If you've been on the Internet recently, you would know that Netflix's Beef is a series that everyone just cannot seem to get enough of.
Starring Academy Award-nominee Steven Yeun and stand-up comedian and actress Ali Wong, the dramedy, which centres around a feud between contractor Danny Cho and business owner Amy Lau after a road rage incident, has gained attention and glowing reviews from viewers and critics alike thanks to its stellar performances and writing as well as its nuanced depiction of the Asian American community.
As tensions between the two protagonists intensify, we are taken deeper into their respective worlds, and these are the places where we find a colourful bunch of supporting characters played by talented actors of various backgrounds.
From familiar names to up-and-coming ones, here are six cast members of Beef that you need to know.
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Joseph Lee
Credit: Andrew Cooper/Netflix
We often marvel at how actors are able to transform into completely different people when they are on screen, but it is sometimes also interesting to see the similarities between them and the characters they portray. Take Joseph Lee, for example. Just like George Nakai, the husband of Amy, Lee is an artistically inclined individual. The only difference is that while George is a sculptor, Lee is a fine artist. Just last year, the 35-year-old has his own exhibition at New York's GR Gallery. Titled "Passive. Aggression", it showcased works inspired by Lee's experiences from 2020 to 2022.
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As an actor, Lee has starred alongside Patrick Stewart in the third season of Star Trek: Picard and appeared in a supporting role in the 2018 mystery thriller film Searching. K-drama fans might also recognise him as the actor who portrayed Geum Sung-moo in the KBS drama series The Miracle We Met.
Young Mazino
Credit: Netflix
Young Mazino's performance as Danny's younger brother, Paul, is one that you simply cannot afford to leave out when discussing Beef. Funny and nuanced, it will almost certainly be looked back on as the one that altered the trajectory of the Korean-American actor's career. Formerly a lifeguard, the 31-year-old decided to venture into acting after witnessing a tragic incident while on patrol at the beach he was stationed.
To date, the Stella Adler Studio of Acting alumnus has appeared in minor roles in television series such as Blindspot, Blue Bloods, and Prodigal Son and starred in several short films, including Be Your Moment, Ambience, and The Destined King. In May this year, Mazino will play a Korean-American designer in screenwriter William Yu's new dramedy series Good Boy.
14 DAYS TO GOOD BOY! Here's a TEASER TRAILER of this #Sundance supported dramedy series about a Korean American designer with streetwear dreams from creator @its_willyu and starring Young Mazino.#GoodBoyTV releases on 05.01.23. Visit link in bio to stay updated! ✨ pic.twitter.com/at5v5bJCy1
— Good Boy (@goodboyteevee) April 17, 2023
Patti Yasutake
Credit: Netflix
Another Beef cast member with a Star Trek connection is Patti Yasutake, the veteran American actress who plays George's mother Fumi. From 1990 to 1994, she portrayed Nurse Alyssa Ogawa in 16 episodes of the Emmy-winning series Star Trek: The Next Generation, which also featured the likes of Patrick Stewart, Brent Spiner, and Jonathan Frakes. She also went on to reprise her role in two feature film entries in the Star Trek universe — 1994's Star Trek: Generations and 1996's Star Trek: First Contact.
In her 38-year acting career, the versatile Yasutake has also made starred in the sitcom Gung Ho, appeared in television series such as Grey's Anatomy, Boston Legal, ER, and Pretty Little Liars, lent her voice to video games such as Bioshock Infinite and Star Trek: Armada II, and received an Independent Spirit Award nomination for her role as Marsha in the 1988 film The Wash.
Ashley Park
Credit: Netflix
The multitalented Ashley Park — who appears as Naomi in Beef — gained widespread popularity for playing Mindy Chen in Emily in Paris, but her work outside of the beloved Netflix romantic comedy series deserves to be mentioned too.
Park has also played the protagonist of Adele Lim's 2023 comedy feature film Joy Ride, which stars comedian Sherry Cola and Everything Everywhere All at Once's Stephanie Hsu. Later this year, she will join the likes of Selena Gomez, Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Meryl Streep on the star-studded list of actors who will be in the third season of the acclaimed series Only Murders in the Building.
In the realm of musical theatre, the 31-year-old is known for playing Lady Tuptim in the 2015 Broadway version of The King and I, which took home the Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album. She has also had roles in Miss Saigon, Mamma Mia!, and Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella, and scored a Tony Award nomination for her portrayal of Gretchen Wieners in the 2017 musical version of Mean Girls.
Justin H. Min
Credit: Netflix
Justin H. Min's name — and face — should be familiar to most by now. Prior to being cast as Edwin, the leader of the church that Danny attends in Beef, gained recognition for being a part of the ensemble cast of the superhero series The Umbrella Academy. In addition to playing the endearing Ben Hargreeves, Min has played an alternate-universe version of the character since the series premiered in 2019. The 33-year-old has also ventured into film acting, with his biggest role to date being that of an android named Yang in Kogonada's 2021 sci-fi feature film After Yang.
If you are a fan of Wong Fu Productions, chances are you would recognise Min from short films such as On the App and How I Became An Adult. Another interesting fact about Min is that he is a second cousin of his Beef co-star Ashley Park.
Remy Holt
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She may only be 7 years old but Remy Holt — who portrays Amy and George's daughter June — is an actress who has already displayed great potential. Besides appearing in all 10 episodes of Beef, she has captured hearts with her performances as Madelyn Davis in Paramount+'s western series 1923, which also stars Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren, and Young Grace in Apple TV+'s The Afterparty.
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Besides acting, Holt has four years' worth of modelling experience to her name.
Kelvin Han Yee
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Kelvin Han Yee (who makes a guest appearance as Amy's father) is one of those actors that you would have come across before if you are a television junkie. Since his career began three decades ago, the 61-year-old has played all manner of roles across shows such as S.W.A.T., Curb Your Enthusiasm, 24, the 2011 remake of Hawaii Five-0, Criminal Minds, Magnum P.I., Grey's Anatomy, and 9-1-1.
In an interview with AARisings, Yee joked: "In California guys think I’m a cop that arrested them once. My face is memorable. My face is... scary. You never forget a face like mine. It’s haunting."
Earlier in his career, Yee was part of the cast of A Great Wall, the first American film to be filmed in China. Yee also opened new doors for the Asian American community in the theatre scene when he became the first Asian American actor to be employed at The Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland.
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