From Cosmopolitan
[Spoilers ahead] Seth Rogen and James Franco have been getting all the credit for fake killing Kim Jong-un in The Interview. But they actually had an accomplice: Diana Bang, who plays the North Korean dictator’s (fictional) propaganda minister, Sook. Cosmopolitan.com spoke to Bang, a comedian from Canada, about her breakout role, sex scenes with Rogen, and what her Korean mom thought of the movie. (Note: This conversation took place December 12, after the Sony hack had begun, but before Sony canceled the official release of the movie.)
Diana Bang arrives at the Los Angeles premiere of ‘The Interview’ held at The Theatre at Ace Hotel Downtown LA on December 11, 2014 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Michael Tran/FilmMagic)
What was your initial reaction to the movie, before it became as controversial as it’s become?
I was quite excited that they were shooting in Vancouver, because I’m from Vancouver; I was excited that it was going to be about North Korea; and I was very excited by the fact that they were looking for Korean leads and other Korean or Asian performers. And then when I read the script, it was just funny. It was hilarious.
How much did Seth Rogen and [director] Evan Goldberg and James Franco really know about North Korea?
You know what? I heard that they got a former ambassador or something who knew stuff about North Korea. So I think they did due diligence and did their research. When I chatted with them on set, we would talk about North Korea, things that I’d read — I think they are quite informed. But at the same time, with comedy, you can kind of make a lot of stuff up. It’s farcical in a lot of ways. My character, for example, is not based on anyone real. So I had free rein to make up whatever I wanted, pretty much.
When you were doing that, were you concerned at all about propagating stereotypes? Did you think about that?
When I read the script, what I really liked was that she was the one who saves the day and instigates all the action. I found that she was strong and yet had a heart and was funny. So I don’t think she was a stereotype. And to have an Asian leading lady was, to me, very exciting. And if I weren’t in the film, I’d be equally excited to see someone [else] up there. I didn’t know Randall Park [who plays Kim Jong-un] before in the movie, and he is hysterical. He stole the movie in many ways. So it’s not just about seeing Asian faces [in a movie], but it’s also about seeing really good, funny, well-rounded Asian characters in a really great movie — in a Seth and Evan movie — that is very exciting.
Because it’s not something you get to see often.
No, not at all; I don’t think so.
One of your funniest scenes is a sex scene with Seth — he can’t touch you with his right hand. Did that make the scene more challenging to shoot?
It was really easy and actually quite fun because that’s where my character finally gets to let loose a little more. Before that she’s trying to be [grunts] the propaganda minister that she is. But then in the bedroom she gets a little crazy. I had fun being able to push him around, because I’m so tiny compared to him. A lot of my comedy stems from me being a short person, so whatever I can do to capitalize on that … for this, that meant slapping him around, grabbing his hair.
I thought you were going to blow away in your first scene, the helicopter scene.
Oh my god. I’ve never experienced being that close to a helicopter. It was surreal. That was my first day on set and I was a literal and metaphorical whirlwind. When I walked down, when we were doing our lines to each other, I could hardly hear him. I was like, [screaming] “What?” I’m sure I looked ridiculous for some of the takes, because I was just yelling and I couldn’t hear.
Seth seems so sweet. I also think that he’s hot and people are finally recognizing that. He’s not just a stoner; he’s a sex symbol stoner. Can you speak to that, having worked directly with him?
Yeah, I mean, he is hot! He’s very handsome and he’s sweet, like you said. Beyond that, I think it’s that he’s smart. He’s very witty. I think that defines hot for me: If you’re smart and funny. And he is, but he doesn’t have that air of arrogance and I think that’s why he’s hot right now. He’s kind of the funny everyman in a way. You see him and you just want to give him a hug.
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