Filmmaker Lulu Wang discusses creating the Hong Kong-based show Expats, collaborating with Nicole Kidman, contrasting perspectives in storytelling, her personal connection to the project, her college years, the road to her debut feature film, and the importance of community.
Lulu Wang's new series 'Ex-Pats' explores themes of privilege and the blurred line between victimhood and culpability.
Wang reflects on her own experiences as an immigrant and the challenges faced when navigating between different cultures and identities.
Lulu Wang discovered her passion for filmmaking through empathy-driven storytelling and emphasizes the importance of authenticity and honesty in her work.
Deep dives
Lulu Wang's Personal Journey in Filmmaking
Lulu Wang, writer and director of 'The Farewell', shares her experience in navigating the film industry and her personal journey as a filmmaker. She discusses the challenges she faced in getting her passion project off the ground and the impact of the pandemic on her career. Wang also delves into her new series 'Ex-Pats' and how it explores themes of privilege and the blurred line between victimhood and culpability.
The Complexities of Cultural Identity
Wang reflects on her own experiences as an immigrant and the complexities of navigating between different cultures and identities. She discusses the challenges her family faced when they immigrated to America and the pressure to assimilate. Wang also explores the themes of duality and the struggle to find her own voice amidst conflicting expectations.
The Fear of Getting It Right and Wrong
Wang opens up about the fear and responsibility she feels in telling stories accurately and authentically. She shares her worries about misrepresenting her family in 'The Farewell' and the sensitivity of cultural storytelling. Wang also discusses the challenges of taking on the project 'Ex-Pats' and the pressure of working with renowned actress Nicole Kidman.
The power of storytelling and process in filmmaking
Lulu Wong discovered her passion for filmmaking during a creative writing class in college. It was the first time she was asked about herself and not just the tools or results. Wong's shift in perspective and learning to see through photography and film classes propelled her into empathy-driven storytelling. This experience of capturing vulnerable moments while filming video reenactments for injury cases taught her the importance of authenticity and honesty in filmmaking. Wong's journey to rediscover a sense of belonging and wholeness eventually led her to find love and a supportive community, which has given her the courage to push boundaries in her art.
Exploring cultural identity and evolving as a filmmaker
Lulu Wong's journey as a filmmaker started with her childhood experience of not belonging after immigrating to the United States. She reflected on the rituals and challenges she encountered in a new country, including the struggles of being an Asian woman in the film industry. Through her work, Wong seeks to break out of the confined perspectives of expats and confront the bubble of privilege and separation. By constantly shifting between worlds and perspectives, Wong's filmmaking is driven by a desire to challenge existing narratives, push boundaries, and create authentic stories that resonate with diverse audiences.
Following the success of her autobiographical 2019 film, The Farewell, Lulu Wang has emerged as one of the most exciting voices in Hollywood.
With the arrival of her new series Expats, she joins us to discuss the responsibility she felt creating the Hong Kong-based show (6:55), collaborating with actor Nicole Kidman (12:30), and Wang’s personal connection to the project (13:12). Then, we unpack the contrasting perspectives embedded in the story (19:44), what she witnessed growing up in Miami, as an expat herself (22:55), and how she processes her family history today (24:15).
On the back-half, Lulu reflects on her college years (34:45) where she began to find her creative voice (36:46), the road to her debut feature film Posthumous (45:32), and why she wanted to tell a more personal story in The Farewell (50:30), which she first narrated on This American Life(51:25). To close, we talk about her full-circle moment creating Expats (1:04:00) and the importance of community (1:06:30).
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