‘Friends’ Star Exposes On-Set Racism: Toxic Work Environment Unchecked

Korean-American actor Steve Park, known for his roles in Seasons 2 and 3 of Friends, recently shared his reflections on what he described as “a deeply distressing experience” during his time on the show.

Park expressed these sentiments during his recent participation in the “Pod Meets World” podcast, where he discussed the challenging atmosphere he faced on set, particularly for actors of Asian descent.

“Back then, I perceived it as somewhat of a poisonous atmosphere,” Park commented. He recounted an incident involving veteran actor James Hong, saying, “[The assistant director] was summoning him onto the set, bluntly asking, ‘Where the fuck is the Oriental guy? Get the Oriental guy over here.'”

He added, “This issue extends beyond just this series. Sadly, this wasn’t a solitary occurrence, but rather reflective of the prevailing industry norms in Hollywood around 1997. There was a conspicuous absence of anyone willing to address or challenge such behavior, which was considered normal.”

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In response to these experiences, Park penned a Mission Statement titled “Struggling For Dignity” and distributed it widely via email.

“As an Asian-American actor, my journey continues to be a battle to secure roles that are respectful and devoid of clichés,” he articulated in the statement, which can still be found in archived formats online.

“I recently appeared as a guest star on one of the most popular television shows, which leads me to the following point,” Park elaborated in his message. “My interaction with the team on this show turned out to be exceedingly agonizing. A profound absence of kindness and basic decency, coupled with a racial incident on set, compelled me to raise my voice.”

Presently, Park can be seen in Mickey 17. His career has included guest appearances in numerous other TV shows such as Law & Order: SVU, 12 Monkeys, Person Of Interest, and The Mindy Project, among others.