Crazy Rich Asians and Fresh Off The Boat star Constance Wu has signed on for a lead role as an enterprising stripper in the crime drama Hustlers, written and directed by Lorene Scafaria.
Based on the real-life story of some modern Robin Hoods, chronicled in the 2015 New York magazine article by Jessica Pressler entitled "The Hustlers at Scores," the film follows a crew of savvy former strip club employees who band together to turn the tables on their wealthy Wall Street clients.
The movie takes place in the late '00s in New York City in the wake of the financial crisis, and will focus on themes of identity, loyalty, survival and control.
Jennifer Lopez, who is also producing, is set to portray the ringleader to the group of ambitious women who take their plans too far. Wu's role hasn't been specified, but it's safe to assume she'll be playing to the lead role of Roselyn Keo, the real-life former stripper at the center of Pressler's article.
Wu became a breakout star as the Huang family matriarch Jessica Huang on Fresh Off The Boat and as romantic lead Rachel Chu in this summer's megahit Crazy Rich Asians. But I'm looking forward to seeing her take on something a little grittier. And Hustlers sounds pretty damn gritty. But great.
"The film is an empathetic look at women and men, our gender roles, what we're valued for, what we've been told is our value in every movie, TV show, every corner of culture," Scafaria says. "Men have been told they're worth the size of their bank accounts. Women have been told they're worth the symmetry of their faces, their bodies, their beauty and that's what this film is based on. The rules of the club are the rules of the world."
News of Wu's casting was somewhat overshadowed by the news that Hustlers had been acquired by STX Entertainment, after being dropped by Annapurna Pictures.
More here: STX Has Acquired Jennifer Lopez's 'Hustlers'; Constance Wu Joins Cast
