Filmmaker Jon M. Chu named USC 2025 commencement speaker

Renowned film director, screenwriter, producer and USC alumnus Jon M. Chu — the visionary behind the award-winning film adaptation of Wicked and the 2018 blockbuster Crazy Rich Asians — will deliver the keynote address at the university’s 142nd commencement ceremony.

Since graduating from the USC School of Cinematic Arts in 2003, Chu has become one of Hollywood’s most influential storytellers, known for his ability to craft visually stunning, emotionally resonant films that amplify diverse voices.

USC President Carol Folt announced Thursday that Chu will return to his alma mater on May 15 to deliver the keynote speech for the ceremony at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. He also will receive an honorary degree.

“Jon continues to spark the imaginations of millions through the dazzling worlds he creates. He’s a terrific champion of the amazing talent — performers, technicians and craftspeople — who contribute so much to the creative arts and bring important stories to life,” Folt said. “He’s also a wonderful role model to students and storytellers, and we can’t wait to hear his inspirational words.”

A Trojan’s trailblazing career in film

Chu’s latest film, Wicked, became a global cultural phenomenon that has won 120 awards, including two Academy Awards, a Golden Globe, Critics’ Choice Awards and a British Academy Film Award (BAFTA). Wicked is yet another success in the renowned filmmaker’s career. Chu credits much of his success to the community he built at USC, where he met a group of collaborators who helped him launch his career. Many of them have gone on to have successful careers of their own.

Jon M. Chu directed the film version of Wicked. (Photo/Courtesy of Universal Pictures)

In 2021, he adapted Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Tony Award-winning Broadway musical In the Heights, working with cinematographer Alice Brooks, whom he first met in a Starbucks at USC when they were students. Brooks also served as the cinematographer for Wicked.

Chu forged strong friendships at USC with other frequent collaborators, including writer Ryan Landels and director Avi Youabian, both of whom attended USC with him.

“I loved being surrounded by people from all walks of life, from around the world, all on the cusp of finding their voice. It was a beautiful mix — challenging, inspiring and formative,” Chu said. “Being among them helped shape me, pushed me to grow and allowed me to discover who I wanted to be. And through it all, I found a group at USC that I started working with then and still collaborate with today.

“That foundation gave us a constant source of support and creative collaboration,” he added. “Being a Trojan helped me immensely — even the motto ‘Fight On’ stayed with me through the ups and downs of the entertainment industry, reminding me to keep going no matter what.”

Chu’s love for musicals and dance, which he pursued at USC as a member of a dance crew, led him to direct the concert films Justin Bieber: Never Say Never and Justin Bieber’s Believe and executive produce Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration. In 2013, he created a viral, dance-filled airline safety video for Virgin America.

At USC, Chu became a leader, serving as president of the School of Cinematic Arts student council, while also achieving award-winning work. His 2002 short musical, When the Kids Are Away, a playful take on mothers’ lives when their children are at school, was supported by a grant from the Princess Grace Award and caught the eye of Steven Spielberg. The short film also earned him several prestigious awards, including the Kodak Student Filmmaker Award and the Jack Nicholson Award for directing. His work also earned him the Anti-Defamation League’s Dore Schary Award.

“From his early days at USC to his success as a filmmaker, Jon continues to inspire both audiences and future generations of artists,” School of Cinematic Arts Dean Elizabeth Daley said. “He is a remarkable example for our students of what’s possible when talent meets determination.”

From family films to Hollywood blockbusters

A Bay Area native and the youngest of five children, Chu grew up in a household shaped by his parents’ immigrant journey: His parents — father from mainland China, mother from Taiwan —did not speak English when they first arrived in the United States. When his mother handed him a video camera to document family vacations, he found the chance to bring his imagination to life. Instead of just making home videos, he scripted science fiction adventures and murder mysteries, and cast his siblings as the stars.

Jon M. Chu’s Crazy Rich Asians was the first film by a major Hollywood studio to feature a majority cast of Asian descent in a modern setting in 25 years. (Photo/Courtesy of Warner Bros.)

During a TED Talk, Chu recalled showing his parents a home movie that he had filmed and edited, bringing them to tears. For the first time, they saw themselves on screen “as a normal family that fit in and belonged,” he said.

That lifelong pursuit of storytelling became the foundation of his career and the central theme of his recent memoir, Viewfinder: A Memoir of Seeing and Being Seen. In it, Chu reflects on his journey from a young enthusiast who cut home videos to a Hollywood director telling stories that amplify underrepresented voices.

In 2018, USC supporters Karen Wong and Scott Lee renamed a scholarship they had previously established in Chu’s honor. The Jon M. Chu APAA Cinematic Arts Scholarship is awarded to students whose projects focus on Asian Pacific culture in film, television and interactive media.

Chu recently established the Jon M. Chu Endowed Student Fund and selected its inaugural scholars, School of Cinematic Arts master’s students Yennefer Fang and Renyi Qi. Both Fang and Qi aim to create impactful stories that resonate with diverse audiences, exploring human connection through themes of identity and belonging.

Through filmmaking, Chu has deepened his understanding of the power of representation. He sees Crazy Rich Asians, the first studio-backed major motion picture in 25 years with an all-Asian cast, and its overwhelming reception as more than just a career highlight. He considers it a crucial step in ensuring his children — he and wife Kristin Hodge have five kids — and others could see themselves reflected in meaningful and inspirational ways.

For Chu, that sense of possibility and representation extends to the next generation.

“Their creativity, curiosity and willingness to learn, discover, break the rules and create new ones are inspiring. By seeing these young people start their journey to create our tomorrow, I get a glimpse of the future — and that’s very exciting,” he said.

“I can’t wait to stand in the Coliseum among tens of thousands of people, feeling the energy of the Trojan spirit — the same spirit I once cheered on the football team with. I know that spirit lives on far beyond the school’s walls and campus.”

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