Kelly Marie Tran: From ‘Star Wars’ Criticism to Queer Joy in ‘The Wedding Banquet’

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⚠️ Plot Spoiler Alert: The following interview discusses key details from “The Wedding Banquet,” which hits theaters this Friday.

In this way, the sentence maintains its original meaning but sounds more conversational and engaging to readers.

Kelly Marie Tran’s career is experiencing significant growth, which she deeply appreciates.

Over the last few years, there has been a significant shift from the time when Tran encountered racist and sexist abuse from harmful “Star Wars” fans, following her casting as Rose Tico in “The Last Jedi” in 2017, to a more positive phase in her life.

Tran shares, “I’ve discovered how to embrace and appreciate aspects of myself that once frightened me or made me feel embarrassed,” she tells EbMaster. “In the past year alone, I worked on four films, each focusing on Asian narratives directed by Asian creators, some of whom were also queer. Reflecting back, it’s astonishing to realize that what I used to be penalized for, I now have the opportunity to create art about.

One of the films is “The Wedding Banquet,” a modern take on Ang Lee’s pioneering 1993 movie. The latest adaptation is helmed by Andrew Ahn (“Fire Island,” “Spa Night”), who also collaborated with James Schamus, one of the original screenplay writers, in writing this new version.

In this heartwarming romantic comedy, Tran plays Angela, a Seattle-based scientist who is part of a close-knit, queer housemate quartet. Angela and her partner, Lee (Lily Gladstone), yearn to start a family, but Lee’s expensive in vitro fertilization treatments have been unsuccessful. Meanwhile, another couple, Chris (Bowen Yang) and Min (Han Gi-Chan), reside in their garage. As Min’s student visa nears its expiration, his wealthy grandmother pressures him to leave his artistic career behind for a role within the family business in Korea. To remain in the United States, Min devises a plan: he’ll pretend to marry Angela to obtain a green card, and in return, he’ll fund Lee’s IVF treatments.

The film titled “The Wedding Banquet” held significant firsts for Tran. Among these, it remarkably resonated with her personal experiences, a similarity seldom found in other projects. Inspired by her involvement in the movie, Tran courageously chose to reveal her queer identity publicly.

Initially, she hadn’t intended to disclose this information, but when a reporter from Vanity Fair visited the set of “The Wedding Banquet”, Tran found herself discussing her personal identity. The publication offered her the opportunity to consider whether she wanted this aspect of her life featured in their article, and in the end, she chose to reveal it.

or simply:

Tran initially kept her identity private, but during a visit from a Vanity Fair reporter on the set of “The Wedding Banquet”, she ended up discussing it. The publication gave Tran the choice to decide whether this detail should be included in their coverage, and ultimately, she opted to share it.

Tran openly expresses that she doesn’t wish to conceal the aspect of herself that she proudly represents through this stunning work of art. She emphasizes that the entire filming process was about embracing queerness, cherishing chosen families, and exulting in queer happiness – something she hadn’t realized she so desperately needed at that stage of her life.

Indeed, the majority of the cast and crew were individuals identifying as part of the LGBTQ+ community, which was a novel experience for Tran, as well as many others involved in the production. “We would often be approached by members of the cast, expressing their amazement at being part of a film where everyone is queer, and a significant number of those behind the scenes are also part of the LGBTQ+ community,” Tran explains. “This allowed us to celebrate our shared identity collectively. It felt incredibly organic to openly share my own queer identity in this supportive environment.

As Tran perused the script, she found striking resemblances between herself and Angela. Not just coincidences, such as their shared preference for driving a Prius or the initial setting of Los Angeles, where Tran lives. Rather, there were profound correspondences in the narrative of Angela’s queer identity journey and Tran’s personal experiences with her own identity exploration.

As a fellow cinephile who deeply appreciates the art of storytelling on screen, let me share my perspective: “Just like Angela, I too have navigated a complex bond with my mother and faced a challenging journey coming out. Her experience resonates deeply within me.

The movie opens with Angela’s mother, May (played by Joan Chen), being recognized locally for her efforts supporting the LGBTQ+ community. However, May is depicted as a dedicated ally, portraying herself as a mother who swiftly accepted her daughter when she came out as a lesbian. In reality, their relationship was complicated: they were estranged for years before May re-entered Angela’s life. Upon reconnection, May adopted an activist role, seemingly leveraging Angela’s identity to boost her own standing.

Tran recognized the portrayal of the mother-daughter bond reflected the occasional rhythmic changes in communication she experiences within her own family.

Tran expresses that the portrayal feels incredibly real, capturing what it’s like to be an Asian child who has had a fight and hasn’t fully resolved the issue with their parent. This situation isn’t limited to coming out; it’s something I’ve experienced numerous times in various other aspects of life.

Absolutely, this movie explores various family challenges faced by queer individuals from an Asian background. Take Min, who is hesitant to reveal his sexuality to his grandparents for fear of being disowned, and Chris, whose parents have accepted his identity instead.

This film showcases the complex family issues that many queer Asian individuals experience. For instance, Min is reluctant to come out to his grandparents due to fear of being disowned, while Chris’s parents have accepted him as he is.

Tran explains that she was raised in a deeply traditional, Catholic, and conservative environment. Her parents are refugees from the Vietnam War and originate from a culture that is highly patriarchal. It has been challenging for her to openly express this aspect of herself in an authentic way to them.

