The Daily Texan took to the “Joy Ride” red carpet to talk to its cast and crew members about Adele Lim’s directorial debut and the raunchy comedy that follows four women who find their way across China on a work trip gone wrong. 

DT: What do you hope audiences gain from this movie?

Stephanie Hsu: I just hope people will have so much fun. It’s really meant to just be a whole lot of fun. I just hope there are many people under 17 who are sneaking into movie theaters for this movie. 

DT: What was it like being on a film set that prioritized Asian voices on screen and behind the screen?

Rohain Arora: There’s a new wave (of representation), and I think all these stories deserve to be told. Even as a South Asian actor in this film, I think it’s going to inspire a lot of people of my background. I even had the opportunity to speak in my language, Hindi, which hasn’t happened too often. So, I’m looking forward to hearing myself in Hindi and seeing all the enjoyment everyone gets from this film. 

DT: This was your first time directing. What did the directing process teach you about yourself as a writer?

Adele Lim: Writing is the hardest job out there. Don’t let anybody tell you otherwise. But what is wonderful about directing is that it all comes through you, and it really is so much closer to writing than most people think. It’s about understanding the story forwards and backward, understanding your characters and being able to see the world, and it’s a role I hope that more women step into. We’re underrepresented, but it’s absolutely our lane of just being able to multitask and create worlds. 

DT: What was it like spearheading a set that highlighted diverse voices?

Adele Lim: It was wonderful. It came as naturally as water. It was wonderful to be in that space where it was our point of view, our voice, but at the end of the day, the story is about universal themes and just a universal experience.