Is Constance Wu Ungrateful? Fresh of the Boat Star Apologizes

FRESH OFF THE BOAT – ABC’s “Fresh Off the Boat” stars Constance Wu as Jessica Huang. (ABC/Bob D’Amico)

Constance Wu dug a deep whole for herself. And given her girl-next-door branding on the heels of Crazy Rich Asians, it’s going to take a lot of time to dig herself out. For those late to the party, Wu was none to please to find out that her hit ABC series Fresh off the Boat was renewed for a sixth season, and she made her objection known on social media, writing “dislike” under an Instagram post about the renewal. She also wrote “fucking hell” on twitter followed by the words “no it’s not” in response to a fan saying it was “good news.”

When Wu bore the brunt of rightful online rage (or perhaps the studio’s wrath), she quickly backtracked, but her explanation was far from truly contrite.

If you work in television, then you know that Wu’s position is all too common. Actors, who have struggled to land a role for most of their lives, sign a 6-year contract with a television series thinking it’s likely to fail. When it becomes a hit and their star power rises, they want out. But that’s why the contract is there in the first place. If every actor could leave a hit television show for a better opportunity, we would not have Friends, ER, Cheers, and the list goes on. In fact, George Clooney would seem the most likely to pitch a fit, but he’s known as the consummate gentleman who quietly finished his contract and left ER for the movie business.

The only reason Constance Wu was allowed to appear in Crazy Rich Asians, is because the studio (20th Century Fox Television) let her do so. She’s exclusive to her series, and without that allowance, there’s no film. And now that she’s seen the stars, she wants more, and she no longer feels creatively challenged (her words, not mine).

While I can certainly empathize with wanting more out of life, I’m floored by her immaturity and unprofessional behavior. She gets paid a lot of money to feel bored at her job, and her presence employs a lot of people. Furthermore, this is not her first rodeo, and it was more than one social media post. You’d think she’d put the phone down after the first tweet.

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