Interview By: Lena Aburdene
LenaAburdene@TheCinemaSource.com

While watching the film Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle, you may ask yourself how the Asian 'MILF' kid (John Cho) from the American Pie series and the horny and perverted Indian exchange student (Kal Penn) from Van Wilder landed lead roles in their own comedy flick. After all, weren't they just the token diversity kids used as side kicks to handsome and charming guys like Oz in American Pie and Van in Van Wilder' Can the two really carry a movie when they are often portrayed as side-line comic relief' We have the answers to these probing questions as we sat with Kal and John and learned how hard it so overcome racial adversity in Hollywood, in a world where the dashing all-American white boy snags all the lead roles

The two boys, best known as comedic actors joke around like old friends and playfully interrupt each other's sentences as John states,'We hate each other immensely. We didn't know each other before the movie began and we were 'forced' to become good friends.' As the joking subsides, John says, 'but seriously, we're friends now. We hang out in LA all the time, where we live.'

Kal and John we're so surprised that they were handed a script where the lead roles were for Asian-Americans and Indian Americans. As John goes on to further explain, 'We had become so cynical in our acting careers', and Kal interjects, 'I was extremely cynical.' John continues his thought, saying, 'I was jaded enough to think, how are you going to get this made' How are you going to get this gig' Or leads in movies' Keep dreaming.'

Although there were severe doubts that the movie would actually be made, Kal was strongly attracted to the script for this reason: 'I have a very short attention span and usually end up putting a script down five or six times and I don't really laugh out loud. But this, I read it straight through and was laughing out loud. The script was kind of smart with all its layers.'

John chimes in, saying, 'The characters are unusually real, these guys were real. They had jobs, they are weekenders. They are people of color. It's so against what you see in movies as a rule.'

John feels like the movie is worth watching because of its parallels to American Pie, an obviously successful movie that launched the careers of many of its starring actors: 'I feel like it's a very sweet natured movie. One of the touchstones for us was American Pie. We talk about that movie frequently and what the key was to that movies success. That movie though filled with gags was never really equaled in the slew of movies that followed, and of course that genre, because none of them had the heart that that movie had. I felt the gags served to highlight the story and the characters and Harold and Kumar is similar to that.'

Kal also tells us that we may be surprised going to see Harold and Kumar, as it isn't necessarily what we'd expect it to be: 'It's not the obvious comedy. It appeals to all the gags you'd want to see in a teen movie. It's testing really well with women, so it's a date movie. Especially this summer, there aren't a lot of comedies coming out. It's got all these smart little layers in it. It's not dumb so I think people will get something out of it.'

John and Kal are feeling the pressure and realizing their race may be a factor on whether or not people want to see this movie because the stars aren't what Americans are used to seeing. John speaks about his opinion on the lack of leading roles for Asian-Americans in this country: 'Most communities are not really questioned by the Nielsen ratings or box office results and that's a shame. It's kind of un-American to not count everyone that lives here. So it was kind of a positive experience to do this film.'

Kal adds to this statement by adding that the success of the film is now out of their hands: 'There is a lot of pressure because race is going to be a factor. I really think the burden now lies on the audience. Do you want to see something different' Not necessarily race, but roles that aren't jut the typical white guy from the Midwest.'

John is still hopeful that Americans will support them. Maybe the success of this film could change how we look at our leading men in Hollywood. John feels confident that the movie has reached a level of success, regardless of box office results: 'I guess it could be a big failure but it feels like we triumphed in every corner. I'm very hopeful, especially having done roles where half of them have been stereotypical or side-kicky. I've gotten some response that people are sick of seeing the side-kicky ethnic guy. This is a chance for them to prove that these feelings matter. If they don't see the film they're going to see the same old depictions in the future.'

With that said, go out and support these two and see the movie. They're two nice, down to earth guys who deserve a chance at playing legit roles. If in fact the movie does fail to garner positive box office success, you can see Kal Penn in Son of the Mask, Dancing in Twilight and Sueno. John will be appearing in See This Movie! Hopefully in true under-dog fashion, these two hard working young men will defeat the odds.