Tan Kheng Hua can’t wait for Crazy Rich Asians to hit silver screen

Kheng, who was brought to our attention as the Empress Dowager on Netflix’s Marco Polo, will next be seen in Crazy Rich Asians.

The film, based on the best-selling book of the same name by Kevin Kwan, tells the story of American economics professor Rachel Chu (Constance Wu), who accompanies her boyfriend Nick Young (Henry Golding) to Singapore for his best friend’s wedding. Whilst there she is thrust into the lives of Asia’s rich and famous after discovering that her boyfriend comes from a very wealthy family with a dark past, and that every woman wants him.

Starring alongside Gemma Chan (Humans) and Michelle Yeoh (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon), Kheng plays Kerry Chu – Rachel’s mother.

Speaking exclusively to the Evening Times, Kheng said: “I remember reading an article, I think it was in Vanity Fair, when the book first started to get some attention, and way before there was even talk of it being made into a movie much less me being involved in it.

“I read it in a day I think, and completely embarrassed myself guffawing out loud because I was reading it mostly on a plane.

“I guess, being brought up in a very Chinese privileged way, I completely identified with the value system, communication patterns, idiosyncrasies and family dynamics reflected in Kevin Kwan's novel. And oh, he knew his voices. Reading the dialogue, I heard each character loud and clear and so familiar and spot on.

“I got an audition request for CRA when they were casting and went in for a first audition. I got shortlisted for a second audition in front of director Jon Chu and yay, I got the role.”

Kheng hopes viewers have ‘a good laugh, a good cry, and a good look at how beautiful Singapore is’ when watching Crazy Rich Asians. She also hopes it is a massive success at the box office so as Asian-led movies get future backing from Hollywood studios and bigwigs in the West.

She said: “The movie showcases an all-Asian cast and unfortunately you don't see it that often in Hollywood.

“Just like Get Out, I hope this film opens the door and gives more opportunities for Asian directors, producers, actors etc.”

Growing up, Kheng had a loving and privileged Chinese upbringing in Singapore.

She said: “My parents were a strange mix of being outlandishly domestic and yet liberal. They pretty much gave me everything I wanted materially – a car the minute I could drive, an overseas education, travels to all parts of the world by the time I was in my teens – and yet, I was expected clean the house, help cook, come back for dinner.

“My parents were not highly educated and as soon as their children hit late teens, they started to turn to us to handle ‘academic’ issues within the family.

“What pretty much happened, and without much pre-meditation, is a family that saw their home as being a great comfort cave where we could rest and be taken care of, and yet, the kids were empowered to think for themselves and to work out their own life paths as they wished with absolute faith and trust from their parents. How incredible is that? I try to do that for my girl now.”

Kheng came into acting late. She was a very committed athlete throughout her school life, competing in gymnastics, running and various other body-challenging activities.

She noted: “I basically sweated my way through school, literally. But I read well and widely, and had a great love for literature. And an intense imagination. And then I went to uni at Indiana University Bloomington, and out of curiosity and wanting an early morning class to end my school day fast so I could spend time at the mall, I tried Acting 101, and that was it.

“I fell completely in love with it. And in such a corny way, it opened up so many other parts of the sheltered, privileged Kheng I never knew existed. That was it. I was hooked, but not enough to go into it seriously.

“I got a Bachelor of Science, came home to Singapore, juggled an intense corporate career in public affairs for a big retail company for 10 years while running off into a newly forming and very exciting English language theatre scene in Singapore.

“I don't think my family or friends saw me for about 10 years while I was doing all that. But I didn't care – I was obsessed. And then I turned 30. I had huge amounts of savings in the bank from years of working and not spending anything because I was always writhing on a floor somewhere improving some scene in my spare time, so I quit my full-time job and became an artist, rather than an actor, full-time.

“One must share though, that was in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The English-language acting scene in Singapore on film, TV and stage was highly limited. But it was such an exciting place to be in because I guess all artists, like myself, had a real hand in shaping the sort of industry we wanted to see and be a part of. And look at us now.”

Kheng has been kept busy following the completion of Crazy Rich Asians. She was recently in London to shoot scenes for Channel 4 miniseries Foreign Skies and is currently in Malaysia filming HBO Asia and Astro Shaw’s The Garden of Evening Mists, co-starring Scots actor John Hannah.

Kheng added: “Everyday I am able to do this work that I love, in the company I respect and have a laugh with. I am treated well and get paid for it – it’s the highlight of my life.

“I would like to add a big thank you to everyone who has been supporting me, my career, and supporting this amazing film.

“I hope everyone goes out and sees Crazy Rich Asians when it comes out.”

Crazy Rich Asians will be released next month.