Rising starAwkwafina, who will be seen alongsideSandra BullockandCate Blanchettin next summer’sOcean’s Eight, has signed on to star in the new comedyCrazy Rich Asians. The actress joins a cast that is lead byFresh Off the BoatstarConstance WuandHenry Golding, who play young couple Rachel and Nick at the center of this film.Awkwafinawill play Rachel’s college friend Peik Lin, with production getting under way on this Warner Bros. comedy featuring an entirely Asian cast.
The Hollywood Reporterreveals that this project is based onKevin Kwan’s best-selling book that was published in 2013. The story centers on Rachel (Constance Wu), an American-born Chinese economics professor, who heads to Singapore with her boyfriend Nick (Henry Golding) for a wedding in his hometown. It doesn’t take long for the truth to come out, that Nick is from an incredibly wealthy family and that Nick is one of the most eligible bachelors in all of Asia, as all of the women in Nick’s elite social class trying to take Rachel down.
The supporting cast includesGemma Chan,Michelle Yeoh,Chris Pang,Sonoya Mizuno,Jing LusiandRonny Chieng. Production will take place exclusively in Singapore and Malaysia, with several Singaporean actors such asPierre Png,Fiona XieandTan Kheng Huarounding out the supporting cast. Warner Bros. hasn’t set a release date forCrazy Rich Asiansat this time, and it remains to be seen how long production is expected to last for.
Jon M. Chuis directing from a script byPeter ChiarelliandAdele Lim.Nina JacobsonandBrad Simpson(The Hunger Games) are producing through their Color Force company, along with Ivanhoe’sJohn Penotti.Tim CoddingtonandRobert Friedlandare also serving as executive producers alongside the authorKevin Kwan.Pete ChiarelliandJon M. Chupreviously worked together on last summer’s sequelNow You See Me 2, withAdele Limmaking her feature writing debut after writing and producing on TV show such asStar-Crossed,Reignand currently Fox’s hitLethal Weaponseries.
Awkwafinagot her start in the entertainment industry as a New York-based rapper, before quickly building a strong acting career as well. She was featured in the TV seriesGirl Codein 2014, and she made her feature film debut inNeighbors 2: Sorority Rising, Universal’s hitcomedy sequelfrom last year. She also voiced Quail on the animated comedyStorksand she will next be seen inDude, starringLucy Hale, andOcean’s Eight. With production now under way onCrazy Rich Asians, hopefully we’ll hear more about this new comedy.
