Constance Wu Says She Attempted Suicide After Fresh Off The Boat’s Twitter Backlash In 2019

Constance Wu attempted suicide in 2019 following the backlash triggered by her tweet where she expressed disappointment over the renewal of her sitcom Fresh Off the Boat.

Wu, 40, dropped the bombshell on Twitter — her first post in nearly three years —  while announcing her memoir, Making a Scene, which is set for release on October 4.  

“I was afraid of coming back on social media because I almost lost my life from it: 3 years ago, when I made careless tweets about the renewal of my TV show, it ignited outrage and internet shaming that got pretty severe,” wrote Wu in a statement.

“I felt awful about what I’d said, and when a few DMs from a fellow Asian actress told me I’d become a blight on the Asian American community, I started feeling like I didn’t even deserve to live anymore," she continued. "That I was a disgrace to AsAms, and they’d be better off without me. Looking back, it’s surreal that a few DMs convinced me to end my own life, but that’s what happened. Luckily, a friend found me and rushed me to the ER.”

In May 2019, when it was announced that Fresh Off the Boat was renewed for a sixth season, Wu didn’t appear too excited about the news. She tweeted then, “So upset right now that I’m literally crying. Ugh. F***” and “F***ing hell.”

On Fresh Off the Boat, which is based on the memoir of Eddie Huang, Wu played the mother, Jessica. The series, which also stars Randall Park, followed the Huang family as they relocated from Washington, DC's Chinatown to Orlando in the mid-1990s.

Wu later explained that she was distraught because the renewal meant she had to give up her passion project. “FOTB is a great show that I’m proud of and that I enjoy,” she wrote. “I’ve gotten to fully explore my character and I know her like the back of my hand.

"So playing Jessica is fun and easy and pleasant. I get to work with a kind and pleasant cast/crew. Which makes it all quite enjoyable – so obviously I don’t dislike doing a show that is fun and easy and pleasant.”

And when Fresh Off the Boat was officially cancelled a few months later, Wu became the subject of memes, with netizens having a field day ridiculing her earlier “so upset” comment, joking that she was now free to pursue other endeavours.  

Looking back at her suicide attempt, Wu —  who shares a daughter with musician boyfriend Ryan Kattner — wrote,  “It was a scary moment that made me reassess a lot in my life.  For the next few years, I put my career aside to focus on my mental health.

"AsAms don’t talk about mental health enough. While we’re quick to celebrate representation wins, there’s a lot of avoidance around the more uncomfortable issues within our community. Even my tweets became a subject so touchy that most of my AsAm colleagues decided that was the time to avoid me or ice me out. I’ll admit it hurt a lot, but it also made me realize how important it is to reach out and care for people who are going through a hard time.”

The Crazy Rich Asians star concluded her statement, saying: “After a little break from Hollywood and a lot of therapy I feel OK enough to venture back on here (at least for a little bit). And even though I’m scared, I’ve decided that I owe it to the me-of-3-years-ago to be brave and share my story so that it might help someone with theirs.”

Read Wu’s full statement here:

Wu is currently starring alongside Chris Pratt in the action series The Terminal List, now streaming on Amazon Prime Video. Fresh Off the Boat is available on Disney+.

Photo: TPG News/Click Photos

If you or someone you know is having difficulties coping, here are some numbers to call:

Samaritans of Singapore: 1800-221-4444

Singapore Association for Mental Health: 1800-283-7019

CHAT @ *SCAPE: (+65) 6493 6500, (+65) 6493 6501

SAF Counselling Hotline: 1800-278-0022