Constance Wu Says She Attempted Suicide After 'Fresh Off the Boat' Twitter Drama: 'Almost Lost My Life'

"Looking back, it's surreal that a few DMs convinced me to end my own life, but that's what happened. Luckily, a friend found me and rushed me to the ER," Constance Wu said

Constance Wu. Photo: Steve Granitz/WireImage

Constance Wu is opening up about a "hard" moment she endured.

Returning to social media for the first time in three years, Wu shared a lengthy statement that addressed what happened during her time away from social media. The actress revealed that she had attempted suicide following the backlash she received from her tweets about Fresh Off the Boat.

In 2019, Wu wrote on Twitter that she was "really upset" about the show's renewal, sparking outrage from fans who didn't think the rising Crazy Rich Asians was appreciative of her position on the ABC comedy.

In a new Twitter statement on Thursday, the 40-year-old actress wrote, "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, "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, and they'd be better off without me."

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"Looking back," wrote Wu, "it's surreal that a few DMs convinced me to end my own life, but that's what happened. Luckily, a friend found me and rushed me to the ER."

The Hustlers star said 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. While we're quick to celebrate representation wins, there's a lot of avoidance around the more uncomfortable issues within our community," she explained. "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. I'll admit it hurt a lot, but it also made me realize how important it is to reach out and care for people who are going through a hard time."

Because of this experience, Wu chose to write a book titled Making a Scene. The memoir, out Oct. 4, will see her recount deeply personal moments from her life across essays.

In speaking out now, Wu says she aims to "reach out and help people talk about the in order to understand it, reckon with it, and open pathways to healing."

"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," she said. "And we need to stop beating each other (and ourselves) up when we do. So while my book is not always the most flattering portrayal, it's as honest as I know how to be. Because the truth is, I'm not poised or graceful or perfect. I'm emotional. I make mistakes ... lots of 'em!"

Constance Wu.

Concluding her statement, she added, "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."

Beneath the tweet, Wu left contact information for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

Byron Cohen/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty

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Wu starred in Fresh Off the Boat from 2015 to 2020 for six seasons. While complaining about its sixth season renewal in May 2019, Wu said she was "so upset" and "literally crying."

As a fan congratulated her on the "great news," Wu said: "No it's not."

Wu later retracted her initial statement, explaining that her tweets were "on the heels of rough day & were ill timed w/ the news of the show."

"Plz know, I'm so grateful for FOTB renewal," she added. "I love the cast & crew. I'm proud to be a part of it."

Speaking to the Los Angeles Times about her outburst months later, Wu revealed she was upset by the renewal since it prevented her from starring in a film she wanted to be a part of. "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,'" she continued. "Because they also know that I'm an actress — I can be dramatic. I mean, that's our toolkit, right? I'm dramatic. I'm emotional. But they also know that that doesn't represent me because they have a hundred episodes of behavior that proves otherwise."

If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 or go to suicidepreventionlifeline.org.