'Joy Ride’ Interview: Stephanie Hsu and Ashley Park

Moviefone speaks with Stephanie Hsu and Ashley Park about 'Joy Ride.' "It is the first of its kind and it's so important to recognize that," Hsu said of the film.

A comedy film directed by Adele Lim ('Crazy Rich Asians,' 'Raya and the Last Dragon'), in her feature directorial debut, 'Joy Ride' stars 'Emily in Paris’s Ashley Park, Oscar-nominated actress and 'Everything Everywhere All At Once' star Stephanie Hsu, comedian Sherry Cola, and newcomer Sabrina Wu. The film is also produced by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg’s production company Point Grey.

Stephanie Hsu and Ashley Park want audience members to know that their new raunchy comedy film may be led by an Asian cast, but it’s not just for Asians.

Joy Ride

"Four friends. One trip. No luck."

R1 hr 35 minJul 7th, 2023

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What is Joy Ride about?

A hilarious and unapologetically explicit story of four Asian American friends who travel through Asia in search of one of their birth mothers and, along the way, end up on an epic joy ride filled with wild debauchery while ultimately discovering the true meaning of what it means to know and love who you are.

Stephanie Hsu, Sherry Cola, Ashley Park, and Sabrina Wu attend the world premiere of 'Joy Ride' during the 2023 SXSW Festival at The Paramount Theater on March 17, 2023 in Austin, Texas.

(L to R) Stephanie Hsu, Sherry Cola, Ashley Park, and Sabrina Wu attend the world premiere of 'Joy Ride' during the 2023 SXSW Festival at The Paramount Theater on March 17, 2023 in Austin, Texas. Photo by Rick Kern/Getty Images for Lionsgate.

The cast on why this film is universal and not just for Asians

While the film certainly hits home for the Asian audience, it’s universally funny. Park shared,

“It’s fun because it’s so recognizable and relatable for people and that’s why it’s funny. People laugh when they recognize something and they relate to something, but it’s not just because these are two Asian friends.”

Hsu added to that sentiment, saying,

“What’s really special about this movie is that, hopefully, it’s going to pave the way where people and kids of all different ages will be like ‘Oh, that’s so Lolo. Or – that’s so Kat.’”

In fact, luck may be in the air for 'Joy Ride,' since Hsu’s last film, Academy Award-winning film 'Everything Everywhere All At Once,' premiered at the same SXSW theater exactly one year ago. Hsu shared,

“Because that movie just did so well with the Academy that it really landed its prestige, that kind of positions our movie 'Joy Ride' so perfectly because, ideally, this whole idea of Asian excellence – we can be messy, we can also just be funny and have a really good time and make a blockbuster hit and, hopefully, two years from now, three years from now, five years from now, there’s so much of us that, like, it’s not even novel anymore. It is the first of its kind and it's so important to recognize that. And we hope that what we can communicate even more is that it’s just a f***ing funny ass movie.”

So, why should you go see Joy Ride?

Like Hsu stated, the film is the first of its kind.

“There are some things in this movie that you definitely have not seen in other movies yet. New groundbreaking things that I will not spoil,” said writer and producer Cherry Chevapravatdumrong.

Director Adele Lim added,

“It’s called 'Joy Ride.' The process of making it, you know, and the adventure they go on it’s, like, this bad sh** wild adventure you go on with your bestest friends. That was the experience we had making it and that’s the experience we want people to have showing up to watch it.”

'Joy Ride' premiered at SXSW March 17th and is scheduled to be theatrically released by Lionsgate Films on July 7th.