Ken Jeong talks The Hangover 3
As one of today’s hottest comedic actors it’s particularly curious that Ken Jeong fidgets bashfully slowly pulling on a black sports coat before a small group of reporters gathered before him on a rooftop of an upscale Toronto building.
This level of humility would be normal in just about anyone else but this is Ken Jeong — the guy who leaped stark naked from the trunk of a car displaying his less-than considerable manhood for the world to see in The Hangover. How could he not be comfortable talking in public?
“I’m not an exhibitionist at heart. Look I just put my sports jacket on; I don’t want to take clothes off” says Jeong once he finally settles down to explain the difference between public speaking and being naked in movies. “An actor acts and you want to inhabit that character (so) I just felt it was imperative that had to happen…. In my head (going naked) was making a character choice.”
A wise choice it turns out.
Jeong is the first to admit that playing the scene-stealing role of kidnapped mobster Leslie Chow in the original 2009 comedy set his career on fire – eventually landing him roles in everything from TV’s Community to big-screen blockbusters like Transformers: Dark of the Moon.
“(That) was a career highlight for me simply because I never thought in a million years I’d be part of a sci-fi franchise” Jeong says with a laugh.
Moviegoers will gain an even greater appreciation for Jeong once The Hangover: Part III hits theatres this Friday. After all in the so-called “finale” of filmmaker Todd Phillips’ comic trilogy the role of Chow is greatly expanded.
When the wolfpack (led by actors Bradley Cooper Ed Helms Zach Galifianakis and Justin Bartha) are run off the road by a mysterious mobster (John Goodman) he takes one of them hostage until the other three can deliver Chow – who is holding $21 dollars he stole from the Vegas wise guy.
“I think it’s justified to deviate from the structure of the first two movies because you want to give it a sense of finality” says Jeong. “And to have an expanded role of the part that made me famous that put me on the map – I’m just beyond grateful and beyond happy.”
Jeong also insists that as much fun as The Hangover films are to watch that enjoyment is multiplied on set. In fact of all the characters Jeong has embodied — including his memorable on-screen debut as a temperamental doctor in the 2007 hit Knocked Up – the role of Chow is his favourite.
“Chow is really the only character that you can go as over the top as you want to go and it’s still within the confines of that character” says Jeong. “There’s a trust by the third movie – I thought I could say anything and not worry about any ramifications – and vice versa (with the other cast members). Just to have that complete trust is what I’m going to miss about the Hangover movies.”
But Jeong will particularly miss working with his co-stars – most notably Galifianakis a friend since the pair were both struggling stand-up comedians 14 years ago in Los Angeles.
“I’ve just about worked with everybody in comedy and I’ll tell you no one makes me laugh harder than Zach” says Jeong emphasizing that he often checks out Galifianakis’ web series Between Two Ferns whenever he needs a laugh. “Honestly my whole goal was never to be rich or famous. If I could just be in a movie with Zach or Will (Ferrell) or Steve (Carell) or some of my favourite people; to be able to meet and work with them that’s what I take away most out of doing this.”
