After 20 years, a new generation is discovering the wacky trip that is Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle — including star John Cho’s kids. Cho revealed on The Today Show that his 16-year-old son recently watched the stoner comedy for the first time. “His takeaway was, ‘So, you have met Ryan Reynolds?!’ It’s a pretty good takeaway. Not a bad thing,” Cho shared with a laugh.
The film’s 20th anniversary has sparked conversations about a potential fourth instalment. “Could be,” Cho hinted on Today. “I think it would be fun to do it. It’s a little bit of a very early 2000s movie in a lot of ways, but I’d love to see if we could.”
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Co-star Kal Penn and producer Nathan Kahane recently recounted how Reynolds’ cameo as a nurse in the first film “got the movie greenlit.” Penn explained to Rolling Stone, “When Harold & Kumar happened and we were talking about cameos, I reached out to Ryan and he was immediately like, ‘Yes, absolutely.'”
While celebrating the legacy of Harold & Kumar, Cho also reflected on his broader career and preference for roles that don’t solely focus on his Asian heritage. “A movie that treats race in the background feels more authentic,” he told The Independent.
“While the rest of mainstream society in America looks at you and sees solely the colour of your skin, internally people don’t think about their race throughout the course of a day. Other identities are much more forefront in your conception of yourself.”
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Cho has come a long way since his childhood when he “didn’t see anyone who made that feel possible.” He’s now starred in numerous hits and paved the way for greater Asian representation in Hollywood.
Despite his success, Cho hasn’t forgotten the “uncomfortable” moments he experienced early in his career. He recalled a role on The Jeff Foxworthy Show where he played a Chinese delivery driver with a Southern accent. “I remember doing it and the white crew laughed. I was so uncomfortable. I didn’t ever want to have that feeling again,” he shared.
