PODCAST: How Ali Wong and Randall Park pulled it all together for 'Always Be My Maybe'.

Ali Wong, left and Randall Park created the Netflix movie, Always Be My Maybe.

By Louis Chan

ASAM NEWS

Netflix this week released a podcast with commentary from director Nahnatchka Khan and actor Randall Park to go along with their hit movie, Always Be My Maybe.
The two gave fans a sneak peek of what you might expect from the podcast when they made a surprise appearance, along with Ali Wong, in San Francisco after an advance screening in May.

Wong revealed during a 2016 interview with the New Yorker that she and Park had a desire to do an Asian version of When Harry Met Sally. That lead to calls for a script when, in reality, there was no script.

The two then began collaborating. Khan, was not yet even in the picture. When approached, she declined the opportunity thinking she would be too busy.

“Nanahtchka was advising us on writing the script, but when it came time to find a director, she was busy,” said Wong. “She was committed to this other movie. When that fell through, she became available. We snatched her. Thank God, it all worked out.”

This is Khan’s first feature film and a reunion of working buddies. She served as executive producer of Fresh Off the Boat for its first five season. Wong worked on her crew as a writer from seasons 1-4 and Park, of course, costars as Eddie Hung’s father, Louis.

“I got to make a movie with my friends,” said Khan. “We had such a great time . We shot in Vancouver and SF last summer. It happened so fast.”

Khan and Park quickly learned during filming how cold San Francisco’s foggy weather can be.

“It’s a tundra. Do not be fooled by its beauty,” Wong, a native San Franciscan, said to the two others.

In Always Be My Maybe,” Park plays Marcus, lifelong best buds with Wong’s character, Sasha. They had high hopes for their film and decided to dream big. That dream lead to Keanu Reeves making a guest appearance.

“We had a whole A list,” said Park of actors they wanted to bring on board. “We’ll never tell you who’s on that list, but yeah, there was no way we were going to get that person. Netflix and our producers Nathan (Kahane) and Erin (Westerman) were like let’s just try and we tried and it happened magically.”

The idea wasn’t just to bring on an A list star. The idea was to bring one on whose character would add to the movie.

“I think when he, Marcus, finally decides he has feelings for her, we thought in terms of story , it would be great to have somebody who would be Marcus’ worst nightmare,” said Wong. “We thought who would be his worst nightmare. It should be an Asian American icon who could act (as himself) and who is also funny and willing to make fun of himself. Only one person in the entire universe fits the first three of those parameters.”

They sent a script to Reeves, who to their surprise, really took the opportunity seriously.

“He read it and liked it and wanted to meet with us,” said Khan. “I was really impressed that he read the whole script. Like he didn’t just read his section. We talked about his role in the movie and how it affects Marcus character. He had a lot of funny ideas and pitches. We went back, revised the script and sent it back He was like ‘I’ll do it.'”

Reeves took the script and made it his own. Park says the whole idea of glasses without lenses came from Reeves. He also improvised much of the shadowboxing scene.

Download Khan and Park’s podcast from Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

TGIF Feature: Asian American stars draw from their own personal experince for Netflix romantic comedy

Randall Park and Ali Park star in 'Always Be My Maybe.'

By Louis Chan

ASAM NEWS

Randall Park and Ali Wong made a surprise appearance at a special screening this week of Neflix’s movie Always By My Maybe in San Francisco.

The sneak preview put on by the Center for Asian American Media, the Asian American Journalists Association, San Francisco and the Ed Lee Asian Pacific Democratic Club attracted a mostly young, female skewing audience in a theater filled to capacity.

The crowd hooted and cheered when Wong, a native San Franciscan and Park, made their appearance. They were joined by director Nanahchka Khan who was also the executive producer of Fresh Off the Boat for its first five seasons. The trio is also a reunion of FOTB cast and crew. Randall stars as Eddie Huang’s dad on the program and Wong wrote for the show in its first four seasons.

The romantic comedy stars Park as Marcus and Wong as Sasha-two inseparable childhood friends who did everything together and I mean everything. As often happens in real life, the two go their separate ways until a chance meeting orchestrated by Sasha’s girlfriend and special assistant, Veronica, as played by Michelle Buteau. The chemistry begins to ignite, but Marcus doesn’t quite know how to tell Sasha he loves her after being friends for so many years.

Wong and Park, who actually have been friends since attending UCLA together, wrote the script, along with Michael Golamco.

“I love Marcus’ character, ” said Wong. “He was inspired by a lot of guys you grew up with and dated-guys who didn’t want to move out of their parent’s home because its so expensive, but still manage to have incredible lives.”

Park, just like his character, also had a band out of college. The paintings in the movie were those of his real mom, he shared with the audience.

Khan described Sasha’s character perfectly, calling her “successful, but still vulnerable, like woman you actually know.”

Park shared the movie was inspired by something Wong said during an interview with the New Yorker in 2016, saying the two have been wanted to do their version of Harry Met Sally for years.

“That made it into the article and got picked up by a bunch of online, like Vulture,” he said. “It just kind of caught fire online. Then we started getting all these calls for this script. People wanted to read the script and we didn’t even have a script. So Ali and I were like, well, let’s write the script.”

Also joining the cast are Daniel Dae Kim and Keanu Reeves.

“Daniel Dae Kim is so funny, so handsome,” said Khan as Ali let out a squeal. “When he shows up at the restaurant and he greets Ali, we had to do a bunch of different take and Ali was experiencing pure adult women joy,” she said to laughter.

For Keanu Reeves part, Wong said they envisioned “an Asian American icon who could act and who is also funny and willing to make fun of himself.”

People forget that superstar Keanu Reeves has coedic credits and AAPI heritage.

They sent Reeves the script and he made some suggestions. They then wrote some of his suggestions into the script and he agreed to do the film. Some of the funniest scenes in the movie involve Park, Reeves and Wong.

Khan described Park as self-deprecating, recalling the scene when Sasha and Marcus have sex.

Turning to Park she said “Remember that scene after you guys had sex and you’re like ‘Do you want to airbrush some abs on me?’ I was like no. We’re OK. I think you look good. Randall is a snack in these treats. So sexy in this movie,” she said.

Always Be My Maybe hit theaters nationwide on Thursday, May 30. a day before it begins streaming on Netflix Friday, May 31.

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TGIF Feature: 'Always Be My Maybe' looks hilarious

Based on the just-released trailer of the Netflix movie Always Be My Maybe, the film is a lot like an Ali Wong standup routine: Hilarious and raunchy.

The movie starring Ali Wong and Fresh Off the Boat's Randall Park, will debut on the streaming service May 31. 

Not as heralded by the movie's publicists, the romantic comedy also features Daniel Dae Kim and Keanu Reeves, two of the biggest Asian American box-office "names."

The movie is part of a doze movies and TV series spotighting Asian cast members or themes that together, make up what is being called Asian Spring.

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