Past Lives Coming Soon to a Theater Near You!

Last night, I finally had a chance to see a screening of my friend Celine Song’s extraordinary film Past Lives. This is a project Celine has been working on since before the pandemic, and when I first heard the rumblings of its success on the festival circuit, I could not have been less surprised. An achingly romantic but beautifully down-to-earth look at the lives of a Korean emigre, her childhood sweetheart, and her American husband, Past Lives is a heartfelt look at looking at who we once were from where we are now can bring a unique kind of grief. And it was my absolute honor to play a small part in it!

In late 2021, in a particularly difficult chapter of the pandemic, Celine reached out to ask if I might be interested in some background work. I jumped at the chance to work with Celine again after the early closing of Endlings, and the two days I spent on set were a joy. I got to play the bartender in a pivotal scene in which two vulnerable and heavy converastions—one in Korean, one in English—bring the story to its emotional climax. Getting to be a fly on the wall while these actors were fearlessly pouring their hearts into their work was both educational and inspirational. I came away feeling reinvigorated—just as I did at the screening last night.

I’ve never seen a film I was so sure would be a hit. Celine’s screenplay is as rich and surprising and thrilling as all of her work is, and the film is so beautifully composed that I’m sure many people will find it hard to believe she’s a first-time director. I can’t wait for this film to be released so folks can go on the journey I got to go on last night. Come for my silent bartending, and stay to have your heart broken and put back together again.