CRAZY RICH ASIANS: The Blockbuster Film That Broke Boundaries, Despite Studios Wanting the Lead to Be White episode artwork

EPISODE · Apr 1, 2026 · 55 MIN

CRAZY RICH ASIANS: The Blockbuster Film That Broke Boundaries, Despite Studios Wanting the Lead to Be White

from Hollywood Gold

Producer Brad Simpson recalls the production of the hit romantic comedy that was groundbreaking in both its casting and concept. After one meeting where a studio exec pitched changing the lead character to white to appeal to a wider audience, the producers decided to finance the script independently. Authenticity was incredibly important to them, but it was hard to find support for a film set in Singapore. They struck gold with writers Peter Chiarelli and Adele Lim alongside director Jon M. Chu, and multiple studios bid on the film that went on to gross over $200 million at the box office. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Producer Brad Simpson recalls the production of the hit romantic comedy that was groundbreaking in both its casting and concept. After one meeting where a studio exec pitched changing the lead character to white to appeal to a wider audience, the producers decided to finance the script independently. Authenticity was incredibly important to them, but it was hard to find support for a film set in Singapore. They struck gold with writers Peter Chiarelli and Adele Lim alongside director Jon M. Chu, and multiple studios bid on the film that went on to gross over $200 million at the box office. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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CRAZY RICH ASIANS: The Blockbuster Film That Broke Boundaries, Despite Studios Wanting the Lead to Be White

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This episode was published on April 1, 2026.

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Producer Brad Simpson recalls the production of the hit romantic comedy that was groundbreaking in both its casting and concept. After one meeting where a studio exec pitched changing the lead character to white to appeal to a wider audience, the...

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