Hot off her performance in the HBO Max comedy series, Hacks, breakout star Poppy Liu has joined American Born Chinese at Disney+.
Based on the graphic novel of the same name by Gene Luen Yang, the American Born Chinese tells the story of three apparently unrelated characters: Jin Wang, who moves to a new neighborhood with his family only to discover that he’s the only Chinese-American student at his new school; the powerful Monkey King, subject of one of the oldest and greatest Chinese fables; and Chin-Kee, a personification of the ultimate negative Chinese stereotype, who is ruining his cousin Danny’s life with his yearly visits. Their lives and stories come together with an unexpected twist in this action-packed modern fable. American Born Chinese is an amazing ride, all the way up to the astonishing climax.
Poppy Liu joins a cast that also includes Everything Everywhere All At Once stars Stephanie Hsu, Michelle Yeoh (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings), and Ke Huy Quan, with Yann Yann, Daniel Wu, and Chin Han rounding out the cast. According to Variety, Liu will appear as Princess Iron Fan, who is described as enchanting and as possessing magical powers.
Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton (Shang-Chi), the action-comedy series is written by Bob’s Burgers exec producer Kelvin Yu and his brother, Charles Yu (Westworld), the series is executive produced by Melvin Mar and Jake Kasdan (Doogie Kamealoha, M.D.). Asher Goldstein (Just Mercy) and Gene Luen Yang are also executive producers. Kelvin Yu serves as showrunner on the series. Casting on the project has commenced with announcements in the coming weeks.
American Born Chinese is the winner of the 2007 Michael L. Printz Award, a 2006 National Book Award Finalist for Young People’s Literature, the winner of the 2007 Eisner Award for Best Graphic Album: New, an Eisner Award nominee for Best Coloring, a 2007 Bank Street Best Children’s Book of the Year, and a New York Times bestseller. Gene Luen Yang was the fifth the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature and is a MacArthur Fellow, a recipient of what’s popularly known as the MacArthur “Genius” Grant.
