Constance Wu Reveals She Attempted Suicide After 'Fresh Off the Boat' Tweet Backlash

By Daniel S. Levine

Constance Wu caused a firestorm in 2019 when she tweeted her frustrations with ABC after the network renewed Fresh Off the Boat for another season. The Crazy Rich Asians star left Twitter for three years because of the backlash her messages received. On Thursday, Wu returned to Twitter, revealing that she attempted suicide in 2019.

Wu shared a long statement on Twitter as she prepares to promote her new book Making a Scene, reports Variety. "I was afraid of coming back on social media because I almost lost my life from it: 3 years ago, when I made careless tweets about the renewal of my TV show, it ignited outrage and internet shaming that got pretty severe," Wu began, adding that she felt "awful" about her comments. She said she received several messages from fellow Asian American actresses who thought she would become a "blight" on the community.

"I felt awful about what I'd said, and when a few DMs from a fellow Asian actress told me I'd become a blight on the Asian American community, I started feeling like I didn't even deserve to live anymore," Wu wrote. "That I was a disgrace to AsAms, and they'd be better off without me. Looking back, it's surreal that a few DMs convinced me to end my own life, but that's what happened. Luckily, a friend found me and rushed me to the ER."

The "scary moment" led Wu to reassess her life, she wrote. She put a halt to her career to focus on her mental health, which is why she hadn't worked much between Fresh Off the Boat's cancellation in 2019 and being cast in Amazon Prime Video's The Terminal List. Wu noted that Asian Americans do not talk about mental health "enough."

"While we're quick to celebrate representation wins, there's a lot of avoidance around the more uncomfortable issues within our community," Wu wrote. "Even my tweets became a subject so touchy that most of my AsAm colleagues decided that was the time to avoid me or ice me out. I'll admit it hurt a lot, but it also made me realize how important it is to reach out and care for people who are going through a hard time."

Wu concluded by writing, "After a little break from Hollywood and a lot of therapy I feel OK enough to venture back on here (at least for a little bit). And even though I'm scared, I've decided that I owe it to the me-of-3-years-ago to be brave and share my story so that it might help someone with theirs."

After ABC renewed Fresh Off the Boat for its sixth season, Wu shocked Hollywood and fans by complaining instead of celebrating the show getting picked up. "F—ing hell," she simply tweeted. In another tweet, she added, "So upset right now I'm literally crying. Ugh. F—." The Hustlers star later apologized and said she was upset because her commitment to the show meant she had to pass on a passion project. 

Fresh Off the Boat was canceled in November 2019, with the series finale airing in February 2020. Wu can now be seen in the Chris Pratt-starring The Terminal List, which launched on Prime Video on July 1. She also stars in the upcoming family movie Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile, which will be released in October.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741-741. 

0comments
Start the Conversation

of