Janice Chua: Producer taps her roots for career

Janice Chua calls the filming of the hit romantic comedy film Crazy Rich Asians (2018)—on which she served as associate producer—in Singapore and Malaysia in 2017 her "baptism of Hollywood fire."

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"I wasn't trained in the Hollywood producing system. I came fresh from China," the 37-year-old says.

After earning a Diploma in Film, Sound and Video at Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Chua in 2011 went on to acquire a Bachelor of Fine Arts in creative producing from California's Chapman University—ranked among the world's top film schools—while working as a freelance video editor.

In 2012, she moved to Beijing to work as an international film sales manager before becoming director of international at Beijing Galloping Horse in 2013, overseeing international business and co-productions, including Hong Kong director John Woo's historical epic, The Crossing (2014).

Even at American production company Ivanhoe Pictures—which she joined in 2015 as vice-president of development and production in Asia—she busied herself with Asia-centric projects, working mainly with Chinese partners.

One such gig was Singapore-born author Kevin Kwan's well-received 2013 novel Crazy Rich Asians.