Constance Wu

Constance Wu

Wu in 2015
Born Constance Tianming Wu
(1982-03-22) March 22, 1982
Richmond, Virginia, U.S.
Alma mater SUNY-Purchase
Occupation Actress
Years active 2006–present
Constance Wu
Traditional Chinese 吳恬敏[1][2]

Constance Tianming Wu (born March 22, 1982)[3][4] is an American actress. Wu is known for her role as Jessica Huang in the ABC comedy series Fresh Off the Boat.[5]

Early life

Wu was born and raised in a Taiwanese family in Richmond, Virginia. She graduated from Douglas S. Freeman High School, where she began performing in local theater at Henrico Teen Theater, HATTheatre, Theatre IV, Virginia Shakespeare Festival as well as an NYU program for six months during high school at Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute.[6]

Her parents emigrated from Taipei City, the capital of Taiwan.[7][8][9] Wu said that her paternal grandparents were very poor, working as bamboo farmers and did not have the opportunity to get an education, so were unable to read and write.[10] Her father was a biology and genetics professor at Virginia Commonwealth University[6] and her mother was a computer programmer.

Wu graduated from State University of New York at Purchase's Conservatory of Theatre Arts with a BFA in Acting in 2005.[11][12] One of the directors she adores most is Ang Lee, a Taiwanese director who has won the Academy Award for Best Director twice.[13] After college she studied psycholinguistics and almost attended a graduate degree program in speech pathology from Columbia University.[14] She has three sisters, two older and one younger.[15]

Career

In New York, Wu had roles onstage and in independent movies. She made her screen debut with a supporting role in Stephanie Daley (2006). She also had later supporting roles in Year of the Fish and The Architect. On television, she appeared in episodes of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Torchwood, and Covert Affairs, and also had a recurring role as Laudine Lee on the ABC soap opera One Life to Live in 2007. Wu moved to Los Angeles in 2010, where she was cast in Sound of My Voice, which was directed by Brit Marling.[16]

In 2014, after landing a role in one unsuccessful comedy pilot, Wu won the leading role in the ABC comedy series Fresh Off the Boat alongside Randall Park.[17][18] The series is loosely based on the life of chef and food personality Eddie Huang and his book Fresh Off the Boat: A Memoir. The series premiered in 2015, and Wu received critical acclaim for her performance.[19][20][21][22] E! named her a breakout star of the 2014-15 television season.[23]

In 2014, Wu participated in Sundance Screenwriters' Lab with two emerging Asian-American directors, Yung Chang and Christopher Yogi, in what she felt was a unique opportunity to support Asian storytellers.[10]

In 2015, she was nominated for Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Actress in a Comedy Series[24] and a Television Critics Association TCA Award for Individual Achievement in Comedy.[25] In 2015, Wu plays a leading role in the 2015 science fiction movie Parallels.

In 2016, it was announced that Wu would begin production on an independent drama titled You and Me Both, written and directed by Jennifer Cho Suhr.[26]

Personal life

Wu lives in Los Angeles. She has a pet rabbit named Lida Rose.[27][28] Wu has been dating Ben Hethcoat since December 2011.[29][30]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2006 Stephanie Daley Jenn
2006 The Architect Michelle
2007 Year of the Fish Lucy
2011 Sound of My Voice Christine
2012 Watching TV with the Red Chinese Kimi Hu
2013 Best Friends Forever Melanie
2013 Ties Shannon O Short film
2013 Taylor Manifest Val Short film
2014 Electric Slide Mika Oh
2013 My Mother Is Not a Fish Director and writer
2015 Parallels Polly
2015 Low Budget Ethnic Movie Sara

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2006 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Candy Episode: "Underbelly"
2007 One Life to Live Laudine Lee Recurring role
2011 Torchwood Shawnie Yamaguchi Episode: "Miracle Day: End of the Road"
2012 EastSiders Krazy Kathy Web series
2013 Deadly Revenge Kym Movie
2013 Browsers Prudence Yu Pilot movie
2013 Covert Affairs Wendy Chen Episode: "Rock a My Soul"
2014 Franklin & Bash Caroline Chilton Episode: "Falcon's Nest"
2014 High Moon[31] Mikiko Kobiyashi Movie
2015 Childrens Hospital Pepsi Lamarr Episode: "Up at 5""
2015–present Fresh Off the Boat Jessica Huang Series regular; 37 episodes
Nominated – TCA Award for Individual Achievement in Comedy (2015, 2016)
Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Actress in a Comedy Series (2015, 2016)
2016 Royal Pains Amy Chang Episode: "Fly Me to Kowloon"

