Rising starSteven Yeunhas signed on to play the lead in A24’s Korean immigrant dramaMinari, which will also mark his debut as an executive producer.
Isaac Chungwill direct from his own screenplay, which is inspired by his upbringing as the son of Korean immigrants in rural Arkansas. Set in the ’80s, Minari will find Yeun playing a man who uproots his family to chase the American dream on a plot of farmland in Arkansas, whose official state nickname at the time was Land of Opportunity. Yeun is an immigrant himself, having been born in Seoul before moving to Michigan with his parents at the age of five.
Yeun will be joined by Korean actressesYeri HanandYoun Yuh-Jung, who will make their U.S. feature debuts inMinari, which will also co-starWill Patton(Halloween) andScott Haze(Thank You for Your Service). A24 is financing the film, whichBrad Pitt’s company Plan B is producing with Chung. Production will begin next week.
Yeun is theWalking Deadalum who has proved himself a capable leading man in such films asLee Chang-dong’sBurningandJoe Lynch’sMayhem. He recently appeared inSorry to Bother Youand andOkja, and he also led an episode ofThe Twilight Zoneon CBS All Access.
Yeun next stars alongsideBeanie Feldstein,Richard JenkinsandAmy Schumerin A24’s adaptation of the Tony-winning playThe Humans. Yeun is represented by Principal/Gotham Group as well as CAA, which also reps Chung.The Hollywood Reporterbroke the news.
A24 hasThe Farewellopening in select theaters tonight and it is one of the best films of the year.The Farewellpremiered at Sundance, and it sure would be fitting if this family film, which sounds like more of a drama, was also ready in time for next year’s festival. WithMidsommarandThe Last Black Man in San Franciscocurrently in theaters, andShareslated to debut on HBO later this month, A24 is preparing to open three more films before the end of the year –The LighthousestarringRobert PattinsonandWillem Dafoe, theAdam Sandlercrime dramaUncut Gems, and and the music-driven romantic dramaWavesstarringLucas Hedges,Taylor RussellandSterling K. Brown– so the indie studio should be competitive this awards season.
