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After nearly three years away from Twitter, “Crazy Rich Asians” star Constance Wu is back on the social media platform.
In her first tweet, Wu shockingly revealed that she attempted to take her life after receiving major backlash over her tweets about “Fresh Off the Boat” being renewed for a sixth season.
She tweeted, “I was afraid of coming back on social media because I almost lost my life from it: 3 years ago, when I made careless tweets about the renewal of my TV show, it ignited outrage and internet shaming that got pretty severe. I felt awful about what I’d said, and when a few DMs from a fellow Asian actress told me I’d become a blight on the Asian American community, I started feeling like I didn’t even deserve to live anymore. That I was a disgrace to AsAms, and they’d be better off without me. Looking back, it’s surreal that a few DMs convinced me to end my own life, but that’s what happened. Luckily, a friend found me and rushed me to the ER.”
Of her suicide attempt, Constance said, “It was a scary moment that made me reassess a lot in my life/ For the next few years, I put my career aside to focus on my mental health. AsAms don’t talk about mental health enough. While we’re quick to celebrate representation wins, there’s a lot of avoidance around the more uncomfortable issues within our community. Even my tweets became a subject so touchy that most of my AsAm colleagues decided that was the time to avoid me or ice me out. I’ll admit it hurt a lot, but it also made me realize how important it is to reach out and care for people who are going through a hard time.”
Promoting her new book “Making a Scene,” Wu shared, “That’s why i wrote my book and why I’m here — to reach out and help people talk about the uncomfortable stuff in order to understand it, reckon with it, and open pathways to healing. If we want to be seen, really seen… we need to let all of ourselves be seen, including the parts we’re scared of or ashamed of – parts that, however imperfect, require care and attention. And we need to stop beating each other (and ourselves) up when we do. So while my book is not always the most flattering portrayal, it’s as honest as i know how to be.”
Constance ended her lengthy tweet, writing, “After a little break from Hollywood and a lot of therapy I feel OK enough to venture back on here (at least for a little bit). And even though I’m scared, I’ve decided that I owe it to the me-of-3-years-ago to be brave and share my story so that it might help someone with theirs.”
Years ago, Wu reacted to the renewal of “Fresh Off the Boat,” tweeting, “So upset right now that I’m literally crying. Ugh. F**k.”
When a Twitter user called it “Great news,” Wu responded, “No it’s not.”
She would later clarify her comments, tweeting, “I love FOTB. I was temporarily upset yesterday not bc 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 about FOTB.”
“But I understand how that could feel interconnected and could get muddled,” she went on. “So here is me unmuddling it with my truth: FOTB is 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.”
Constance elaborated, “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,” she said. “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.”
The sixth season was the final one for the ABC show.
Aside from “Fresh Off the Boat” and “Crazy Rich Asians,” Constance starred in Kit Williamson’s “EastSiders” and can be seen in Chris Pratt’s new series “The Terminal List.” She’ll also be seen in “Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile,” which hits theaters in October.