this is "nightline." >> tonight, killer dad? the husband and father who pleaded for his pregnant wife and daughter's safe return. >> i just want them back. >> just hours later, allegedly confessed to murdering all three. the new details we're learning about chris watts. >> this is absolutely the worst possible outcome. >> as friends react to the shocking news. >> knowing that like we welcomed him in our home. >> he's a murderer. >> and what we're learning about potential problems inside their marriage. plus -- ♪ do something crazy >> the over the top cultural phenomenon sweeping the box office. >> these people aren't just rich, they're crazy rich. >> how the glittering "crazy rich asians" is not only rebooting the classic romantic

comedy, it's turning into a cultural movement president universe has spoken, it wants you over there. >> that's leaving audiences in tears. but first the "nightline 5." my gums are irritated. i don't have to worry about that, do i? >> actually, you do. harmful bacteria lurk just below the gum line. >> crest gum detoxfy, works when below the gum line to reverse early gum damage. new crest gum and enamel repair gives you improved enamel. enam gum and enamel repair from crest. healthy, beautiful smiles for life. >> number one in just 60 seconds. (sound of footsteps) (sound of car door opening) (car door closes) (sound of engine starting) ♪ ♪

(sound of footsteps) (sound of car door opening) (car door closes) (sound of engine starting) good evening. thank you for joining us. it's the story that stunned so

many. a seemingly devoted father accused of murdering his entire family. now the singular question, why? tonight we're learning chilling new nfse to killing the very people who were closest to him. here's abc's clayton sandell. >> reporter: they appeared to be the picture-perfect family. happy couple. two adorable daughters. a baby on the way. the portrait of suburban bliss. in facebook videos, chris watts played the part of a loving husband to shanann, devoted father to bella and celeste. his public facade appearing to crumble a day after his family went missing. >> if you're out there, just come back. >> reporter: tshattered by this. accused of the unthinkable, accused of murdering his pregnant wife and daughter. >> why did you kill your wife and two children?shan

comers in their suburban denver neighborhood. he worked for a petroleum company. >> he would reach out and help anybody that needed help with anything. >> from the moment i met her, he was just a happy, positive person. >> reporter: on monday morning, something went horribly wrong. >> i called her and texted her several times. >> reporter: nicole had seen shanann around 2:00 a.m., dropping her off at home after returning from a business trip, and hours later, shanann, who was 15 weeks' pregnant, and her 3 and 4-year-old daughters were missing. >> she had a doctor appointment that machining. she didn't show up for it. >> i'm worry sick, this is completely unlike her. >> reporter: she called husband chris. chris told her the last time he saw his wife and kids that morning at 5:15 when he left for work. >> i called her and texted her, maybe she was busy when her friend showed up. it registered like, this isn't right. >> reporter: chris says he rushed home and they called

police. inside the house they find her wallet and keys but no other signs of life. >> i'm just concerned. if y're hearing this or you're someboyore okay. >> reporter: soon the entire community jumps into action. >> tonight police issued a missing endangered alert -- >> a pregnant woman and her two daughters missing -- >> plooolice officers have set check points around the family home, handing out fliers, hoping somebody saw something -- >> reporter: by tuesday afternoon, chris watts is talking to local tv stations. >> shanann, bella, celeste, if you're out there, just -- just come back. if somebody has her, just please by her back. >> reporter: interviews that evoke sympathy or on closer examination, suspicion. watts revealing he and his wife had exchanged words the morning she vanished. >> it wasn't like an argument. we had an emotional conversation, i'll leave it at that. but it's -- i just want them

back. >> so my initial reaction in watching a video of him was, this guy's lying. >> reporter: former fbi agent and abc news consultant bratt garrett points to watts' body language. >> his body language seeps to be almost completely flat. he is standing in front of a reporter and arms are crossed, and he does at some point start to rock. which is also an anxiety-driven sort of behavior. >> i miss them, like, i mean -- i miss telling them, hey, you got to eat that or you're not going to get your dessert, you're not going to get your snack after, i miss that. >> those were important words because it sounds like to me they're in past tense. the combination of really talking about himself, talking about what the police are doing, little or nothing about his eildr,stentwi people whoreelru., was goes to visit friends

ammanda and nick, who were happ to offer comfort. did it ever cross your mind to even ask him if he was involved in the disappearance of his own family? >> we admitted like, this doesn't look good for chris. you know what i mean? >> reporter: on wednesday, everything changed with this bombshell. >> a heartbreaking outcome to the story we have been tracking all week, the confession of a father -- >> this is absolutely the worst possible outcome that any of us could imagine. >> reporter: and then chris watts' public plea for help apparently changing to a confession. denver 7 reporting he admitted to police that he killed shanann and their daughters. >> if he gave an uncoerced confession, then he's in big trouble. if he did confess and he does come clean, question's going to be, what's his defense? >> reporter: the same community that in shock. do you feel betrayed? >> oh my god, yeah. >> reporter: they say chris isn't all that emotional.

