Jon M. Chu | |
|---|---|
| File:Jon M. Chu 2013.jpg Chu in March 2013 | |
| Born | Jonathan Murray Chu November 2, 1979 Palo Alto, California, U.S. |
| Alma mater | University of Southern California (BFA) |
| Occupation |
|
| Years active | 2001–present |
| Spouse(s) | Kristin Hodge (m. 2018) |
| Children | 3 |
Jonathan Murray Chu (born November 2, 1979)[1] is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. He is best known as the director of 2018's Crazy Rich Asians, the first film by a major Hollywood studio to feature a majority cast of Asian descent in a modern setting since The Joy Luck Club in 1993.[2]
The films that he has directed often include musical elements, including the dance films Step Up 2: The Streets (2008) and Step Up 3D (2010), musicals Jem and the Holograms (2015) and In the Heights (2021), and the live concert films Justin Bieber: Never Say Never (2011) and Justin Bieber's Believe (2013). Chu is an alumnus of the USC School of Cinematic Arts.
Early life[]
Chu was born in Palo Alto, California and grew up in nearby Los Altos. He attended Pinewood School from kindergarten through 12th grade.[3] Chu is the youngest of five children.[4] He began making movies in fifth grade, when his mother gifted him a video camera to document their family vacations. Chu instead began making home movies starring his siblings.[5]
His mother, Ruth Chu, was born in Taiwan; his father, Lawrence Chu, was born in Sichuan.[6][7][8] His family owns the restaurant called Chef Chu's [9]
Chu obtained a BFA in Film & Television Production from University of Southern California in 2003.[4] He won the Princess Grace Award, the Kodak Student Filmmaker Award,[10] the Dore Schary Award presented by the Anti-Defamation League, the Jack Nicholson directing award, and was recognized as an honoree for the IFP/West program Project: Involve.[citation needed]
Career[]
After making his student short, When the Kids Are Away, Chu was signed to William Morris Agency and attached to several high-profile projects. Chu was hired by Sony Pictures to direct their feature Bye Bye Birdie, but Sony never green lit the film due to budget concerns. Sony re-hired Chu to direct their updated version of The Great Gatsby,[11] which did not pan out as the project was purchased by Warner Bros. Pictures for their 2013 film.
He is in a dance crew called AC/DC or Adam/Chu Dance crew. In an interview, Chu addressed a question he is often asked, "Why do all of your films have dance?" He responded, "I don't know why. It seems so obvious. But there's something about the dancers that motivate me the most. I don't know if it's just dance, but I do think that the dancers are amazing artists, and every time I meet a new dancer, that triggers something in my brain, and I'm more creative than I could ever be. When I feel that creativity burst, I go with it."[12]
In 2013, Chu was awarded the Visionary Award by East West Players (EWP), the longest-running theater of color in the United States, for his contributions to the Asian Pacific American (APA) community. In an online Q&A, Chu revealed that he had attended EWP's productions as a child and was excited "to push boundaries with them in the future."[13]
Chu directed Crazy Rich Asians, which was the highest-grossing film over the August 17, 2018 weekend, earned over $35M at the US box office during its first five days,[14] and garnered a 93% certified fresh rating from Rotten Tomatoes. Within a week of the film's release, Variety reported that a sequel was already in development by Warner Bros. with Chu scheduled to direct.[15] Director Chu is part of Rachel Chu's family in the book, as a distant cousin.[16]
Chu directed In the Heights, based on the Broadway musical of the same name for Warner Bros. Pictures. It was previously set for a June 26, 2020 release, though it was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The film was released on June 10, 2021.[17][18][19][20]
Upcoming projects[]
In October 2020, it was announced that Chu would be directing the pilot for the Disney+ series Willow, based on the film of the same name, with Warwick Davis returning as the title character.[21][22] The following month, Chu entered talks to direct a live-adaptation of Disney's Lilo & Stitch.[23]
In January 2021, Chu left directorial duties on Willow due to production delays and personal reasons with the birth of his next child.[24] The following month, it was announced that Chu would direct the two-part film adaptation of Wicked for Universal Pictures, with both parts set for December 2024 and 2025 releases.[25][26]
