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The Actress Who Plays Nǎi Nai in Dìdi Has a Special Connection to Director Sean Wang
Director Sean Wang made a “meta” casting choice for his new coming-of-age film.
Director Sean Wang did not have to look far to cast one titular role in his wild yet tender-hearted film Dìdi (弟弟).
The story is set in the era of perfecting your MySpace Top 8, leaving your wittiest away message on AIM, and finding the perfect Paramore song for your flip phone’s ringtone.
Nostalgia may paint a warm glow on the hallmarks of the early 2000s, but for the film’s lead, 13-year-old Chris Wang (Izaac Wang), navigating friendships, flirting with girls, and tolerating your family is no laughing matter. The Taiwanese American teen lives with his mom Chungsing (Joan Chen), sister Vivian (Shirley Chen), and Nǎi Nai (Chang Li Hua).
Director Sean Wang’s Actual Grandmother Plays a Role in Dìdi
While Dìdi marks Sean Wang’s directorial debut for a feature-length film, he previously directed the documentary short Nǎi Nai & Wài Pó. The personal film focuses on his spirited paternal and maternal grandmothers who became best friends.
For his semi-autobiographical scripted feature, Sean Wang decided to cast one of his real-life grandmothers, Wài Pó, as Nǎi Nai in the film.
Both of his works “informed one another,” Sean Wang told NBC Insider.
“The documentary kind of became her audition tape in a way,” Sean Wang said of his grandmother. “Since we shot the short, we kind of were like half kidding the whole time and I was like ‘Hey, you’re gonna play the grandma in our movie, right?’ She’s like, ‘No, no, no,’ and then eventually it got to the point where she was like, ‘Well, if you have that much confidence in me, like I’ll do it.’”
Getting to see beloved Grandmother “shine” in a scripted role of a doting grandmother and stern mother-in-law alongside the cast was “pretty insane” for Sean Wang.
“She really did her research and she really…had opinions too,” Sean Wang said of his Grandmother’s work ethic and contributions on set.
He initially was going to have her wear a jade bracelet to which she responded, “my character wouldn’t do that,” informing Sean Wang her character was always washing dishes or doing chores so a bracelet would just get in the way.
“I was like, ‘OK, Grandma,’ so we cut the jade bracelet,” Sean Wang said. “She really put herself in the mindset of that character 'cause it really is a character…She’s not like that in real life. The charm is there…”
Chang Li Hua has gotten offers from other directors since, Wang added, saying: “She goes, ‘I have to read the script.’”
Joan Chen and Izaac Wang on the Mother-Son Relationship at the Heart of Dìdi
Actress Joan Chen was happily surprised by the mother-and-son relationship woven into the script. She felt attracted to the role because of her own personal experiences raising two American children as an immigrant mother, Chen told NBC Insider.
“The same kind of confusion, drama, fraught with misunderstanding the cultural chasm, but ultimately just love,” Chen said. “When I met Sean’s mom, I felt that she—there is great forbearance, resilience, and patience in her that I lacked and to incorporate that into my character and give me a chance to basically say to my own children, I love you so much.”
Chen found the film a way for Sean Wang to say “'I love' you to his mom” as well.
“I felt like all the mistakes that I’ve made trying to raise [my daughters] with the best of my intentions, I must have also hurt them and so this is a way to say, ‘I’m sorry, I love you,’” Chen said, reflecting on her life mirroring themes of the film. “It was a wonderful experience.”
For Izaac Wang, portraying Chris was another level of difficulty he’s never really done before, he told NBC Insider. Both the comedic and dramatic scenes of the film were “on another level” of difficulty, he explained.
“The entire filming of the movie was really just like stepping in and out of being a professional actor and trying to be myself,” Izaac Wang said.
Dìdi is in theaters now.
