Constance Wu, who is known for her role in the film Crazy Rich Asians, has revealed that she attempted suicide three years ago after facing backlash on Twitter.
In 2019, Wu tweeted about her disappointment regarding the renewal of her television show, Fresh Off the Boat, which went viral.
The negative response to her tweets pushed her to the brink of suicide.
She has since stayed away from social media and her career for a while to recover from the incident.
Wu made her announcement in a statement on Twitter on Thursday.
She explained that she was afraid to come back to social media after her experience with the medium almost took her life.
In her words, 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.
She added that she felt terrible about what she had said and that she started feeling like she didnt deserve to live anymore.
According to Wu, she attempted suicide after some messages from a fellow Asian actress told her that she had become a blight on the Asian American community.
She also spoke about the fact that Asian Americans don’t talk enough about mental health issues.
She acknowledged that while the community is quick to celebrate representation wins, there’s a lot of avoidance around the more uncomfortable issues within the community.
Wu starred in the ABC sitcom Fresh Off the Boat alongside Randall Park.
When the show was renewed for a sixth season in 2019, Wu tweeted her disappointment, which caused a lot of controversy.
She deleted the tweets and explained that they were ill-timed and not related to the shows renewal.
She wrote that the tweets became a subject that was so touchy that most of her AsAm colleagues decided that was the time to avoid her or ice her out.
Wu also spoke about the personal and professional fallout that followed the tweets.
She said that it hurt a lot but that it also made her realize how important it is to reach out and care for people who are going through a hard time.
She emphasized the need to talk about the uncomfortable aspects of life to understand them, reckon with them, and open pathways to healing.
Wu’s representatives did not respond to NBC News’ request for comment.
However, Wu used her return to Twitter to share that she wrote a book.
The book is titled Making a Scene, and it features Wu’s essays on trauma, childhood, and being Asian in Hollywood.
The book will be released in October.
Wu acknowledged that in order to be seen, people need to let all of themselves be seen, including the parts theyre scared or ashamed of.
She noted that these parts, however imperfect, require care and attention.
Wu has been open about her experiences with mental health issues in the past, and she continues to encourage people to talk about the subject.
