HOUSTON — International, bestselling author Kevin Kwan returned home to Houston to speak to a sold-out crowd at the Asia Texas Society Center.
Kwan, best known for Crazy Rich Asians, spoke about his career and newest book, Lies and Weddings.
Lies and Weddings was released on May 21, 2024 and just hit the New York Times Best Sellers list.
Kwan sat down with KHOU 11's Shern-Min Chow to talk about writing books and writing his own story.
Crazy Rich Asians was the novel that launched a movie that ultimately, launched a career.
“I grew up in a very old established family. My family had been in business for four generations," he said. “I was super pampered. I grew up in a household with lots of staff. And I didn't even know how to put on my school uniform, because my nanny would help dress me."
At age 11, everything changed for Kwan. His family moved from Singapore to Clear Lake, a suburb of Greater Houston.
“My dad wanted us to be in America and wanted us to be in Texas to toughen us up. You know? And so, he would say 'Kevin, go mow the lawn'. 'Kevin take out the trash,'" Kwan said.
Kwan graduated from the University of Houston- Clear Lake where he studied writing and worked as a creative consultant for two decades before writing Crazy Rich Asians.
Kwan sold the movie's rights for one dollar.
“A lot of different studios and producers came calling. They wanted to make Rachel Chu (the love interest), a white girl, a Caucasian-American girl and they said, well, the only way it's going to work is if she's just white," Kwan said.
Instead, Kwan gave up his writer's fee for creative control, doubling down on the project and himself.
“I became a producer on this as well. So, every step of the way, we chose the screenwriters. We chose John Chu to direct," Kwan said.
He's now repeating the dollar movie rights and producer model for his 4th best-seller, Sex and Vanity. Sony Pictures should begin filming this summer.
Kwan's stories are part rom-com, part snarky society dishing, which happens to be set in Asian families.
“We all want families to get along. And what better way to showcase that, than seeing a crazy dysfunctional family going through the adventure of life, right?” Kwans said.
When asked if Kwan ever pines to be like his super-rich characters. He said, "No, thank you."
"You can't trust anyone and really, increasingly, I see that so many of these people are in very, very lonely, isolated bubbles,” he said.