Hulu Adapting Charles Yu Novel ‘Interior Chinatown’ for Television

Charles Yu’s latest novel “Interior Chinatown” is getting the TV treatment.

Hulu is developing a series based on the novel, with Yu in place to adapt his own work, Variety has learned exclusively. Sources describe the deal for the book, brokered by UTA, as highly competitive, with Participant Media and Dan Lin’s Rideback on board to produce.

“Interior Chinatown” follows the story of an Asian-American actor struggling against clichéd roles and stereotypes, both at work and in his personal life. It was published earlier this year by Pantheon Books, and has garnered Yu a place among the finalists for the National Book Award in the fiction category.

Alongside Yu, the project is being executive produced by Dan Lin, Lindsey Liberatore and Elsie Choi for Rideback, and Miura Kite for Participant.

Earlier this year, Yu made an appearance on “The Daily Show With Trevor Noah” to discuss the book and the lack of representation for Asians and Asian Americans on screen.

Yu already has ample writing experience in the TV space, having penned episodes of HBO’s “Westworld,” FX’s “Legion,” AMC’s “Lodge 49” and Facebook’s “Sorry For Your Loss.” His previous printed works include the novel “How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe,” published in 2010, and short story collections “Third Class Superhero” and “Sorry Please Thank You.”

The project is the latest addition Participant’s TV slate, which already encompasses Ava DuVernay’s “When They See Us,” sci-fi drama “Noughts + Crosses,” and a pair of Steve James docuseries in “America to Me” and “City So Real.”

Yu is represented by UTA, Julie Barer at The Book Group, and attorneys Ken Richman & Robby Koch. Lin is repped by UTA, UFUSE Management, and attorney David Fox.