Cindy Chu

Writer . Director . Producer

was a staff writer on season one of S.W.A.T. Exiles (Sony/STARZ), a crime drama spinoff of CBS' long-running S.W.A.T. series.

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Chu was a Sony Pictures Television Elevate Writers Fellow, CAPE New Writers Fellow, and Blackmagic Collective Fellow, and is an alum of Mentorship Matters, where she was mentored by showrunner Angela Kang. She also wrote short films for TWD+Co, commissioned by Panda Express, and wrote, directed, and produced the award-winning short film Bayard Street, based on her feature script set in 1980s Chinatown about two Chinese/Taiwanese restaurant workers facing hardships while chasing their American dreams and finding love along the way.

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Born in Queens, New York, Chu writes across horror, comedy, and drama and is drawn to characters caught between worlds — cultural, generational, and supernatural. Her fascination with the thrilling and macabre traces back to her childhood, where she formed a unique bond with her non-English-speaking mother through their shared experiences watching horror classics like A Nightmare on Elm Street.

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With a profound appreciation for the arts, Chu's journey led her to the prestigious Actors Studio Drama School at Pace University, where she earned her MFA. However, the lack of authentic Asian American roles ultimately steered her toward a new path: writing. Her narratives often revolve around socially conscious themes, centering marginalized protagonists from working-class backgrounds.

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She strongly believes in mentoring the upcoming generation of creators and has served as a mentor for students at Dr. BSH Foundation and Syracuse University.

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She is multilingual and lives a "bougie on a budget" lifestyle. An avid solo traveler, she has lived in Italy, China, Mexico, and Sweden, with extended stretches exploring Europe and Asia.