A fresh take on Ang Lee’s beloved 1993 film, The Wedding Banquet (2025) delivers a witty, warm, and wonderfully modern story about love, family, and the lengths we go to for those we care about. Bowen Yang stars as Chris, a gay man who enters a green-card marriage with his lesbian best friend Lee (Lily Gladstone), only for their carefully constructed plan to unravel when Min’s (Han Gi-Chan) grandmother (Youn Yuh-jung) insists on throwing them an extravagant Korean wedding banquet. What begins as a practical arrangement soon becomes a chaotic, heartwarming exploration of found family, cultural expectations, and unexpected romance.
Directed by an exciting new voice in Asian-American cinema, this reimagining balances sharp social commentary with laugh-out-loud moments, all set against the vibrant backdrop of a multicultural wedding. From Min’s traditional Korean family to Chris and Lee’s queer found family, the film celebrates love in all its forms while navigating the complexities of immigration, fertility struggles, and generational clashes. With a stellar ensemble cast and a script that’s both timely and timeless, The Wedding Banquet is poised to be one of 2025’s must-see romantic comedies.
Meet the Cast of The Wedding Banquet
1: Bowen Yang as Chris
Bowen Yang (Saturday Night Live, Fire Island) brings his signature comedic brilliance and surprising emotional depth to Chris, a first-generation Chinese-American whose green-card marriage scheme spirals into something far more complicated. Yang’s performance shines in scenes where Chris navigates the cultural minefield of wedding traditions, from his panicked attempts to learn Korean customs to his hilariously awkward interactions with Min’s family. The actor’s background as a child of immigrants informs Chris’s struggle between honoring his parents and living authentically.
Yang’s chemistry with co-stars Lily Gladstone and Han Gi-Chan creates the film’s heart—particularly in a moving scene where Chris confesses his fears about never finding real love. His physical comedy reaches new heights during the banquet’s chaotic reception, where he must perform traditional ceremonies while keeping his secret intact.
2: Lily Gladstone as Lee
Fresh off her Oscar-winning momentum, Lily Gladstone (Killers of the Flower Moon) delivers a revelatory comedic performance as Lee, a no-nonsense lesbian who agrees to Chris’s scheme in exchange for IVF funding. Gladstone brings grounded warmth to the role, portraying Lee’s journey from pragmatic skeptic to someone who rediscovers hope in unexpected places. The actress consulted with queer families and fertility specialists to authentically portray Lee’s emotional IVF storyline.
Gladstone’s quiet strength anchors the film’s most poignant moments, particularly a late-night kitchen scene where she bonds with Youn Yuh-jung’s grandmother over shared stories of womanhood across generations. Her deadpan delivery provides perfect counterbalance to Yang’s exuberance, especially when dealing with wedding planners and intrusive relatives.
3: Kelly Marie Tran as Angela
Kelly Marie Tran (Star Wars, Raya and the Last Dragon) lights up the screen as Angela, Chris’s proudly queer cousin who becomes the wedding’s chaotic planner. Tran’s Angela is a force of nature—equal parts supportive cheerleader and mischievous instigator, particularly when she starts suspecting Chris and Lee’s arrangement isn’t what it seems. The actress improvised many of Angela’s funniest lines, including a show-stopping toast that blends roast and blessing.
Tran’s emotional range shines in a subplot where Angela helps Min’s conservative grandmother understand queer identities, bridging cultural gaps with humor and patience. Her fashion choices—a riotous mix of traditional hanbok and punk accessories—become a visual metaphor for the film’s themes of blended identities.
4: Han Gi-Chan as Min
Korean heartthrob Han Gi-Chan (Crash Landing on You, The King’s Affection) makes his Hollywood debut as Min, Chris’s devoted boyfriend whose family unknowingly sets the banquet chaos in motion. Han portrays Min’s quiet resilience beautifully, particularly in scenes where he mediates between his traditional grandmother and his secret life with Chris. The actor learned Mandarin for his character’s bilingual moments with Yang.
Han’s most powerful scene comes when he finally stands up to his family in a mix of Korean and tearful English, revealing both his love for Chris and his fear of losing his cultural roots. His chemistry with Youn Yuh-jung (as his grandmother) provides unexpected generational comedy, especially when she tries to teach him “how real men act.”
5: Youn Yuh-jung as Ja-Young
Oscar winner Youn Yuh-jung (Minari, Pachinko) steals every scene as Ja-Young, Min’s grandmother who insists on throwing a traditional Korean banquet for the “happy couple.” Youn balances hilarious obliviousness with profound wisdom, whether she’s critiquing wedding cakes or accidentally giving Lee surprisingly progressive advice. The legendary actress improvised many of her character’s most biting one-liners.
Youn’s portrayal reaches heartbreaking heights when Ja-Young privately confesses to Lee that she recognizes more than she lets on, delivering a masterclass in subtle acting. Her final gift to the couple—a reinterpreted family heirloom—becomes the film’s most symbolic gesture of acceptance.
6: Joan Chen as May Chen
Joan Chen (The Last Emperor, Twin Peaks) brings elegant complexity to May, Chris’s mother who harbors her own secrets about love and sacrifice. Chen’s performance is a masterwork of restrained emotion, particularly when she quietly confronts Chris about his lies without ever raising her voice. The actress drew from her own experiences as an immigrant parent to shape May’s quiet disappointments and hopes.
Chen shares a breathtaking silent scene with Youn Yuh-jung where two matriarchs communicate volumes through shared glances and tea rituals. Her character’s revelation about her own marriage adds profound layers to the film’s exploration of love and duty.
Supporting Standouts:
- Bobo Le as Kendall, Lee’s sarcastic fertility nurse who becomes an unlikely ally
- Jeffrey Liang as Lady Shu Mai, the flamboyant wedding singer with killer pipes
- Françoise Yip as Susan, May’s sharp-tongued sister who sees through the ruse
- Emma Yi as the no-nonsense immigration lawyer whose scenes provide biting satire
