Actress Constance Wu was born in the United States on March 22, 1982. Wu was listed as one of the top 100 global influencers in 2017 by Time magazine. She has received numerous honours, including nods for two TCA Awards, a Screen Actors Guild Award, four Critics' Choice Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and four Critics' Choice nominations.
Wu had her breakthrough in the ABC comedy Fresh Off the Boat (2015–2020), where she played Jessica Huang. For this role, which was also her first major one, Wu received four nominations for the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Actress in a Comedy Series. She received additional praise for her performance as Rachel Chu in the romantic comedy-drama Crazy Rich Asians (2018), for which she was nominated for several awards, including the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture and the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical. She was the first actress of Asian descent to receive a nomination in the former category in more than 40 years and the fourth overall. Following Hustlers (2019), she starred in Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile (2022) and other crime dramas. Following a string of media controversies and problems with her mental health, she published her memoir, Making a Scene, to critical acclaim that same year.
Early Years
Richmond, Virginia, was Constance Wu's birthplace. From Taiwan, her parents emigrated. Her mother is a computer programmer, and her father, Fang-Sheng Wu, is a professor of biology and genetics at Virginia Commonwealth University. Wu claimed that because of their extreme poverty, labour as bamboo growers, and lack of access to education, her paternal grandparents were illiterate. She is the third daughter out of four.
She participated in local theatre while attending Douglas S. Freeman High School in Henrico County, Virginia, where she received her diploma. In her senior year of high school, she attended a six-month course at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute. Wu eventually earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in acting from the State University of New York at Purchase's Conservatory of Theatre Arts in 2005. Oscar-winning director Ang Lee has been recognised by Wu as an inspiration. Wu majored in psycholinguistics after graduation and debated going back for a doctorate degree in speech pathology before settling on acting and relocating to Los Angeles.
Career
Fresh Off the Boat and early work (2006–2016)
Wu was cast in independent films and onstage in New York City. With a supporting role in Stephanie Daley (2006), she made her acting debut. Later, she appeared in The Architect and Year of the Fish in supporting roles. She had appearances in episodes of Torchwood, Covert Affairs, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and she played Laudine Lee on One Life to Live, an ABC soap opera, on a regular basis in 2007. Wu claimed in an interview that she made the rash decision to go from New York to Los Angeles in 2010 as a result of a breakup. She was given a part in Zal Batmanglij's Sound of My Voice in Los Angeles. Wu appeared in the web series EastSiders from 2012 until 2017. She received two Indie Series Awards in 2014 and 2016, both for Best Ensemble - Drama. In those same years, she was also nominated for two Indie Series Awards: Best Supporting Actress - Drama and Best Guest Actress - Drama.
With two up-and-coming Asian-American directors, Yung Chang and Christopher Yogi, Wu participated in the Sundance Screenwriters' Lab in 2014, which she believed was a special opportunity to encourage other Asian storytellers. After appearing in one unsuccessful comedy pilot, Wu and Randall Park were cast as the series' leads in the ABC comedy Fresh Off the Boat in 2014. Eddie Huang, a chef and food icon, and his memoir Fresh Off the Boat: A Memoir are the loose inspirations for the series. Wu's acting in the series was praised by critics when it first aired in 2015. She was recognised by E! as a television season 2014–15 breakout star. She garnered two TCA Award nominations for Individual Achievement in Comedy and four nominations for The Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Actress in a Comedy Series for her portrayal of Jessica Huang.
Affection for Crazy Rich Asians (2017-present)
She made an appearance in the Dimension 404 Hulu anthology series in 2017 and was named to the Time 100 list of the world's most important individuals. Wu was chosen in February 2017 to play the female protagonist in Jon M. Chu's Crazy Rich Asians adaption, which is based on Kevin Kwan's best-selling book of the same name. Warner Bros.' August 15, 2018, release of the movie marked the first major Hollywood studio picture since 1993's The Joy Luck Club to have an entirely Asian ensemble. With almost $238 million in revenue, the movie became the highest-grossing romantic comedy in a decade after receiving positive reviews from both critics and audiences. Wu's performance garnered praise from critics and nominations for the Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild, Satellite, two Critics' Choice Movie Awards, and two NAACP Image Awards. She is only the fourth female Asian nominee in history and the first Asian nominee for Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical in more than 40 years. Although filming has not yet started, Wu has agreed to return as Rachel Chu in the two Crazy Rich Asians sequels, China Rich Girlfriend and Rich People Problems, which were originally scheduled for back-to-back filming in 2020. Wu played Skunk in the short animated movie Crow: The Legend in November 2018.
