By ISABELLA OLIVARES
The man behind of one of 2018’s most anticipated weddings (and we’re not talking about the royal wedding) has a short chat with PeopleAsia about his books and upcoming film, his trip to the Philippines, Asian representation and how his mom still wants him to get a “real” job.
You visited the Philippines last August. What were your favorite moments on the trip?
There were so many amazing moments I don’t even know where to begin. Enjoying my first Jollibee cheeseburger and Chicken Joy with Kris Aquino at the Cebu airport. Having tea in Manila with the five talented young fans who won an Instagram contest. Arriving at Manila House and finding myself being ushered onstage and being interviewed by Karen Davila in front of a super chic standing-room-only crowd. I had no idea this was going to happen! These were all unforgettable experiences that I’ll treasure always.
Some colorful (and recognizable) characters from the Philippines are featured in Rich People Problems. How would you compare the worlds of the wealthy and excessive in the Philippines and in Singapore?
That’s easy! I think Filipinos definitely know how to have more fun! I was at an elegant yet festive dinner party in Manila and a very prominent Singaporean next to me said that a party like this would NEVER happen in Singapore!
Why do you think people continue to gravitate towards stories of the rich and famous (or in this case, crazy)?
People have been obsessed with stories about the rich and powerful since the beginning of time: David and Bathsheba, King Solomon, Marie Antoinette, Gilded Age tycoons. I’m just part of a long line of writers who are part of this tradition. It may be that readers enjoy peeking behind the velvet curtains of these privileged lives and like knowing that no amount of money will make you happy.
You mentioned in previous interviews that you relate to the character of Rachel because of her “outsider” status. How do you deal with that kind of status on a personal level?
I do relate to Rachel and her outsider status, but I wouldn’t say I relate to her the most. If anything Nick’s cousin Alistair Cheng is the character I feel the most kinship with. He’s the cousin that works in film production and isn’t taken seriously by his family because he’s pursuing a creative career track. My mom still nags me everyday to get a “real” job!
If you could choose to be any of the characters in your trilogy, who would it be?
I have to be honest and say that I really wouldn’t want to be any of my characters. As one wise man once put it: “Mo’ money, mo’ problems”. Okay….maybe some days I do think it might be cool to be Charlie Wu.
Did you ever anticipate the wild success of the series and the role that it’s playing in the discussion on the representation of the cultural experiences within the various Asian communities?
To be honest, I never even thought my book would get published! So everything that’s happened has been such an astonishing and gratifying surprise. I think so many things happen purely because of luck, and this book happened to come out at the precise moment when people were ready to have this larger conversation. And the Crazy Rich Asians series were the first books to break out into the mainstream that were set in contemporary Asia and portrayed Asians as modern, attractive, and empowered.
While a lot of advances have been made for Asian presence in global literature and the media, the lack of representation is still very much an issue. Does that add to the pressure on the upcoming film adaptation of Crazy Rich Asians?
Inevitably it does. It’s always hardest being one of the first out of the gate — you really feel the glare of the spotlight. But I hope that Crazy Rich Asians, along with the other movies and TV shows that are going to be coming out in the next couple of years, will begin to help level the playing field. But ultimately, it’s up to the audience to make this happen. If Asians really want to see themselves meaningfully represented in Hollywood and mainstream media, they need to support these projects and show the big studios that it’s going to be worth spending millions of dollars funding these films.
To what would you attribute the growing strength of this movement for representation of Asians in the media?
I think there is a bold new generation of Asians around the world demanding to be noticed, that isn’t afraid to stand up and voice their opinions and express their creativity. Their passion has inspired me to want to continue to create projects that celebrate Asian lives, history and culture.
In case you missed it, here’s the official trailer of Crazy Rich Asians:
This interview was originally published as “Kevin Kwan: In His Own Words”in the Feb-March 2018 issue of PeopleAsia
