Ken Jeong on the success of 'Crazy Rich Asians': 'The fans have spoken'
CNN/Stylemagazine.com Newswire | 8/21/2018, 12:52 p.m.
Ken Jeong is an actor, comedian and a former practicing doctor.
By Chloe Melas, CNN
(CNN) -- Ken Jeong is still pinching himself over the success of "Crazy Rich Asians."
"This is beyond expected for all of us," Jeong told CNN at the MTV VMAs on Monday night. "It's been highly emotional for the whole cast and crew. The fans have spoken ... I'm so grateful to the fans and it just shows that it's time."
"Crazy Rich Asians," made $35 million dollars at the US box office over its five day opening, exceeding projections. Jeong is one of the stars of the film, based on Kevin Kwan's best selling book of the same name. The movie also stars Constance Wu and Henry Golding.
The last time a major Hollywood film featured a predominately Asian cast was 1993's "The Joy Luck Club."
Jeong said he hopes the popularity of "Crazy Rich Asians" will encourage more inclusive casting and storytelling out of Hollywood.
"The bigger picture is to have more Asian-American filmmakers' voices being heard on a major commercial studio platform. It's bigger than me. It's bigger than us," Jeong said. "The proof is in the pudding. It's commercially viable, it's profitable. When you're hearing people of color, African Americans, Asian Americans, Latino Americans, you're hearing all of us."
Jeong added, "This is a melting pot of entertainment and that's what we're here to do. I've never been more proud to be an Asian American in entertainment."
