Original Gossip Girl alum Yin Chang says her character was rewritten to be an Asian stereotype

The Hollywood Reporter

Chang, who recently reprised her Nelly Yuki character on the HBO Max reboot, told Teen Vogue her character was originally written to be “supremely confident,” “beautiful” with a bright characterization. “The audition for this role came at a time when characters specifically written for Asian American women were so few and far between and I was under the impression, via the sides given for Nelly Yuki’s first episode, that the role had more complexity and nuance than most other auditions I had seen,” she told the magazine. “This was back in 2008, and the initial impression of the role gave me hope that the industry was changing and moving forward in the right direction for Asian American representation.” But leading up to the shoot, Chang said that characterization changed from “overachieving and effortlessly ‘confident’ and ‘sexy,’ to overachieving and ‘timid’ and ‘submissive'" -- basically, a model minority stereotype. She also said producers had her character wear glasses so viewers wouldn't confuse her with another Asian American female character who previously appeared on the show.