Jon M Chu

Jonathan Murray Chu was born on November 2, 1979, in Palo Alto, California, and grew up in Los Altos. His mother is from Taiwan and his father from mainland China, with his family owning the restaurant Chef Chu’s. Chu began his filmmaking journey in fifth grade, making home movies with a video camera his mother provided to document family vacations. He attended Pinewood School from kindergarten through 12th grade before pursuing higher education at the University of Southern California (USC) School of Cinematic Arts. In 2003, he earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in film and television production from USC. During his time at USC, Chu received multiple accolades, including the Princess Grace Award, the Kodak Student Filmmaker Award, the Dore Schary Award presented by the Anti-Defamation League, and the Jack Nicholson directing award. He was also recognized as an honoree for the IFP/West program Project: Involve.

Chu’s professional career gained momentum after Steven Spielberg discovered his student short film, “When the Kids Are Away.” This led to him being signed by the William Morris Agency, initiating his involvement in high-profile projects. His early directorial work includes the dance films “Step Up 2: The Streets” (2008) and “Step Up 3D” (2010), demonstrating his talent for visually dynamic storytelling. He further expanded his repertoire with concert films like “Justin Bieber: Never Say Never” (2011) and “Justin Bieber’s Believe” (2013). A significant turning point in his career was directing “G.I. Joe: Retaliation” (2013), a science fiction action film that showcased his capabilities with large-scale productions. He continued to explore musical themes with “Jem and the Holograms” (2015) and showcased his versatility by directing “Now You See Me 2” (2016).

In 2018, Chu directed “Crazy Rich Asians,” a film that achieved critical and commercial success, making history as one of the first major Hollywood studio films to feature a majority Asian cast. This achievement earned him widespread recognition and demonstrated his commitment to authentic representation. Following this success, he directed “In the Heights” (2021), an adaptation of the Broadway musical, which garnered positive reviews. His current projects include directing the highly anticipated two-part film adaptation of the musical “Wicked” (2024 and 2025). In January 2024, Chu and his production company, Electric Company, signed a first-look film deal with Warner Bros. Pictures, further solidifying his position as a prominent filmmaker in Hollywood. He has received numerous awards, including the National Board of Review Award for Best Director and the Critics’ Choice Award for Best Director, among others.