“At the time, it was a new newspaper. I remember when the first issue came out, there was so much excitement when she brought it home and seeing her byline and her photograph. I am very thankful that I came from a highly creative family where the arts and being creative was appreciated. My mother is a pianist, and has taught for more than 50 years. She’s 81 now. During the pandemic, she learned how to teach on FaceTime."
Kevin Kwan's aunt is a journalist in Singapore at The Singapore Monitor. His cousin, Nancy Kwan, is an actress and star of the book-based film "Flower Drum Song." Nancy Kwan won a Golden Globe Award for promising newcomer. Hollywood is now embracing AAPI storytelling and representation. Here is a statement about that from the author:
“I think ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ was really a turning point. Not in any way trying to pat myself on the back at all, but that was a movement. It was something that happened because of so many amazing people — Jon Chu, Nina Jacobson and Warner Bros. and all the amazing actors. There so much more interest in receptivity now toward projects that really highlight more diverse stories. I’ve truly been a beneficiary of that. There’s interest in stuff that I do.”
There will be two more films from the Crazy Rich Asians trilogy. The author stated, “They’re deep in development. I think because of the success of the movie we really really wanted to get the sequel right. I think the goal is like, ‘This needs to be ‘The Godfather 2.” It needs to be as good, if not better than the first. We are one of those unicorn movies so there will be a lot of pressure to not disappoint the fans and to perform really well. I can’t wait till there are so many more movies like this that the pressure will be off us.”
Here is goodreads synopsis of Rich China Girlfriend:
Kevin Kwan, bestselling author of Crazy Rich Asians, is back with a wickedly funny new novel of social climbing, secret e-mails, art-world scandal, lovesick billionaires, and the outrageous story of what happens when Rachel Chu, engaged to marry Asia's most eligible bachelor, discovers her birthfather.
On the eve of her wedding to Nicholas Young, heir to one of the greatest fortunes in Asia, Rachel should be over the moon. She has a flawless Asscher-cut diamond from JAR, a wedding dress she loves more than anything found in the salons of Paris, and a fiance willing to sacrifice his entire inheritance in order to marry her. But Rachel still mourns the fact that her birthfather, a man she never knew, won't be able to walk her down the aisle. Until: a shocking revelation draws Rachel into a world of Shanghai splendor beyond anything she has ever imagined. Here we meet Carlton, a Ferrari-crashing bad boy known for Prince Harry-like antics; Colette, a celebrity girlfriend chased by fevered paparazzi; and the man Rachel has spent her entire life waiting to meet: her father. Meanwhile, Singapore's It Girl, Astrid Leong, is shocked to discover that there is a downside to having a newly minted tech billionaire husband. A romp through Asia's most exclusive clubs, auction houses, and estates, China Rich Girlfriend brings us into the elite circles of Mainland China, introducing a captivating cast of characters, and offering an inside glimpse at what it's like to be gloriously, crazily, China-rich.
Source material: Variety.com