Crazy Rich Asians is one of the most successful rom-com releases of recent years. This could only mean good things for the film’s star, Constance Wu. Wu, who also held a lead role in Fresh Off the Boat, was becoming one of the most accomplished Asian-American actresses of our generation. However, if you were a Twitter user in 2019, you may remember the tweets that almost ruined Wu’s career.Â
“Fucking hell,” she tweeted.Â
“Congrats on your renewal! Great news :),” a user replies.Â
“No it’s not,” Wu replies.Â
On May 10, 2019, Fresh Off the Boat was renewed. Shortly after, Wu began tweeting. Along with the controversial fan interaction, she posted, “So upset right now that I’m literally crying. Ugh. Fuck.” Fresh Off the Boat was unique. It’s not often that you see American television centered around an Asian family, but that’s what this show was. It’s also not often that you see an actor disappointed by a renewal. Wu’s tweets were shocking to audiences, and she received heavy backlash for sounding selfish. Many pointed out that the show’s renewal meant its crew stayed employed, while others criticized her for not supporting one of the only shows providing Asian-American representation. Suddenly, rumors began to flood the media claiming Wu was difficult to work with. It was Katherine Heigl all over again.Â
Why would an actress with a blossoming career put her work on the line? Why would she hate the show that started her on the path to fame? After spending three years off social media, Constance Wu has returned with an answer. She released a Twitter statement and a memoir earlier this month titled Making a Scene. In this, she reveals that a Fresh Off the Boat producer sexually harassed her on set. There were two reasons Wu remained silent. This was her first big role, and she didn’t want to put her career at risk. She also felt pressured to keep the show in good graces with the public. Since it was one of the only shows centered around Asian-Americans, she did not want to stain its reputation. After revealing this information, Wu’s outburst suddenly makes sense. Even after Wu released her memoir, she continued to receive harsh backlash. After another Asian-American actress messaged Wu to call her a “blight” on their community, she attempted suicide. Wu failed to meet the expectations of a perfect role model, a perfect face for Asian-American actresses. Now that she’s returned to the public eye, she’s encouraging a more understanding approach to celebrity “meltdowns”. On Late Night With Seth Meyers, Wu said, “I think it’s important that we engage in curiosity and empathy before we go straight to judgment, because if somebody does something out of character for them, usually something’s going on in their life.”Â
People often joke about Robert Pattinson hating Twilight. Wu was not given such a kind lens when she expressed disdain for Fresh Off the Boat. There are countless examples of women having to explain their emotions to the public to avoid harsh judgement. When McKayla Maroney won the vault silver at the 2012 Olympics, she was called a bad sport. Now we know why she looked so upset on the podium–she was competing on three injuries and her athletic trainer, Larry Nassar, was sexually abusing her. Instead of treating Simone Biles, another survivor of Nassar’s abuse, with sympathy for her mental distress in Tokyo, she was called weak, unreliable, and even traitorous by the media. Brittney Spears’ pain was treated as entertainment until her side of the story was revealed. The list goes on, and time after time we find ourselves rushing to form an opinion on female emotion without trying to understand what the cause may be. Years later, when a woman’s “side of story” is finally given a platform, we all feel apologetic. Constance Wu’s bravery in sharing her experiences and openly criticizing the public’s scrutiny of celebrities’ humanity may help flip the script. Hopefully her story inspires more sympathetic approaches to social media controversy in regards to celebrities, especially females.