EXCLUSIVE: Cindy Cheung (The Sinner, Awkafina Is Nora from Queens) will star alongside Ashley Liao, Ross Butler, Nico Haraga and Chelsea Zhang in Loveboat, Taipei, a YA romance, which is currently in production in Taipei.
The film directed by Arvin Chen (Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?) is based on Abigail Hing Wen’s New York Times bestselling novel of the same name, which HarperCollins imprint HarperTeen published in January of 2020. Wen drew on her experiences as a teen to tell the story of Ever Wong (Liao), whose summer takes an unexpected turn when her parents surprise her with a trip to Taipei for a cultural immersion program. Ever is surprised to discover that she hasn’t signed up for homework and history lessons, but instead for a summer-long free-for-all the locals and other students call “Loveboat.” It quickly lives up to its name when Ever finds herself trying not to fall for two attractive, but wildly different boys who are vying for her attention, while at the same time finding the courage to defy her parents’ high expectations and pursue her true passion: dancing.
Cheung will portray Aunt Shu, a warm-hearted, generous soul and the owner of an artist co-op in Taipei. Shu has dedicated her life to fostering artistic voices, so when her niece, Ever, needs a space to rehearse, the co-op is the perfect venue with her aunt as her biggest supporter.
Matt Kaplan’s Ace Entertainment (To All the Boys, The Perfect Date) is producing the film adaptation in partnership with 1 Productions Film Co., with Butler and Wen serving as exec producers.
Cheung recently appeared in USA Networks’ The Sinner, becoming the first Asian American to hold one of the anthology’s series regular roles. The actress has also taken on guest star and recurring roles in series including The Flight Attendant, Billions, 13 Reasons Why, High Maintenance, FBI, Blindspot, The Good Fight, Blue Bloods, New Amsterdam, House of Cards and Homeland. She has appeared on the film side in Noah Baumbach’s Mistress America and The Meyerowitz Stories, and in Jenny Slate vehicles Obvious Child and The Sunlit Night, among others titles.
The actress is represented by PH Entertainment Group Inc.
