More than two years have passed since Michelle Zauner – the frontwoman of Japanese Breakfast – published her bestselling memoir, Crying in H Mart, and the book still feels as fresh in our minds as the day we first picked it up. Besides being a compelling reflection on food, mothering and culture, much of this momentum is owed to the fact that the memoir is being made into a film. And Zauner has just begun the search for the movie's lead, AKA a younger version of herself. Want to hitch yourself along to this wagon? Here's what to know.
On May 22, Michelle Zauner shared an open casting call on her Instagram, summoning an 18-25 year-old Korean-American to audition for the role of the musician's younger self in the forthcoming film. Applicants are asked to send a "creative video introduction that includes where you're located" to the following email address: [email protected].
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No other pre-requisites were mentioned in the post, however we imagine the right person will ideally need to have some level of acting and singing chops on them. Given how many people related to Zauner's retelling of growing up as a third culture kid and her Korean heritage, we're sure this news will turn a lot of heads – hopefully opening up the talent pool.
Crying in H Mart, which began as an essay in the New Yorker, was an instant New York Times best seller, and was picked up by Orion Pictures shortly after its release. We know the movie will be directed by Will Sharpe, who you will recognise as Ethan from The White Lotus season 2. Meanwhile Jason Kim, known for his work on Girls and Barry will step on as a producer alongside Stacey Sher. Zauner and her band will also provide the soundtrack for the film, which hopefully means new music to sob to from Japanese Breakfast.
Image: @jbrekkie
