Stars shine bright at Singapore premiere of Crazy Rich Asians

SINGAPORE - Hundreds turned up at the Capitol Theatre on Tuesday night (Aug 21) to greet the stars of the film Crazy Rich Asians at the Singapore premiere of the surprise Hollywood hit.

The main attraction was lead actor Malaysian-British actor Henry Golding, who plays Nick Young, the heir to a fortune amassed by Singapore's wealthiest family.

He was joined on the carpet by his wife, actress and fitness instructor Liv Lo.

Also present were Singapore actors Pierre Png, Tan Kheng Hua, Koh Chieng Mun, Fiona Xie, Selena Tan, Janice Koh, Amy Cheng and Constance Lau, as well as photographer Russel Wong and others.

With them on the red carpet at the Outdoor Piazza in front of Capitol Theatre were director Jon M. Chu and producer John Penotti.

The film's weekend takings of over US$35 million (S$47.9 million) in the United States has far exceeded expectations for the romantic comedy, with many seeing its success as a sign that audiences are hungry for fun love stories, and will welcome films that feature non-whites in leading roles.

The movie was also No.1 at the US box office over the weekend.

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But it remains to be seen if a Hollywood picture featuring mostly Asians will be a hit in this region.

The film, based on the 2013 bestseller of the same name by novelist Kevin Kwan, opens in theatres in Singapore on Aug 22.

Centred on the romance between Chinese-American protagonist Rachel Chu and Young, the story looks at the lives of the ultra rich and famous here.

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.