Bong Joon-ho Responds to Comparisons of 'Mickey17' Villain to Donald Trump

Director Bong Joon-ho attended the 'Bong Joon-ho Dialogue' event at BFI Southbank in London on February 12, where he humorously addressed a question about whether the villain in his upcoming film 'Mickey17' resembles former U.S. President Donald Trump. According to Variety, Bong discussed the character Kenneth Marshall, played by Mark Ruffalo, who serves as a dictatorial antagonist to the protagonist Mickey. The question arose when the moderator noted that Marshall's 'faint orange skin' reminded them of someone, indirectly hinting at Trump, who had previously reacted negatively to Bong's Oscar-winning film 'Parasite'. Bong revealed that while filming in London in 2022, a real-life event in 2024 bore a striking resemblance to a scene in the film, which surprised Ruffalo, who quipped, 'Did we predict the future?' When asked if Ruffalo's character was a response to Trump's criticism of 'Parasite's' Oscar win, Bong playfully dismissed the notion, stating, 'He's not that petty,' eliciting laughter from the audience. Trump had expressed strong discontent when 'Parasite' won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 2020, criticizing the ceremony and suggesting that American films should have been recognized instead. 'Parasite' made history by becoming the first non-English language film to win the Best Picture award, along with three other major Oscars. 'Mickey17', Bong's first Hollywood film, is based on Edward Ashton's novel and follows Mickey, played by Robert Pattinson, who is disposed of and resurrected as a clone each time he dies while exploring an ice-covered planet. The film features a star-studded cast, including Mark Ruffalo and Toni Collette, and is set to premiere in South Korea on February 28.