Director Jon M. Chu Talks About His Bay Area Roots in San Francisco – NBC Bay Area

Acclaimed filmmaker and Bay Area native Jon M. Chu was in San Francisco Saturday night promoting his new book, “Viewfinder: A Memoir of Seeing and Being Seen.” Chu discussed the book with actress and comedian Nora Lum, aka “Awkwafina,” as part of the nonprofit City Arts & Lectures series.

Chu has directed films including “Crazy Rich Asians,” “In the Heights” and the upcoming film adaptation of the musical “Wicked.” Growing up in Los Altos, Chu has spoken of the influence his parents, who were immigrants from China and Taiwan, had on him. Chu had many stories to tell about growing up while working at his parents’ popular Chinese restaurant, Chef Chu’s, in Los Altos.

“Making films is very similar,” Chu noted in an interview with NBC Bay Area before the interview. “I feel like I’m representing my family, I’m representing where I grew up, I’m representing our values.”

He said it was almost an obligation for him to continue his work.

“Something like ‘Crazy Rich Asians,’ which was very scary to do at the time, to see how people are embracing it, to see how people are embracing ‘In the Heights’ and the upcoming ‘Wicked,’ it means a lot. I feel like now that I have a microphone, I have a responsibility to spread the optimism and love that I’ve learned here.”

Chu said his aunts, uncles and mother were in the audience on Saturday to watch the discussion.

“Coming here is like coming home. It’s been a long journey,” he noted.

People packed the auditorium Saturday to hear Chu’s discussion with Lum, many of them saying they were proud of Chu’s Bay Area roots. During the conversation, Chu noted that returning to the Bay Area was “completion of a circle.”

Chu told NBC Bay Area that he thinks Bay Area residents will identify with many of the details in his new book. He grew up in Los Altos in the 1980s and ’90s and said he relates to the spirit of optimism that exists in Silicon Valley.

“I hope (Bay Area residents) get some memories from all the stories I have to tell about growing up in the restaurant, Chef Chu, but also that I can kind of encourage them to follow their dreams, because I think this (book) was created for me, for what I wanted as a kid, a book that motivates you to follow your dreams — all the ups and downs,” Chu said.