Lee was selected as director, both due to his work in the 1993 film The Wedding Banquet and because Doran believed he would help the film appeal to a wider audience.
李安获选担任本片的导演，这部分是因为他1993年的作品《喜宴》获得了成功，并且多兰还认为请他来执导有助于让电影获得更广阔的观众群。