The life of an actor is completely stupid and makes no sense.
In a story to prove this theory is true, Bobby Lee of MadTv talked about a recent audition on his podcast Tigerbelly.
Bobby was happy to audition for a small, 5-line part in some stoner movie, but while he was waiting to get in the room, he sees Steven Yeun of The Walking Dead. They’re both auditioning for the same part.
The fact that they’d be going for the same role isn’t odd. It’s the fact that Steven Yeun, a major character on a hugely popular television show, has to haul his ass into the casting office to audition for a tiny role.
Bobby Lee went up to Yeun. “Now, I looked at him, and I go, ‘After your audition, I’m going to yell at you outside.’ So I took Steven Yeun out there. I didn’t yell at him, but I went, ‘How do you not get an offer?’” Lee asked, “He’s like, ‘Dude I gotta read.’”
Though TV stars may have to read for leading or large supporting movie roles, the idea that someone of that level has to come in with everybody else to see if he can play a 30-second character is pretty surprising.
Lee compared Yeun’s situation to Aaron Paul of Breaking Bad. “I guarantee you right now that Aaron Paul would not audition for five lines.”
Lee and his guests went on to say that this is just another example of how Asians are treated poorly in Hollywood and the innate racism of the business.
Racist or not, hopefully, Yeun won’t be waiting around too many more casting rooms to go in for “Chinese takeout deliverer number 2.”