'Friends' actor Stephen Park claims 'toxic' and racist on-set experience pushed him away from acting

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: 'Friends' guest star Stephen Park recently shared that his time on the show was "disappointing" and deeply disheartening.

Appearing on the 'Pod Meets World' podcast, Park explained his experience filming two episodes on 'Friends.'

Stephen Park's experience on 'Friends' set

During the podcast, Stephen Park, who appeared on 'Friends' alongside fellow Asian-American actor James Hong, recalled an alleged shocking moment of racism on set.

"[The assistant director] was calling him to the set and you know, essentially saying, ‘Where the f**k is the Oriental guy? Get the Oriental guy,’" Park recounted.

The actor noted that in 1997, this kind of behavior was considered "business as usual" in Hollywood.

He was dismayed that no one on set corrected the language or spoke out against it.

"Nobody felt the need to correct this or say anything about it. So this is normal behavior," he shared.

Stephen Park's hiatus from acting

The experience left Stephen Park so disillusioned that he decided to reach out to the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) for support.

However, their response was less than encouraging.

Instead of taking action, they suggested that he write about his experience for a publication like the LA Times.

While he was later interviewed by several reporters about the incident, none of his statements ever made it to print.

The lack of accountability and change left Park feeling defeated.

As a result, Park decided to step away from acting for a period of time, according to OK Magazine.

"I became so race-conscious and so angry that I was looking at everything through the lens of race. I felt like there was no freedom," he admitted.

"I didn’t have any idea what I was going to do, but I just decided to drop out. I told everybody, ‘I’m not acting anymore'," he added.

Stephen Park's return to acting and continued challenges

Eventually, Stephen Park made his return to Hollywood, appearing in television series such as 'Boy Meets World' and 'Law & Order.'

However, his experience on 'Friends' highlighted the challenges Asian actors faced in the industry, reinforcing a larger conversation about diversity and representation in Hollywood.

'Friends' history of diversity controversies

Stephen Park is not the only actor to speak out against 'Friends' alleged problematic handling of race and diversity.

The show, which ran from 1994 to 2004, has long been criticized for its predominantly white cast and lack of meaningful representation of people of color.

Gabrielle Union, who guest-starred on 'Friends', has also reflected on her experience filming the show.

"I didn’t think about the pressure at the time. I’m always professional and I’m always careful not to make a nuisance of myself," she said in an interview.

"Because of the environment I was raised in, I’m used to being the only Black person in an all-white environment," she added.

Union recalled that it was not until months later that discussions about the show’s lack of Black characters gained attention.

"It was four months later that there was this big to-do about never having a Black character on 'Friends'," she revealed.

Additionally, she recalled instances where she felt undermined by the production team despite her established career.

"When they’re like, ‘Nikki or Gabby, do you know what a mark is?’ Yeah, I’m an actor. Didn’t have to audition for this job because I was just on a hit show on CBS," she shared, referencing the dismissive treatment she received on set.