Dear Gossips,
Do you know Justin Lin (without Googling?) According to Wired, he’s the “most important blockbuster director you’ve never heard of”. But JJ Abrams personally requested that he take over from him on Star Trek Beyond (opening in July) and he’s been widely credited by almost everyone, including Vin Diesel, for rescuing the Fast Furious franchise.
Wired’s new profile of Justin Lin is both a study of his work approach and a fascinating portrait of who Justin is specifically as an Asian American. He learned English by playing basketball, he improved his English by reading about the LA Lakers, he overcame his racist bullies, who called him “chink” and “gook” by beating them at one-on-one. And now his films are among the most diverse in the business, with Roger Ebert once writing that in Justin’s stories “race is not the point but simply the given”. Which is why, at the beginning of his career, he made a film with an all-Asian cast but decided that the characters were punks and assholes. Because Asians don’t always just have to be good at math and mah-jong.
Sure. But Justin Lin certainly has that immigrant hustle. That’s why he always works on Thanksgiving. Because out of the 365 days of the year, it’s the only day his immigrant father, his hero, ever took off.
Click here to read more about Justin Lin at Wired.
Have a great weekend!
Yours in gossip,
Lainey
