Their surprise isn’t an act
Cast, director of South Korea’s ‘Parasite’ celebrate history-making win backstage
The emotional celebration began moments after the cast of director Bong Joon Ho’s South Korean heavyweight “Parasite” stepped offstage at the SAG Awards after winning the prize for motion picture cast, the first foreign-language film ever to do so.
Spilling offstage with stunned looks on their faces, stars Song Kang Ho, Lee Sun Kyun, Choi Woo Shik, Park So Dam and Lee Jung Eun warmly embraced one another in a scrum of exhilarated shouts and huge grins.
Within seconds, a publicist’s voice cried out in English: “Where’s Bong?! Find him!”
The “Parasite” quintet made their way to the trophy station where “Marriage Story” winner Laura Dern offered congratulations.
Song was one of the first to receive his SAG trophy, lifting it high in the air in triumph. Right on cue, director Bong came striding down the tunnel from inside the awards ballroom. He raised his fists in the air with a joyful cry and eyes only for his cast, who erupted in cheers. “Yeah!”
Someone handed him the winning envelope, still open, with “Parasite” emblazoned in black lettering. He held it like a precious treasure. Moving with his cast through a backstage circuit of photos and interviews, frequently raising his cellphone high in the air to photograph and film them like a proud dad, Bong never stopped marveling.
Running into “Fosse/Verdon” acting winner Sam Rockwell outside the photo call stage, he shared a hug and mutual congratulations. “Crazy,” Bong shook his head, speaking to himself and no one in particular, all at once. “You never expect it.”
Even the cast weren’t sure if they had a shot, they said — until the SAG Awards audience of Hollywood peers rose to its feet when they took the stage as presenters early in the telecast. But by the end of the night the “Parasite” love was unmistakable.
“It is true that the momentum is building ... but I think today what’s truly important is that these actors were acknowledged by fellow peers ... as the best ensemble cast of this year, and that’s the greatest joy of this night,” Bong told journalists in the media room.
Standing behind his actors as they gave televised interviews, he did bicep curls with Song’s award. In his left hand he still clutched the envelope, now carefully resealed.
Park clutched the skirt of her gown in one hand and her statuette in the other before trading it temporarily for a glass of Champagne. Choi cradled his tenderly in his arms. “It’s really heavy!” he said.
Before heading to the hot-pink hued afterparty, the “Parasite” family grabbed celebratory Champagne and beer. Bong still held that envelope — the proof of a historic night for them all. “They have trophies,” he said with a smile. “So I’ll keep the envelope.”