Actor Stephen Park Details Racist Incident on 'Friends' Set

Park described the 1990s sitcom's work environment as toxic and recounted a racial slur directed at co-star James Hong by an assistant director.

Stephen Park, who appeared in two episodes of 'Friends,' recalled a racist remark made by an assistant director toward fellow actor James Hong during filming in the 1990s.
The assistant director reportedly referred to Hong using a racial slur while calling him to the set, a behavior Park described as normalized in Hollywood at the time.
Park attempted to address the incident by contacting the Screen Actors Guild and writing a mission statement to the LA Times, but no article was published.
The actor shared that the experience contributed to his decision to temporarily leave acting, citing anger and disillusionment with the industry's pervasive racism.
Park eventually returned to acting and has since appeared in numerous acclaimed projects, including Wes Anderson's 'Asteroid City' and the upcoming film 'Mickey 17.'