From "Inconceivable!", "As If!" to "You go, Glen Coco!", one of the marks of a good romantic comedy is a line that is so unique and memorable, that it becomes a universally recognized phrase. It's been a while since a new rom-com has had this kind of impact, but that's all changed with Crazy Rich Asians. The massively popular new comedy became a box office hit, receiving rave reviews from audiences and critics alike. The new hit also delivered a potentially iconic phrase of its own, "Bok, Bok Bitch!" It was one of the movie's most hilarious line, and it turns out it was improvised by Constance Wu. Here's what she said about it:
Jon wasn't sure about it, but I was like, 'Let's just film, let's just put it in!' Gotta make a strong choice.
During an interview with Huffington Post, leading ladies Constance Wu and Awkwafina revealed that their memorable exchange in the movie was the product really getting into character. Thanks to director Jon M. Chu, the line made it into Crazy Rich Asians. In the moment, which was featured in the trailer, the best friends are talking about how Rachel should go about dealing with her boyfriend's mother, who is giving her a hard time. Rachel (played by Wu) compares it to playing a game of chicken, with the mother thinking she's going to swerve. Peik Lin (Awkwafina) starts to interject, telling her she needs to "roll up" when Rachel interrupts suddenly with "and be like Bok, Bok, Bitch."
Although Constance Wu came up with the line, without the trust of director Jon M. Chu to let the ensemble cast to go off script on occasion, the line would have never been created. In the interview, Awkwafina explained that she's tried to improvise on other movie sets before, and was told to "just do it off the book," Considering Crazy Rich Asians is a movie filled with many talented comedic talents, it definitely benefitted from this collaborative approach that allowed the cast to loosen up, therefore having the opportunity to show their own comedic styles in the film.
As Crazy Rich Asians enters its second week in theaters, it is expected to continue to earn big. The romantic comedy has been abuzz this summer as it features the first Asian-led cast in quite some time and has already been confirmed for a sequel. As more audiences flock to see the film, don't be surprised if you get a slightly aggressive "Bok, Bok Bitch" handed to you if the phrase catches on.
