TRIPLE THREAT

Hollywood funny man Randall Park steps behind the camera for his directorial debut with indie film Shortcomings. Now one of the industry's most versatile players, he traverses genres and mediums in his work while taking an authentic approach to his roles and storytelling 

-  Nafeesa Saini

It is a busy evening in Four Seasons Hotel Singapore when we meet Randall Park at the crowded One‑Ninety Bar for this interview and photo shoot. Dressed in a simple black sweatshirt paired with muted grey trousers and his signature thick silver chain, Park manages to look composed despite having got off a long‑haul flight just hours earlier. Yet, there is a hint of disorientation as his eyes dart discreetly across the room filled with participants of the Milken Institute Asia Summit 2023—held in the hotel and at which he was a speaker—post‑event networking session.

Time is of the essence here: we only have one hour before Park has to get ready for the inaugural Gold Bridge dinner. The event, held in partnership with social impact collective Open Circles, celebrates the expansion of Gold House, an organisation that promotes the interests of people of Asian and Pacific Islander descent, to Singapore. Recognising the challenge of doing the interview and photo shoot in the bustling space, we propose relocating to the privacy of his room. He readily agrees and we make our way upstairs.

In the quiet of his executive suite, Park visibly unwinds. The deadpan humour often present in his interviews is notably missing—and in its place is a sincerity as warm as his slow LA drawl. As he reclines into a plush chair, his posture serves as an unspoken cue: he is prepared for a meaningful conversation. This pause affords him an opportunity for self‑reflection before we begin the interview. After all, he is now at a crucial juncture in his career.