Filmmaker Philip Wang saw how “Crazy Rich Asians” changed Hollywood’s appetite for Asian American projects almost overnight. But eight years later, the Wong Fu co-founder says the bubble has burst, and the movies and shows still coming out may give a rosier picture of the industry than what’s actually being greenlit now.
In politics, JD Vance says Republicans are tired of being called racist, while members of the Texas GOP are condemning their own nominee over his remarks about South Asian students. We’re also covering a green card lawsuit involving 22 states, a Supreme Court decision on mail ballots, Trump’s Taiwan arms dilemma, Netflix’s “DANG!” and a milestone more than six decades in the making in Japan.
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Wong Fu’s Philip Wang says the ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ boom has burst 8 years later
Remember when Hollywood suddenly wanted “anything Asian-related” after “Crazy Rich Asians” became a hit in 2018? It was fun while it lasted. That boom produced projects like “Shang-Chi,” “Everything Everywhere All at Once” and “Beef,” but filmmaker Philip Wang says fewer Asian-led projects are getting the green light now.
Even as titles like “KPop Demon Hunters” continue to perform across different audiences, UCLA and USC data show representation has lost some ground. Rather than wait for studios to come around again, the Wong Fu co-founder says this is the time for Asian American creators to prioritize telling their own stories.
What else we’re tracking
Vance says GOP tired of being called ‘racist’ for noticing US getting ‘dirtier and poorer’
Vice President JD Vance recently complained that conservatives are labeled racist for simply criticizing changes in the country. He said that during the Republican midterm convention, which itself featured attacks on Muslim Democrats Zohran Mamdani and Abdul El-Sayed. An audience member can be heard shouting that both “should be shot.” Vance even confronted a Mexican flag-waving protester by telling him to go to Mexico.
22 states sue to block DHS rule that would deny green cards to immigrants using public benefits
A new DHS rule could make using public benefits riskier for immigrants trying to get green cards, and 22 states are taking the administration to court over it. Unlike the Biden-era policy, the new rule does not spell out a limited list of benefits officers can consider. The rule could have an outsized effect on Asian immigrant families because of their large numbers in long-running green card backlogs.
Texas Republicans condemn nominee’s post on UT students as racist
Bo French’s comments about South Asian UT students have split Texas Republicans just months before the election. Some major GOP figures called his post racist or said he was unfit for office, while others defended his argument that Texas should favor residents over “foreigners.” French has refused to apologize and says his point was about favoring Texans over foreigners.
Supreme Court blocks Trump rule that could have withheld mail ballots
Trump’s push to change how USPS handles mail ballots will not take effect for the November midterms. The Supreme Court blocked the rule, with most justices concluding that the administration was unlikely to succeed on the merits. Brett Kavanaugh suggested USPS might have the authority to do something similar eventually, meaning the issue could return in a future election. That is particularly relevant for Asian American voters, nearly half of whom prefer voting by mail or dropping off their ballots.
Trump’s $14 billion Taiwan arms decision could derail Xi summit
A planned Trump-Xi summit could run into trouble over a $14 billion Taiwan weapons package. Chinese officials reportedly told Washington that approving the sales before Xi’s visit would lead Beijing to cancel the meeting. Trump previously said the sales were being held “in abeyance” and that their fate “depends on China.” Taipei has pushed back against any suggestion that its security could become part of a Washington-Beijing bargain.
Alaska drops voter fraud charges against American Samoan family
A years-long voter fraud case against an American Samoan family in Alaska is over. Prosecutors dropped the remaining charges after an appeals court ruled they had not shown that one family member knowingly did anything wrong. Alaska’s voter forms did not properly account for U.S. nationals, and even election workers and law enforcement apparently struggled with the distinction between nationality and citizenship.
After the ‘DANG!’ backlash, critics find more to like than its trailer suggested
The trailer for “DANG!” made the show look like a parade of Asian American tropes, from strict parents to overachieving kids. Interestingly, early reviews have mostly been positive, with critics finding more specificity and humor than those first two minutes suggested.
Japan has more 100-year-olds than ever
Japan’s centenarian population has officially crossed six figures. More than 107,000 people are now 100 or older, including 114-year-old Fuyo Kishimoto, the country’s oldest living person. Longer lives are coinciding with a shrinking younger population, leaving nearly three in 10 people in Japan age 65 or older.
Why read Issue #259?
We wanted Hollywood to notice us, and it did. For a teeny bit. That felt like progress because it was. But attention is fickle, especially when there’s money attached to it, and now we’re finding out what happens when the people who discovered us decide they’ve seen enough.
Except we’re still here. So are the people making things, writing things and finding audiences for them. Maybe being noticed was never the end goal we thought it was.
The exciting part is still ahead of us. So, carry on.
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