The actress co-starred with Jennifer Lopez in the 2019 criminal comedy Hustlers, which centres on a group of ex-strippers who rob well-to-do men in Manhattan. The movie premiered on September 13, 2019, and it quickly gained popularity at the box office, earning over $157 million globally and earning favourable reviews from critics. Wu secretly performed labour in a strip club to be ready for the part. Wu appeared in the independent drama movie I Was a Simple Man in 2019. It was revealed in June 2019 that Wu would star in the movie Goodbye Vitamin, which is based on Rachel Khong's breakthrough book. Wu will act as the movie's executive producer and Universal Pictures will handle the distribution. Wu was hired to appear in the suspenseful Amazon Prime series The Terminal List in March 2021. Her first look TV deal with Entertainment One was recently signed. In the brand-new film Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile, which hit theatres on October 7, 2022, she portrays Mrs. Primm. She made her American stage debut in the play 2:22 A Ghost Story at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles in late 2022.
Making a Scene, a memoir by Wu, was published in October 2022.
Individual Relationships
Wu is a Los Angeles resident. Wu first met actor Ben Hethcoat in December 2011, and the two dated until February 2018. Wu discussed the abuse she had experienced online and the criticism she had faced for dating a white man, Hethcoat, in November 2018. Wu gave birth to her first kid, a girl, in August 2020 while she was dating Man Man frontman Ryan Kattner. Wu revealed the news of her second pregnancy via an Instagram story on February 21, 2023.
Both Activism And Cause Work
Wu has voiced her support for more diversity in the film business and is an activist for Chinese representation in American culture. Wu has spoken out about the times she was turned down for projects because of her race and expressed her hope that her success will open up more doors for diversity representation in the American film industry. In order to draw attention to the dearth of Chinese actors in leading roles, Chinese-American activists have adopted the hashtag meme #StarringConstanceWu, inserting Wu's image into movie advertising materials.
Wu stated in an interview with Teen Vogue that she wants to be actively involved in her care of "people with the courage to make an immigrant journey in search of peace, safety, and well-being for their families." In 2017, Wu worked with Miry's List, an organisation that provides essential kits to newly arrived immigrant and refugee families in Southern California.
Mood disorders and cyberbullying
After Fresh Off the Boat was renewed for its sixth and final season in May 2019, Wu expressed her displeasure with the renewal in a number of social media posts. She left a "Dislike" comment on the Instagram post announcing the renewal and tweeted, "So upset right now that I'm literally crying. Ugh. Fuck". A few days later, Wu confirmed why she had been upset about the show's renewal: it had made her have to abandon a project she was "really passionate about" and that would have presented a greater artistic challenge than her role in Fresh Off the Boat. She went on to say that she adored her cast members and had no ill feelings for them. The posts provoked negative feedback on social media. Wu said the controversy—and in particular, numerous private messages from "a fellow Chinese actress" who claimed Wu had "become a blight on the Chinese American community"—had led to her try suicide, which was discovered and prevented by a friend—in July 2022. Wu reduced her acting schedule and stopped using social media for the next three years in order to "focus on my mental health," which included starting counselling. Wu said in interviews that she had experienced sexual harassment from an unnamed Fresh off the Boat producer in September 2022.
