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Adele Lim
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Adele Lim is a Malaysian screenwriter, producer, and director. She is best known for being a co-writer on Crazy Rich Asians, the first film by a major Hollywood studio to feature a majority cast of Asian descent in a modern setting since The Joy Luck Club in 1993, and Raya and the Last Dragon in 2021, an animated fantasy adventure inspired by Southeast Asian culture. She also directed and produced the 2023 comedy Joy Ride.
Key Information
Early life
[edit]Lim was born in Malaysia[1] and is of Malaysian Chinese descent.[2] She attended Malaysia's Sri Aman Girls School in Petaling Jaya, in Petaling District, in the state of Selangor.[3]She started writing as a teenager and undergraduate in the lifestyle section of a local daily.[4] She graduated from Emerson College in Boston with a degree in TV/film in 1996 and currently resides in Los Angeles, California.[5][6]
Career
[edit]Lim started her career as a script coordinator for Xena: Warrior Princess,[2] getting the job despite her resume being, as she described, "nonexistent".[7] She has written for TV series such as One Tree Hill, Life Unexpected, Reign, Star-Crossed, Private Practice and Lethal Weapon.
In 2018, Lim was the co-screenwriter for the 2018 movie Crazy Rich Asians.[8][2] Director Jon M. Chu asked her to rewrite the existing screenplay. In her rewrite she notably added the climactic scene of mahjong between Constance Wu and Michelle Yeoh's characters.[9] Lim left writing on the sequel, following reports that she was offered significantly less pay (around $110,000) than her male co-writer Peter Chiarelli ($800,000 to $1 million). Warner Brothers defended the offer, citing the difference in experience between the two.[10][11]
Disney recruited Lim to develop the animated feature film Raya and the Last Dragon, which released in 2021. She served as screenwriter alongside Qui Nguyen.[12]
In her feature directorial debut, Lim directed and produced comedy film Joy Ride, starring Ashley Park, Sherry Cola, Stephanie Hsu, and Sabrina Wu.[13] The movie premiered at SXSW in March 2023.[14]
She has given support to young writers as mentor and speaker for the Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment (CAPE).[15]
In 2024, Variety reported that she signed on to direct The Princess Diaries 3 with Anne Hathaway reprising her role.[16]
Following years of development, Lim returned to the Crazy Rich Asians franchise as the showrunner of the revamped sequel television series for HBO Max, where she would be the showrunner.[17]
Filmography
[edit]Film
[edit]| Title | Year | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crazy Rich Asians | 2018 | co-writer | Nominated: Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy[2] |
| Raya and the Last Dragon | 2021 | Nominated: Academy Award for Best Animated Feature | |
| Joy Ride | 2023 | Directorial debut, story writer and producer |
Television
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Xena: Warrior Princess | Script Coordinator | Episode: "Punch Lines" |
| 2001 | State of Grace | Script Coordinator | |
| 2001–2002 | Digimon: Digital Monsters | Writer (English Dub) | Seasons 2–4; 20 episodes (English Dub)[18] |
| 2002 | John Doe | Co-Writer | Episode: "Mind Games" |
| 2003–2004 | Las Vegas | Story Editor | 22 episodes; Writer: 3 episodes |
| 2004–2005 | Executive Story Editor | 24 episodes | |
| 2006 | Pepper Dennis | Co-producer | 5 episodes; Writer: 2 episodes |
| 2006–2007 | One Tree Hill | 11 episodes; Writer: "All These Things That I've Done" | |
| 2008 | Producer | 13 episodes; Writer: "Its Alright Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)" | |
| 2008–2009 | Life on Mars | Supervising Producer | 17 episodes; Writer: 3 episodes |
| 2010 | Life Unexpected | Consulting Producer | 2 episodes |
| Supervising Producer | 9 episodes | ||
| 2010–2011 | Co-executive Producer | 11 episodes | |
| 2011–2012 | Private Practice | 22 episodes; Writer: 2 episodes | |
| 2012 | Missing | Consulting Producer | 7 episodes; Writer Episode: "The Three Bears" |
| 2014 | Star-Crossed | Executive Producer | 12 episodes; Writer: 2 episodes |
| 2014–2015 | Reign | Co-executive Producer | 22 episodes; Writer: 3 episodes |
| 2016–2017 | Lethal Weapon | 17 episodes; Writer: 2 episodes | |
| 2018 | Dynasty | Writer | Episode: "A Well-Dressed Tarantula" |
References
[edit]- ^ "Adele Lim". IMDb. Archived from the original on 28 August 2018. Retrieved 29 August 2018.
