'Crazy Rich Asians' ' Constance Wu 'Never' Thought She'd Get a Lead Movie Role as an Asian-American

“I loved the story and thought, ‘I could play this.’ But it seemed impossible,” says Wu, 36. “I had never seen an Asian-American woman be the leading role in a movie or saw a face that looked even close to mine that Hollywood deemed worthy of its own fairy-tale story.”

The film is the first major Hollywood production in 25 years to star an all-Asian cast (the last was 1993’sThe Joy Luck Club).

For more on Wu, pick up this week’s issue of PEOPLE on newsstands Friday.

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“Asian Americans are so used to being the number two or number three in a movie that they don’t usually get to explore more than a few facets of themselves,” Wu says. “Rachel is interesting because I had the chance to explore the fun parts but also the vulnerable parts.”

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Wu got her first big break in Hollywood in 2015 when she began playing protective mom Jessica Huang in ABC’sFresh Off the Boat— the first network sitcom about an Asian-American family to air in 20 years. It’s now heading into its fifth season, and Wu says she is having a blast breaking down barriers and doing what she loves.

“Being an actor wasn’t a choice. It’s part of my identity,” she says. “It’s all I ever wanted.”

Crazy Rich Asiansis now in theaters.

source: people.com