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
2006 | Stephanie Daley | Jenn | |
2006 | The Architect | Michelle | |
2007 | Year of the Fish | Lucy | |
2011 | Sound of My Voice | Christine | |
2012 | Watching TV with the Red Chinese | Kimi Hu | |
2013 | Best Friends Forever | Melanie | |
2013 | Ties | Shannon O | Short film |
2013 | Taylor Manifest | Val | Short film |
2013 | Deadly Revenge | Kym | |
2014 | Electric Slide | Mika Oh | |
2013 | My Mother Is Not a Fish | N/A | Director and writer |
2015 | Parallels | Polly | |
2015 | Low Budget Ethnic Movie | Sara | |
2017 | Crow: The Legend | Skunk | Short film; Voice role |
2017 | Nine Minutes | Lilian | Short film |
2017 | The Feels | Andi | |
2017 | All the Creatures Were Stirring | Gabby | |
2017 | The Lego Ninjago Movie | The Mayor of Ninjago | Voice role |
2018 | Crazy Rich Asians | Rachel Chu | |
2018 | Next Gen | Molly | Voice role |
2019 | Hustlers | Destiny | |
2021 | Wish Dragon | Mom | Voice role |
2021 | I Was a Simple Man | Grace | |
2022 | Jennifer Lopez: Halftime | Herself | Documentary film |
2022 | Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile | Mrs. Primm |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
2006 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Candy | Episode: "Underbelly" |
2007 | One Life to Live | Laudine Lee | 3 episodes |
2011 | Torchwood | Shawnie Yamaguchi | Episode: "Miracle Day: End of the Road" |
2012–17 | EastSiders | Kathy | Main role |
2013 | Browsers | Prudence Yu | Television pilot |
2013 | Covert Affairs | Wendy Chen | Episode: "Rock a My Soul" |
2014 | Franklin & Bash | Caroline Chilton | Episode: "Falcon's Nest" |
2014 | High Moon | Mikiko Kobiyashi | Unsold television pilot |
2015 | Childrens Hospital | Pepsi Lamarr | Episode: "Up at 5"" |
2015–20 | Fresh Off the Boat | Jessica Huang | Main role |
2016 | Royal Pains | Amy Chang | Episode: "Fly Me to Kowloon" |
2017 | Dimension 404 | Jane | Episode: "Bob" |
2021 | Solos | Jenny | Episode: "Jenny" |
2022 | The Terminal List | Katie Buranek | Main role, 8 episodes |
2023 | Velma | Daphne Blake | Voice |
Music video
Title | Year | Performer(s) |
"Family Feud" | 2017 | Jay Z featuring Beyoncé |
Awards and nominations
Year | Association | Category | Work | Result |
2014 | Indie Series Award | Best Supporting Actress - Drama | EastSiders | Nominated |
Best Ensemble - Drama | Won | |||
Critics' Choice Television Award | Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Actress in a Comedy Series | Fresh Off the Boat | Nominated | |
2015 | Critics' Choice Television Award | Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Actress in a Comedy Series | Nominated | |
Unforgettable Gala – Asian American Awards | Female Breakout Star of the Year | Won | ||
Poppy Awards | Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series | Nominated | ||
TCA Awards | TCA Award for Individual Achievement in Comedy | Nominated | ||
2016 | Poppy Awards | Best Actress in a Comedy Series | Nominated | |
Critics' Choice Television Award | Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Actress in a Comedy Series | Nominated | ||
TCA Awards | TCA Award for Individual Achievement in Comedy | Nominated | ||
7th Indie Series Awards | Best Supporting Actress - Drama | EastSiders | Nominated | |
Best Ensemble - Drama | Won | |||
2018 | Critics' Choice Television Award | Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Actress in a Comedy Series | Fresh Off the Boat | Nominated |
Detroit Film Critics Society | Best Ensemble | Crazy Rich Asians | Nominated | |
Hollywood Film Awards | Breakout Ensemble Award | Won | ||
2019 | 9th The Asian Awards | Outstanding Achievement in Cinema | Won | |
National Board of Review | Best Acting by an Ensemble | Won | ||
Satellite Award | Best Actress – Comedy or Musical | Nominated | ||
NAACP Image Awards | Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture | Nominated | ||
Outstanding Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture | Nominated | |||
Golden Globe Award | Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical | Nominated | ||
Critics' Choice Movie Awards | Best Actress in a Comedy | Nominated | ||
Best Acting Ensemble | Nominated | |||
25th Screen Actors Guild Awards | Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture | Nominated | ||
Dublin Film Critics' Circle | Best Actress | Nominated | ||
Teen Choice Awards | Choice Comedy Movie Actress | Nominated | ||
2020 | Satellite Awards | Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Comedy/Musical | Hustlers | Nominated |
Quick Bio
Gender | Female |
Age | 41 years old (in 2023) |
Date of Birth | March 22, 1982 |
Full Name | Constance Wu |
Profession | Actress |
Nationality | American |
Birthplace | Richmond, Virginia, United States |
Religion | Taiwan |
Zodiac Sign | Aries |
College | Purchase College |
Profession | Actress |
Net Worth | USD $6 Million Approx |
Height, Weight & Physical Stats
Body Measurements | 35-24-35 Inches |
Bodytype | Slim |
Height | 5 Feet 4 Inches (1.63 m) |
Weight | 53 kg (117 lbs) |
Waist | 24 Inches |
Hair Color | Brown |
Eye Color | Brown |
Shoe Size | 6.5 (US) |
Dress Size | 2 (US) |
Family & Relatives
Father | Fang-Sheng Wu |
Mother | Not Known |
Marital Status | In a relationship |
Currently dating | Shaun White |
Past Relationships | Ben Hethcoat (2011 – 2016) |
Facts
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