Out of the many reasons people are talking about Crazy Rich Asians, new leading man Henry Golding is certainly one of them. The highly successful romantic comedy also marks the British-Malaysian charmer's first-ever acting role. Audiences won't have to wait long to see the fresh face onscreen again, however, as Golding is set to star in another book adaptation, this time alongside Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively in the upcoming thriller A Simple Favor. On set, Golding expressed how he felt intimidated to work with such accomplished actresses so early in his career. However, Anna Kendrick said he hid it well, so well she often forgot how new to moviemaking he was. In her words:
There were times when we would be rehearsing a scene and you would stop and you would just go, 'Sorry, I forgot my line. I'm just really nervous.' I was like, 'Why is he nervous? Is he having, like, a medical issue?' And then I was like, 'Oh my god, it's his second movie!'
Anna Kendrick's joke about her costar to Entertainment Tonight highlights Henry Golding's impressive strides into the middle of two huge movies so soon and close together. Previously a model and television presenter on programs such as BBC's the Travel Show, Golding was encouraged to audition for the role of Nick Young in Crazy Rich Asians by director Jon M. Chu, who was looking long and hard for an all-Asian cast for his project. Chu was led to Golding from by a woman in accounting who had met him five years earlier and found him to be the perfect man for the role. While Golding was apprehensive at first to star in the film when he didn't have acting experience, the part was a good fit. Although Golding is still rather new to the movie business, the success for Crazy Rich Asians is likely enough to keep him around for a long time, as the movie continues to bring in good box office numbers.
In A Simple Favor, Anna Kendrick stars as Stephanie, a mommy vlogger who becomes friends with the mysterious Emily (played by Blake Lively). When Emily goes missing, Stephanie tries to uncover the truth behind her disappearance. Henry Golding plays Emily's husband and, as the trailer implies, he might have a hand in the mystery, as well. The movie is directed by Paul Feig, best-known for female-fronted comedies such as The Heat, Spy and Ghostbusters.
With Crazy Rich Asians and A Simple Favor being released just over a month apart from one another, it looks like 31-year-old actor Henry Golding has been hard at work since he first took a chance and auditioned for Crazy Rich Asians. The charming actor has already starred with some really talented actors, and hopefully the nerves will go away soon, as Golding is also set to tread in dramatic waters in Monsoon, which is about a British-Vietnamese man who returns to his home for the first time since the Vietnam-American War. Henry Golding stars next in A Simple Favor, coming to theaters on September 14.
