Brenda Song can currently be seen starring in Hulu comedy “Dollface” opposite Kat Dennings and Shay Mitchell, but one project she was hoping to land — and didn’t — was “Crazy Rich Asians”.
In an interview with Teen Vogue, the former “Suite Life of Zack and Cody” star, 31, revealed that she was eager to audition for a role in the groundbreaking comedy blockbuster. However, she told the mag that her managers were told she wouldn’t be considered.
“A lot of people don’t know this, but I never got to read for ‘Crazy Rich Asians’, ever,” she revealed, explaining she was told producers felt she wasn’t right for the role.
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“Their reasoning behind that, what they said was that my image was basically not Asian enough, in not so many words,” said Song.
As an Asian-American actress, she found that puzzling.
“I’ve auditioned for Caucasian roles my entire career, but this specific role, you’re not going to let me do it? You’re going to fault me for having worked my whole life?’” she continued. “I was like, ‘Where do I fit?’”
Admitting she was devastated to not even be considered, Song said she took some time off to do some travelling, and returned home with a renewed perspective.
“I got myself together and said, ‘Brenda, there is only one you, and you can’t change who you are. You can’t change your past.’ I am so grateful for every job that I’ve done,” she added. “All I can do is continue to put good auditions out there, do the best that I can — that’s all I can ask for.”
Despite Song’s claim, “Crazy Rich Asians” director Jon Chu says he never felt that way about Song at all in a response via Twitter, writing “that sucks if anything of that nature was communicated.”
In a second tweet, Chu said he feels “horrible she thinks this is the reason. The fact is I love Brenda Song and am a fan. I didn’t need her to audition because I already knew who she was!”
