Crazy Rich Asians star Constance Wu offered an apology — and an explanation — on Saturday for her slew of angry tweets and comments a day earlier about the renewal of her TV show Fresh Off the Boat.
"I love FOTB," she wrote in a statement. "I was temporarily upset yesterday not bc I hate the show but bc its renewal meant I had to give up another project that I was really passionate about. So my dismayed social media replies were more about that other project and not about FOTB."
Wu had shocked fans of the ABC sitcom with a series of messages on social media after the show was renewed for a sixth season.
"So upset right now that I’m literally crying. Ugh. Fuck," she wrote in one tweet.
"Fucking hell," she wrote in another.
After a fan responded, “Congrats on your renewal! Great news :),” Wu replied bluntly, “No it’s not."
When Fresh Off the Boat’s official Instagram account posted a photo of the cast with news of the renewal, Wu also commented “Dislike” on the photo.
Some fans speculated that Wu was angry she would be required to return to TV after the blockbuster success of Crazy Rich Asians, while others dubbed her remarks insensitive to struggling actors, as well as the rest of the Fresh Off the Boat cast and crew.
@ConstanceWu So sorry you’re upset about being on television and making money. It’s hard to hear someone complaining about it.
@ConstanceWu Just think about all the actors and crews today that shows didn't get renewed and are devastated. So maybe you shouldn't be so upset that yours got renewed.
Representatives for ABC and 20th Century Fox, which produces the show, told BuzzFeed News they had no comment on Wu's words.
The actor tried to clarify her remarks late Friday, tweeting that she had had "a rough day" and was "ill timed w/the news of the show."
Todays tweets were on the heels of rough day&were ill timed w/the news of the show. Plz know, Im so grateful for FOTB renewal. I love the cast&crew. Im proud to be a part of it. For all the fans support, thank u & for all who support my casual use of the word fuck-thank u too😘
But in her statement Saturday, she admitted that her public anger was to do with the show's renewal meaning she would have to give up another unnamed project "that would have challenged [her] as an artist."
She described her work on Fresh Off the Boat as "fun and easy and pleasant," but said she's driven to "artistic challenges/difficulties over success/happiness."
Wu said she regretted and was sorry that her words were insensitive to actors who could only dream of starring in a network comedy.
"My words and ill-timing were insensitive to those who are struggling, especially insensitive considering the fact that I used to be in that struggle too," she wrote. "I do regret that and it wasn't nice and I am sorry for that."
She credited Fresh Off the Boat with affording her career options, but conceded to having mixed feelings about the show's return.
"People can hold conflicting feelings in their hearts — that conflict is a part of being human," she wrote. "So I can both love the show/cast/crew but at the same time be disappointed that I lost the other unrelated job."
She ended her statement with what appeared to be a muddled reference to the #MeToo movement, applying the slogan "believe women" as she urged fans to believe that she was telling the truth about her feelings.
Read her full statement below:
These words are my truth. I hope you hear them