Lulu Wang Instagram – Back when #Expats showrunner and director Lulu Wang (@thumbelulu) was an indie filmmaker promoting #TheFarewell, her agent reached out to her. @nicolekidman wanted to know if Wang was interested in adapting “The Expatriates,” @janiceyklee’s novel about three American women living in Hong Kong, into a series for @primevideo.
Wang politely declined. “It wasn’t because I didn’t want to work with Nicole or that I wasn’t excited — I love the book,” Wang says. Part of what gave her pause was scaling up so dramatically after the narrow purview of “The Farewell’s” 24-day shoot and shoestring $3-million budget. This would involve tackling a big-budget studio project that required shooting in both Hong Kong and Los Angeles.
Then came Kidman’s make-it-happen campaign. It began with dinner, just the two of them. “What do you need?” Kidman asked her. “I just felt like I was daydreaming out loud — not really pitching,” Wang says.
Except Kidman assured Wang that it was all doable.
The team behind the critically acclaimed series opens up about how they made it in the latest Envelope cover story. Read more at the link in @latimes_entertainment’s bio.
📸 @therealchristinahouse | Posted on 30/May/2024 01:47:51
