Joyce Wu's early life unfolded outside of Detroit, setting the stage for her future accomplishments. At the tender age of 20, she took the bold step of writing, directing, and producing her first stage play, which premiered at the esteemed Oxford Playhouse's Burton Taylor Studio during her time studying English Literature at the University of Oxford in England.
Following her graduation with honors and distinction from the University of Michigan, Wu became a founding member and the literary manager of Mir Productions, an Off-Off Broadway theater company. Her New York debut earned her the praise of Backstage, which hailed her as "a promising young playwright."
As a struggling artist, Wu took on a variety of unconventional jobs to make ends meet. She worked as a counter person in a chocolate shop, a clerk in the rare books department at the iconic Strand bookstore, a typist for a 97-year-old blind playwright, a personal assistant to the renowned perfumer known as "The Nose," and even a fashion and beauty model. Her acting credits include appearances in numerous plays across New York's theater scene.
Wu's dedication to her craft was rewarded with a Maurice Kanbar Institute fellowship and a scholarship from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. She went on to graduate with a Master of Fine Arts degree in film production from New York University's prestigious Tisch School of the Arts, an institution that boasts an impressive alumni list featuring directors such as Martin Scorsese, Joel Coen, Ang Lee, Spike Lee, Amy Heckerling, and many more who have made significant contributions to American independent cinema.
