If you were online last summer during the peak of a particular social media movement, you may have seen John Cho fantasy-cast as James Bond, Ethan Hunt, Steve Rogers, and even “Magic” Mike Lane. The #StarringJohnCho campaign made (and continues to make) a statement about representation by imagining a universe where Asian-American actors get the iconic roles almost always played by white men. But Cho’s actual latest role isn’t an internationally-renowned spy or an all-American superhero, as in the whisper-soft indie drama Columbus, the actor plays Jin, the son of a dying man. In talking about representation, conversations tend to revolves around blockbusters, but smaller-scale films like Cho’s Columbus help move the needle forward, too.
“This movie in particular, I will say, was unusual because it didn’t explicitly push against any stereotype,” Cho says, speaking over the phone in late July. “It was true freedom because it was confident to do its own thing. It didn’t repudiate any stereotypes, it just existed outside of that pool, and that to me is where we want to go.” [More at Source]
News: John Cho Is Taking Down Stereotypes By Doing Whatever The Eff He Wants
Written by Mouza on August 06
Feature: John Cho for Rhapsody Magazine
Written by Mouza on August 06
“This is typically not the kind of place I like,” says John Cho. He takes off his sunglasses to better appreciate the rotunda on the second floor of the Central Library in downtown Los Angeles. It’s a breathtaking space—vast yet cozy, with a vibrantly painted ceiling dating back to its construction in 1926 and a chandelier depicting the zodiac that spills amber light throughout the massive dome. This is the 45-year-old actor’s first visit to the library, despite having lived in LA since he was in eighth grade, and he admits to being impressed: “I don’t like Rome or Beijing because their buildings always communicate power over the citizens,” explains Cho, who’s dressed simply in jeans and a white T-shirt. “But I like the idea that this is where the books are, and we’re going to build a grand place for them.” [More at Source]
Feature: John Cho for the LA Times
Written by Mouza on August 06
John Cho has close to 100 acting credits on the Internet Movie Database, but only a handful of those are lead roles. Despite his association with two successful franchises (as Harold in the “Harold & Kumar” stoner comedies, and Sulu in the ongoing “Star Trek” saga), and despite his effortless charm, good looks and innate likability, Cho is rarely considered a genuine movie star.
That’s one reason his turn at the center of the indie drama “Columbus,” which premiered at Sundance to strong reviews earlier this year and is now playing in limited release, feels so overdue. Whether Hollywood wants to recognize it or not, Cho is indeed a genuine movie star.
“It felt like a little bit of a dream,” Cho said during a recent interview in Los Angeles. “Projects this small and this unusual are hard to make real, but it happened. All of a sudden we got the call and I was in Columbus.” [More at source]
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