TODAY Jenny Han Pushed for Asian American Leads in Onscreen Adaptations of Her Books

In a January 2025 episode of the Open Book with Jenna podcast, Jenny Han talked about the importance of casting Asian-American actresses for her screen adaptations of “To All The Boys I Loved Before” and “The Summer I Turned Pretty.” “I had to really fight for (Asian-American casting),” she said. “Big companies (said) ‘We’ll get this made. But is this really a dealbreaker?’ I was like, ‘It is. And I’d rather not have a movie if it’s going to mean doing that.'”

“To All The Boys I Loved Before” and “The Summer I Turned Pretty” starred Asian-American actors Lana Condor and Lola Tung, respectively, and became a hit movie and television series.

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Watch the full video on YouTube