Stephen Park is opening up about a troubling experience he had while filming Friends in the 1990s. The actor, who appeared in two episodes — “The One with the Chicken Pox” (Season 2) and “The One with the Ultimate Fighting Champion” (Season 3) — recently spoke about the incident on the Pod Meets World podcast.
Reflecting on his time on set, Park described the atmosphere as “kind of a toxic environment.” He recalled a moment involving legendary actor James Hong, who was also guest-starring in an episode. According to Park, an assistant director used a racial slur while trying to locate Hong, saying, “Where the f*** is the Oriental guy? Get the Oriental guy.”
The revelation has sparked renewed conversations about the lack of diversity and the problematic moments behind the scenes of iconic shows like Friends. Despite the sitcom’s lasting popularity, Park’s story sheds light on the reality many actors of color faced in the industry at the time.