Shang-Chi Director Destin Daniel Cretton’s Mom Couldn’t Be Prouder
In an article posted to the website of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings director Destin Daniel Cretton’s hometown newspaper, The Maui News, Destin Cretton’s mother, Janice Cretton, gushed about how proud she was that her son was directing a big-screen superhero movie that centered an Asian protagonist!
Directing Simu Liu (Shang-Chi). Photo: Marvel Studios
With less than a month until Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is released for streaming on Disney+ (November 12th, 2021), we thought it was the perfect to celebrate her son’s achievements too!
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As detailed by the article, which was published in 2019 (just after Deadline had first announced Shang-Chi), Janice said she had quite a challenge of her own while the movie was being filmed: she had to keep quiet about Destin Cretton’s accomplishments until the movie was officially announced! (And at Marvel Blog, we know how hard it is for a mother to not brag about her child’s amazing accomplishments!)
“Janice Cretton, 71, spent time Friday talking about son Destin Daniel Cretton, Maui boy turned Hollywood success story who’s been chosen to direct ‘Shang-Chi,’ Marvel Studios’ first superhero film featuring an Asian protagonist.” Photo: The Maui News/KEHAULANI CERIZO
Janice lives in Haiku, where she raised six home-schooled children (who now live in both Hawaii and California). Janice, who is Okinawan/Japanese, runs a bed & breakfast in Haiku, “Bamboo Heaven Maui.”
Janice told The Maui News that “Hawaii Asian is different.” She explained that the culture is a blend of various Asian ethnic groups, including Japanese, Chinese, Filipino, and Korean. The result is a society that must respect diversity and have empathy for one another’s differences.
Destin Daniel Cretton and Dave Callaham attend Disney’s premiere of “Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings” at El Capitan Theatre on August 16, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. Photo: Amy Sussman/WireImage
As Janice explained, Destin Cretton began making movies at the tender young age of ten, when she allowed him to use her camcorder (and to enlist his siblings as cast and crew). He graduated from Maui High School in 1996 and went on to begin accumulating honors for movies he submitted to film festivals.
In subsequent years, he directed movies like Short Term 12, which garnered many Awards and starred Brie Larson.
Actress and director of “Short Term 12” Brie Larson, Destin Daniel Cretin are photographed for Los Angeles Times on June 13, 2013 in Beverly Hills, California. Photo: Gary Friedman/Los Angeles Times/Contour by Getty Images.
Janice said that she views Hawaiian culture as a kind of chop suey, and says that it is a melting pot of the world. “Isn’t it nice that one race isn’t superior to one another?” she said to The Maui News. “We’re a mixture.”
Cretton Directs Shang-Chi
Have you had a chance to see Shang-Chi yet? What did you think of this highly-rated entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe? We want to hear from you! Let us know what you’re thinking in the comment section.
Featured Image: VALERIE MACON/AFP via Getty Images
