Many might think Brenda Song’s career kicked off with The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, but they’d be surprised to learn that this star already had a hefty list of TV shows and movies under her belt, representing Asian Americans on the mainstream media.
She’s a true icon, no doubt. However, when it came to the 2018 film Crazy Rich Asians, she was apparently passed over for an audition because she wasn’t deemed “Asian enough.” Here’s the juicy scoop on what went down!
Brenda Song Apparently Wasn’t “Asian Enough” for a Role in Crazy Rich Asians
One actor’s greatest dream turned into Brenda Song‘s worst nightmare. She’s been a beloved figure in countless teen TV shows and movies, so much so that her race rarely comes into play, her performances were so authentic, and her characters felt real and relatable without it being the focal point.
However, that very talent became a double-edged sword when she tried to land a role in the 2018 hit Crazy Rich Asians. Despite her impressive resume and undeniable talent, she felt the casting process overlooked her, apparently because she didn’t fit their specific vision of “Asian enough.” In an interview with Teen Vogue in 2019, the actress opened up about the incident, she said,
A lot of people don’t know this, but I never got to read for Crazy Rich Asians, ever, Their reasoning behind that, what they said was that my image was basically not Asian enough, in not so many words. It broke my heart.
She continued,
I said, ‘This character is in her late to mid-20s, an Asian American, and I can’t even audition for it? I’ve auditioned for Caucasian roles my entire career, but this specific role, you’re not going to let me do it? You’re going to fault me for having worked my whole life?’ I was like, ‘Where do I fit?’
Despite her lifelong efforts to shatter stereotypes and break barriers, Brenda Song was eager to seize this chance to truly represent her culture in a way she’d always dreamed of. It was indeed very disheartening for her to face such an experience, especially after all she’s done to challenge expectations.
Crazy Rich Asians Director Jon M. Chu Denies Brenda Song’s Claims!
The irony of the fact is that Brenda Song would actually have been perfect for the role! Fans already have her registered as crazy rich in their brains, thanks to her iconic role as London Tipton.
As the daughter of Thai and Hmong immigrants, Song’s cultural background was also a natural fit for Crazy Rich Asians, which celebrated an impressive Asian-American cast. So, it was a real head-scratcher for fans when this particular news broke. Even the movie’s director found the situation bizarre and took to Twitter (now X) to clear things up. He wrote,
Would these words ever come out of my mouth? Nope makes no sense. I feel horrible she thinks this is the reason, The fact is I love Brenda Song and am a fan. I didn’t need her to audition because I already knew who she was!
It was also later reported that the movie opened up auditions for talent from all over the globe (via The World). So, fans are still scratching their heads over why Brenda Song wasn’t cast or why she wasn’t the correct fit. The mystery remains unsolved!
Crazy, Rich Asians is currently available on Netflix to stream.
