Ashley Park goes for a wild Joy Ride in first look at Adele Lim's hard R-rated comedy

Learn all about the directorial debut from the Crazy Rich Asians co-screenwriter, which also stars Stephanie Hsu, Sherry Cola, and Sabrina Wu.

Get in, losers; we're going for a Joy Ride.

Lionsgate is finally pulling back the veil on Adele Lim's upcoming directorial debut, previously known to the world as the Untitled Adele Lim Project. EW can reveal that the film is officially titled Joy Ride, and is described as a unique hard-R comedy by the Crazy Rich Asians co-writer.

Per the official logline, the film is a "hilarious and unapologetically explicit story of identity and self-discovery" that centers "on four unlikely friends who embark on a once-in-a-lifetime international adventure."

It follows Audrey (Ashley Park), whose business trip to Asia goes sideways when her chances of closing a big deal suddenly hinge on her tracking down her birth mother.

To do so, she enlists the aid of Lolo (Sherry Cola), her irreverent, hot mess, childhood best friend; Kat (Everything Everywhere All at Once Oscar nominee Stephanie Hsu), her college friend turned Chinese soap star; and Deadeye (Sabrina Wu), Lolo's eccentric cousin. Their no-holds-barred, epic experience becomes a journey of bonding, friendship, belonging, and wild debauchery that reveals the universal truth of what it means to know and love who you are.

EW can also exclusively reveal a first look at the comedy, below.

Sabrina Wu as Deadeye, Ashley Park as Audrey, Sherry Cola as Lolo, and Stephanie Hsu as Kat in Joy Ride
Ed Araquel/Lionsgate

"This film wildly pushes the limits of comedy, while giving heart and voice and dimension to people who have never had a meaningful part in this genre on screen," Park tells EW of the film. "I just can't wait for people to have the best time watching it."

The role also meant a lot personally to the Emily in Paris star. "I got to be a full person at all times, on and off the screen. I was surrounded by and collaborating with people who understood me, saw me, pushed me, and believed in me — those who looked like me and had an understanding of all the intricacies of my life that led up to telling Audrey's story in Joy Ride," she says, adding, "It changed how I saw myself and the world."

For her part, Good Trouble star Cola is excited for audiences to see the moments in the film that "are shocking, to say the least." "You've simply never seen Asian leads on the big screen, in this way — period! It's a fun, R-rated, touching, culturally specific, unapologetic, in-your-face film. You'll get humor, heart, and horniness. It's truly a good time from start to finish. Everyone in the audience will be picking up their jaws from the floor," Cola says.

The film is the first acting gig for writer and comedian Wu, who called the project "a huge honor." "I've long admired many of the folks who are behind this film, and I feel so lucky that they took a chance on me to bring Deadeye to life," Wu said. "I know my quirks helped me land the role of Deadeye, who's kind of an oddball. I hope my portrayal of Deadeye helps other weirdos to proudly continue marching to the beat of their own drums."

Joy Ride also stars Ronny Chieng (Crazy Rich Asians), Desmond Chiam (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier), Alexander Hodge (Insecure), and Chris Pang (Crazy Rich Asians).

The film features a screenplay by Cherry Chevapravatdumrong and Teresa Hsiao, based on a story by Chevapravatdumrong, Hsiao, and Lim. Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, James Weaver, Josh Fagen, Chevapravatdumrong, Hsiao, and Lim produce.

Joy Ride hits theaters on June 23.

Related content:

Related Articles