Brenda Song reveals Disney tried to stop her from filming ‘The Social Network'
Brenda Song is opening up about the challenges she faced transitioning from child star to serious actress, revealing that Disney once prevented her from pursuing key film roles.
Speaking at the 2025 Bentonville Film Festival, where she received Variety's Virtuoso Award, Song reflected on her career and the lasting legacy of her Disney Channel role as London Tipton on The Suite Life of Zack & Cody.
Despite her comedic success, Song said she wasn't allowed to audition for Clint Eastwood's Gran Torino due to a sexual assault scene involving her character. Later, when she was offered a role in David Fincher's The Social Network, Disney again hesitated. Song took her case directly to then-president of Disney Branded TV, Gary Marsh.
'I told him, 'I am an actor. This is the opportunity of a lifetime,'' she recalled. Ultimately, Disney approved the role—a turning point that changed her career.
Song also shared stories from her early years in Hollywood, including stealing wardrobe items from the Suite Life set and taking home a massive portrait of her character, which now resides in the home she shares with partner Macaulay Culkin.
Reflecting on representation, Song noted that she lacked Asian-American female role models growing up but credited Ming-Na Wen and Michelle Yeoh as inspirations.
Now a mother and veteran actor, Song is proud of how far she's come. 'It was hard being an Asian-American actress in Hollywood. But I was lucky to have support,' she said.
The Bentonville event also featured Song performing with Geena Davis and Culkin in gender-swapped scenes from The Producers and Stranger Things.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Express Tribune
an hour ago
- Express Tribune
As Percy Jackson turns 20, Rick Riordan reveals the truth about those movie adaptations
Two decades after The Lightning Thief first introduced readers to Percy Jackson, author Rick Riordan admits he's never actually watched the blockbuster movies inspired by his work. As the beloved book series hits its 20th anniversary on June 28, 2025, Riordan is looking back at the journey that took him from struggling writer to the architect of a mythological universe. 'When I was writing The Lightning Thief, I knew it was all or nothing,' Riordan shares. The beginning was rocky, his first book event in San Francisco drew just one young reader. But by the second book, The Sea of Monsters, momentum picked up, and by book three, he was confident Percy had a future. Now, 20 years and 17 books later, the Percy Jackson & the Olympians saga has become a cultural touchstone. Beyond the books, it's sparked a Broadway musical, a new Disney+ adaptation, and a massive fan base. Riordan credits the lasting power of Greek mythology, which he says continues to resonate because it explores timeless human experiences - love, revenge, friendship, and identity. Still, there's one part of Percy's legacy he hasn't embraced: the original movie adaptations. 'I never watched them,' Riordan admits. 'I based my opinions on the scripts. I'm thankful they introduced more readers to the books but they're a different experience.' A long-time advocate for representation, Riordan has woven themes of inclusivity and identity throughout the series. From neurodivergent demigods to LGBTQ+ characters, he strives to create space for all readers. 'If you came to Camp Half-Blood,' he says, 'you'd find people who share your background and experiences.' With Percy's world still expanding, Riordan's vision remains clear: every reader deserves to see themselves as the hero.
Express Tribune
8 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Cate Blanchett shocks fans with Squid Game season 3 cameo
Cate Blanchett makes a surprise cameo in the final moments of Squid Game Season 3, which was released globally on June 27, 2025. She plays a mysterious recruiter in what appears to be a US based extension of the deadly game. The scene is set in Los Angeles, where Blanchett's character engages in a game of ddakji with a man on the street mirroring the original recruitment method from Season 1. After delivering a slap and handing over the familiar invitation card, she walks away, while the Front Man observes the interaction from a distance. The brief yet impactful appearance has led to immediate speculation about a potential American spin-off of the series. Show creator Hwang Dong-hyuk confirmed Blanchett's involvement was kept under wraps and praised her for filming the scene in a single take. He noted her charisma and precision made her an ideal fit for the teaser-style role. Though Netflix has not officially confirmed an American version of Squid Game, industry reports suggest development discussions are underway. Blanchett's cameo is being interpreted by fans and critics as a strategic setup for a global franchise expansion. Season 3 continued Seong Gi-hun's journey and expanded on the international scope of the Squid Game operations. Reviews have been mostly positive, praising the show's sustained tension, thematic complexity, and the unexpected twist in its closing moments. Blanchett's role, brief but symbolically loaded adds a new layer to the series' evolving universe, possibly positioning her as a central figure in future installments beyond South Korea.
Express Tribune
16 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Lavish Bezos wedding kicks off in Venice
Amazon tycoon Jeff Bezos, 61, and his fiancee Lauren Sanchez, 55, kicked off a three-day wedding celebration with guests including Kim and Khloe Kardashian, and Oprah Winfrey, reported AFP. The sumptuous, secluded ceremony attended by celebrity friends on an island in Venice's lagoon, comes amid local criticism over its extravagance and ecological impact. Venice, home to the oldest film festival in the world, is used to VIPs whizzing around in speed boats, and happily hosted the star-studded nuptials of Hollywood actor George Clooney in 2014. But Bezos – one of the world's richest men and founder of a company regularly scrutinised for how it treats its workers – is different. And the festivities have sparked protests from environmentalists and locals who accuse authorities of pandering to the super rich while the city drowns under tourists. Wedding guests snapped by paparazzi as they hopped into boats included Jordan's Queen Rania, US football player Tom Brady, American fashion designer Spencer Antle, singer Usher, and Ivanka Trump – the daughter of US President Donald Trump. The celebrations are set to end on Saturday with a party likely at the Arsenale, a vast shipyard complex dating back to when the city was a naval powerhouse. Bezos and Sanchez are donating three million euros ($3.5 million) to the city, according to Veneto's regional president Luca Zaia, and are employing historic Venetian artisans. Venice's oldest pastry maker Rosa Salva is baking 19th-century "fishermen's biscuits" for party bags which will also contain something by Laguna B, renowned for its handblown Murano glass. Trump and her family visited a glass-blowing workshop on the small island of Murano on Wednesday, according to the owner. Some locals say the A-list guests and their entourages bring good business but critics have accused billionaire Bezos of using the UNESCO site as his personal playground. And environmental activists have also pointed to the carbon footprint of the mega yachts and dozens of private jets bringing the rich and famous to the canal city.
