‘The Joy Luck Club' daughters reunite 30 years later: ‘We're like sisters'

Based on  of the same name, “The Joy Luck Club” hit theaters in the fall of 1993. The film was among the first of its kind to feature an , and traces the intergenerational stories of a group of Chinese women through a series of flashbacks between the past and the present.

Chronicling the lives of June (Ming-Na Wen), Waverly (Tamlyn Tomita), Rose (Rosalind Chao) and Lena (Lauren Tom), “The Joy Luck Club” spotlights the characters  with their mothers (played by Kieu Chinh, Tsai Chin, Lisa Lu and France Nuyen) and the various challenges they each face.

Modestly successful at , “The Joy Luck Club” received critical acclaim for its revealing look at Asian American women, their connection and unspoken hardships.

In the decades since the movie was released, its cultural significance has only grown, earning “The Joy Luck Club” a place in the history books, as well as an induction into the National Film Registry in 2020.

In recognition of its groundbreaking accomplishments, Wen, Tomita, Chao and Tom, sat down with 온라인카지노사이트 News’ Richard Lui to reflect on how “The Joy Luck Club” changed not only their lives, but also helped pave the way for the next generation of .

Amid laughter and tears, they also talk about their sisterhood and the close bond that’s kept them together for more than 30 years.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

This film has become so epic, historic, and has really taught so many generations. How does it feel to have played a role within that?

Rosalind Chao: At the time we shot it, I had no clue of the ramifications of doing this movie. This movie is shown in public high schools. The book “The Joy Luck Club” is a required reading for my kids’ school. But I don’t think we had a clue.

Ming-Na Wen: Generation after generation gets to see this film. But also, I think they still react the same as they did 30 years ago. A lot of the young Asian Americans and non-Asian Americans, they still feel the value of the immigrant story and the familial story between the mothers and the daughters. They all have such amazing stories of how it impacted them, and I think that’s a real testament of Amy Tan’s storytelling, that it transcends time.

Lauren Tom: I think one of the beautiful contributions that this film has made to just people at large is that it provides a portal to start conversations. So, when you can see something objectively apart from you on the screen, you might be brave enough to have that conversation with your mom.

Tamlyn Tomita: Complementing what Ming said, people will react the same way in seeing this collection of stories by Amy Tan. But also, they do react with it differently because they grow older, they have children, and they’re watching it with their children, when they were children at the first time they were watching it. So, there is that constant shift, but it’s also the connectivity between the generations. It’s a portal. It’s an impetus to ask your mother, ‘What happened to you? What were you like when you were younger?’

Lauren Tom: One of the joys for me was watching my kids watch the movie for the first time, and they were laughing all the way through it, even though it has much sadness. So, I had forgotten how funny it is, too. I think that’s also why it touched so many people.

Rosalind Chao: And not just Asian Americans.

Tamlyn Tomita: Anybody who has a mom.

What was it like to get the call to star in a movie with an all-Asian cast? Something we hadn't seen in decades before that.

Lauren Tom: It was thrilling to be able to just be a part of (that). Even the crew, everyone involved, there was so much diversity. And that was 30 years ago, so, even more impressive.

Tamlyn Tomita: In our lifetimes, previous to that, there was never a film, there were episodic television shows.

Ming-Na Wen: I remember because I was the only New Yorker hired for the main parts. I hadn't come out to LA, I met them in San Francisco, and as almost a lone wolf at the time, where you’re the one token Asian in an audition room with many, many Caucasian actresses, and there’s nothing wrong with that, that was the time back then. But to come into a room with the incredible Asian female cast. I almost felt like I was in a foreign land.

Rosalind Chao: I remember sitting outside. I had a newborn, and I was breastfeeding outside the room where they were waiting to do our first table read. I heard them all talking about their individual experiences, and when they met each other in audition rooms, and I remember feeding him and just started crying. The three of them, that camaraderie, hearing that in the next room, it was just so moving.

So, at that moment, you realized you had just formed a club?

Rosalind Chao: Yes, literally. We’re like sisters. We each have our quirks, we don’t talk about it …

Ming-Na Wen: (Interrupting) Yes, we do!

Lauren Tom: (Laughing) We call each other out all the time.

Ming-Na Wen: But in the most loving way. It’s quite extraordinary to have four actresses, that are around the same age and all vying for the same roles … to never feel like we’re in competition with each other. It’s like, if you’re supposed to get the role, you get the role and we’re always so supportive and so happy for each other.

While you were making the film, did you ever sense that this would become the touchstone for the way we would talk about Asian-American film for decades to come?

All: No, no, no, no …

Ming-Na Wen: (But) the fact that it was not even nominated for a screenplay ...

(The others interject)

Ming-Na Wen: (It's been) 30 years, it needs to be addressed. It needs to be addressed.

Rosalind Chao: Not only were we not nominated, but we were asked to present at the Oscars and one of us was at the phone and heard, “Oh, we’ve just been un-asked.”

For the mothers here, when you look back, did “The Joy Luck Club” make you a better person because you understood those ideas, relationships and sinews between other women in your life?

Tamlyn Tomita: We want to acknowledge our own mothers in our own lives, but also Kieu Chinh, Lisa Lu, France Nuyen, and the fantastic Tsai Chin.

