Grown-ishstarFrancia Raisais speaking out about what inspired the heartfeltopen lettershe wrote toConstance Wuafter the actresscursedher showFresh Off the Boat‘s renewal.
Last month, Raisa, 30, shared her thoughts on the incident, in hopes of offering Wu, 37, a different perspective.
Raisa’s open letter came after Wu first posted a series of emotional tweets when she was “temporarily upset” that her show had been renewed because it meant she had to “give up another project” that she was really passionate about.
“Dear Constance Wu,” Raisa began in a note shared on Twitter. “I believe you when you say you appreciate FOTB and FOTB indeed afforded you the opportunity to have options. You are living every actors [sic] dream! I mean it when I say congratulations!!!”
“I’d like to also add perspective to what your career symbolizes for me and the opportunities it has afforded for minority women in Hollywood,” Raisa continued.
“I understand being an artist and wanting challenges, but you overcame one of the bigger challenges of our industry — The lack of leading roles for minority women.”
Raisa went on to explain that Wu being forced to turn down the job may now be an opportunity for another Asian American actress and not because Wu is unavailable, “but because now roles are being written for Asian American actors.”
“This means the door is opening wider, and that is what we all need, hope and fight for. This comes from a place of support for what you’ve done for everyone. We’re all in this industry together and we need to congratulate opportunities for others as well as our own,” Raisa concluded.
During a recent interview with theHollywood Reporter, Raisa explained, “I just wanted to put a bit of perspective out there.”
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“She’s done so much,” Raisa said of Wu. “The fact thatCrazy Rich Asiansworked meant so much for all of us. The fact thatLittleis working means so much. The fact thatGina Rodriguezis doing what she’s doing means so much because it’s opening so many doors,” Wu said during her sit down with the outlet.
“I was going back and forth. I don’t even know if she saw it, but I just wanted to say, ‘Hey, this is what you did for me, so this sucks, but thank you.'”
Wu did not publicly acknowledge Raisa’s letter and a rep for the actress did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
The next day, Wu, who has starred on the show since 2015,posted a lengthymessage to Twitter, explaining her reaction.
“I loveFOTB,” the actress began. “I was temporarily upset yesterdaynotbc I hate the show but bc its renewal meant I had to give up another project that I was really passionate about. So my dismayed social media replies were more about that other project and not aboutFOTB.
“But I understand how that could feel interconnected and could get muddled,” she continued. “So here is me unmuddling it with my truth:FOTBis a great show that I’m proud of and that I enjoy. I’ve gotten to fully explore my character and I know her like the back of my hand. So playing Jessica is fun and easy and pleasant. I get to work with a kind and pleasant cast/crew. Which makes it all quite enjoyable — so obviously I don’t dislike doing a show that is fun and easy and pleasant.”
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“I was disappointed in not being able to do that other project — because that other project would have challenged me as an artist — that other project would have been really hard and not easy or pleasant at all. Sometimes even my closest friends are baffled at how I could value artistic challenge/difficulties over success/happiness. But I do. I know it’s weird,” she said.
“I do regret that and it wasn’t nice and I am sorry for that. I know it’s a huge privilege that I evenHAVEoptions — options thatFOTBhas afforded me. But if one does have privilege, they ought to use that privilege as best they can. For me — that means pushing myself artistically,” she explained.
source: people.com