>> so pink means? >> that's the test. >> pink is going to be girls? >> i don't know. >> reporter: pointing to the video on facebook revealing her third pregnancy. >> it's a -- guess when you want to, it happens. wow. >> you look at shanann posting a video of her announcing she was pregnant, and he smiles and gives her a hug, but it's not like -- you know what i mean, there's no -- not overjoyed. >> reporter: they say he wasn't upset either and seemed to love being a dad, which made his behavior afterward now seem so haunting. >> he never once cried. which i guess is now a red flag? >> i know. >> reporter: the reporters who conducted one of those interviews also reflecting back. >> his demeanor was weird, seemed really defensive. he seemed repetitive in his story, like he practiced it. >> anything he said can be used

against him. so public statements like that could certainly come back to haunt him, particularly when it comes to sentencing. >> reporter: by thursday police were at the oil fields where watts used to work, and within hours found three bodies. court documents reveal they recovered the wife's body in a shallow grave. the bodies of bella and celeste found submerged for days in an oil tank. the man who was once a hero to his kids in social media videos -- >> he reads me books, ties my shoes -- >> reporter: now accused of being a murderer. >> you have the right to counsel, do you understand? >> yes, sir. >> reporter: bruters believe they were killed in the house and but are being title-lipped on details. watts has not filed a plea. the couple filed bankruptcy in 2015. their current financial status unclear. >> what bothered me is the guy looked at the camera, was asking

his wife and kids to come back, and he knows that they're not coming back. >> reporter: sources tell abc news shanann and chris had a troubled marriage, but on facebook, shanann gave no indication of trouble in this video in may. >> he stuck around. he stuck around because he was the one for me. and he is amazing. >> the idea that somebody could actually kill their own young children, probably eyeball to eyeball, is just really off the charts. the level of evil in these type of crimes is way over the top. >> reporter: tonight the community came together in front of the watts' home to light candles, a vigil to honor and remember three bright lights gone too soon. >> if he was standing here now, knowing what you know, what would you say to him? >> i want to know why. >> right. >> she was an amazing person. amazing. everybody loved her. >> how do you want them to be remembered?

what will you remember? >> there's just so much to remember. >> reporter: reporting for "nightline," clayton sandell in frederick, colorado. expected t face formal charges next week. asian-americans on the big screen, speaking their own truth. why so many are saying "crazy rich asians" is a romantic comedy whose time is long overdue. i love you, basement guest bathroom. your privacy makes you my number 1 place to go number 2. i love you, but sometimes you stink. febreze air effects doesn't just mask, it cleans away odors. because the things you love the most can stink. and try febreze small spaces to clean away odors for up to 30 days. breathe happy with febreze. with our largest variety of crab all year!

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(sound of footsteps) (sound of car door opening) (car door closes) (sound of engine starting) and adventure blockbuster fare. but this week moviegoers in

droves are passing on spies, car chases, explosions, even a monster shark, in favor of a romantic comedy that's resonating across both cultural and generational divides. here's my "nightline" coanchor juju chang. >> reporter: everyone's family is a little crazy. ♪ do something crazy >> reporter: not everyone's family is crazy rich. >> these people aren't just rich, okay? they're crazy rich. these people are so posh and snobby, they're snoshy. >> reporter: "crazy rich asians," the romantic comedy creating a buzz. the movie airing the of filthyd film starring a mostly asian cast since "the joy luck club" 25 years ago. i've read that premiere screenings with asian-americans have left audiences in tears. why is it so emotional? >> a lot of people have cried the second they see asian faces

on screen. it means something to kids and people to see images that reflect themselves. >> finally we can be seen and heard. we are proud of our asian descent. it's so nice to see it on the big screen. >> reporter: with the box office success of "black panther," representation becoming a hollywood rallying cry. the glitzy production galvanizing audiences of all backgrounds for what the filmmaker is calling not just a movie but a movement. >> i met a girl, i fell in love, i want to marry her. >> reporter: critics hailing it as a glittering rebirth of the rom-com with an asian twist. a jaunty "meet the parents" for the 1%. >> there is fundamentally a love story here. everything else is just additional to it. the real core of what people leave the cinema feeling is that love that they have. the world that story just so happens to live in is a wealthy one. >> reporter: henry goulding plays the dashing prince

charming. with the real-life cinderella story, landing the starring role as a first-time actor. >> don't you want to see where i grew up? met my family, my ama? the universe has spoken, it wants you over there. >> you came off your honeymoon to test for it? >> that's right. i was in south africa. >> how did you explain that to your newlywed wife? >> my wife was totally understanding. she knew kind of -- we were right on the precipice of something great. so i owe her still. >> you ar veteran actress, your costar is a newbie. is he a natural? >> he has natural talent. it was not very hard to act like i'm in love with him because his charm is just effortless. even in his like screen tests and chemistry read, he's a little nervous, but even the nerves were like, your nerves were so charming. >> reporter: constance wu of the pioneering sitcom "fresh off the boat" -- >> i need to start making

