"If I get a serial killer, it'll be the happiest serial killer," Randall Park laughs. "I love the idea of doing things that are a little darker, and I have done those on occasion, but I guess there's something about me that attracts more lighthearted things. And I love it — it's all such a blessing."
The actor and comedian has played seedier characters in his career, including the smarmy Governor Danny Chung in Veep, but there's no denying that Park's sunny disposition has brought vastly positive characters to his desk. "To be honest, I don't intentionally set out [to work] on these types of projects," he explains. "But I love the idea of bringing positivity to the world."
True to form, Park's latest role is the kind-hearted Timmy Yoon, the manager of his hometown Blockbuster Video. Created by Vanessa Ramos, Blockbuster (out today on Netflix) follows Timmy as he learns that his store is the last Blockbuster standing. In an effort to change the writing on the wall, he attempts to rile up his team, including his long-time crush Eliza (Melissa Fumero), to keep an analogue artifact alive in a digital world.
Park sat down with Exclaim! over Zoom from his home office and chatted about working at a video store, showing up hungover to work in university, and whether he still puts his Starbucks barista skills to use. We also discussed which movies he would recommend to his castmates, with an unexpected choice for J.B. Smoove and a particularly sweet pick for Madeleine Arthur.
Blockbuster streams on Netflix starting November 3.
What kind of jobs did you have in high school or university?
Gosh, I've had so many jobs. I actually did work in a video store in high school. It was a small mom-and-pop video store, there were only a handful of us who worked there, and we were just like Blockbuster. We were a little family and we had so many regulars because we were very much a part of the neighbourhood.
When I was at UCLA, I worked in at the campus bookstore and that was a really fun job. I just remember showing up hungover a lot. I remember literally being behind the counter of that bookstore and throwing up in the trash can because I was so hungover.
A lot of those types of jobs were actually very formative and prepared me to be an actor in a lot of ways.
In the show, Timmy says, "I've been working at Blockbuster since the seventh grade," and he's told that this isn't the flex he thinks it is. You obviously have your dream job now, but of the jobs you had when you were younger, which one would you have been perfectly happy doing as a full-time career as an adult?
About 10 or 15 years ago, after I started pursuing acting, I needed a part-time job that was flexible. I decided to work at Starbucks, and it was the best job. [My] co-workers were awesome; we were all different ages [and] backgrounds, and then we'd have our regular customers. It just really felt like this fun family. Also, I was so broke at the time, and I got to take home a garbage bag full of baked goods and sandwiches that fed me for the week.
Something about making these espresso drinks and the milk steamer, it just felt very therapeutic for me — it was really fun. That was a job I remember thinking, "If I'm pursuing acting and booking a commercial here or there, but I get to work in this coffee shop for the rest of my life, I'd be happy."
Any drink you were particularly good at making?
I mean, not to brag, but pretty much all of them. I was a pro at that espresso machine.
Do you have one at home?
Yes, but it's not the full-on thing. It's one of those you put the espresso pot in. It's kind of cheating.
Betraying your roots!
I know, I know.
Do you remember the last video you rented from a video store?
Oh gosh, not at all! I do remember being very indecisive when it came to going into those stores. I'd spend hours reading the back of the boxes, and think, "Oh, I don't know if I'm in the mood for that one, but maybe next time." And then I'd always end up renting When Harry Met Sally.
The end of Blockbuster marked the end the pre-digital era in many ways, and Netflix ushered in a new era. What's something from the pre-digital era that you really miss?
I can't say I really miss this, because we still can do it, but I do love going into a store and buying clothing. I love going in, trying clothes on, feeling the fabric. It's a very personal and tactile thing. I still don't fully get buying clothes online; I don't understand it. I do it on occasion, but a piece of me dies every time I return something that didn't fit right or just feels wrong for some reason. Whereas just going into a store and feeling the clothes, talking to the person who works there and trying things on in the little room. To me, that's so fun.
Taking the reverse of that, what's something from the digital era that you absolutely love and couldn't do without now? And not your phone, that's too easy.
I would say ridesharing apps. I think they're so convenient. I don't know how ethical they are in terms of how they treat the actual drivers, though. But I do think it's kind of cool that you're automatically carpooling every time you use one. When I'm in a new place, or a new city, it's nice to know that I can get to wherever I need to go by just putting in the location and then I'll get driven there.
In Blockbuster, Carlos (Tyler Alvarez) makes an employee recommendation rack where everyone picks a movie for a coworker. If you were making that rack for your cast mates, what movie are you recommending each of them?
Melissa Fumero:
Erin Brockovich, because Melissa is a very — I shouldn't have said that, I didn't even see Erin Brockovich. [Laughs] But I know about Erin Brockovich! And from what I know, she is an incredible, very strong, beautiful person and an amazing human being. And I think Melissa is all those things.
Olga Merediz:
When Harry Met Sally. It's one of the greatest of all time and Olga is one of the greatest, she's a legend. When I think of New York, I think of Olga because she's a New Yorker and When Harry Met Sally is very much a New York movie.
Tyler Alvarez:
Ferris Bueller's Day Off because Tyler is so full of life and such a joy. Every time I'm with Tyler, there's an excitement in the air.
Madeleine Arthur:
The Royal Tenenbaums. There's a kind of quirky quality to her, but something very stylish and original about her. And I feel like a lot of Wes Anderson films feel singular and original.
J.B. Smoove:
Young Frankenstein, because it's a classic and J.B. is a classic. J.B. is larger than life and he's comedy gold every time.
