Kevin Kwan took inspiration for his best-selling 2013 rom-com, Crazy Rich Asians, from his own upper crust community in Singapore. The story begins with protagonist Rachel Chu, a Chinese American economics professor at NYU, who finds herself falling for Nick Young, a charming and secretly well-to-do colleague. It isn’t until she accompanies him to a wedding in his home country of Singapore that she truly understands the extent of his wealth. Nick is not just rich—he’s the sole heir to the fortune of one of Asia’s most affluent families. Rachel, who grew up working class and was raised by a single mother, struggles to assimilate to his family’s lavish lifestyle, worrying that she’s neither rich enough nor Chinese enough for Nick. Worse, she finds herself at odds with Nick’s controlling mother, whose disapproval may be enough to break up the lovebirds for good. The immensely popular book, which spawned two successful sequels, helped usher in more Asian representation in the genre, selling more than five million copies worldwide since its release. In 2018, the groundbreaking film adaptation became the first major Hollywood movie to feature an all-Asian cast since The Joy Luck Club 25 years earlier. It is also the highest-grossing romantic comedy of the last decade in the U.S.
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