- ^ a b c d Tangcay, Jazz (21 August 2018). "Adele Lim "Representation Matters" Says the Malaysian Co-Writer of Crazy Rich Asians". awardsdaily.com. Archived from the original on 30 August 2018. Retrieved 29 August 2018.
- ^ Vengadesan, Martin (13 September 2020). "The PJ girl who just penned Disney's next movie". Malaysiakini. Retrieved 3 October 2025.
- ^ Wong, June H.L. (17 May 2017). "Rooting for this CRA-zy movie". the Star Online. Archived from the original on 12 August 2019. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
- ^ Begum, Mumtaj (12 December 2012). "It's in the script". The Star. Archived from the original on 8 October 2019. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
- ^ Lye, Jesslyn (17 January 2024). "Meet Adele Lim, the Malaysian screenwriter making waves of representation in Hollywood". Vogue Singapore. Archived from the original on 18 July 2024. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
- ^ S. Indramalar, Ann (8 February 2013). "TV dramas are nothing without writers". The Star/Asia News Network. Archived from the original on 8 October 2019. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
- ^ Yamato, Jen (10 August 2018). "'Crazy Rich Asians': Adele Lim brought experience, authenticity to the script". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 21 August 2018.
- ^ Babiak, Laura (7 July 2023). "Who to Watch: Adele Lim, Director of 'Joy Ride'". The New York Observer. Archived from the original on 8 July 2023. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
- ^ "'Crazy Rich Asians' Co-Writer Exits Sequel Amid Pay Disparity Dispute (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. 4 September 2019. Archived from the original on 21 March 2022. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
- ^ Sherman, Maria (4 September 2019). "Crazy Rich Asians Co-Writer Left Sequel After Learning White Male Colleague Earned Around 10 Times Her Salary". The Muse. Archived from the original on 4 September 2019. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
- ^ Chan, Kenneth (12 October 2018). "Malaysia-born screenwriter Adele Lim working on Disney film". The Star. Archived from the original on 17 August 2019. Retrieved 17 August 2019.
- ^ Vincentelli, Elisabeth (6 July 2023). "'Joy Ride' Review: A Raunch-Com Roller Coaster". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 7 July 2023. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
- ^ Tangcay, Jazz (18 March 2023). "'Joy Ride': Adele Lim on Her SXSW Directorial Debut and Telling a Story About Messy, Thirsty Friends 'On Our Terms'". Variety. Archived from the original on 16 July 2023. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
- ^ Ramos, Dino-Ray (19 March 2019). "CAPE Teams With Adele Lim, Daniel Chun, Walter Hamada And Others For Annual New Writers Fellowship". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 31 March 2023. Retrieved 17 August 2019.
- ^ Angelique Jackson (4 October 2024). "Anne Hathaway Confirms Return for 'Princess Diaries 3' With Director Adele Lim". Variety. Archived from the original on 5 October 2024. Retrieved 5 October 2024.
- ^ Cordero, Rosy (28 February 2025). "'Crazy Rich Asians' TV Series From Adele Lim, Jon M. Chu & Kevin Kwan Gains Momentum At Max With Development Room". Deadline. Retrieved 31 March 2025.
