Constance Wu returned to social media Thursday and released a statement revealing that she nearly died by suicide after a 2019 tweet of hers solicited an overblown online negative reaction. She had tweeted she was “so upset right now” in response to an article confirming her ABC series Fresh Off The Boat was being renewed for a final season.

She later clarified that she was only expressing frustration because the renewal meant she had to drop a project she was passionate about, but the backlash from fans and other figures was extremely intense for one gaffe by a beloved actress.

Wu has not made many film appearances since her role in Hustlers in 2019 but finally shared online that she had been working on a book and also recovering from the ordeal she went through. She mentioned that among people who criticized her, a “fellow Asian actress told me I’d become a blight to the Asian American community.”

“Looking back, it’s surreal that a few DMs convinced me to end my own life, but that’s what happened. Luckily, a friend found me and rushed me to the ER,” Wu shared. She said the subject of her tweets became “so touchy that most of my AsAm colleagues decided that was the time to avoid me or ice me out. I’ll admit that hurt a lot.”

The actress called on her Asian peers and everyone to “let all of ourselves be seen, including the parts we’re scared of or ashamed of–parts that, however imperfect, require care and attention. And we need to stop beating each other (and ourselves) up when we do.”

Her book is titled Making A Scene and will be published through Simon & Schuster on October 4, 2022.

If you or someone you know needs help, call 1-800-273-8255 for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. You can also text HOME to 741-741 for free text counseling from the Crisis Text Line.

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