Filmmaker Jon M. Chu has said he once struggled with the feeling of not belonging in Hollywood, a sentiment that only began to change after the success of his 2018 film Crazy Rich Asians, which he likened to “winning the lottery.”
Chu, who made his directorial debut with Step Up 2: The Streets, saw Crazy Rich Asians become a major global hit, earning over USD 239 million at the box office.
Speaking at a Canva Create panel at SoFi Stadium last month, as reported by entertainment magazine People, the director reflected on the uncertainty he felt at the time. He said he often questioned why he was the one chosen to tell certain stories and admitted that early success felt more like luck than something he had earned.
Comparing the experience to winning a lottery, Chu explained that it left him unsure of how to replicate that success.
He added that he had to find a new way to define his creative voice, even if it meant taking risks. At one point, he told his team he wanted to spend years working on a film that might not generate revenue, prioritising storytelling over commercial gain — a decision they ultimately supported.
Starring Constance Wu, Michelle Yeoh and Victoria Loke, Crazy Rich Asians follows Rachel Chu, a New York-based professor who travels to Singapore with her boyfriend, only to discover he belongs to one of Asia’s wealthiest families.
Chu’s latest directorial venture, Wicked: For Good, released in 2025 and features Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo in key roles.