Alice Wu Directed an Oreo Commercial and You’ll Cry Buckets of Art Film Gay Tears

Today the one and only Alice Wu, legend of her own name, director and writer of a lesbian classic that needs no introduction Saving Face, director and writer of modern lesbian classic in the making Half of It, dropped this unassuming tweet:

I am no stranger to the Gay Oreo Commercials That Make You Sob Through Your T-Shirt as a genre, if you will. The Oreo Gay Cinematic Universe, one might say. But to have one directed by an icon of our own community? Get the box of tissues and pull up!

I don’t want to spoil what comes next, but if you’re hoping to see all of what makes Alice Wu’s work so beloved: subtle, almost muted elegance behind the camera (and yes I recognize I’m talking about an Oreo commercial), tenderness, complex family dynamics, specificity to Chinese American and Asian diasporic communities that’s full of oh so much queer heart — even in 2 minutes and 30 seconds about “everyone’s favorite cookie” you will surely not be disappointed.

On Twitter, Wu described the project as  “a true labor of love and a great team of people who made it” which — again, I know I know I’m talking about an Oreo commercial — but absolutely comes through. It’s almost stunning how much story and heart can come through in such a short period of time, and sure maybe I’ve always rolled my eyes (or desperately wanted, you don’t know my secret life) at the rainbow colored Oreo’s every June, but using corporate Pride to fund indie queer short films about coming out is kind of thing I’m willing to get behind.

It’s end of the day on a Monday, there’s a whole long week ahead. Alice Wu used an Oreo commercial to make you an unexpected queer film. Enjoy.

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Carmen Phillips

Carmen Phillips is Autostraddle's former editor in chief. She began at Autostraddle in 2017 as a freelance team writer and worked her way up through the company, eventually becoming the EIC from 2021-2024. A Black Puerto Rican feminist writer with a PhD in American Studies from New York University, Carmen specializes in writing about Blackness, race, queerness, politics, culture, and the many ways we find community and connection with each other.  During her time at Autostraddle, Carmen focused on pop culture, TV and film reviews, criticism, interviews, and news analysis. She claims many past homes, but left the largest parts of her heart in Detroit, Brooklyn, and Buffalo, NY. And there were several years in her early 20s when she earnestly slept with a copy of James Baldwin’s “Fire Next Time” under her pillow. To reach out, you can find Carmen on Twitter, Instagram, or her website.

Carmen has written 716 articles for us.

10 Comments

  2. Yup. Legit sobbed. Feels weird to say “thanks for letting me know about an Oreo commercial that made me sob,” and that doesn’t make it less true. Thanks.

  3. Damn it now I want Oreos. But seriously it’s really great to see Alice directing again! I recently finished Lo’s ‘Last night at the Telegraph Club’ and I just feel like Alice Wu could do a profoundly good job adapting it.

    • Such a beautiful film!! Only want to see a black and white version.. because it’s OREO. But that’s me being very literal.

  5. i guess i’m not super sensitive to rainbow-washing, i mean ok, if not even trying is the other option, ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

    but also, putting this out when so many states are actively trying to hurt the Ls, Bs, Gs, Ts, & +++s, and not in June, feels different. also, Alice Wu was a very thoughtful choice.

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