Jonathan Murray Chu (born November 2, 1979)[2] is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. He is best known as the director of 2018's Crazy Rich Asians, one of the first films by a major Hollywood studio to feature a majority cast of Asian descent in a modern setting since The Joy Luck Club in 1993,[3] and of the two-part film adaptation of Wicked (2024-2025), based on the acclaimed stage musical.[4]
Chu was born in Palo Alto, California, and grew up in nearby Los Altos. He attended Pinewood School from kindergarten through 12th grade.[5]
Chu is the youngest of five children.[6] He began making movies in fifth grade, when his mother gifted him a video camera to document their family vacations. Chu instead began making home movies starring his siblings.[7]
His mother, Ruth Chu, was born in Taiwan; his father, Lawrence Chu, was born in Sichuan, China.[8][9][10] His family owns the restaurant Chef Chu's.[11]
After making his student short, When the Kids Are Away, Chu was signed to William Morris Agency and attached to several high-profile projects. Chu was hired by Sony Pictures to direct their feature Bye Bye Birdie, but Sony never green lit the film due to budget concerns. Sony re-hired Chu to direct their updated version of The Great Gatsby,[13] which did not pan out as the project was purchased by Warner Bros. Pictures for their 2013 film.
He is in a dance crew called AC/DC or Adam/Chu Dance crew. In an interview, Chu addressed a question he is often asked, "Why do all of your films have dance?" He responded, "I don't know why. It seems so obvious. But there's something about the dancers that motivate me the most. I don't know if it's just dance, but I do think that the dancers are amazing artists, and every time I meet a new dancer, that triggers something in my brain, and I'm more creative than I could ever be. When I feel that creativity burst, I go with it."[14]
In 2013, Chu was awarded the Visionary Award by East West Players (EWP), the longest-running theater of color in the United States, for his contributions to the Asian Pacific American (APA) community. In an online Q&A, Chu revealed that he had attended EWP's productions as a child and was excited "to push boundaries with them in the future."[15]
In 2013, Chu directed a pre-flight safety video for Virgin America. The video was structured like a musical number that incorporated multiple styles and high-energy dance.[16] The video was played before flights through 2018, when Virgin America was folded into Alaska Airlines.
Chu directed Crazy Rich Asians, which was the highest-grossing film over the August 17, 2018 weekend, earned over $35M at the US box office during its first five days,[17] and received a 93% rating from Rotten Tomatoes. Within a week of the film's release, Variety reported that a sequel was already in development by Warner Bros. with Chu scheduled to direct.[18] Director Chu is part of Rachel Chu's family in the book, as a distant cousin.[19]
In January 2021, Chu left directorial duties on Willow due to production delays and personal reasons with the birth of his next child.[27] The following month, it was announced that Chu would direct the two-part film adaptation of Wicked for Universal Pictures, with both parts set for November 2024 and 2025 releases.[28][29]
In March 2022, it was announced that Chu would be producing (and possibly directing) an animated film based on the children’s modeling compound Play-Doh. It will be produced by Entertainment One and Hasbro.[31][32]
In August 2024, it was announced that Chu will direct the film adaptation of the Britney Spears biography The Woman in Me for Universal, re-teaming with Wicked producer Marc Platt on the project.[34]
Personal life
Chu is married to Kristin Hodge. Their daughter, Willow Chu, was born in 2017; she is named after the 1988 fantasy film Willow.[35] Their son, Jonathan Heights Chu, was born in 2019. His middle name comes from the film, In the Heights, which Chu was in the middle of directing at the time.[36]
In December 2024, Chu is set to receive the American Cinema Editors' Golden Eddie Filmmaker of the Year Award for being "an artist who exemplifies distinguished achievement in the art and business of film."[37]
