While she dropped out of the two planned sequels of Crazy Rich Asians, citing a pay disparity  between her and her white male co‐writer, Lim had already made an impression. The film became an iconic touchstone for Asian American cinema, building a foundation for future projects spotlighting actors from the diaspora.

Lim would go on to write the animated film Raya and the Last Dragon, featuring Disney’s first Southeast Asian princess. “Growing up in Malaysia, all the content we consumed was from America or England. You didn’t see yourself being portrayed in those movies and shows. I never believed Hollywood could tell our stories,” she says. “Now that I’m a mother, it’s really important for me that my daughter grows up in a world where she can see herself as a Disney princess.”

While Joy Ride is of a significantly different genre, the two films capture the essence of Lim’s storytelling style: a fusion of laughter, heart and authentic narratives. She takes pride in bringing the multifaceted richness of Asian American experiences to the screen. “I tend to come from a place of joy,” she shares. “I try not to think too hard about the specificity of a culture or a character’s ethnic heritage.”

When it comes to racial representation in her work, she says: “For a lot of white screenwriters and directors, they don’t have to think about the risk of writing racial caricatures.” But her goal is clear: “I just want to tell the most kick‐a**, amazing, entertaining story I can,” she says, emphasising that storytelling can serve as a tool for fostering understanding and inclusivity. She avoids diluting cultural details, understanding that it is often these particular nuances that render stories engaging to
all. Advocating for embracing cultural nuances, she believes that specificity actually makes a story more universally compelling. “The more culturally specific you get, the more universal the story will feel,” she says. Audiences get drawn into a world that feels authentic, different and rich.”

You only have to look at South Korea to see the real‐world impact of inclusive storytelling. The country has smartly invested in arts and entertainment, boosting both its culture and economy. The successful cultural exports of K‐dramas and K‐pop have catapulted the country into a position of significant soft power.

Lim regards South Korea’s entertainment scene as a compelling road map for what can be achieved. “It shows in a fundamental way how Americans could become huge fans of K‐pop groups and South Korean movies. They’re not singing or acting in English, and groups such as BTS present a completely different aesthetic from the traditional American standard of male beauty. It has widened the cultural horizons of the Western audience,” she says. This shift has ushered in a fresh, global appreciation for different cultures, creating an atmosphere ripe for further inclusivity.

The same global curiosity that makes South Korean dramas popular can be leveraged for stories from other Asian countries. But it has to begin at the root. “I believe it’s about empowering local storytellers. It’s hard for Western storytellers to tell our stories, because we grew up on their stories but they didn’t grow up on ours,” Lim explains. “With so many K‐dramas on Netflix and Hulu, the west has been able to invest in different kinds of storytelling; the groundwork has already been laid. It’d be fantastic to see more cool productions that feature Asian locales and talent.”

Lim believes film and television in particular have huge potential to draw audiences into new cultural landscapes. “The great thing they can do is paint an exciting world and pull people in. Nobody wants to be told that they should be interested in a culture. But if it’s presented in a tantalising, sexy movie, they’re suddenly into it. That’s a world they want to find out more about,” she says. “When I’m writing Asian‐led stories, it’s also important for me to lead with the joy and the fun of our culture—not only because I’m proud, but also because I’m aware that it’s a big selling point for audiences and it gets them to lean into our history, background and culture.”

She extends this argument to underscore the storytelling power of the medium. “Malaysia can advertise its tourism as much as it wants. But if people see it in a movie or a TV show, the way audiences saw Singapore in Crazy Rich Asians, that’s what gets the world looking at you differently,” she says.

Despite major strides in Asian representation, Lim acknowledges that there is still a considerable path ahead to achieve broader inclusivity. Change begins with systemic and familial support for those pursuing a career in the arts. “The first step is empowering and supporting creatives. But at the same time, culturally, we don’t encourage our children and young people to get into entertainment,” she says. “Most creatives I mentor have the same or similar stories; that their parents wanted them to be engineers, lawyers or doctors. They feel like they’re going against their family by pursuing a career in entertainment. If we don’t support our young people going into the arts, we cannot complain that we don’t have authentic stories that feature our people and our cultures. I would also like to see more institutional support to identify and foster these talents because young people won’t go into this field if they can’t make a living from it.”

Lim is excited about mentoring the next generation of storytellers, emphasising ownership over one’s narrative. “Do what you want to do and don’t wait for permission from the industry. If you don’t direct or write your story, someone else will,” she warns. It is clear that her influence extends far beyond the credits of any single film or TV show. As Hollywood continues to evolve, the lens through which we see stories—and who gets to tell them—is widening, and it is pioneers such as Lim who are adjusting the focus.

“I mentor a lot and am thrilled about this new generation of storytellers, screenwriters and especially female directors,” says Lim. “If there’s any way I can help, I’d love to make that happen.”

NOW READ

‘Fresh Off The Boat’ star and 'Shortcomings' director Randall Park on his struggles for success and true representation

Creating Connections: How Gold House is uniting the API community from east to west

‘In The Heights’: 5 Things You Need To Know About Jon M. Chu's New Movie