Here’s Why John Cho’s Scenes Were Cut From Netflix’s ‘Tigertail’

Tigertail on Netflix is a new movie from Master of None co-creator Alan Yang that made me laugh, cry, and feel all the things that good movies are supposed to make you feel. But it also made me wonder: Hey, wasn’t John Cho supposed to be in this?

When news of the film was announced two years ago, John Cho’s name led all of the headlines. That’s perfectly logical, given that the Star Trek actor was the biggest star attached to the project. But while I greatly enjoyed Yang’s deeply personal drama—which is very loosely based on his own father’s immigration story and flips back and forth between flashbacks and present-day—I didn’t spot Cho once in the film’s 90 minutes.

If you were similarly confused, I promise you aren’t crazy: Cho was supposed to be in the film, and even filmed several scenes, but ultimately his part was cut. In an interview with Vulture, Yang explained that Cho’s scenes were part of a modern-day sequence that ultimately didn’t make the final edit of the film.

“He delivered an amazing performance in the movie,” Yang said. “As happens sometimes in the course of editing, the movie tells you what it wants to be. It killed me to do it, but his character was in some of the modern-day scenes, and we didn’t end up using those scenes.”

Yang said he called Cho as soon as he made the decision, and that the director and actor had a “long, meaningful” conversation about it. “He told me that he had a great time working on the movie,” Yang said. “In fact, he was doing scenes in this movie that were scenes unlike he had done before in his career.” Yang added that Cho was nothing but supportive and understanding about the choice.

It’s a tough decision that filmmakers often have to make in the editing booth, but it’s a tad unusual for that decision to come at the expense of a film’s biggest star. Said Yang, “It’s really figuring out and drilling down on what the heart of the movie is. It really is like, ‘Okay, well, how do I make sure every scene in the movie is pulling toward the ultimate goal?'”

Though he may not be featured on screen, Cho is still an executive producer on the film. And there are plenty of other talented actors to round out the cast, including Tzi Ma (The Man in the High Castle), Christine Ko (The Great Indoors), Joan Chen (The Last Emperor), and more. It’s a moving, bittersweet love story that’s absolutely worth your time, so do give it a watch—just don’t expect to see John Cho.

Watch Tigertail on Netflix