Constance Wu facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Constance Wu
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Wu in 2025
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| Born | March 22, 1982 Richmond, Virginia, U.S.
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| Education | State University of New York, Purchase (BFA) | ||||||||||||||
| Occupation | Actress | ||||||||||||||
| Years active | 2006–present | ||||||||||||||
| Partner(s) | Ryan Kattner | ||||||||||||||
| Children | 2 | ||||||||||||||
| Chinese name | |||||||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 吳恬敏 | ||||||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 吴恬敏 | ||||||||||||||
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Constance Wu (born March 22, 1982) is an American actress. She became well-known for her role in the TV show Fresh Off the Boat (2015–2020). This show earned her many awards nominations. She also starred in the movie Crazy Rich Asians (2018). For this role, she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy. She was only the fourth Asian woman to receive this honor.
Wu has appeared in several other films. These include Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile (2022) and The Friend (2024). On television, she acted in the web series EastSiders (2012–2017). She also appeared in the action series The Terminal List (2022). Wu voiced Daphne Blake in the animated series Velma (2023–2024). She has also performed in plays like 2:22 A Ghost Story (2022) and the musical Little Shop of Horrors (2023).
In 2017, Time magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world. Her book, Making a Scene, was released in 2022. It shared her experiences with difficult online messages and therapy.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Constance Wu was born in Richmond, Virginia. Her family is Taiwanese American. She is the third of four daughters. Her parents moved to the U.S. from Taiwan. Her father, Fang-Sheng Wu, is a biology and genetics professor. Her mother is a computer programmer. Wu has shared that her grandparents in Taiwan were very poor. They worked as bamboo farmers and could not read or write.
She went to Douglas S. Freeman High School in Virginia. There, she acted in local theater shows. She also spent six months studying at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute. In 2005, Wu earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in acting. She graduated from the State University of New York at Purchase.
After college, Wu studied how language and the mind work. She was accepted into a graduate program at Columbia University. However, she decided to move to Los Angeles to continue acting instead. She has said that director Ang Lee has inspired her work.
Career Highlights
Early Roles and Fresh Off the Boat
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In New York City, Constance Wu started her acting career. She appeared in plays and independent films. Her first movie role was in Stephanie Daley (2006). She also had roles in Year of the Fish and The Architect. On TV, she appeared in shows like Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Torchwood. She also had a regular role on the soap opera One Life to Live. In 2010, she moved to Los Angeles.
From 2012 to 2017, Wu starred in the web series EastSiders. She won two Indie Series Awards for her work with the cast. In 2015, Wu joined the Sundance Screenwriters' Lab. This allowed her to support other Asian-American storytellers.
In 2014, Wu got the main role in the ABC comedy series Fresh Off the Boat. She starred alongside Randall Park. The show was based on the life of chef Eddie Huang. It became very popular after it premiered in 2015. Wu received great reviews for her performance as Jessica Huang. She was nominated for four Critics' Choice Television Awards.
Film Success and Stage Work
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In 2017, Wu was part of the Hulu series Dimension 404. She was also named one of Time magazine's 100 most influential people. In February 2017, she was cast as the lead in Crazy Rich Asians. This movie was based on a popular book. It was released in 2018. It was the first major Hollywood film in 25 years to have an all-Asian cast.
Crazy Rich Asians was a huge success. It earned over $238 million and was praised by critics. Wu's performance was highly acclaimed. She was nominated for a Golden Globe Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award. She was the first Asian woman in over 40 years to be nominated for the Golden Globe in her category. Wu is expected to return for the sequels, China Rich Girlfriend and Rich People Problems.
In 2019, Wu starred with Jennifer Lopez in the crime film that follows a group of women in Manhattan who plan to take money from wealthy men. Wu prepared for her role by working at a club. The film was released in September 2019 and was a box office hit. It earned over $157 million worldwide. Also in 2019, Wu appeared in the drama film I Was a Simple Man. She is also an executive producer for an upcoming film called Goodbye Vitamin.
More recently, Wu starred in the Amazon Prime thriller series The Terminal List (2021). She played Mrs. Primm in the movie Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile, which came out in October 2022. In late 2022, she performed in the play 2:22 A Ghost Story in Los Angeles. In 2023, she voiced Daphne Blake in the animated series Velma. That same year, she acted in the musical Little Shop of Horrors. In 2024, she appeared in the film The Friend with Naomi Watts and Bill Murray. She also joined the cast of the play ... Meet. Fan. in 2024.
In October 2024, it was announced that Wu would produce a potential TV series. It is based on the 2023 novel Yellowface.
Other Activities
Advocacy and Charity Work
Constance Wu is a strong supporter of Asian representation in U.S. media. She wants to see more diversity in the film industry. Wu has shared her own experiences of being turned down for roles because of her background. She hopes her success will help open doors for other diverse actors. The #StarringConstanceWu hashtag was created by Asian-American activists. It puts Wu's image into movie posters to show how few Asian actors get lead roles.
In 2017, Wu worked with Miry's List. This group helps new immigrant and refugee families in Southern California. She said she wants to help "people with the courage to make an immigrant journey."
In 2023, Wu signed an open letter. It praised President Joe Biden and asked for the release of hostages from the October 7th conflict. Other celebrities like Gal Gadot and Bradley Cooper also signed it.
Writing
Wu released her first book, a memoir called Making a Scene, in October 2022.
Personal Life
Relationships
Constance Wu lives in Brooklyn, New York. She dated actor Ben Hethcoat from 2011 to 2018. In 2018, Wu spoke about receiving mean online messages for dating Hethcoat, who is white. In August 2020, Wu had her first child, a daughter, with her boyfriend Ryan Kattner. He is the lead singer of the band Man Man. In February 2023, Wu announced she was expecting her second child. She gave birth to a son in July 2023.
Mental Health
In May 2019, Fresh Off the Boat was renewed for its final season. Wu posted online that she was unhappy about it. She later explained that she was upset because the renewal meant she had to leave another project she was excited about. This project would have been a new artistic challenge for her. She also said she loved her castmates.
In July 2022, Wu shared that the online criticism she received after these posts was very difficult. She took a break from social media for three years. She also reduced her acting work to focus on her mental health. During this time, she started psychotherapy.
See also
In Spanish: Constance Wu para niños
