WASHINGTON, United States — US actress Constance Wu made a suicide attempt three years ago, bruised by a bitter social media backlash, the "Crazy Rich Asians" star said Thursday.
Wu, 40, faced a torrent of criticism in 2019 over remarks she made on Twitter about the sitcom "Fresh Off the Boat," which she starred in.
After online shaming from users who called the remarks disparaging, and a message from another Asian American actress who called Wu "a blight on the Asian American community," Wu decided to take her own life.
"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," Wu said in a statement posted Thursday on Twitter.
"Luckily, a friend found me and rushed me to the ER," the actress wrote without giving further details.
After surviving the suicide attempt, Wu put her career on hold and left social media to focus on her mental health.
But she decided to return to online platforms and share her story in order to launch a broader discussion about mental health among Asian Americans.
"AsAms don't talk about mental health enough," Wu wrote.
"While we're quick to celebrate representation wins, there's a lot of avoidance around the more uncomfortable issues within our community."
Wu's 2019 tweets followed news that the hit ABC sitcom "Fresh Off the Boat" depicting a Taiwanese-American family trying to build a new life in Florida had been renewed for a sixth season.
"So upset right now that I'm literally crying. Ugh," Wu tweeted then, adding an expletive.
Many users chastised her for appearing ungrateful for the show's success.
Wu said in her post on Thursday that those tweets were "careless." She had also explained at the time that she was upset because the show's renewal would put her other projects on hold.
"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," the actress wrote.
If you are thinking about suicide or need emotional support, get in touch with the National Center for Mental Health hotlines at 0917-899-USAP (8727) or 899-USAP (8727); or its Mind Matters hotline at 09189424864.