Success of Crazy Rich Asians Could Lead to More Asian Representation

After the box office success of Crazy Rich Asians, producers are seeing the monetary value of diversity in film and television. Many have called last month “Asian August” because of the release of Crazy Rich Asians, Searching, and To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before. These films have been met with positive reviews from critics and the public. The hope is that these numbers will prove that diverse casts can be successful.

It has been announced that Jessica Gao, writer for Rick and Morty is developing a show about Chinese-Americans. Although details are scarce, it is reported to be about a first generation Asian-American woman who inherits a large sum of money and struggles to deal with her family. If this is a sign of where film and television is going, it’s a positive sign. My hope is that this is not a phase or producers’ attempt to jump on the “trend” of representation, but that it is a true realization of the value of stories from new perspectives and cultures.