Despite a squeaky-clean stint while watching real life cameras, Chung discovered by herself mixed up in incident that is worst in the actual World’s 20-year history. Regarding the nights Nov. 14, 2003, a woman that is 22-year-old she had been raped when you look at the real life home by a buddy of cast member Randy Barry’s. She was found the morning that is following Chung, who then counseled the alleged victim.
“This man we didn’t even comprehend took her into the bathroom—which may be the one place we don’t have cameras—and then we discovered her,†claims Chung. “We chatted to her in what she’d seen and our advice to your woman ended up being, ‘if it seems strange down there, you really need to get examined.’ She had been squandered. Wasted. And then we thought they knew one another however they didn’t.†She pauses. “It had been simply super shady.â€
despite the fact that episode that is scary Chung states she does not have any regrets about her MTV times. She nevertheless keeps in contact with some previous cast users, plus the $30,000 (after fees) she received from winning the spin-off truth TV competition, Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Inferno II, helped repay all her student education loans.
After MTV, Chung attempted to check out into the footsteps of fellow real-world cast user turned actress Jacinda Barrett (the World that is real), whom went on to star into the movies Ladder 49 together with Namesake.
“It was just as soon as we graduated university that I made the decision to completely do it now once I moved to L.A.,†she said. “The casting directors that have been conscious of real life looked over me personally as bull crap. It was so difficult to have far from that. And I didn’t also tell my moms and dads I didn’t wish to be referred to as reality-show star wanting to be an actress, and so I kept most of the unsuccessful auditions to myself. because i did son’t desire to fail, andâ€
After bit components regarding the shows Veronica Mars and Greek, accompanied by a 10-episode arc in the detergent opera times of Our everyday lives, Chung landed her very first film role—as an extra—in the Adam Sandler comedy, we Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry.
“I became ‘Hooters Girl No. 6’ along with other parts that are ridiculous on, fundamentally a glorified additional,†says Chung.
Her big break ended up being allowed to be in Sucker Punch, Zach Snyder’s (300, the future Superman reboot guy of metal) 2011 steampunk action flick featuring a small grouping of ladies devoted to a mental institution who retreat into a dream globe where they’re action heroes. The movie, nonetheless, ended up being savaged by experts and received a paltry $36 million during the domestic package office.
“To have such an incredible experience, it had been damaging it wasn’t very well gotten,†she states.
As a Korean-American actress, it is been tough often times for Chung to navigate Hollywood. She claims it is “extremely difficult to even obtain the Asian functions†since casting directors are seeking authentic Asian actors and—of course—there still aren’t way too many functions for Asian actresses in traditional Hollywood fare divorced through the archetypes that are usual. Chung finally was able to break through in 2011’s The Hangover role II, play Lauren, Stu’s (Ed Helms) fiancée, a part she calls “quite unusual.â€
“The Hangover role II had been a pain into the ass to have, but I’m extremely grateful because now we have to accomplish The Hangover III,†Chung stated. “We begin in significantly less than fourteen days, while the very first dining table browse is Sept. 4. We have no clue exactly what it is about—we’re all at nighttime!â€
The role undoubtedly got her noticed: The Hangover role II grossed a lot more than $581 million all over the world. Chung continued to star in Premium Rush, where she hit up a friendship with certainly one of Hollywood’s biggest It men at this time: Joseph Gordon-Levitt.
“He’s so right down to planet though and cool,†she said. “We filmed for a bit and Inception arrived on the scene, and then he a number of|a lot of|a number of} seats and invited me and Dania [Ramirez] to come. It absolutely was enjoyable to hold down, slip a number of beers in to the movie theater, watching their expressions as the film was watched by him.â€
When they covered on Premium Rush, Chung ended up being shooting the indie drama Eden in Seattle whenever she got a call from Gordon-Levitt, whom said he’d written a component on her in the first brief film.
“He sent it over while the name for the piece ended up being The Blue Dildo. I became like, ‘What the fuck? Really?†stated Chung. “And I quickly read it and yes, it is about a blue vibrator, however it’s mostly about a mother-daughter relationship. I was thinking it absolutely was actually entertaining and funny.†She paused, including, “My moms and dads have no clue we filmed this.â€
Chung will next star within the guy utilizing the Iron Fists, a kung-fu that is highly anticipated film written, directed by, and starring rapper RZA, as well as Russell Crowe once the villain.
“Madame Blossom, played by Lucy Liu, in addition to other girls within the house—we’re our clan that is own most of us have actually poisonous tips about our thumbs,†stated Chung. “I saw it recently and, oh my god, RZA is a genius.â€
She’ll additionally can be found in Knife Fight, playing an assistant to Rob Lowe’s strategist that is political a lead part in Takashi Shimizu’s (The Grudge) horror movie 7500, and a multi-episode arc as Mulan from the hit ABC series not so long ago.
“I view my profession like a rubber-band ball for the reason that every part is a brand new experience building toward one thing bigger,†she said.