Quote of the Day: Arden Cho on Pay Inequity for Asian American Actors & Turning Down “Teen Wolf” Film

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Quote of the Day: Arden Cho on Pay Inequity for Asian American Actors & Turning Down “Teen Wolf” Film

When actress Arden Cho’s name was noticeably absent from the returning cast list published earlier this year for the “Teen Wolf” revival film, fans were left questioning if she would be involved. After all, she had been a series regular — promoted from a recurring character role — on two seasons of the MTV show, before she was unceremoniously dropped from the cast between the penultimate and final seasons.

Then came a report from Deadline that Cho — who is Korean American and the only actress of color among the four female series regular cast members — had turned down a role in the film when she was “offered half the per-episode salary proposed to her three counterparts.”

Now she has spoken about the decision in a new interview with The Cut, revealing that she thinks she was offered even less than what the initial leak had reported. But as she points out, “I could probably, off the top of my head, think of over ten Asian American actors I know who were paid significantly less than their counterparts.” Indeed, CBS’ “Hawaii Five-0” similarly made headlines in 2017 when Asian American actors Grace Park and Daniel Dae Kim were let go from their series regular roles after failing to secure deals that would have paid them the same as their white co-stars.

Explaining her choice to turn down the inadequate “Teen Wolf” deal, Cho said that, “I wasn’t saying ‘no’ necessarily for me or because I was angry. I was saying ‘no’ because I hope that there will be more equality in the future. … I want to fight for a story that I think could make a difference for young Asian American girls, Asian American boys, teenagers. I want people to look at a character I play and say, ‘That’s my story.’”

The good news is that she seems to be getting a chance to do so with her new project, a 10-part Netflix adaptation of Helen Wan’s book “Partner Track.” The series of the same name will see Cho in the role of Ingrid Yun, an idealistic young lawyer struggling with her moral compass and her passions as she fights to climb the partner track at an elite New York City law firm.

Created and co-executive produced by Georgia Lee, who serves as showrunner with Sarah Goldfinger, the series marks several firsts for Cho: the first time she’s playing a series lead, and the first time she’s working with a female showrunner or an Asian American showrunner.

“Partner Track” is expected to premiere this summer. Cho counts “Chicago Med” and “The Honor List” among her other credits.