Everything We Know about Adele Lim, the Malaysian Directing ‘Princess Diaries 3’

Princess Diaries 3 is finally happening and at the helm is Malaysian director Adele Lim. Here’s what you need to know about her.

If you were too busy screaming your heart out at DAY6’s concert or happily munching on popcorn during Joker: Folie à Deux, you might’ve missed one of the biggest announcements of the year — Princess Diaries 3 is happening! But that’s not even the juiciest part. The film is to be directed by none other than Malaysian screenwriter extraordinaire, Adele Lim. Yes, you read that right—Genovia is getting a dash of Southeast Asian flair (well, at least behind the camera).

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Malaysian screenwriter Adele Lim takes the director’s chair for Princess Diaries 3

Anne Hathaway herself, the reigning Queen of Genovia, recently took to Instagram to announce her royal return with the caption “Back to Genovia” and a cheeky video quoting lines from the first two films. Meanwhile, Adele Lim, who’s got quite the impressive Disney resume (Raya and the Last Dragon, anyone?), is coming back in style.

In a statement to Deadline, Lim said, “As a die-hard fan of the original Princess Diaries, I’m beyond thrilled to help bring the third chapter of this beloved franchise to life.” And honestly, who better than the woman behind Crazy Rich Asians and Joy Ride to bring some extra sparkle to Genovia?

But instead of diving into her long list of accomplishments, which arguably are kind of hard to ignore, we thought we’d shake things up with some fun facts about this talented Malaysian powerhouse that might surprise you. Let’s take a peek behind the director’s chair.

Adele Lim is a proud SMK girl

She attended the prestigious all-girls’ school SMKP Sri Aman, which has produced many notable Malaysian figures, including the nation’s first female pilot. Despite her Hollywood success, Lim still makes time for her old school friends, proving that fame hasn’t changed her at heart.

She grew up loving Hong Kong dramas

As a child, Lim was captivated by Hong Kong cinema, particularly its leading men. In past interviews, she has admitted that actor Chow Yun Fat left a big impression on her, showing her that “hot, star-quality Asian men” deserved their place in the spotlight. Same, Adele. Same.

The legendary Crazy Rich Asians mahjong scene? That was her.

When Crazy Rich Asians director Jon M. Chu realised the original script needed a serious upgrade, Lim swooped in and saved the day. She revamped several scenes to incorporate authentic, contemporary Asian experiences. One standout moment she created was the now-legendary mahjong showdown between Michelle Yeoh and Constance Wu, a scene that became an instant classic. That intense face-off was just cinematic gold!

From Petaling Jaya to Tinseltown

Though she now calls Hollywood home, Adele Lim hails from Petaling Jaya, a city just outside the hustle and bustle of Kuala Lumpur. Like many of her fellow Malaysians, she was raised in a traditional multigenerational household, complete with her grandparents and a large extended family always around.

She’s a trailblazer who knows her worth

With a stacked resume that includes One Tree Hill, Reign, and Xena: Warrior Princess, Lim knows the importance of getting credit where it’s due. After co-writing Crazy Rich Asians, she made headlines again when she stepped away from the sequel, publicly sharing her refusal to accept a paycheck smaller than her white, male co-writers’. Long story short: she definitely knows her worth, and she’s not about to settle for pocket change.

Adele Lim was a backup dancer for Malaysian superstar Ning Baizura

Believe it or not, before she was coMMAnding film sets, Lim was tearing it up on stage as a backup dancer for Malaysian pop queen Ning Baizura. In fact, if the screenwriting thing hadn’t worked out, she might have taken over the dance world. Maybe we’ll see her moonwalk into Princess Diaries 3?

(Hero image credit: Amy Sussman/ Getty Images for Critics Choice Association | Feature image credit: Michael Kovac/ Getty Images for Champagne Collet & OBC Wines) 

This story first appeared on Lifestyle Asia Bangkok