Entertainment

Randall Park Felt Safe On Set of 'The Interview'

by Maitri Suhas

Though the buzz and controversy around James Franco and Seth Rogen's The Interview has quieted somewhat, it seems the repercussions will echo throughout the year. The film bizarrely entered the stage of global politics when the North Korean government threatened to attack theatres that showed the film, causing Sony to initially pull it all together. It even elicited a response from the White House in which President Obama condemned Sony's choice, saying it went against the ideals of freedom of speech. But how has this affected the actors? In a panel about his show Fresh Off the Boat, Randall Park, who played Kim Jong-un, said: "I was never worried about my safety or getting hacked. It was crazy to turn on the news and see my face next to Kim Jong-un."

Parks sentiments embody the spirit of The Interview. The film fell wayside to the debate it created about free speech and censorship. There was outrage when Sony decided to pull the movie from theatres, though it very soon after announced that it would be available for streaming online. Several celebrities spoke out about what they felt was Sony's cowardice, that art should not be censored for political reasons. And Park's lack of fear is indicative to the freedoms Americans may take for granted.

In a strange and quick way, The Interview became a touchstone example about the weakening dictatorship of North Korea, and in a strangely admirable way, it's funny to think that a James Franco movie was enough to threaten an entire regime. Anyone who thinks that film and television aren't influential must have had their minds blown by the way The Interview scared the shit out of the North Korean government.

Image: Tumblr