by Gregory Ferraro & Destiny Morris
Fictional stories are often just seen as an escape from reality, but award-winning director, storyteller and visionary Jon M. Chu creates films that resonate with and represent diverse communities. With “Wicked,” Chu has reimagined a beloved story with a new diverse cast and with “Crazy Rich Asians,” he has brought unprecedented Asian representation to Hollywood.
On Sept. 18, 2025 Chu visited Cal State Fullerton’s campus to share his experience of filmmaking throughout his entire life. He reflected on his deep connection to film and what drives him to continue telling stories that are based in reality.
“I think for me,” Chu said, “The best cinema, the best stories, are when they’re trying to find the truth.”
In his version of “Wicked,” Chu brought authenticity to the fictional characters within the musical by casting diverse actors including Cynthia Erivo and Marissa Bode. As the first film adaptation of the popular musical, Chu’s casting choices were monumental in grounding fictitious characters.
In the story, Elphaba is othered throughout her entire life for being born green. Erivo as a Black queer woman from London, brought her personal story and depth into her character, using her real experiences and raw emotion to portray Elphaba.
Chu allowed Erivo to express her own cultural background as a Black woman for Elphaba, designing new microbraided hair as well as giving attention to her long, extravagant nails.
One CSUF student and a long-time Wicked fan, commented on how he related to his character in an interview.
“Elphaba truly has so many relatable attributes about herself. In ‘I’m not that girl,’ I think I relate to that song more than anything out of that show as a gay man,” he said.
In a monumental move for inclusivity, “Wicked” cast Bode as Nessarose, marking the first time an actress who uses a wheelchair in real life was cast for this production. This decision underscores a commitment to diversity and representation in musical theatre. Bode’s casting promises to bring a new authentic dimension to Elphaba’s sister.
“It was really important to me to honor the wonderful work that has been done in this stage musical while also making it my own and bringing my own experiences as somebody who is disabled into this role as well,” Bode said. “I hope audiences know there was a lot of care put in.”
Chu’s filmmaking reflects reality because that is how he be- gan filmmaking. Chu didn’t start with blockbuster hits such as “Wicked,” he instead began by making home videos documenting his immigrant family with a VHS camcorder. Chu is aware of the power in capturing stories and knows the potential impact they can have on audiences.
“Crazy Rich Asians” was the first Asian-majority cast in a major Hollywood film since “The Joy Luck Club” in 1993, as well as the first with the lead being an Asian woman named ‘Rachel,’ played by Constance Wu. Chu shares that this representation within the film reveals that the meaning extends way beyond the entertaining story it is telling.
“It should be about crazy rich Asians,” Chu said, “but it’s not about that at all, and in fact it should be about a romantic comedy, about a couple that’s gonna get together, it’s not about that at all.”
The title “Crazy Rich Asians” doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of the film’s depth. Wu’s character is a normal Chinese-American girl that is thrown into the lavish and dominating world of Asia’s elite when she joins her boyfriend to visit his extravagantly wealthy family in Singapore. The flashy and eye-catching bling of the film can detract some from its actual meaning.
“It’s about her identity, and finding her self-worth,” Chu said, “what I always love about movies is, people don’t have time to think about this stuff all the time.”
Rachel, like many other characters that are brought to view- ers through the lens of Chu, connect with and teach audi- ences even if they may not be real. Chu’s talent is evident through his ability to always reflect the truth of the real world in each film he creates.
“Whether it’s timeless or not, that’s not up to me, that’s up to the audience and the world, but my best as a storyteller can come through that,” Chu said.