This Mom Created A Dress From ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ For Her Daughter—And It’s Stunning
Ha Truong, a Miami-based mom and blogger, wrote that her daughter, Olivia, who is Vietnamese and Thai, hasn’t always had the chance to see herself represented in encounters in her everyday life — and especially not on the big screen. But that was before the movie “Crazy Rich Asians” was released.
“Crazy Rich Asians” is the first film to feature an all-Asian cast since the movie “The Joy Luck Club,” which premiered in 1993.
So, when Truong’s daughter saw actresses Constance Wu, Awkwafina and others in this film, she was able to see women who look like her living out their dreams. And this is why Truong decided to recreate a beautiful blue dress from the “Crazy Rich Asians” trailer for her daughter to wear.
She posted about the dress and the reason it makes her daughter feel so special on Instagram:
“When Liv was in preschool, her classmates would ask her if she’s Chinese. She’d come home asking if everyone (Asian) is Chinese; she’s Vietnamese and Thai. She didn’t ‘see’ herself at school and her peers didn’t see her,” the mom wrote. “When she put on this dress, it gave her a spark.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/BmgRebFH3t7/?utm_source=ig_embed
It’s no wonder the dress makes this little girl light up — it really is stunning.
Not only that, it’s also a dead-ringer for the one Wu wears in the film, as you can see in the movie’s official trailer:
The mom’s design was so spot-on that it even got the attention of Wu, who plays one of the film’s main characters.
Wu reposted a photo of Olivia to her personal Instagram and added an important reminder for others:
“Possibility,” she wrote. “That’s what seeing yourself reflected in stories gives you.”
She concluded with, “Love this girl.” So clearly the feeling is mutual — Wu is a fan of Olivia, too!
https://www.instagram.com/p/BmftIfblO8K/?taken-by=constancewu
Of course, it makes total sense that Wu’s in full support of Olivia and her gorgeous gown, given that Wu’s an advocate for ensuring the stories of those who are less-represented get told.
“I hope Asian American kids watch CRA and realize that they can be heroes of their own stories,” Wu wrote on Twitter. “So for those who don’t feel seen, I hope there is a story you find soon that does represent you. I am rooting for you.”
#CrazyRichAsians opens August 15th. Read below to understand why it means so much to so many people. All love. @CrazyRichMovie @FreshOffABC @WarnerBrosEnt pic.twitter.com/IISLRDMRjU
— Constance Wu (@ConstanceWu) August 1, 2018
Wu also noted that she didn’t necessarily consider she’d be where she is today. But, she’s proof that if you follow your passions, anything is possible.
Just look at this throwback of her from the fifth grade that she posted to Instagram:
“All I knew was that I liked singing and drawing and playing make believe. Still do,” she wrote.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bl7OZMEFf6W/?taken-by=constancewu
And that knowledge led her here — to a place where she’s able to inspire more little girls to make their dreams come true!