dinner. evan? you make sure that everyone does their clc. >> okay, teacher-mommy. >> reporter: plays his on-screen love interest. >> so your family is like rich? >> we're comfortable. >> that is exactly what a super-rich person would say. >> such a cinderella story. what's it like being able to don couture outfits? >> at first so fun. but then several hours later your feet are killing you. >> that's awesome. >> so you get both sides of it. >> reporter: the equally passable michelle yeoh the domineering matriarch. the global superstar known for powerhouse roles in blockbusters like "crouching tiger, hidden dragon." but more refined power. >> i withdrew from university when we got married. i chose to help my husband run a business and raise a family. for me, it was a privilege. for you, you may think it's old fashioned. >> michelle, you've described

the character as less a tiger mom and more of a dragon mom. what do you mean by that? >> i think moms are all like that. because dragons protect their treasure. and their treasure are their children. she would throw herself in front of a bus if that would save her son. >> michelle, the penultimate family jewel is your personal ring. >> it's a beautiful ring. >> nick's father had it made when he proposed to me. >> i thought it was very important because that ring played such an integral part. it's a character in the movie. >> reporter: a bestseller in more than 20 countries -- >> everybody, we have the mastermind behind "crazy rich asians," author kevin kwan. >> reporter: the book hillion c u.s. >> this book could be called "crazy rich black people," "crazy rich italians," crazy rich you name it. >> why do you think it had global mass appeal? >> readers around the world have been telling me, we're not

crazy, we're not rich, we're not asian -- but your family is so much like the one that i live. >> reporter: author kevin kqan says he walked away from a pot of gold offered by a streaming service, instead taking a gamble to bring it to the silver screen. >> to me it wasn't a choice. i felt like we needed a big, old-fashioned, hollywood opening to really prove to the world that a movie like this could succeed. >> reporter: and everyone on the cast seems to share that dream. like ken jeung, the breakout star of hollywood hits like "knocked up" and "the hangover." >> you were saying, whatever role, just put me in, coach. >> i said, listen, whatever you need for me to do. hey, if i'm not in it, i will support this to the hilt, i'll be at the red carpet, i believe in this. >> the way we're represented in media directly i rld, h s ourselves, how people treat us. >> i'm in a bentley today. >> reporter: hip-hop comedian nora lum, aka awkwafina, plays

his daughter. >> let me get this straight, you both went to the same school, yet someone came back with a degree that's useful. the other one came back as asian ellen. >> papa-fina. >> i heard that, that's amazing. >> nora and i, young hollywood. they had to age me up. >> he would have been 11 when i was born. >> yeah, i was like 11. i keep texting her, huh? us young bucks, right? >> it's lit. >> it's lit af! >> reporter: at the heart of this comedy, a universal love story with a distinctly asian flavor. >> it's just great seeing you guys all like this. >> there is a dumpling scene. i've done this as a child, making korean dumplings. think it's part what was evokes thisicanshoee t>> it's so rare scenes that are so familiar to us played out on the big screen, given the hollywood treatment. i met someone yesterday who took

his 70-year-old father to a screening. he said, i've never seen my father cry, but he cried at the screening. he told me, he never thought in his lifetime he would see another movie like this. so it's so deeply touching to me that it's found, you know, so much love. next, looking back on aretha franklin and the surprise she got during a performance of a lifetime. (ford chime) it's the ford summer sales event and now is the best time to buy. you ready for this, junior? yeah, i think i can handle it. no pressure... ...that's just my favorite boat. boom. (laughs) roerce make summer go rig for sixty months on f-150. get zero percent financing for 60 months- plus $2,800 bonus cash on a 2018 f-150 xlt equipped with 2.7l ecoboost.

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oh! wow, you got all this stuff from ikea? what do you like not let your kids in here? oh, no, they moved in here. here. this is where i hide all the cords and the remotes, and those clack-clack-clack things. so, this is your new bed? let's just say it fits me perfectly. what's your dream? at ikea, we help you live it. make the dream yours.

oh! wow, you got all this stuff from ikea? what do you like not let your kids in here?

oh, no, they moved in here. here. this is where i hide all the cords and the remotes, and those clack-clack-clack things. so, this is your new bed? let's just say it fits me perfectly. what's your dream? at ikea, we help you live it. make the dream yours. been looking back at the amazing life and career of aretha franklin, a very special moment on stage just a few years ago caught our eye. ♪ in my heart >> sometimes not even the queen of soul could control what happens on stage during a live performance. aretha franklin performing "nobody shall sleep" during pope francis' visit to the u.s. and philadelphia in 2015. but as she finished the song, a

little boy so moved by aretha franklin made his way onto the stage. you can see the boy say to her, "i love you." punctuated by a hug. >> good night, everyone! >> good night, aretha. and good night, america. have a good weekend.

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