Lulu Wang is one of the most promising figures in today’s film industry. The director of ‘Expatriates’, the Prime Video series premiering in January, comes from humble beginnings, contrasting with the fame she has garnered in recent years.
Born in Beijing in 1983, she moved with her family to Miami at just six years old. In 2005, she graduated with a degree in Creative Writing from Boston University and moved to Los Angeles to pursue her career as a director and screenwriter.
Wang’s early directorial work and breakthrough success
Her first feature film debuted in 2014. ‘Posthumous’ premiered at the Los Angeles Film Festival and tells the story of a German artist who fakes his own death to increase the value of his art.
Her major breakthrough came in 2019 with ‘The Farewell’, a film based on her own family experience. The movie tells the story of a Chinese family who hides a terminal illness from their grandmother to allow her to enjoy her final days worry-free. The film received positive reviews and was nominated for several awards, including the Golden Globes and Independent Spirit Awards. It also won the Best Foreign Language Film award at the Satellite Awards.
Wang has also worked as a screenwriter and producer on various films and TV series like ‘The Good Doctor’. She has spoken openly about the challenges she faced as an Asian-origin filmmaker in securing funding in the United States. Recently, Wang has been in the news for her upcoming television series ‘Expatriates’, which will premiere on Amazon Prime Video.
Wang’s forthcoming release in 2024, ‘Expatriates’ on Prime Video
In 2024, Wang is set to launch her next television series, ‘Expatriates’, on Prime Video. The series is based on the novel of the same name by Janice Y.K. Lee, following a group of American expatriate women in Hong Kong. The cast includes acclaimed actress Nicole Kidman.
