What Media Ban? Star Of ‘The Interview’ Charles Chun Speaks Out To Slam Hackers: ‘It’s An Invasion Of Privacy’
Dec. 16 2014, Updated 12:04 p.m. ET
With only days until the Christmas premiere of The Interview, the film’s promotional efforts have been overshadowed by the explosive Sony hacking scandal — so much so, that media outlets were banned from the film’s premiere last week. But despite the publicity lockdown, one of the film’s stars is speaking out exclusively to RadarOnline.com to slam the hackers for trying to deter the film’s release — and reveal what he really thinks about the scandal.
“This whole scandal has been the biggest PR jackpot for the film!” Charles Chun tells RadarOnline.com exclusively. "I don’t know anyone who has not heard about this film now as a result. I think that Sony could have saved tens of millions of dollars for marketing because the North Korean president has done the job for them.”
“This film is about two journalists who get an interview with the North Korean dictator and are recruited by the CIA to assassinate him during the interview,” he explained.
“At the time when we shot this film, there was no controversy about it,” Chun says. “I think some of us wondered what kind of response, if any, North Korea would have. But it was before North Korea came out and called this an act of war. It is before North Korea appealed to the United Nations to stop this film from being released. It was before North Korea started rattling their sabre and making threats.”
Perhaps the biggest story to come out of the massive hack so far involves Angelina Jolie, who was attacked in a series of email exchanges with Sony’s president Amy Pascal, 56, and producer Scott Rudin, 56. In the emails, Jolie is referred to as a “minimally talented spoiled brat.”
“I think the finger pointing and the media’s focus on what Amy said or what these celebrities or executives said in confidence in private to their friends is really misdirected here,” Chun says. “Angelina Jolie has a right to feel and think whatever she chooses."
“It is really an invasion of privacy on the part of the hackers, who are the responsible parties here,” he continues. "When you or I are talking to our intimate partners or family members, we are saying all sorts of stuff about people we love. To take it out of context and get known for it is really unfair. At the end the day it is a business.”
“I think we are all adults and we recognize that, as human beings, we share opinions. It is not the ONLY opinion that we have of these people. I am sure these executives have wonderful, wonderful things that they think of all of these people and what is being focused on is some of the negative comments,” he said.
“It would be a really, really sad thing if creative people in Hollywood and elsewhere in the world started censoring themselves or restricting their creativity as a result of this hacking scandal. It would also be sad if people started to refrain their honesty and their authenticity in private emails,” he said. "These emails are private. No one else should be privy to them. It is really eavesdropping.”
Amid the unfolding drama, on Dec. 11, The Interview had its Los Angeles film premiere and “press was advised not to cover it,” Chun tells RadarOnline.com. “There were also police officers present to restrict the press involvement.”
“Seth Rogen and James Franco were obviously there,” he says. “We were there to celebrate the film. I know Sony is sensitive about the stars of the film talking about it. I think it is misdirected or misguided attention. We were all there to have a good time.”
“Other than the actors, It was just photographers at the premiere,” Chun says. “I was at the premiere and talked to everyone. We were there to celebrate the film. I know Sony is sensitive about the stars of the film talking about it. I think it is misdirected or misguided attention. We were all there to have a good time.”
Chun has worked in television for over twenty years, in shows such as Law & Order, Star Trek, Criminal Minds, Everyone Loves Raymond, Boston Legal, NYPD Blue, ER, General Hospital and for five years he was the attending physician on Scrubs. His film credits include Dumb & Dumber, Next and Beverly Hills Cop III.
What is the most shocking story to come out of the Sony Pictures hacking scandal thus far, in your opinion? Let us know in the comments.