In ‘The Wedding Banquet,’ authenticity is explored as characters navigate their true desires within romantic relationships, especially through its unique premise, known as a lavender marriage. Notably, as hinted by its title, the movie includes a wedding scene where Angela and Min participate in a traditional Korean ceremony while adorned in hanboks. Despite this, they seem less enthused about the intricate rituals compared to a genuinely passionate couple might be.

The day of filming that scene was exceptionally memorable on set. As Tran explains, “It felt incredibly communal.” Ahn was deeply moved because he had “long dreamt of having a Korean wedding like this,” she remembers. Everyone was dressed up, and Andrew started to cry. I was simply thrilled to be there, and it was such a beautiful beginning to the day.

The performance aimed at portraying the ritual authentically. Ahn presented clips from his brother’s traditional Korean wedding as a reference for the characters, while cinematographer Ki Jin Kim also contributed by showing his own wedding videos. In addition to this, hanboks were imported from South Korea and an officiant was present to oversee the accuracy of the ceremony, along with a wedding specialist who advised Tran on the customs.

Tran expresses his gratitude for being in capable hands, stating, ‘I was truly grateful that I was in someone’s care who knew exactly what they were doing.’ Fortunately, Angela managed to convey, ‘I am completely clueless about the situation,’ which was precisely how she should have felt.

During the ceremony, things take an unexpected turn when Angela vomits on Min as he’s making his way around the wedding table while carrying her. Tran shares that Min ended up getting vomited on more than once, but they only needed to film the incident a couple of times. She adds that she threw up warm oatmeal for the scene, and it all happened very quickly and was quite amusing. Many of the lines between Tran and Min while circling were improvised.

The ceremony takes an unplanned twist when Angela vomits on Min as he’s carrying her around the wedding table. Tran mentions that poor Min had to endure being vomited on more than once, but they only shot the scene a few times. Tran also reveals she used warm oatmeal for the scene and it happened swiftly and comically. Most of their lines while circling were ad-libbed.

As a cinephile, I’ve found that during the filming process, there was much room for improvisation under Ahn’s guidance, who always encouraged us to explore and experiment with our scenes. One particularly moving moment towards the end of the movie comes when Angela and Lee reconnect after a long rift, expressed through a heartfelt, wordless embrace. This scene, which has great emotional resonance, originated from a conversation between Tran and Ahn.

In the initial version of events, Angela sent Lee a message that prompted him to come back. Tran then wondered what text could have started this reunion. After pondering over it, Ahn imagined their reunion as depicted in the final edit – a subtle interaction hinting at their past and mutual affection, conveyed through their wordless negotiations as they moved towards each other.

Working with an actress as talented as Lily Gladstone, who conveys so much through her silent expressions, was a wonderful experience. It felt organic, touching, and deeply emotional.

As a cinephile, I must acknowledge the clever meta references to both actors’ past works that subtly weave their filmographies into this production. In one intriguing scene, the main characters find themselves in a situation where they need to clear out anything related to queer culture from the house, which, as you might imagine, leaves very little untouched: books, movies, and wall decorations all fall under the purview of the purge. One such film that makes an appearance amidst this pile is Kelly Reichardt’s “Certain Women,” a movie starring Gladstone. Interestingly enough, I too had a full-circle moment when a character mentioned “Star Wars” in the storyline.

Tran found it highly amusing,” he shares. “The joke was present even before he joined the project, and upon reading it, he chuckled. He thought to himself, ‘That’s quite humorous.’ Now, he sees it as a charming little in-joke.

Since her time with “Star Wars,” a great deal has shifted for Tran. Reflecting on her encounters within that fandom, she recognizes that the racism she experienced was a reflection of a more profound and ongoing problem. When asked about what improvements she hopes to see for actors of color who may lack necessary support when they join prominent franchises, she expresses: “The world itself is where I’d like to see change!

Tran points out that it’s quite regular for actors of color to encounter similar issues when they enter certain environments. He believes these incidents mirror the broader societal atmosphere we live in, and it’s truly regrettable.”

Or, more concisely:

“Tran notes that actors of color often face similar problems in specific settings, which reflect wider societal issues. It’s unfortunate.

Tran emphasizes that individuals from diverse racial backgrounds are frequently at the center of modern storytelling, suggesting that viewers might also start to change their perspectives. She expresses her hope that those who may not typically interact with communities of queer or colored people can perceive through art that these individuals are just like everyone else – they have aspirations and desires, too.

In our current society, identities are often used as tools for causing harm, preventing individuals from understanding broader issues. What I truly wish is for people to understand, it’s the system that needs to be addressed. Let us refrain from blaming and targeting individuals of color, members of the LGBTQ+ community, or anyone who differs, instead.

Having had the unique experience of directing “The Wedding Banquet” behind her, Tran intends to keep exploring diverse characters and formats, yet she remains mindful of her advantage in navigating various genres.

Tran expresses great enthusiasm about creating art that matters to her and constantly pushing her boundaries. She mentions an upcoming horror movie next year, and she’s eager for more; a musical, a comedy, even a single-camera sitcom are on her wish list.

Looking forward, Tran is mindful about highlighting underrepresented viewpoints. “I aspire that by showcasing and generating more content centered around these communities, people will come to see shared human experiences and perhaps question beliefs they’ve been taught through societal conditioning.

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2025-04-16 18:30