A Reaction Piece on the First Crazy Rich Asians Trailer - Arts & Culture

I remember one of the best moments of last year, when I met author Kevin Kwan during his book tour for Rich People Problems. Not only was I able to personally meet him, but I was able to thank him for writing the trilogy. The book (and its predecessors Crazy Rich Asians and China Rich Girlfriend) meant a lot to someone like me, mainly because I felt that the Chinese (and other Persons of Color) aren’t really represented much in mainstream literature. I’m not saying that books written by Asian authors or about Chinese culture were unpopular, a few have actually garnered strong followings over the years. For example, Amy Tan’s The Joy Luck Club and Pearl S. Buck’s The Good Earth were hits in their day (and remain to be), but this felt different.

When talk of a movie based on the book began making the rounds, my first reaction was terrified. It was not because I thought it was going to be a terrible film, it was because I was scared that the movie would get whitewashed. A lot of fans felt this way too. Whitewashing is defined as casting white actors in non-white character roles. For example, when Mickey Rooney appeared as Mr. Yunioshi, a stereotypical version of a Japanese man in 1961’s Breakfast at Tiffany’s. I didn’t want this to happen, especially since 99% of the characters in the book are of Asian descent. Luckily, we were promised a cast of Asians. They had been true to that promise, when they began dropping big names, like the legendary Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) alum Michelle Yeoh and up-and-coming actors like Henry Golding (To me, he is the perfect Nicholas Young—don’t you dare argue with me on this!).

WATCH: THE CRAZY RICH ASIANS TRAILER…


Kevin Kwan dropped the teaser trailer on his Instagram account and already I was itching to get more than just the 40-second preview which was to drop on Monday. The weekend could not have been longer because I was more than ready to witness the grand Asian epic come to life in a two-minute trailer. I kid you not, I was actually shaking when I clicked on the YouTube link at 10PM that Monday evening. It was a link which I searched for endlessly throughout the day because I was nervous. The teaser was already great, but the trailer would likely tell me if the flow was going towards the other direction (Dare I say it? A flop) but boy, was I wrong.

Before I begin, here’s a little background on the story for those of you who have not read the book (but sadly you are missing out!). The story is about Nicholas “Nick” Young, a professor at NYU, who is involved with Rachel Chu, a fellow professor. Nick finds out that his best friend Colin is getting married to his sweetheart Araminta Lee. This pushes Nick to return home to Singapore, bringing Rachel along with him to finally introduce her to his family. But little does Rachel know that Nick actually belongs to a wealthy family of Singapore high society, which includes a gaggle of gossip-laden family members (rich enough to buy parts of the world) and a tiger mom hell-bent on making sure her son is getting only the best of the best. And course, how can we forget a lot of luxury, money, and drama sandwiched in between?

RELATED READS: Crazy Rich Asians Are Real, And Here Are Some Of Them

You will get instant Great Gatsby vibes from the trailer
You will get instant Great Gatsby vibes from the trailer


The first thought that popped into my head while watching the trailer was this felt like an Asian version of The Great Gatsby (with a dash of Ocean’s Eleven without the heist scenes) and the high-fueled catty serial drama Dynasty. The trailer itself captured the feel of the story. You could instantly feel the grandeur and the glory of Singapore and the inexplicable excess of wealth oozing from the screen. The sets were also more class than crass.

The main characters Nick Young (Henry Golding), Rachel Chu (played seamlessly by Fresh Off The Boat’s Constance Wu) and the Iron Lady of the Young clan Eleanor (Michelle Yeoh commands the room the moment she appears on screen) take the stage and they do not disappoint one bit. Even the quirky and sometimes boisterous Peik Lin (played by Ocean’s 8 star Awkwafina) adds a lot of refreshing pep as Rachel’s best friend, whose down-to-earth nature runs counter to the high-end life Rachel’s fiancé’s family lives (but mind you, Peik Lin is also rich).

RELATED READS: A Complete List of TIME Magazine’s Most Influential People of 2018

Constance Wu as Rachel Chu in Crazy Rich Asians (2018)
Constance Wu as Rachel Chu in Crazy Rich Asians (2018)
Henry Goulding as Nick Young in Crazy Rich Asians (2018)
Henry Goulding as Nick Young in Crazy Rich Asians (2018)


Beneath all the flashing bulbs, glitter, and luxury, this is a tale about family and acceptance. It is about values (which are highlighted especially in the cut-with-a-knife tension displayed by both Rachel and Eleanor during their interactions together). The latter does not think the former is enough to be with her son, and to the audience, it’s clear it goes beyond the color of her skin. The casting felt ideal, and the trailer, did not disappoint with brief moments it gave me. Henry Golding looks lovely as Nicholas Young (yes he gets another special mention), so does Constance Wu (as the effervescent Rachel Chu), Chris Pang (I swear, Colin Khoo was exactly how I pictured him to be), and Gemma Chu (as Astrod, the golden girl of the Leong clan). Though we didn’t get a sneak peek of what Kris Aquino’s role would be, I’m going to say that I’m more then confident that this will be one the biggest hits this summer, and I can’t wait.

PS: I do hope they do the Prologue scene of the book, A.K.A. the standoff at the hotel. It’ll all leave us with a lot of salt… in a good way.

Featured image courtesy of Entertainment Weekly

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