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Kevin Kwan: Turning Intercultural Life into Art
For 25 years, Hollywood did not make a movie with an all-Asian
cast. Then a man named Kevin Kwan wrote a book, and made
a film called Crazy Rich Asians. The story is about an Asian
American economics professor named Rachel, who goes to
Singapore to meet her boyfriend's wealthy family. The film was an
instant success. It made 238.5 million dollars and became the most
successful romantic comedy of the last ten years.
Now Kwan is famous for bringing Asian themes to the big screen. The book has
been translated into several languages, and he has published two more. In listening
to him talk, it is clear that Kwan's own life has been the inspiration for his witty and
affectionate view of wealthy Asian society.
TIMES BESTSELLER
CRAZY RICH
ASIANS
& NOVEL
KEVIN KWAN
Thank ish the's by and the
CRAZY
CRAZY RICH ASIANS
KWAN
CRAZY RICH ASIANS KEVIN
HINA
IRLFR
LEVINA
Kwan was born in Singapore, and his early life
felt normal in many ways. His group of friends
rode around the neighborhood on their bikes, and
stole fruit from the neighbors. Then, when he was
11 years old, his family moved to Houston, Texas.
In the US, Kwan attended high school, made friends,
and had fun, just like others his age. He was not
a great student, but he did well in creative writing.
Eventually, he moved to New York City, where he
became a successful design consultant, with many
important clients. However, while he was living in
New York, he learned his father was very sick.
Kwan immediately returned to Houston to care for his father, and the two began to
recall memories of Singapore. Kwan was fascinated by his father's stories, and they
brought back details of his own childhood. He came from a very wealthy family. His
grandmother's ancestors started one of the first banks, and his great uncle helped
develop a widely used herbal ointment. It was normal for several generations to live
together in an elegant home, with grand furnishings and beautiful gardens. Among his
friends, there was a girl who received an expensive grand piano as a birthday present.
Another friend, who was still too young to drive, owned matching white sports cars.
As he reflected on his family history, Kwan decided to write the memories down as
stories, which inspired his novel. These people had lived through Singapore's transition
into a world financial center, and he had insight into the details of their lives. In addition,
Kwan was also an immigrant, so he could explore the feelings and hopes of other Asian
Americans and their children. He used his experiences to write his book, and then
film, about immigrants and the worlds they came from. The film's success showed that
audiences like seeing the funny, painful, and rewarding stories of families, no matter
how crazy or rich they are.
