Pop Culturalist Chats with Crazy Rich Asians’ Selena Tan

Selena Tan is an award-winning actress, writer, director, producer, and effervescent performer who lights up any project she’s a part of. She was one of the first Singaporeans cast in the book-to-film adaptation of Kevin Kwan’s bestselling novel, Crazy Rich Asians. This release marks the first time in over 25 years that an all-Asian cast has led a contemporary film in Hollywood. With the potential of blazing a new trail for more diverse stories and greater representation, Pop Culturalist sat down with Selena to chat about the film’s impact, the major differences between working on a local project as opposed to a big-budget movie, and learned about the cast’s WhatsApp group.

PC: Tell us Crazy Rich Asians and your character in the story.
Selena: Crazy Rich Asians is a rom-com set in Singapore with an international cast. It’s the story of Rachel Chu, an American professor at NYU who falls in love with Nick Young, a Singaporean who lives in the States. After a year of dating, Nick decides to bring her back home to meet the family and that’s when she discovers how crazy rich they are.

I play Alix, one of Nick’s gossipy aunties. She’s kind of a pain in the neck. [laughs] She’s always saying appropriate—or should I say inappropriate—things to try and stir up a little bit of trouble.

I loved being a part of this film and I enjoyed being on set with everyone. We all came from different parts of the world, which was so cool.

PC: With this role, you’re jumping back into the world of feature films. What was it about this project that resonated with you?
Selena: I was really drawn to this project because it was written by a Singaporean. Also, the film was set primarily in Singapore, which was a very big deal for us because we don’t normally get a big picture film with a studio budget made locally. I was excited to meet and work with not just the cast, but also the crew, the director, and the producers who are used to big-budget projects.

PC: What are some of the major differences between working on a local film as opposed to an international one?
Selena: First and foremost, the budget. You never get a local film made with this kind of budget. It’s normally one-tenth of this! In terms of work ethic, it’s very similar. Everyone is passionate. Everyone wants to do the best job possible because they have a story to tell. With the budget that we have back home, it always feels like we’re working on guerrilla-style film. We’re always stretching the dollar and trying to make ends meet; a lot of sacrifices have to be made. While the budget for Crazy Rich Asians was still modest (compared to studio standards), I was able to see how the actors and crew are taken care of with the simple things like making sure we’re fed well and rested. We only filmed a couple of scenes every day to make sure we got everything right, wherein a local film, we would try and fit five or six in a day. In that sense, it was quite liberating to have the time and money to do what needed to be done.

PC: Were you familiar with the source material before you joined the project?
Selena: No, I have to admit that I hadn’t read Kevin’s book at that time. I was told the story was about a crazy rich family in Singapore. That immediately made me interested. Normally, Singaporean films focus on a struggling middle-class. The stories are very different. In this one, they’re spending money all over the place. They’re having crazy bachelor and bachelorette parties.


After they offered me the role of one of the aunties, I knew I would be able to inhibit that character because I know of these aunties. [laughs] I probably have a few in my extended family. I was quite happy to play Alix Young.

Photo Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

PC: It’s been 25 years since we’ve had an all-Asian cast in Hollywood. What has being a part of this production meant to you and what do you think it will mean for the community?
Selena: I have to admit while we were filming, and even after we were done, I didn’t understand the magnitude of this film. We shot primarily in Malaysia and Singapore, and filming with a huge Asian cast didn’t seem out of the ordinary. As the movie got closer to being released and we started doing screenings, I started to understand the magnitude. I had people overseas reach out to me on Facebook and Instagram saying how moved they were that this film was being made. I have a second niece on my in-law’s side that lives in the U.K. and she was so excited. She reached out to me and told me how, for the first time, she felt like she was being represented in popular culture. I’ve had a lot of people from the U.S., U.K., and even Australia that have reached out to me. I appreciate how important this film is and I’m so happy to be a part of it.

PC: Like you said earlier, this film has a huge international cast, and filming with a large Asian cast isn’t out of the norm in Singapore, but in Hollywood it is. Did you and the cast discuss your experiences in the industry on set?
Selena: Personally, I didn’t have those conversations on set. I was more concerned about showing the cast around and making sure they visited all the good shops and had all the great food. [laughs] We’re an incredibly tight cast. We have a WhatsApp group that’s been going on for more than a year now and those conversations do happen in that group though!

PC: This is a three-book series. What would you be the most excited to explore with your character further if we get more films?
Selena: Without giving too much away, Alix’s character is a focal point in the third book and so I’m really looking forward to that.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?
Selena: The Crown

PC: Guilty pleasure movie?
Selena: Love Actually

PC: Favorite book?
Selena: To Kill a Mockingbird

PC: Favorite play or musical?
Selena: That’s tough! My favorite musical is Into the Woods and my favorite play is Macbeth.

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Selena: Caro Emerald

PC: What’s the last show you binge-watched?
Selena: Scandal

PC: Hidden talent?
Selena: Cooking

Make sure to follow Selena on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, and catch Crazy Rich Asians in theaters now!