Constance Wu reveals tragic reason for three-year social media hiatus

Actress Constance Wu has emerged on social media after three years of silence, sharing a harrowing story about what led her to disappear.

Actress Constance Wu has revealed she attempted suicide after experiencing social media backlash several years ago.

“Hi everybody. I haven’t been on social media in almost 3 years. Tbh, I’m a little scared, but I’m dipping my toe back in to say I’m here and while I was gone I wrote a book called Making a Scene,” the actress, 40, wrote in a lengthy letter to fans posted via Twitter on Thursday, reports Page Six.

“This next part is hard to talk about … but I was afraid of coming back on social media because I almost lost my life from it: 3 years ago, when I made careless tweets about the renewal of my TV show, it ignited outrage and internet shaming that got pretty severe,” she continued.

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Constance Wu landed a big leading role in Crazy Rich Asians. Supplied by Warner Bros.

“I felt awful about what I'd said, and when a few DMs from a fellow Asian actress told me I'd become a blight on the Asian American community, I started feeling like I didn’t even deserve to live anymore.

“That I was a disgrace to AsAms [Asian Americans], and they’d be better off without me. Looking back, it’s surreal that a few DMs convinced me to end my own life, but that’s what happened.”

Wu – who, in 2019, tweeted that she was “so upset” and “literally crying” over the renewal of her ABC sitcom Fresh Off the Boat – said that a friend stepped in to save her.

Constance Wu revealed she attempted suicide after facing backlash for her reaction to the 2019 renewal of her ABC sitcom Fresh Off the Boat. Picture: Michael Loccisano/Getty Images

“Luckily, a friend found me and rushed me to the ER. It was a scary moment that made me reassess a lot in my life. For the next few years, I put my career aside to focus on my mental health. AsAms don’t talk about mental health enough,” the Hustlers star explained.

“While we’re quick to celebrate representation wins, there’s a lot of avoidance around the more uncomfortable issues within our community. Even my tweets became a subject so touchy that most of my AsAm colleagues decided that was the time to avoid me or ice me out.”

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— Constance Wu (@ConstanceWu) July 14, 2022

Wu went on to say that she felt “hurt” by those who deserted her in the wake of her tweets.

“But it also made me realise how important it is to reach out and care for people who are going through a hard time,” she wrote.

“That’s why I wrote my book and why I’m here today to reach out and help people talk about the uncomfortable stuff in order to understand it, reckon with it, and open pathways to healing.”

Wu and her Crazy Rich Asians cast in 2018. Picture: Michael Loccisano/Getty Images/AFP

“If we want to be seen, really seen … we need to let all of ourselves be seen, including the parts we’re scared of or ashamed of – parts that, however imperfect, require care and attention. And we need to stop beating each other (and ourselves) up when we do.”

The Crazy Rich Asians actress admitted that her forthcoming tome she wrote during her hiatus is “not always the most flattering portrayal”.

But it’s “as honest as I know how to be,” she noted.

“Because the truth is, I’m not poised or graceful or perfect. I’m emotional. I make mistakes … lots of ’em!” she concluded.

“After a little break from Hollywood and a lot of therapy, I feel OK enough to venture back on here (at least for a little bit). And even though I’m scared, I’ve decided that I owe it to the me-of-3-years-ago to be brave and share my story so that it might help someone with theirs.”

Wu at the 22nd Costume Designers Guild Awards in January 2020. Picture: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Wu previously stated that her negative reaction to the FOTB renewal came because it meant she had to “give up another project that I was really passionate about”.

She further clarified the intention behind her tweet in an August 2019 interview with The Los Angeles Times, calling herself “dramatic”.

“I had this moment of heat where I got upset because I had to give up a job I had been looking forward to and had been chasing for a while,” she said.

“It was moving to me how many people from the show reached out to me, and even on set … to say, ‘Just so you know, we love you and we know who you are, and you didn’t deserve any of that stuff.’ Because they also know that I’m an actress – I can be dramatic.”

Fresh Off the Boat ended its six-season run in February 2020.

This article originally appeared on Page Six and was reproduced with permission