The director joked that he and wife Kristin Hodge would not be “naming [the baby] Galphaba” in a nod to the movie
Jon M. Chu’s family is growing!
The Crazy Rich Asians director, 45, shared in an Instagram Stories post on Saturday, Nov. 9 — the same day as the Los Angeles premiere of Wicked — that he would be missing the star-studded event due to the birth of his fifth baby, a girl, with wife Kristin Hodge.
“This movie has always moved in mysterious ways,” Chu wrote alongside a photo of a black-and-green friendship bracelet (which read “Defy Gravity”) sitting on a table in a hospital room.
“Today is a day I’ve been dreaming about for a long time. Two babies (a movie and a little girl) all at one time and I truly couldn’t be happier I won’t be able to be at the Wicked Premiere tonight with all of you,” he continued.
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Chu then wrote that he had “a change of plans” at “about 4am this morning,” and that he and Hodge would finally be welcoming their fifth baby. He jokingly added, “and no we will not be naming her Galphaba” in a nod to Wicked.
“Send all the love to our insanely talented cast and crew tonight,” he concluded his message. “They deserve it and send a little extra welcome to my little girl bursting her bubble and coming into our world any moment now. If she can even have a fraction of the bravery that my wife, @cynthiaerivo @arianagrande @michelleyeoh_official or @marissa_edob has then she too will defy gravity one day.”
In a separate Instagram Stories. post, Chu snapped a photo of his suit wrapped in a garment bag and joked: “Should I just wear the suit for the birth?”
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Chu and his wife are already parents to four kids together — daughters Willow, 7, and Ruby, 3, son Jonathan Heights, 5, and a child named Iggy, 20 months.
In October, the In the Heights director shared with Extra that he was expecting his fifth baby with Hodge as he was honored at the WSJ Magazine Innovator Awards.
“I’ve just finished the movie, so I’m sort of just letting everything go and just starting to enjoy it. I have a new baby coming, so in my head, that’s what I’m focused on,” Chu told the outlet. “She could come any day now. It’s going to be a little daughter.”
“I could leave tonight — you never know — so we got to get this thing started,” he said, adding that this is his “third kid during Wicked.”
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In 2021, Chu announced on X (formerly Twitter) that he was stepping down from directing the Disney+ Willow series after the production schedule moved amid the COVID-19 health crisis. He also revealed that his wife was expecting their third child that summer.
“I’m heartbroken to let you all know that I unfortunately have to step away from directing Willow,” he wrote. “With the production schedule moving due to continued lockdowns in the UK, and with a new baby coming this summer (surprise!), the timing is just not going to work for me and my family.”
“As you may know, Willow has been one of my favorite movies since I was a child, so I’m devastated that I won’t be able to work with some of my heroes old and new,” Chu added, naming producers and writers involved with the series. “Like a kid seeing Willow for the first time in the ’80s, I will look forward to watching this magical new world unfold as a very enthusiastic fan. And boy do they have an adventure in store for you! I can’t wait for you all to experience it soon.”
