麻豆APP

Photo by Dick Thomas Johnson from

Top 10 Amazing Facts about Justin Lin

Justin Lin was born on October 11, 1971, in Taipei, Taiwan. He immigrated to the United States at the age of eight and grew up in Buena Park, California.

He graduated from nearby Cypress High School, and then joined the University of California where he earned a BA in film and Television.

Lin is best known for his work on 鈥楤etter Luck Tomorrow, and television programs Community鈥� and the second season of 鈥楾rueDetective鈥�.

Here are the top ten amazing facts about Justin Lin

1. His solo directorial debut 鈥楤etter Luck Tomorrow

鈥楤etter Luck Tomorrow鈥� released in 2002, is a film focusing on a circle of high school-age Asian-Americans who become caught up in a cascading series of petty and then serious crimes.

The film premiered at the 鈥楽undance Film Festival and received numerous awards.

In a question and answer session following a festival screening, Roger Ebert stood up and angrily responded to an audience member asking Lin if he thought it irresponsible to portray Asian- Americans in a negative light.

Roger responded by saying that Asian-American characters have the right to be whoever they want to be.

2. He was named as one of the 鈥楾op 10 Directors to Watch鈥� in 2002

Photo by Dick Thomas Johnson from

The movie 鈥楤etter Luck Tomorrow鈥� drew the attention of major studios, leading MTV films to buy the film for distribution.

It was an official selection of the 2002 鈥楾oronto International Film Festival and was also nominated for a Grand Jury Prize at 2002 Sundance.

Due to the film鈥檚 success, Variety magazine named him one of the 鈥楾op 10 Directors to Watch鈥� in 2002.

3. Justin Lin鈥檚 third Feature film 鈥楾he Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift

On 8 June 2005, Fast and Furious producer Neal H. Moritz signed Justin Lin to direct 鈥楾he Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift. The film, a crime-action movie based on an underground car racing cult in Tokyo, was released in 2006.

It opened to mixed reviews but grossed over 150 million USD at the international box office.

With Tokyo Drift, Lin would begin his run as director of the next three Fast and Furious films. Justin Lin went ahead to direct the Fast and Furious franchise. Fast Five was among his successful film as it broke box office records.

4. His Movies broke Records

Photo by Dick Thomas Johnson from

His film, 鈥楩ast and the Furious Five鈥� holds the titles for the highest-grossing opening weekend ever in April and for any car-oriented film.

The next Fast and furious film which was the sixth installment became the largest Memorial Day Weekend gross for a Universal Pictures movie ever setting a record of US$120 million and a worldwide total of $317 million.

Fast and the furious 6 also became the highest-grossing Universal Pictures movie in the UK, with an opening weekend UK gross larger than any other movie in the series.

5. He Returned to the Fast and Furious franchise for Fast 9

After Fast and Furious 6, Justin Lin left the franchise stating that he did not agree with the studio鈥檚 plans of making the seventh installment on an accelerated schedule as he felt that it would adversely affect the quality of the movie.

He was then replaced by director James Wan. Lin went on to direct the sci-fi action film 鈥楽tarTrek Beyond鈥� in 2016 which was the third installment in the rebooted Star Trek series.

In October 2017, Lin was confirmed to be returning to the Fast and the Furious franchise, directing F9.

6. Justin Lin did an Independent film, 鈥楩inishing the Game鈥�

Photo by Dick Thomas Johnson from

Lin directed an independent film, 鈥楩inishing the Game鈥� in 2007 which was a 鈥榤ockumentary鈥� on the events surrounding the production of Bruce Lee鈥檚 final film, the shelved project- Game of Death.

The film was met with positive responses. It premiered at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival and was also selected as the opening night film at a variety of North American film festivals, for instance at the 25th San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival.

After this film, Lin began to work on the 2009 film, Fast and Furious 4 which was the fourth film in the franchise.

7. Lin also Directed Several TV show Episodes

Lin directed three episodes of the first season of the NBC Comedy series, Community between

2009 and 2010 which include 鈥楳odern Warfare鈥�, 鈥業nterpretive Dance鈥�, and 鈥業ntroduction to Statistics.

In October 2013, 鈥楧eadline鈥� announced that Lin would be directing the pilot of Scorpion, a CBS drama produced by Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman.

In addition to directing the first episode, Lin serves as one of the series’ executive producers, along with Nick Santora.

He directed the first two episodes of the second season of True Detective in 2015, 鈥楾he Western Book of the Dead and 鈥楴ight Finds You.

8. His most Frequent Collaborator is actor Sung Kang

Photo by Dick Thomas Johnson from

Lin has collaborated with several of the actors he has worked with in his first film, Better Luck Tomorrow, and later films.

Within the five films he has directed in the Fast and Furious franchise, he has also collaborated with the same group of actors as Vin Diesel and Sung Kang appearing in all five Fast and Furious films that he directed.

Sung Kang is Lin鈥檚 most frequent collaborator. He has appeared in a total of six of Lin鈥檚 films. Other collaborations with actors also come from Lin鈥檚 previous works on TV shows.

9. Justin Lin has won Several Awards

Lin earned a distinguished Alumni Award after he graduated with a BA in Film Directing and Production from the UCLA School of Theatre.

He was also a nominee for the John Cassavetes Award at the 2004 Independent Spirit Awards.

Lin鈥檚 outstanding work in the comedy series, Community made him nominated for two NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Directing in a Comedy series.

Because of this recognition, Lin and his production company signed multiple deals with other recognized production companies.

10. His Production Company has Signed Big Deals

Following the success of Fast Five, Lin and his production company Barnstorm Pictures signed a two-year first-look deal with Universal Pictures. The company owns the Fast and Furious franchise.

In September 2011, Lin and his production company Barnstorm Pictures signed a first-look deal with Sony Pictures Television. It produced the comedy series, 鈥淐ommunity鈥�.