In May 2021, it was reported that Chu had left directorial duties on Lilo & Stitch due to his involvement with other projects.[27]
Chu will direct an adaptation of Dr. Seuss' Oh, The Places You'll Go!, produced by the Warner Animation Group alongside Dr. Seuss Enterprises and Bad Robot Productions, set for a release date of 2027.[28]
In March 2022, it was announced that Chu would be producing (and possibly directing) an animated film based on the children’s modeling compound Play-Doh. It will be produced by Entertainment One and Hasbro.[29][30]
Personal life[]
Chu is married to Kristin Hodge. Their daughter, Willow Chu, was born in 2017; she is named after the 1988 fantasy film Willow.[31] Their son, Jonathan Heights Chu, was born in 2019. His middle name comes from the film, In the Heights, which Chu was in the middle of directing at the time.[32]
Filmography[]
Film[]
| Year | Title | Director | Producer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | The Secret of the Magic Gourd | No | Yes | |
| 2008 | Step Up 2: The Streets | Yes | No | |
| 2010 | Step Up 3D | Yes | No | |
| 2011 | Justin Bieber: Never Say Never | Yes | No | Documentary film |
| 2012 | Step Up: Revolution | No | Executive | |
| 2013 | G.I. Joe: Retaliation | Yes | No | |
| Justin Bieber's Believe | Yes | No | Documentary film | |
| Dear Mr. Watterson | No | Associate | ||
| 2014 | Step Up: All In | No | Executive | |
| 2015 | Jem and the Holograms | Yes | Yes | |
| 2016 | Dance Camp | No | Yes | |
| Now You See Me 2 | Yes | No | ||
| 2018 | Crazy Rich Asians | Yes | No | |
| 2019 | Step Up: Year of the Dance | No | Yes | |
| 2021 | In the Heights | Yes | No | |
| 2024 | Wicked | Yes | No | |
| 2025 | Wicked: Part 2 | Yes | No | |
| 2027 | Oh, the Places You'll Go! | Yes | No | |
| TBA | Play-Doh | TBA | Yes |
Short films[]
| Year | Title | Director | Executive Producer |
Writer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Silent Beats | Yes | Yes | Yes | Also sound and production designer |
| 2002 | When the Kids Are Away | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Gwai Lo: The Little Foreigner | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Television[]
| Year | Title | Director | Executive Producer |
Writer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010–2011 | The Legion of Extraordinary Dancers | Yes | Yes | Yes | Creator; Also editor |
| 2019 | Ken Jeong: You Complete Me, Ho | Yes | Yes | No | TV special |
| 2019–present | Good Trouble | Yes | Yes | No | Pilot |
| 2020–present | Home Before Dark | Yes | Yes | No |
References[]
- ↑ Chu, Jon M. [@jonmchu] (2014-11-02). "Please dont wish me a happy 35th birthday today! Just help me reach my goal by..." (Tweet). Archived from the original on April 23, 2020. Retrieved 2020-04-22 – via Twitter.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ Ho, Karen K. (August 15, 2018). "'Crazy Rich Asians' Is Going to Change Hollywood. It's About Time" (in en). Time. https://time.com/longform/crazy-rich-asians/. Retrieved 2020-05-05.
- ↑ "Pinewood Alum Jon Chu Debuts in Movie Theaters Everywhere". Pinewood School. http://www.pinewood.edu/page.cfm?p=1059.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "USC Alumni Association | Jon M. Chu '03". Retrieved 2019-11-14.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ "USC Alumni Association | Jon M. Chu '03". Retrieved 2021-09-23.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ Yamato, Jen (August 10, 2018). "'Crazy Rich Asians': Director Jon M. Chu hopes to inspire other storytellers, open Hollywood's doors". Los Angeles Times.
My mom's from Taiwan. My dad's from mainland China. They came over when they were 19, 20 years old.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ Yang, Jeff (September 10, 2018). "The legendary Silicon Valley restaurant behind Crazy Rich Asians". Inkstone News. Retrieved 15 October 2018.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ "Lawrence Chu and Chef Chu's – Los Altos, CA". Great Chefs.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ "'Crazy Rich Asians' director grew up around dad's world-famous Bay Area Chinese restaurant". 3 August 2018.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ "'The Legion of Extraordinary Dancers' Creator Jon M. Chu to Receive Pioneer Prize at International Digital Emmy® Awards at MIPTV 2011". www.businesswire.com. 2011-02-17. Retrieved 2021-09-23.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ Halbfinger, David (February 18, 2008). "Director's Reward: A Second First Chance". The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/18/movies/18chu.html.
