What the fuck is happening?
That was Steven Yeuns reaction while shooting the cataclysmic climax of Beef, which he leads with Ali Wong. The Netflix and A24 dramedy opens plausibly enough with a road-rage scene between Wongs Amy, an entrepreneur whose easygoing nature masks secret desires, and Yeuns Danny, a contractor who goes to extremes to obtain what he wants. But that initial conflict drives both to exact bizarre acts of revenge on each other, revealing the darkest corners of their psyches. The result? Chaos. In one scene, Amy masturbates with a gun; in another, Danny urinates all over her bathroom and thats just the beginning. Seeded throughout are quiet explorations of the characters anger, loneliness and fear.
Both assume incorrectly that they cannot show their true selves to anyone in their lives, says Lee Sung Jin, the creator and showrunner of Beef, which premieres on April 6. Part of the reason theyre drawn to each other is they can feel this other person is as broken and messy as they are.
The show marks another live-action TV role for Yeun, who broke out with his turn as Glenn Rhee in The Walking Dead and made history when he became the first Asian American Oscar nominee for lead actor with 2020s Minari. A notable stand-up comedian whos starred in films such as Always Be My Maybe, Wong tackles her first major dramatic role in Beef, which features a predominantly Asian cast that includes Young Mazino, Joseph Lee, David Choe and Patti Yasutake. But Lee, who wrote for Netflix animated sitcom Tuca Bertie and will pen Marvels upcoming Thunderbolts, says that while the characters happen to be Asian American, theres so much more to them than just that.
He originally conceived the leads as an Asian man and a Stanley Tucci type, before replacing that character with Amy. I abandoned the Stanley Tucci type very quickly because especially in the modern era, you have to talk about race, and theres so many other shows that do that very well, Lee says. I didnt have much interest, nor the capabilities, to write about that. If Wong were another race, he notes, he still would have wanted to work with her, but the fact that she is Asian American helps because it allows for so many other doors to open, and for us to explore other themes without having to address the card of race, which would take up a sizable amount of narrative real estate.
A clue to the series thematic North Star lies in the final episodes title, Figures of Light. One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious, Lee says, quoting Carl Jung by heart. That is ultimately what this show is about.
As for Yeun and Wong, the two voiced characters together on Tuca Bertie, but Beef marks their first in-person collaboration. Wong jokes that she was nervous about the prospect. I didnt know what kind of actor Steven was. I didnt know if he was going to throw a doughnut at my head. (He didnt.) Hes loving and sweet between takes. What surprised her more was discovering that her co-star smokes. Yeun says he forced [Joseph Lee, who plays Amys husband George] to sneak cigarettes with me in between takes.
So sneaky! Wong interjects. I didnt even know about that. I didnt even know that you smoked cigarettes until recently, and I was like here, she gasps.
I dont! Yeun protests. Its just in between takes.
I really didnt know that you smoked cigarettes until I saw you at Monarch!
I dont!
Joseph Lee steps in. Im the devil on his shoulder, he says, cutting into Yeuns and Wongs banter with a calmness not unlike his own characters demeanor. George emanates a grating good vibes only philosophy borne from his privileged upbringing; hes a nepotism baby by way of his famous artist father. Fundamentally unable to understand his wifes darker compulsions, he secludes himself in a continually self-reaffirming bubble that runs opposite Amys pragmatism.
In real life, Lee himself is also a visual artist. Yeun first introduced him to Wong at one of her standup shows in Los Angeles, where Lee took photos of her from backstage.
I was like, What are you doing, man? Wong says. Then Steven was like, Hes a portrait artist, you should look him up on Instagram. She ended up buying one of his pieces, a triptych of a boy blowing a ship into a bottle.
The other main supporting actor is Young Mazino, who plays Dannys nerdy, aimless and jacked younger brother, Paul. Mazino drew inspiration for the character from his friends younger brother, whom he describes as a huge gamer who keeps to himself.
Internally and emotionally, he feels like hes still a little kid, Mazino says. He still feels like hes not where he wants to be. I tried to emphasize that in his posture and his body language.
He and Yeun played basketball together to bond.
He whupped my ass, Yeun says, then uses the sport to qualify their characters relationship. Dannys gonna keep feeding Paul in post and make him do all the work then take the final shot for the glory.
All storylines converge into full-blown catastrophe in the penultimate episode, the filming of which, Yeun recalls, sparked a sense of spontaneous combustion. There was this ramp-up that happens in the reality that you as [an actor] are also becoming aware of, he says, that just escalates to a point where youre like, I didnt foresee this.
It was just this explosion, Yeun adds. Like, this is crazy! Shit!