A Conversation with actor John Cho
On Tuesday, April 18, author, actor, and activist John Cho will be speaking in person in the OAB Auditorium at 11:00 a.m. A Conversation with John Cho will be moderated by FCC English instructor and California Poet Laureate Lee Herrick. Admission is free. A book signing will follow. In addition to the live appearance, the presentation will be live streamed. Register to watch on Zoom
Cho’s appearance is part of the FCC Speakers Forum series, sponsored by Building Heathy Communities and in association with FCC Asian American Month activities.
Cho was born in Seoul, South Korea, and moved to Los Angeles as a child. He graduated from UC Berkeley after studying English Literature and returned to Los Angeles where he began teaching high school. During this time, he began acting with the famed Asian American theatre company East West Players. A screen acting career began with small roles but grew to include a number of well-known and critically acclaimed projects. Two of his most memorable roles are Harold in the 2004 hit slacker comedy Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle and Hikaru Sulu in the hugely successful 2009 franchise reboot of Star Trek.
In April 2020, he penned a thoughtful OpEd “Coronavirus reminds Asian Americans like me that our belonging is conditional” for the LA Times. His first book, Troublemaker, was released in March 2022. Troublemaker follows the events of the LA Riots through the eyes of 12-year-old Jordan as he navigates school and family, highlighting the unique Korean American perspective.
As well as acting and writing, Cho is also a singer and performs in the band Viva La Union.
