When it was announced on October 30, 2018 that Lionsgate had signed on to develop “The Kiss Quotient
Daniel Henny (courtesy CBS)
It will be like playing himself, similar but not entirely the same way that Marilyn Monroe played herself in the Seven Year Itch. But, when I started writing this article, Daniel Henney did not fit anymore. Currently 39 years old, he might be too old when the studio start filming.
And it might be a few more years before the project gets a greenlight. As of this writing, a screenwriter has not been named and target date for the movie release has not been mentioned.
Charles Melton as Michael Phan
Charles Melton (courtesy IMDB)
With that in mind, I had to look elsewhere and found Charles Melton of “Riverdale” and “The Sun is Also a Star” fame. Standing 6 ft. 1 in. (185.4 cm) and his ethnicity being 1/2 Korean and 1/2 Caucasian and Cherokee, Melton can easily fill the shoes of Michael Phan who is described as half Vietnamese, half Swedish in “The Kiss Quotient.”
Lily Collins as Stella Lane
Lily Collins (courtesy IMDB)
Author Helen Hoang did not specify the ethnicity of Stella Lane. With her hometown named as Atherton, California, a quick search at Wikipedia said that the racial make up of Atherton is 80.5% White and 13.2% Asian. Based on that, I figured that Stella is more than likely Caucasian hence my choice of Lily Collins to play the lead role.
An author, a model and an actress, Collins is multi-talented. She has had leading roles in several high-profile films that include Priest (2011), Mirror Mirror (2012), Snow White (2013). Collins has also starred in several romantic comedies – Stuck in Love (2012), The English Teacher (2013), and Love, Rosie (2014).
In 2016, she won the New Hollywood Film Award and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy for her role as Marla Mabrey in Rules Don’t Apply. She was also nominated for Best Actress at the Golden Globes for the same role.
Manny Jacinto as Quan Diep
Manny Jacinto (courtesy NBC)
Filipino-born Canadian actor Manny Jacinto as Quan Diep is the perfect foil to Charles Melton’s Michael Phan. Levelheaded, very observant and a true friend to his cousin Michael, Quan is the voice of reason in the story. He is also the storyteller of sorts as his dialogue bridges the gap between Stella and Michael.
We know Jacinto from NBC comedy hit “The Good Place” where he plays Jason Mendoza. In 2018, he was cast in the upcoming feature film Top Gun: Maverick.
Ross Butler as Khai Diep
Ross Butler (courtesy IMDB)
Singaporean-born Ross Butler is the original Reggie Mantle in Riverdale but left the series when he was cast as Zach Dempsey in 13 Reasons Why. In 2019, he played Adult Eugene Choi in the superhero film Shazam!. He has been cast as Trevor, Peter Kavinsky’s best friend, in To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before 2, due to be released in 2020 by Netflix.
Khai Diep has a very small role in The Kiss Quotient, but he has the lead role in the next book in the series “The Bride Test.” It might being overly optimistic to assume that this book will be made into a sequel. But the success of To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before shows that audiences are craving for a better representation of Asians on both the small and big screens.
Michelle Yeoh as Mrs. Phan (Michael’s Mother)
Michelle Yeoh needs no introduction. Her latest work at “Crazy Rich Asians” and current role Captain Philippa Georgiou/Emperor Philippa Georgiou (mirror) in Star Trek Discovery showcase her range as an actress. Casting her as the tragic yet comedic mother of Michael is within Yeoh’s considerable acting prowess.
For those who have not read The Kiss Quotient
The Kiss Quotient
Stella Lane thinks math is the only thing that unites the universe. She comes up with algorithms to predict customer purchases—a job that has given her more money than she knows what to do with, and way less experience in the dating department than the average thirty-year-old.
It doesn’t help that Stella has Asperger’s and French kissing reminds her of a shark getting its teeth cleaned by pilot fish. Her conclusion: she needs lots of practice—with a professional. Which is why she hires escort Michael Phan. The Vietnamese and Swedish stunner can’t afford to turn down Stella’s offer, and agrees to help her check off all the boxes on her lesson plan—from foreplay to more-than-missionary position…
Before long, Stella not only learns to appreciate his kisses, but crave all of the other things he’s making her feel. Their no-nonsense partnership starts making a strange kind of sense. And the pattern that emerges will convince Stella that love is the best kind of logic…