- ↑ Close, Jordan (2010-09-15). "Filmmaker "Born from a Boombox": An interview with Jon M. Chu". Asia Pacific Arts.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ "Jon M. Chu | East West Players tells all". Retrieved 2019-07-23.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ McClintock, Pamela (19 August 2018). "Weekend Box Office: 'Crazy Rich Asians' Wins With $26.5M for $35M Five-Day Launch". The Hollywood Reporter. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/box-office-crazy-rich-asians-wins-35-million-debut-weekend-1135824.
- ↑ Rubin, Rebecca (2018-08-22). "'Crazy Rich Asians' Sequel in Works With Jon M. Chu to Direct" (in en-US). Variety. https://variety.com/2018/film/news/crazy-rich-asians-sequel-john-m-chu-1202913633/.
- ↑ Guerrasio, Jason (15 August 2018). "How the director of 'Crazy Rich Asians' found redemption after a string of uninspiring studio movies". Business Insider. https://www.businessinsider.com/director-of-crazy-rich-asians-had-to-ignore-his-past-failure-to-make-a-career-defining-movie-2018-8.
- ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (April 21, 2020). "'In The Heights' Dances Into Summer 2021". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ McNary, Dave (June 7, 2018). "Lin-Manuel Miranda's 'In the Heights' Sets Summer 2020 Release". Variety. https://variety.com/2018/film/news/warner-bros-lin-manuel-miranda-in-the-heights-2020-release-1202836105/.
- ↑ Galuppo, Mia (May 17, 2018). "Lin-Manuel Miranda's 'In the Heights' Lands at Warner Bros.". The Hollywood Reporter. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/lin-manuel-mirandas-heights-lands-at-warner-bros-1113008.
- ↑ Galuppo, Mia (March 24, 2020). "Warner Bros. Delays Release of 'In the Heights,' 'Scoob!' Due to Coronavirus". The Hollywood Reporter. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/warner-bros-delays-release-heights-scoob-due-coronavirus-1285773.
- ↑ "Jon M Chu To Direct Lucasfilm's Willow Series for Disney". Lucasfilm. October 20, 2020. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ Thorne, Will (2020-10-20). "'Willow' Sequel Series Officially a Go at Disney Plus, Jon M. Chu to Direct" (in en). Variety. https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/willow-sequel-series-warwick-davis-jon-m-chu-disney-plus-1234811000/.
- ↑ Kit, Borys (November 13, 2020). Jon M. Chu in Talks to Direct Live-Action 'Lilo & Stitch' Movie (Exclusive). Retrieved November 13, 2020.
{{cite book}}: ; work - ↑ Ridgely, Charlie. "Jon M. Chu Steps Away From Directing Disney's Willow". ComicBook.com. Retrieved 2021-01-11.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ Galuppo, Mia (February 2, 2021). "Jon M. Chu Set to Direct 'Wicked' Musical". The Hollywood Reporter. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/jon-m-chu-set-to-direct-wicked-musical.
- ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (April 26, 2022). "Universal Releasing 'Wicked' Musical In Two Parts". Deadline. Retrieved April 26, 2022.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ Shuler, Skyler (May 29, 2021). "Upcoming Disney Live-Action Remakes/Adaptations". The DisInsider. Retrieved June 23, 2021.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ "Jon M. Chu Tapped To Direct Adaptation of Dr. Seuss' 'Oh, The Places You'll Go!' For Warner Bros Animation Group And Dr. Seuss Enterprises; Bad Robot Producing". Deadline. 2021-11-11. https://deadline.com/2021/11/jon-m-chu-dr-seuss-oh-the-places-youll-go-warner-bros-bad-robot-1234871861/.
- ↑ Jackson, Angelique (2022-03-17). "Play-Doh Animated Movie in the Works from Emily V. Gordon and Jon M. Chu". Variety. Retrieved 2022-03-19.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (2022-03-17). "'Play-Doh': Emily V. Gordon To Write, Jon M. Chu Circling To Direct Animated Pic For eOne & Hasbro About Colorful Clay". Deadline. Retrieved 2022-03-19.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ Barsanti, Sam (October 20, 2020). "Disney+ orders Willow sequel series from Jon M. Chu, with Warwick Davis returning". Yahoo Sports. The AV Club. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ D'Zurilla, Christie (January 6, 2020). "'Crazy Rich Asians' director has the sweetest reaction to Awkwafina's Globes win" (in en-US). Los Angeles Times. https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2020-01-06/golden-globes-2020-awkwafina-jon-m-chu.
External links[]
- Jon M. Chu at the Internet Movie Database
- Jon M. Chu on Facebook
- Jon M. Chu on Twitter
Template:Jon M. Chu Template:Hip-hop dance
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