“Crazy Rich Asians” star Constance Wu criticized the new male lead of Broadway smash “Maybe Happy Ending,” whose landing of the role atop a predominantly Asian cast has been met with scorn in some corners of the theater community.
Show producers raised eyebrows over the summer when they announced that Andrew Barth Feldman would take the lead from Tony winner Darren Criss during a nine-week run in September and October.
Wu appeared to question whether Feldman fully understands the implications of him, as a white actor, playing a role that’s been so closely associated with Korean culture and other Asian players.
Wu said she is “so disappointed in him” in a lengthy Instagram post on Wednesday.
The show is set in a futuristic Seoul and before Feldman’s casting, nearly every minute of stage time is occupied by co-lead helper robots Helen Shen and Criss. Shen is a New Jersey native and daughter of Chinese immigrants, while Criss grew up in San Francisco with his mother, who is from the Philippines.
The use of a white actor for Criss’ former part drew allegations of whitewashing, with respected Broadway veteran and one-time “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” star BD Wong leading the charge. Wong said Feldman’s casting “totally mocks a marginalized community’s struggle for opportunities.”
Wu, who came to fame via the ABC sitcom “Fresh off the Boat” and then played a key role in the mega-hit rom-com “Crazy Rich Asians,” said Feldman had recently reached out to her, leading to lengthy phone calls, texts and emails between the two, she said in in her Instagram post.
They chatted “about Asian American representation” in talks that “made my hopeful,” Wu said. But that good will appeared to have vanished by Wednesday.
“But after a recent voice memo he sent me, all I can say is that I am so disappointed in him,” Wu wrote.
“And feeling pretty discouraged. It’s hard to keep speaking up when it feels like no one is listening anymore in this new era. It’s exhausting and increasingly lonely. Once again, Asian Americans are left unheard, unacknowledged, invisible. Sadly, we’re used to this.”
Wu’s post did not include details of the purported voice memo sent to her by Feldman, who is the real-life off-stage boyfriend of his “Maybe” co-star Shen.
A publicist for Feldman could not be immediately reached for comment on Thursday.
“Maybe” dominated this past June’s Tony Awards, taking home six awards, including best musical and Criss for best leading actor in a musical.
Bailey Howell and Donna Mendell contributed.