Director Jon M. Chu shared that he once felt he did not deserve to be in Hollywood after his breakthrough with Crazy Rich Asians. Speaking at a recent panel, he described battling imposter syndrome and the risks he took to tell personal stories. Chu credited his team's support for helping him push forward.
Nearly 20 years after his directorial debut, Jon M. Chu opened up about the imposter syndrome that has marked his career. During a Canva Create panel last month at SoFi Stadium, he admitted, “I didn’t think I deserved to be in Hollywood. I was discovered and I got very lucky. And when you win the lottery, you think you actually don’t know how you got there.” He frequently questioned, “Why am I the person to tell the story?” especially around Crazy Rich Asians, which he saw as a pivotal moment. Chu told his team he planned to spend five years on a movie that might not make money, yet they supported him. He believed audiences, Asian or not, would connect with the family dynamics, meals, and humor he knew well. Following Wicked (2024) and Wicked: For Good (2025), Chu is set to direct a Hot Wheels movie for Mattel, Warner Bros., and Bad Robot, as well as an adaptation of Dr. Seuss’ Oh, the Places You’ll Go! with co-director Jill Culton.