Hollywood has long struggled to hash out its diversity issues or lack thereof, but director Jon M. Chu told Cheddar that those that have smashed through the hiring ceilings at movie studios are working to keep them open for others.
"[Hollywood] is a network of ideas and ideologies that come together in this place to make stuff, and so I don't think there's an easy answer to 'Hey, it's changed now in Hollywood,'" Chu said. "But I do think that people are in positions now to make sure that the gates are more open, and it's not just one gate. It's thousands of gates."
Chu directed the 2018 blockbuster Crazy Rich Asians, based on a book of the same name written by Kevin Kwan, which was notable in Hollywood for featuring a cast made up almost entirely of those of Asian descent.
Nowadays, the decision to direct a film for Chu lies in how entertaining he believes the movie can be. His filmography also includes projects like Step Up 2: The Streets and G.I. Joe: Retaliation, but for his upcoming project, In The Heights, an adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda's play, he explained the importance for him to be able to bring a story about first-generation immigrants to the big screen.
"I saw the Broadway show when I was making my first movie and I saw it in New York City and it moved me. I'm not from Washington Heights. I'm not from New York. I'm a California boy. I grew up in a Chinese restaurant with my family, basically," Chu said. "But the community of children of immigrants surrounded by their aunts and uncles who want the best for them, who work their butt off trying to take care of us, have hopes and dreams of themselves but also for us. And us trying to piece together our cultural identity crisis, and that each of us have different ways to deal with it. That really touched me."
With the success of films that touch on identity like Crazy Rich Asians, particularly at the box office, Chu said Hollywood also is feeling pressure from "activists and nonactivists" to continue releasing films that reflect society. He also pointed to the power of the dollar, showing studios the movie-goer support for the films they want to see.
A big-screen adaptation of the anime “Chainsaw Man” has topped the North American box office, beating a Springsteen biopic and “Black Phone 2.” The movie earned $17.25 million in the U.S. and Canada this weekend. “Black Phone 2” fell to second place with $13 million. Two new releases, the rom-com “Regretting You” and “Springsteen — Deliver Me From Nowhere,” earned $12.85 million and $9.1 million, respectively. “Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc” is based on the manga series about a demon hunter. It's another win for Sony-owned Crunchyroll, which also released a “Demon Slayer” film last month that debuted to a record $70 million.
The Federal Aviation Administration says flights departing for Los Angeles International Airport were halted briefly due to a staffing shortage at a Southern California air traffic facility. The FAA issued a temporary ground stop at one of the world’s busiest airports on Sunday morning soon after U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy predicted that travelers would see more flights delayed as the nation’s air traffic controllers work without pay during the federal government shutdown. The hold on planes taking off for LAX lasted an hour and 45 minutes and didn't appear to cause continued problems. The FAA said staffing shortages also delayed planes headed to Washington, Chicago and Newark, New Jersey on Sunday.
Boeing workers at three Midwest plants where military aircraft and weapons are developed have voted to reject the company’s latest contract offer and to continue a strike that started almost three months ago. The strike by about 3,200 machinists at the plants in the Missouri cities of St. Louis and St. Charles, and in Mascoutah, Illinois, is smaller in scale than a walkout last year by 33,000 Boeing workers who assemble commercial jetliners. The president of the International Association of Machinists says Sunday's outcome shows Boeing hasn't adequately addressed wages and retirement benefits. Boeing says Sunday's vote was close with 51% of union members opposing the revised offer.
The stunning indictment that led to the arrest of more than 30 people — including Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and other NBA figures — has drawn new scrutiny of the booming business of sports betting in the U.S. The multibillion-dollar industry has made it easy for sports fans — and even some players — to wager on everything from the outcome of games to that of a single play with just a few taps of a cellphone. But regulating the rapidly-growing industry has proven to be a challenge. Professional sports leagues’ own role in promoting gambling has also raised eyebrows.
Tesla, the car company run by Elon Musk, reported Wednesday that it sold more vehicles in the past three months after boycotts hit hard earlier this year, but profits still fell sharply. Third-quarter earnings fell to $1.4 billion, from $2.2 billion a year earlier. Excluding charges, per share profit of 50 cents came in below analysts' estimate. Tesla shares fell 3.5% in after-hours trading. Musk said the company's robotaxi service, which is available in Austin, Texas, and San Francisco, will roll out to as many as 10 other metro areas by the end of the year.
Starbucks’ AI barista aims to speed service and improve experience. Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune Business Editor, explains its impact on workers and customers.
