streets of New York and aerial shots of Japanese skylines. The series takes an ambitious dive into racism, love and trauma faced by four generations.
“One of the things that I was so interested in is was, ‘What if, you can create a show where the third-generation has at least some kind of thematic dialogue with the first generation?’” Hugh says. “This sacrifice of that first-generation and the burden that it becomes on the third-generation.”
🎬 Industry Insider
‘Squid Game’s Hoyeon to Join Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline For Apple TV+ Series ‘Disclaimer’ (Deadline)
‘Play-Doh’: Emily V. Gordon To Write, Jon M. Chu Circling To Direct Animated Pic For eOne & Hasbro About Colorful Clay (Deadline)
‘Hacks’ Season 2 Adds Laurie Metcalf, Ming-Na Wen, Martha Kelly as Recurring Guest Stars (Variety)
📢 Casting Calls
OPEN CASTING CALL! FOR A SERIES SHOOTING FOR A MAJOR STREAMING NETWORK IN LOS ANGELES SPRING 2022
Producers of films such as “Passing,” “Sorry to Bother You,” “Dope,” and “Fruitvale Station,” are searching for talent for an upcoming KOREAN AMERICAN feature film.
💼 Industry Job Board
Creative Coordinator | Disney
Manager, One Platform Marketing | NBCUniversal
Director, Program Management | Comcast
Senior Researcher, Series Content (Kids & Animation)| Netflix
👀 Watch List — Behind the Scenes
Catch you on the flip side…aka next week’s Entertainment Exclusive.
👋, Lea @ Crushing the Myth