‘Friends’ Star Stephen Park Calls the Show ‘A Toxic & Racist Environment’

Stephen Park, who appeared on Friends as a guest star, is speaking out about his experience on set.

In a shocking revelation, he accuses the show’s environment of being toxic and calls out instances of racist name-calling.

What did the actor go through, and what happened behind the scenes?

Friends Guest Star Stephen Park Had a Terrible Experience on Set

Stephen Park, a guest star on Friends, accused the show of fostering a toxic environment where he and others faced racist name-calling. In a March 3 episode of Pod Meets World, Park discussed an open letter he released in 1999. He reflected on his “disappointing” experience on the set of the popular sitcom.

Moreover, Danielle Fishel praised Stephen Park for writing a courageous letter ahead of its time. The letter addressed racism, status, and power in Hollywood, and the challenges he faced as an Asian actor. She asked him about the impact the letter had when it was released.

Stephen Park identified Friends as the show where he experienced a toxic environment. He recalled an incident with actor James Hong, where the assistant director referred to him as “the Oriental guy“. He remembered him saying, “Where the f—k is the Oriental guy? Get the Oriental guy.”

Stephen Park Was Mistreated

Stephen Park explained that the racist behavior he experienced on the Friends set was not unusual for Hollywood in 1997, with no one correcting the offensive language. After appearing in two episodes, he attempted to contact the Screen Actors Guild and wrote a “mission statement” that he sent to a publication. Despite giving several interviews, none were published at the time.

Stephen Park explained that his anger and heightened race-consciousness led him to feel trapped and without freedom, prompting him to quit acting. After stepping away, he gradually returned to the industry and has since appeared in Boy Meets World, Law & Order, The Venture Bros., and Mad About You.

Not the First Time Someone Complains About the Show

Stephen Park isn’t the only one speaking out about Friends‘ lack of diversity. Adam Goldberg also criticized the show’s predominantly White cast, stating that looking back, it seems “insane.” He added that Black viewers never expected to see themselves represented and instead identified with characters regardless of race.

Adam Goldberg explained that the lack of diversity on TV was “the norm” at the time. He also reflected on his career, mentioning how he often complained about Italians playing Jews in roles, citing Robert De Niro as an example, while Jewish actors rarely played Italian characters.

Moreover, he shared that he often received feedback about not being “all-American enough,” which, in today’s climate, would likely result in being fired. He noted that “all-American” has become a more negative term, and emphasized that television amplified the broader cultural issues of that time.

What Did the Cast Have to Say?

David Schwimmer shared that he campaigned for years to have Ross date women of color on Friends, but faced backlash for suggesting an “all-Black Friends” or “all-Asian Friends.” Actress Erika Alexander called him out on X, reminding him that Living Single had already created that template. Schwimmer later apologized, clarifying that his comment, if misinterpreted, was not meant to be disrespectful.

What do you think of the entire issue?

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