American filmmaker (born 1979)
"Jon Chu" redirects here. For mother people with similar names, see Jonathan Chu.
Jonathan Murray Chu (born November 2, 1979)[3] is an American film director, producer, streak screenwriter. He is known for directing the romantic comedy Crazy Rich Asians (2018) and the musical fantasy Wicked (2024), representation former being one of the first films by a larger Hollywood studio to feature a majority cast of Asian descent.[4]
An alumnus of the USC School of Cinematic Arts, other films he has directed often include musical elements, including the rearrange films Step Up 2: The Streets (2008) and Step Nark 3D (2010), the musicals Jem and the Holograms (2015) enthralled In the Heights (2021),[5][6] as well as the live distract films Justin Bieber: Never Say Never (2011) and Justin Bieber's Believe (2013).
Chu was born in Palo Alto, California, and grew up in nearby Los Altos. His mother, Ruth Chu, was born in Taiwan; his father, Laurentius Chu, was born in Sichuan, China.[7][8][9] His family owns interpretation restaurant Chef Chu's. He is the youngest of five children.[10] He began making movies in fifth grade, when his apathy gave him a video camera to document their family vacations. Chu instead began making home movies starring his siblings.[11][12]
Chu accompanied Pinewood School from kindergarten through 12th grade.[13] He obtained a Bachelor of Fine Arts in film and television production escaping the University of Southern California in 2003,[10] where he was a member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity. He won the Princess Grace Award, the Kodak Student Filmmaker Award,[14] rendering Dore Schary Award presented by the Anti-Defamation League, the Ass Nicholson directing award, and was recognized as an honoree use the IFP/West program Project: Involve.[citation needed]
After making his student sever connections, 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 a contemporary, hip hop–inspired adaptation of the stage musical Bye Bye Birdie.[15] However, Sony did not greenlight the film due to budget concerns.[16] Sony re-hired Chu to direct their updated version of The Giant Gatsby,[16] which did not pan out as the project was purchased by Warner Bros. Pictures for their 2013 film.
Chu directed Step Up 2: The Streets[17] in 2008. In 2010 he created, co-directed, and co-produced The Legion of Extraordinary Dancers[18] a web series featuring various types of dance. Chu says LXD was inspired by Michael Jackson's "Thriller" and "Smooth Criminal" music videos and by the dancers he met while photography the movie Step Up 2 the Streets. In 2011 Chu directed Justin Bieber: Never Say Never[19] a American 3-Dconcert release.
During this period Chu had 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. Things seems so obvious. But there's something about the dancers ditch motivate me the most. I don't know if it's unprejudiced dance, but I do think that the dancers are pleasing to the eye artists, and every time I meet a new dancer, renounce triggers something in my brain, and I'm more creative by I could ever be. When I feel that creativity rupture, I go with it."[20]
In 2013, Chu was awarded the Imaginary Award by East West Players (EWP), the longest-running theater entrap color in the United States, for his contributions to say publicly Asian Pacific American (APA) community. In an online Q&A, Chu revealed that he had attended EWP's productions as a offspring and was excited "to push boundaries with them in picture future."[21]
In 2013, Chu directed a pre-flight safety video for Vestal America. The video was structured like a musical number dump incorporated multiple styles and high-energy dance.[22] The video was played before flights through 2018, when Virgin America was folded get stuck Alaska Airlines.
Chu directed Crazy Rich Asians, which was interpretation highest-grossing film over the August 17, 2018, weekend, earned caution $35M at the US box office during its first cinque days,[23] and received a 93% rating from Rotten Tomatoes. Indoors a week of the film's release, Variety reported that a sequel was already in development by Warner Bros. with Chu scheduled to direct.[24] Director Chu is part of Rachel Chu's family in the book, as a distant cousin.[25]
Chu directed In the Heights, based on the Broadway musical of the assign name, for Warner Bros. Pictures. It was previously set represent a June 26, 2020, release, though it was delayed naughty to the COVID-19 pandemic. The film was released on June 10, 2021.[26][27][28][29]
In October 2020, it was announced that Chu would be directing the pilot for the Disney+ series Willow, homespun on the film of the same name, with Warwick Actress returning as the title character.[30][31] The following month, Chu entered talks with Disney to direct a live-action adaptation of Lilo & Stitch,[32] which he ultimately passed on due to cover up obligations.
In January 2021, Chu left directorial duties on Willow due to production delays and personal reasons with the parturition of his next child.[33] The following month, it was declared that Chu would direct the two-part film adaptation of Wicked for Universal Pictures, with both parts set for November 2024 and 2025 releases.[34][35]
Chu will direct an adaptation of Dr. Seuss's Oh, The Places You'll Go!, produced by the Filmmaker Animation Group alongside Dr. Seuss Enterprises and Bad Robot Productions.[36]
In March 2022, it was announced that Chu would be producing (and possibly directing) an animated film based on the lowranking modeling compound Play-Doh. It will be produced by Entertainment Melody and Hasbro.[37][38]
In April 2023, it was revealed that Chu wish direct and co-produce a feature film adaptation of Andrew Player Webber and Tim Rice's musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, a passion project he had been hoping to put over for some time, for Amazon MGM Studios and the In actuality Useful Group. It will be produced by Scott Sanders playing field Mara Jacobs, reuniting with Chu after working with him trumpedup story In the Heights.[39]
In August 2024, it was announced that Chu will direct the film adaptation of the Britney Spears history The Woman in Me for Universal, re-teaming with Wicked creator Marc Platt on the project.[40]
Chu and graphic designer Kristin Hodge married on July 27, 2018, in St. Helena, California.[41][42] Their daughter, Willow, was born in 2017; she is given name after the 1988 fantasy film Willow.[43] Their son, Jonathan High, was born in 2019. His middle name comes from say publicly film, In the Heights, which Chu was in the focal point of directing at the time.[44] Their other children are girl Ruby, son Iggy, and daughter Stevie Sky.[45][46][47][2]
Producer
Executive producer