- ^ "Digimon: Digital Monsters (1999-2003) Full Cast & Crew". IMDb. Archived from the original on 7 January 2023. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
External links
[edit]Adele Lim
View on GrokipediaEarly life and education
Upbringing and family background
Adele Lim was born in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia, on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, to parents of Peranakan (Baba and Nyonya) descent, reflecting a blend of Chinese, Malay, and indigenous cultural influences typical of that heritage.[3][8] She was raised in a traditional multigenerational household that included her grandparents, with extended family members frequently present, fostering close-knit familial ties common in Malaysian Chinese communities.[3][9] Lim's early years unfolded in post-colonial Malaysia, a multicultural society marked by a strong orientation toward English and American cultural imports, which influenced her voracious reading habits and exposure to Western media from a young age.[10][5] Of Malaysian Chinese ethnicity, she attended Sri Aman Girls School in Petaling Jaya, where she developed an early fascination with storytelling amid these diverse influences.[11]Professional career
Television writing and early Hollywood entry
Lim began her professional career in Hollywood as a script coordinator on the syndicated television series Xena: Warrior Princess in 2000, at the age of 25, after relocating from Malaysia and attending Emerson College.[12][13] She obtained the entry-level position through persistence, despite describing her resume as "nonexistent" at the time, marking her initial foothold in the industry amid limited opportunities for Asian American writers.[14] This role involved logistical support for the writers' room, such as organizing scripts and schedules, on the fantasy action series which aired from 1995 to 2001.[10] Transitioning to writing, Lim contributed to episodes across multiple network and cable dramas, building expertise over approximately 17 years in television production rooms.[5] Early credits included writing for John Doe (2002–2003), a Fox mystery series, and State of Grace (2001–2002), an ABC family drama.[15] She later penned scripts for One Tree Hill (2003–2012) on The WB/CW, focusing on teen drama narratives, and Las Vegas (2003–2008) on NBC, contributing to its ensemble casino storyline.[16] Lim's portfolio expanded to include medical and historical genres, with writing on Private Practice (2007–2013), a Grey's Anatomy spin-off on ABC, and producer duties on Life on Mars (2008), an ABC adaptation of the British cop drama.[2] In the 2010s, she wrote for The CW's Reign (2013–2017), a period drama about Mary, Queen of Scots; Star-Crossed (2014), a sci-fi romance; and Fox's Lethal Weapon (2016–2019), adapting the action-comedy film franchise into episodic format.[2] Additional contributions encompassed Dynasty (2017–2022 reboot on The CW), where she served as a writer-producer.[17] This extensive television tenure, spanning procedural, drama, and genre shows, provided Lim with foundational skills in character development, dialogue, and collaborative scripting, establishing her as a versatile writer before her pivot to feature films.[14] Her progression from coordinator to credited writer reflected persistence in a competitive field, where she navigated typecasting and underrepresentation as an Asian woman in Hollywood writers' rooms.[10]Breakthrough in feature films
Adele Lim's entry into feature films occurred with her co-writing credit on the 2018 romantic comedy Crazy Rich Asians, directed by Jon M. Chu and based on Kevin Kwan's novel.[18] Prior to this project, Lim had no feature film screenwriting credits, having built her career primarily in television writing for series such as The Simpsons, Arrested Development, and Fresh Off the Boat.[19] Chu recruited Lim to revise an existing screenplay draft by Peter Chiarelli, leveraging her Malaysian heritage and cultural insights to enhance the film's authenticity in depicting Singaporean-Chinese elite society.[18] Her contributions included infusing personal experiences from her upbringing in Kuala Lumpur and observations of Asian family dynamics, which added depth to the script's portrayal of wealth, tradition, and intergenerational tensions.[10] The film premiered on August 15, 2018, and grossed over $239 million worldwide against a $30 million budget, marking a commercial breakthrough for Lim as a screenwriter.[20] Crazy Rich Asians represented the first major Hollywood studio release with a predominantly Asian cast since The Joy Luck Club in 1993, achieving critical acclaim with a 91% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and earning an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture.[5] Lim's involvement highlighted a shift toward more authentic Asian representation in mainstream cinema, as she noted the script allowed her to channel lived experiences rather than stereotypical tropes common in prior Hollywood depictions.[10] This success positioned her for subsequent feature projects, including co-writing Disney's Raya and the Last Dragon in 2021, though Crazy Rich Asians solidified her transition from television to high-profile theatrical releases.[21]Directorial debut and recent projects