Kamaia Fairburn:
I would recommend another one of my favourites, Election — there's a rebellious youthfulness. Kamaia is the sweetest person in the world, but there's also this fire in her. I think she would enjoy watching Reese Witherspoon and Election.
The actor and comedian has played seedier characters in his career, including the smarmy Governor Danny Chung in Veep, but there's no denying that Park's sunny disposition has brought vastly positive characters to his desk. "To be honest, I don't intentionally set out [to work] on these types of projects," he explains. "But I love the idea of bringing positivity to the world."
True to form, Park's latest role is the kind-hearted Timmy Yoon, the manager of his hometown Blockbuster Video. Created by Vanessa Ramos, Blockbuster (out today on Netflix) follows Timmy as he learns that his store is the last Blockbuster standing. In an effort to change the writing on the wall, he attempts to rile up his team, including his long-time crush Eliza (Melissa Fumero), to keep an analogue artifact alive in a digital world.
Park sat down with Exclaim! over Zoom from his home office and chatted about working at a video store, showing up hungover to work in university, and whether he still puts his Starbucks barista skills to use. We also discussed which movies he would recommend to his castmates, with an unexpected choice for J.B. Smoove and a particularly sweet pick for Madeleine Arthur.
Blockbuster streams on Netflix starting November 3.
What kind of jobs did you have in high school or university?
Gosh, I've had so many jobs. I actually did work in a video store in high school. It was a small mom-and-pop video store, there were only a handful of us who worked there, and we were just like Blockbuster. We were a little family and we had so many regulars because we were very much a part of the neighbourhood.
When I was at UCLA, I worked in at the campus bookstore and that was a really fun job. I just remember showing up hungover a lot. I remember literally being behind the counter of that bookstore and throwing up in the trash can because I was so hungover.
A lot of those types of jobs were actually very formative and prepared me to be an actor in a lot of ways.
In the show, Timmy says, "I've been working at Blockbuster since the seventh grade," and he's told that this isn't the flex he thinks it is. You obviously have your dream job now, but of the jobs you had when you were younger, which one would you have been perfectly happy doing as a full-time career as an adult?
About 10 or 15 years ago, after I started pursuing acting, I needed a part-time job that was flexible. I decided to work at Starbucks, and it was the best job. [My] co-workers were awesome; we were all different ages [and] backgrounds, and then we'd have our regular customers. It just really felt like this fun family. Also, I was so broke at the time, and I got to take home a garbage bag full of baked goods and sandwiches that fed me for the week.
Something about making these espresso drinks and the milk steamer, it just felt very therapeutic for me — it was really fun. That was a job I remember thinking, "If I'm pursuing acting and booking a commercial here or there, but I get to work in this coffee shop for the rest of my life, I'd be happy."
Any drink you were particularly good at making?
I mean, not to brag, but pretty much all of them. I was a pro at that espresso machine.
Do you have one at home?
Yes, but it's not the full-on thing. It's one of those you put the espresso pot in. It's kind of cheating.
Betraying your roots!
I know, I know.
Do you remember the last video you rented from a video store?
Oh gosh, not at all! I do remember being very indecisive when it came to going into those stores. I'd spend hours reading the back of the boxes, and think, "Oh, I don't know if I'm in the mood for that one, but maybe next time." And then I'd always end up renting When Harry Met Sally.
The end of Blockbuster marked the end the pre-digital era in many ways, and Netflix ushered in a new era. What's something from the pre-digital era that you really miss?
I can't say I really miss this, because we still can do it, but I do love going into a store and buying clothing. I love going in, trying clothes on, feeling the fabric. It's a very personal and tactile thing. I still don't fully get buying clothes online; I don't understand it. I do it on occasion, but a piece of me dies every time I return something that didn't fit right or just feels wrong for some reason. Whereas just going into a store and feeling the clothes, talking to the person who works there and trying things on in the little room. To me, that's so fun.
Taking the reverse of that, what's something from the digital era that you absolutely love and couldn't do without now? And not your phone, that's too easy.
I would say ridesharing apps. I think they're so convenient. I don't know how ethical they are in terms of how they treat the actual drivers, though. But I do think it's kind of cool that you're automatically carpooling every time you use one. When I'm in a new place, or a new city, it's nice to know that I can get to wherever I need to go by just putting in the location and then I'll get driven there.
In Blockbuster, Carlos (Tyler Alvarez) makes an employee recommendation rack where everyone picks a movie for a coworker. If you were making that rack for your cast mates, what movie are you recommending each of them?
Melissa Fumero:
Erin Brockovich, because Melissa is a very — I shouldn't have said that, I didn't even see Erin Brockovich. [Laughs] But I know about Erin Brockovich! And from what I know, she is an incredible, very strong, beautiful person and an amazing human being. And I think Melissa is all those things.
Olga Merediz:
When Harry Met Sally. It's one of the greatest of all time and Olga is one of the greatest, she's a legend. When I think of New York, I think of Olga because she's a New Yorker and When Harry Met Sally is very much a New York movie.
Tyler Alvarez:
Ferris Bueller's Day Off because Tyler is so full of life and such a joy. Every time I'm with Tyler, there's an excitement in the air.
Madeleine Arthur:
The Royal Tenenbaums. There's a kind of quirky quality to her, but something very stylish and original about her. And I feel like a lot of Wes Anderson films feel singular and original.
J.B. Smoove:
Young Frankenstein, because it's a classic and J.B. is a classic. J.B. is larger than life and he's comedy gold every time.
Kamaia Fairburn:
I would recommend another one of my favourites, Election — there's a rebellious youthfulness. Kamaia is the sweetest person in the world, but there's also this fire in her. I think she would enjoy watching Reese Witherspoon and Election.