We became better women because of those women, because knowing their legacy, their history through Hollywood and their careers and what they still continue to pass down along. The three of us were lucky to join Ming when she received her Hollywood Star of Fame and we will be all there for Lisa Lu’s reception of receiving the star.

So, yes. Becoming better women, becoming better actors, becoming better community people, becoming better moms and, ultimately, becoming better daughters, because we’re lucky that we have our mother-actors still with us. Some of us have our mothers still with us and we just treasure them with their quirks and personalities. So, it’s a test of time and it’s a testament to the lesson that we still learn from them.

After the success of “The Joy Luck Club,” did you expect more doors to open in Hollywood for Asian Americans?

Rosalind Chao: After that experience, I kind of buried myself because I felt like a wayward mom. But I did think more was going to open.

Ming-Na Wen: I think it opened, I think it did help. That’s why I call it my “Green Card” (to Hollywood) because it was like, “Oh, we know you,” because a lot of casting people saw the film. So, whether it was a success or not in the box office, it didn’t matter. It really elevated our name.

Lauren Tom: Being part of this film means that you have some class and you’re a good actor, because our reviews were so wonderful, that it was an automatic, “You’re alright.”

Tamlyn Tomita: I think it did open the doors for the nine of us. But in terms of more Asian American stories, it did not happen, because if we’re waiting 20 years until “Crazy, Rich Asians,” and they’re pinpointing it to the touchstone of “The Joy Luck Club,” nope, it goes farther than that. It goes to “Flower Drum Song,” “The World of Suzie Wong.”

We need to keep reminding our community, as well as the nation and the world of movies, that our stories have been box office hits, they’re classics and they’re timeless. They should be stolen and told all the way along because they’re universal. It’s about mothers, it’s about families. It’s about falling in love. It’s about celebrity.

Rosalind Chao: And being American.

Ming-Na Wen: It’s about being seen. When I read Amy Tan’s book, that was the first time I was struck at feeling like someone sees me. That I was not living this life, the adventure, these experiences alone.

Rosalind Chao: Like Kieu Chinh says to you in the movie, “I see you,” that’s exactly how we felt when we read Amy Tan’s book and that we belong.

When you see actors like Bowen Yang, Awkwafina or Simu Liu, what’s your reaction?

Rosalind Chao: It’s so exciting. The first time seeing Bowen, I was a fangirl, because you could see right away he had that extra thing. And Ronny Chieng … we are breaking. That’s my dream for us, that we break into the tapestry that we’re not considered ‘exotic’ anymore. That we’re just part of America.

Lauren Tom: I’ve gotten to this certain age now where everyone feels like my kid. I’m proud of them. Sometimes I don’t even know them and I’m like, “I am so proud of you.”

What would you say to these young actors?

Rosalind Chao: They’re smarter. They’re killing it already. I think they’re doing, in some ways, what I wish I did. They're more educated. I was a little hesitant to put my foot forward.

Ming-Na Wen: Yes, we were sort of like “Oh, OK, we’re supposed to do this.” But they know how to do the business … publicity, branding and social media. They are so savvy.

How do you think “The Joy Luck Club” would do if it was released next week?

Rosalind Chao: I think they should. It would kill. Once again, it shows how we are a part of the tapestry that makes America. I think it holds up.

Lauren Tom: Now, with social media and the fact that the Asian community has evolved so much to be so organized and supportive of one another, because back in the ‘90s we weren’t as cohesive. So, now, like “Crazy, Rich Asians,” they were like, “You guys need to go to the theater and see it five times.” And they did it, so their box office was huge.

Rosalind Chao: She’s right. The Asian community was not as supportive. We didn’t have our act together like we do now.

What would a re-release look like?

Rosalind Chao: It would look good.

Tamlyn Tomita: We still look good (laughs).

Ming-Na Wen: Maybe we won’t be considered a foreign film.

Tamlyn Tomita: Actually, there were scenes that were filmed that weren’t cut in.

Lauren Tom: That would be fascinating.

Is a sequel possible?

Rosalind Chao: We love that. We’d be so happy with that.

Ming-Na Wen: Under the right circumstances, we would be so thrilled to bring these characters back to life.

Lauren Tom: And to work together.

Ming-Na Wen: And to see how these characters have evolved and where their lives are at now.

Tamlyn Tomita: It would be fun. It would be amazing. A more ridiculous idea would be have a video game where players get to choose what path June took, what path Lena took, what path Rose took.

Ming-Na Wen: Whether a sequel or a TV series, I think that would be fun.

Whether they’re seeing it for the first time or the hundredth, what do you hope people take away from “The Joy Luck Club”?

Tamlyn Tomita: These are 16 stories based on the stories written by Amy Tan. That they’re multifaceted, not just multicultural. When you bring your light, your inner self to reading these stories or viewing the movie again, that you’ll be able to perceive other nuances that we all tried so desperately to interject.

The relationship is how we look at each other, how we look at our moms, how we took the breath to address each other in a particular scene. Those are human moments and this is a terrifically human story and it’s endless.

Lauren Tom: If an audience, new or old, can find something in our film to relate to that helps them feel like they belong, then we’ve done our job. Because at the end of the day, that’s what human beings want — is a feeling that they belong.

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