On his new film, Baby Driver, Joon said, “I was actually fortunate enough to screen test for the movie Ant-Man when Edgar Wright was first pinned to direct the movie, and when I heard he had dropped out of the film, I was absolutely crushed because it led to the ultimate decision of writing my character out of the script that Edgar had written. But little did I know, that gutted feeling would lead to me getting an audition for Baby Driver.”
Joon continued, “Getting to work with the caliber of players on every level on this wonderful film and how well the cast and crew got along. I mean, you not only have the heavy weight actors like, Kevin Spacey and Jamie Foxx, you have Edgar freakin’ Wright as a director. Here I am strolling in on my first day of work and I’m standing next to these icons, not to mention Ansel Elgort and Flea, trying not to spill my coffee on my wardrobe from shaking from shock while Edgar’s giving us direction. Everyone on set got along so damn well and it’s because of Edgar’s energy and the crew he so passionately cares for.”
In the film, he plays J.D., and he opened up about his character. “J.D.’s a fella who presents himself to be pretty sharp, but you soon discover it’s quite the opposite and this next job with ‘Doc’ is an opportunity to step up to the next level in the heist game. It was definitely fun to get to play someone with so many tattoos that have personal meanings. Especially getting to wear the tattoos first hand made the transition into my character that much smoother. You get to feel what you look like tatted up from neck to torso, something I’ve never personally experienced. So it made the transformation that much more fun.”
The film has already garnered favorable reviews from critics. “It’s still hard to believe,” he admitted. “I guess I’m numb to the whole situation just because I’ve never been this position, but with all the rave, I can’t help but get more and more excited about what direction this movie is headed and what it can do for my career.”
For Joon, working with Academy Award winners Kevin Spacey and Jamie Foxx and company was an “absolute dream.” “You have to understand, this was not only a perfect storm for me, it was winning the lottery in the eye of this perfect storm. Being able to watch Spacey and Foxx being directed by Edgar is something I’ll never forget. They all became like children on set. You had Kevin doing Godfather and Bill Clinton impressions in between takes and then when any one of them had an idea for the scene they all jived so well and worked so well off each other, it was infectious.”
On his future plans, he said, “I’m just riding the Baby Driver wave as of now. I’m really hoping the future has more opportunities with this film. I’ve played a lot of cops and bad dudes on television so I’m hoping with this exposure, it will lead to more complex characters. I’d love to be in the Marvel or D.C. universe. Who knows. I’m hopeful though. I’m also crossing fingers and clicking heels, I’m doing it all.”
For his fans, Joon concluded, “You guys are about to see Edgar Wright’s 22-year vision come to life on the massive screen. Not only will the story move you, you’re gonna wanna move your heads to the amazing music that comes along with this film. This one will not disappoint!”
