Baek Byung-yeul is a journalist at The Korea Times focused on cultural content, including films and cultural events in South Korea. You can contact him at baekby@koreatimes.co.kr to share your insights.
'Mickey 17' actors share transformative experience with Bong Joon-ho
"Mickey 17" actors, from left, Naomi Ackie, Mark Ruffalo and Steven Yeun pose during a press conference at a theater in Seoul, Thursday. Yonhap
By Baek Byung-yeul
Hollywood actors Mark Ruffalo, Steven Yeun and Naomi Ackie, starring in Korean director Bong Joon-ho's new movie “Mickey 17,” said they were able to discover new sides of themselves while working with the director of the Oscar-winning film "Parasite" (2019).
“I'm honored to be here with Bong Joon-ho, who is one of the greatest living directors today, and to be able to work with him in this cast,” Ruffalo told reporters during a press conference for their upcoming sci-fi movie in Seoul, Thursday.
Ruffalo plays Lenneth Marshall, a fascist politician and dictator, in the film “Mickey 17,” which features lead actor Robert Pattinson as Mickey, a disposable clone worker.
The veteran Hollywood actor, who revealed that he has never played a villain before, said he was surprised when Bong offered him the role of the dictator.
“I was very surprised when I was asked to do the part. And when I read it, I thought ... am I reading the right part? But I'm so grateful that he believed in me even when I was finding myself along the way,” the 57-year-old actor said.
Director Bong Joon-ho, left, and actor Naomi Ackie pose during a press conference for their upcoming film “Mickey 17” at a theater in Seoul, Thursday. Yonhap
Ackie, who plays Mickey's girlfriend Nasha Adjaya, enjoyed being able to portray her character in a liberating way in the film.
“What [it was] like playing this role was very freeing. I think the character is someone who is extremely authentic. It's rare you get to play characters that are just themselves. Usually, characters are made with secrets. She's an open book, and that was really exciting for me to read on the page,” she said.
Korean American actor Yeun, who plays Mickey's friend Timo, found his role very intriguing.
“It was interesting playing Timo because I had just finished 'Beef' (a 2023 Netflix series) and I was playing with this idea of kind of embracing your shadow in a way. And I think with Timo, what was really interesting is that on the page when you read it, everybody hates him,” he said.
“In that way, Timo was fun to try to justify, and I found some, I found some loopholes for him, but largely that was the really fun part of playing Timo.”
Yeun also had a great experience working with Bong for the second time, as he also starred in the director’s 2017 movie “Okja.”
“I think the beauty of director Bong is that he kind of appreciates and loves the character and the actor as they are in the moment that they are,” he said.
Director Bong Joon-ho, from left, actors Naomi Ackie, Mark Ruffalo and Steven Yeun and producer Dooho Choi pose during a press conference for their upcoming film “Mickey 17” at a theater in Seoul, Thursday. Yonhap
Bong also expressed his gratitude to the actors, saying they delivered performances beyond what he had imagined.
“It's surprising that Mark (Ruffalo) has never played a villain before, and I was excited and amused to offer him his first opportunity. When I gave him the script, he seemed puzzled, asking, 'Why me? What did I do wrong?'” the director said.
“Naomi (Ackie), who captivated the audience with just her voice, as seen in her portrayal of Whitney Houston, received a standing ovation at the London premiere. I take pride in having recognized this aspect of her first.” Ackie played the titular role of Houston in the 2022 biographical film "Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody."
“For Steven (Yeun), I worked with him in 'Okja.’ My goal [for ‘Mickey 17’] was to create a humane sci-fi movie and I wouldn't have been able to achieve that goal without him.”