Disney+ series American Born Chinese, starring Michelle Yeoh, Ben Wang and Daniel Wu, mixes suburban California with Journey to the West
- American Born Chinese combines teen angst and supernatural myths as it follows an Asian-American student and his experiences in suburban California
- We talk to Daniel Wu, Ben Wang, and other cast and crew of the series for their insight into what for many was a deeply personal filming experience
Gene Luen Yang’s graphic novel American Born Chinese has been a bestseller since it was published in 2006. Now Disney+ has adapted the book into an eight-part series streaming worldwide starting May 24.
Yang admits he never thought his novel would reach the screen.
“Everything that’s happened has really been an unexpected blessing,” he says.
“It’s not a direct adaptation. Certain changes had to happen. We updated the time frame from the 1990s, when I was growing up, to the 2020s. During that time the conversation about what it means to be an Asian-American has changed.”
The story follows high-schooler Jin Wang (played by Ben Wang) as he tries to navigate life in suburban California.
Jin has typical teen problems: a crush on the unattainable Amelia (Sydney Taylor); parents (Yeo Yann Yann and Chin Han) whose marriage may be in jeopardy; and the casual bigotry of his classmates.