References

  1. ↑ 馬雲 (December 5, 2014). "華裔菜鳥移民明年笑翻ABC". World Journal/世界日報 (in Chinese). Retrieved February 3, 2016. 雖然她不到33歲
  2. ↑ 許惠敏 (January 22, 2015). "菜鳥移民主角 華府現身說戲". World Journal/世界日報 (in Chinese). Retrieved February 3, 2016.
  3. ↑ "Constance Tianming Wu - California Birth Index". FamilySearch. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
  4. ↑ Jung, E. Alex (19 June 2016). "Constance Wu Doesn't Want to Be Your "It" Girl". Vulture. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
  5. ↑ Zhang, Jenny (October 30, 2015). "The Lenny Interview: Constance Wu". Lenny Letter. Retrieved December 9, 2015.
  6. 1 2 Owen, Rob (October 16, 2015). "Former Richmonder, Constance Wu, stars in ABC sitcom 'Fresh Off the Boat'". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
  7. ↑ Lee, Emily (April 20, 2015). "Taiwanese Viewers React to Fresh Off the Boat (菜鳥新移民)". Asia Pacific Arts. University of Southern California. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
  8. ↑ "美影集演「台裔虎媽」收視登喜劇寶座". TVBS. March 31, 2015. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
  9. ↑ 記者王丹荷 (April 1, 2015). "菜鳥新移民 吳恬敏體驗做小籠包「好難」". Youth Daily News - 青年日報 (in Chinese). Retrieved February 3, 2016.
  10. 1 2 Chung, Nicole (September 17, 2015). "Constance Wu Is Making Her Way in Hollywood". The New York Times. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
  11. ↑ Nicholson, David (July 3, 2005). "Virginia Shakespeare Festival: Old Plays, New Look". Daily Press. Retrieved April 2, 2015. Constance Wu, a recent graduate of SUNY Purchase in New York
  12. ↑ "Ping Pong Democracy" (PDF). 59E59 Theaters. 2005. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
  13. ↑ "虎媽超哈李安 菜鳥移民開星路". Liberty Times (in Chinese). April 1, 2015. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
  14. ↑ Wong, Alex (September 21, 2015). "Fresh Off the Boat's Constance Wu Still Isn't Sure About This Whole TV Thing". GQ. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
  15. ↑ Wieselman, Jarett (September 17, 2015). "The Woman Leading A Crusade To Tell More Asian-American Stories". BuzzFeed. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
  16. ↑ Wu, Constance (May 7, 2015). "#IAm Constance Wu Story". Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment (CAPE). Retrieved February 3, 2016.
  17. ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (February 7, 2014). "Constance Wu, Randall Park Join 'Fresh Off The Boat'; Windell Middlebrooks In 'Mason Twins'". Deadline.com.
  18. ↑ Andreeva, Nellie. "ABC Fall Schedule 2014: First Look". Deadline.com. Retrieved May 13, 2014.
  19. ↑ Patten, Dominic (February 3, 2015). "[Watch] 'Fresh Off The Boat' Review: Show Doesn't Translate From Book". Deadline.com.
  20. ↑ Nguyen, Hanh (February 4, 2015). "8 Reasons We Need Fresh Off the Boat to Succeed". TVGuide. Retrieved February 5, 2015.
  21. ↑ Rahman, Ray (February 4, 2015). "'Fresh Off the Boat' recap: 'Home Sweet Home-School'". Entertainment Weekly.
  22. ↑ Lee, Ashley. "'Fresh Off the Boat' Review on ABC: What the Critics Are Saying". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 4, 2015.
  23. ↑ Dos Santos, Kristin (February 4, 2015). "Fresh Off the Boat's Constance Wu Is Our New Comedy Obsession". E! Online.
  24. ↑ Team TVLine (May 6, 2015). "Critics Choice Television Awards Nominations List 2015 — 5th Annual". TVLine.
  25. ↑ Mitovic, Matt Webb (June 4, 2015). "Justified, Broad City, Empire, Mom, 24, Jane the Virgin, Transparent Lead the 2015 Critics Choice Nominations". TVLine.
  26. ↑ McNary, Dave (February 2, 2016). "Contance Wu Starring in 'You and Me Both' (Exclusive)". Variety. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
  27. ↑ Tseng, Ada (August 27, 2015). "Audrey Fall 2015 Cover Story: Constance Wu". Audrey. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
  28. ↑ Lim, Serene (May 30, 2015). "Is Fresh Off The Boat's Constance Wu anything like her TV character?". Today. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
  29. ↑ Wu, Constance (December 25, 2015). "Four Years Ago Today I Met This Guy Ben Hethcoat At Ryan Spindell's Christmas Party". Instagram.com. Retrieved October 9, 2016.
  30. ↑ Wong, Stephanie Jade (August 23, 2016). "Constance Wu's Boyfriend Isn't Asian. Just Chill.".
  31. ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (September 3, 2013). "Pilots 'Line Of Sight' & 'Strain' Add Regulars". Deadline.com.

External links

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