Lim made her feature-length directorial debut with the road-trip comedy Joy Ride, which she co-wrote with Cherry Chevapravatdumrong and Teresa Hsiao, and produced alongside Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg.[22] The film follows four Asian-American friends—portrayed by Ashley Park, Sherry Cola, Stephanie Hsu, and Sabrina Wu—embarking on a chaotic journey through China to fulfill a childhood promise, incorporating elements of raunchy humor and cultural exploration.[14] It premiered at South by Southwest on March 17, 2023, and was released theatrically by Lionsgate on July 7, 2023.[22] In a subsequent directing role, Lim was attached to helm The Princess Diaries 3 for Disney, announced on October 4, 2024, with Anne Hathaway reprising her lead role as Mia Thermopolis and also producing.[23] The project revives the franchise dormant since 2004's The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, though no release date or additional casting details have been confirmed as of late 2024.[24]Controversies
Pay disparity dispute over Crazy Rich Asians sequels
In September 2019, Adele Lim, co-screenwriter of the 2018 film Crazy Rich Asians, exited negotiations to co-write the planned sequels—Crazy Rich Asians 2 and China Rich Girlfriend—after discovering she had been offered approximately one-eighth the compensation of her white male counterpart, Peter Chiarelli, for equivalent work on the back-to-back productions.[7][25] Lim, who joined the original film's writing team late to provide cultural authenticity as an Asian American woman, stated that the offer amounted to "hundreds of thousands of dollars" less than Chiarelli's, framing the discrepancy as emblematic of systemic undervaluation of women and people of color in Hollywood.[6] Warner Bros. and producers did not publicly disclose exact figures, but director Jon M. Chu addressed the matter on September 9, 2019, emphasizing Lim's integral role in the franchise and attributing the impasse to standard negotiation breakdowns rather than discrimination based on race or gender.[26][27] Chu noted that the studio had made multiple offers to retain Lim, valuing her contributions, but the parties could not align on terms amid the high-stakes production involving in-demand stars like Constance Wu and Henry Golding.[26] The dispute contributed to delays in the sequels, which proceeded without Lim's involvement, highlighting tensions in franchise compensation structures where established writers like Chiarelli, with prior credits, command premiums over collaborators added for specialized input.[28] Lim's departure drew attention to broader pay equity issues in the industry, with supporters arguing it underscored devaluation of diverse voices despite the original film's success—grossing over $239 million worldwide—while critics of her position pointed to negotiation dynamics and differing career trajectories as non-discriminatory factors.[29][30] No formal legal action ensued, and subsequent reports indicated the sequels advanced with revised writing teams, though production timelines shifted into 2020 amid scheduling conflicts.[6]Works and filmography
Feature films
Lim co-wrote the screenplay for the romantic comedy Crazy Rich Asians (2018), adapting Kevin Kwan's novel alongside Peter Chiarelli; the film was directed by Jon M. Chu and grossed $239 million worldwide.[6][31] She shared screenplay credit with Qui Nguyen for the Disney animated film Raya and the Last Dragon (2021), directed by Don Hall and Carlos López Estrada.[32] Lim made her feature directorial debut with Joy Ride (2023), a comedy she also co-wrote with Cherry Chevapravatdumrong and Teresa Hsiao, and produced; the film follows four Asian-American friends on a trip to China.[33]| Year | Title | Role(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Crazy Rich Asians | Screenwriter [1] |
| 2021 | Raya and the Last Dragon | Screenwriter [1] |
| 2023 | Joy Ride | Director, screenwriter, producer [1] |