(L to R) Soul Rasheed and Anderson .Paak in ‘KPops!’ Photograph: Aura Leisure.
Opening in theaters on February twenty seventh is the brand new household comedy ‘Okay-Pops!’, which was written, directed and stars musician Anderson .Paak (‘Trolls World Tour’).
Launch Date: Feb 27, 2026
Run Time: 1 hr 54 min
Along with .Paak, the movie additionally stars Jee Younger Han (‘Perry Mason’), Jonnie “Dumbfoundead” Park (‘Quiz Girl’), Yvette Nicole Brown (‘Group’), Kevin Woo (‘KPop Demon Hunters’), and Paak’s real-life son Soul Rasheed, in addition to that includes a efficiency from Earth, Wind & Hearth.
Moviefone just lately had the pleasure of talking with Anderson .Paak and Kevin Woo about their work on ‘Okay-Pops!’, how Paak got here up with the concept for the movie and why he wished to direct, Woo’s first response to the screenplay, how he would describe his character, Earth, Wind & Hearth’s cameo, and the selection to make use of animated transitions within the movie.
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Anderson .Paak stars in ‘Okay-Pops!’
Moviefone: To start with, Anderson, are you able to discuss having the concept for the movie, creating the screenplay, and did you at all times plan to direct it?
Anderson .Paak: Sure, I knew I wished to direct, however I did not know what I used to be getting myself into. However the genesis of the film was impressed by my son (Soul Rasheed). Throughout quarantine, I used to be caught in the home, I could not tour, so I used to be simply chilling with my children however earlier than that I used to be touring for years straight. So, years go by, your children grow old, and also you miss out on alternatives to essentially create a bond with them generally. This was an awesome alternative for me to simply do what pursuits him and work out what his pursuits have been. We had a ball. He wished to be a YouTuber and he was obsessive about Okay-pop, and I did not find out about both on the time. However all I knew was what I do know, and I used to be pulling from the properly of stuff that I knew. I did not find out about being a YouTuber, however I knew that once I was younger, me and my sisters, we liked making house movies and doing skits like we have been on ‘In Dwelling Shade’ or ‘SNL’. That is once I was like, “Son, let’s simply do this, and possibly we are able to put up that in your YouTube, and we are able to get you some subscribers.” That is what we did, and that is once I noticed how naturally gifted, and the way humorous he was, and musically inclined, and he was simply choosing up stuff. So, I used to be getting extra hooked on being a YouTuber than he was, and I used to be up late enhancing movies. It simply introduced me again to once I was doing these movies once I was a child and realizing like, “Man, I need to make a movie. I need to do one thing with me and my son the place we are able to do that on a regular basis. I need to develop a script.” One other factor that was taking place was that my family was being taken over by Okay-pop. I did not know a lot about that, however I knew that my little child who was eight years outdated on the time was obsessive about my music earlier than that, and now he might care much less. He was like, “BTS, that is the brand new group.” I am like, “Okay, I received to determine one other means that I could be cool within the eyes of my son.” So, as soon as I received launched to Okay-pop and these items that he was listening to, I began realizing, “Oh, wow. That is pulling from the properly of older Black acts like TLC, New Version, and different boy bands, and I used to be even fascinated with teams like Earth, Wind & Hearth. Even when The Beatles got here by means of, they have been doing Black music as properly, and doing blues and rock and roll. However for some purpose after they got here throughout the pond, and got here with the little bowl cuts and stuff, the American children have been like, “We by no means heard this music earlier than. That is superb.” In order that created the mania, and I assumed it was comparable. I assumed, “Wow, this might be a novel factor that I might do the place I might inform a narrative the place I did not know I had a son that might be the following Okay-pop star. Perhaps I used to be a washed-up musician. I can weave in these distinctive experiences that I had rising up with my Black tradition and with Korean tradition. I can put that within the movie, and I may also put in a number of educating moments to indicate that that is the historical past of it, and if we acknowledge it, and we shield it, and we deal with it proper, it’s going to deal with us proper. Now we are able to do one thing revolutionary and one thing new, our personal interpretation of it.” So, it was a tremendous course of. However directing, I knew I wished to do it. I did not need anyone round my child. However not one of the locations that I went to essentially wished to provide me the chance, they at all times wished to provide it to a different individual till I received to Stampede Ventures and EST Studios. They have been like, “Okay, we predict you are able to do it. You may make an album, possibly you are able to do this.” One of many first days, I assumed I might sleep in on a gathering and on a name time that was tremendous early, they usually sat me down instantly. They’re like, “You possibly can’t do this in movie. This is not just like the music trade, bro. There are such a lot of individuals and so many issues that you’ll oversee. It’s a must to be a pacesetter and nobody’s going to belief it and issues are going to collapse.” I discovered fast, so I needed to buckle up and prepare for these 6:00 AM name occasions, and people web page turns, and determining what supplies the extras have been going to be sporting, and what coloration the partitions wanted to be. It was loads, however I’d do it once more.
Kevin Woo star in ‘Okay-Pops!’
MF: Kevin, are you able to discuss your first response to the screenplay and the way it honors Okay-pop music?
Kevin Woo: For me, it was a blast studying the screenplay. Anderson, and the workforce was good about mixing in Okay-pop tradition, however not letting the narrative be too pushed by Okay-pop itself. It was actually about love, and household, and simply discovering your id and your ardour. However for me, as somebody who’s from the Okay-pop world, it was intriguing. I liked how he included the competitors present that is highly regarded proper now in Korea and in Asia, with each child desirous to be the following Okay-pop idol. However I assumed it was humorous. Before everything, I simply had a good time studying it. I believe Anderson, it simply got here so naturally to him to play so many roles within the manufacturing of this movie, sporting so many hats as a director, starring in it together with his son, being a father on set, and likewise simply being a pacesetter and the captain of the ship. We simply discovered a lot from his creativity and his enter. It was simply such a pleasure to play one thing that is not up to now faraway from my precise profession. So, it was such an enormous blessing.
A scene from ‘KPops!’ Photograph: Aura Leisure.
MF: Kevin, how would you describe your character in your individual phrases and his rivalry with Anderson’s character?
KW: I play a personality named Kang, and he’s very cocky, very smug, and I’m the antagonist of this movie. Which is humorous as a result of this world lives in a comedy style, so I am not a brilliant villain, however on the earth of this Okay-pop competitors present I’m the villain. We do have some sparks right here and there, with Anderson desirous to work with the highest contestant of this competitors present known as ‘Wildcard’. The stress between the 2 characters could be very heavy within the first few scenes, however you get to see all of it play out all through the movie. I believe personally for me, it was really a pleasure to play one thing I’d by no means play in actual life with Anderson, as a result of I respect Anderson a lot as a musician, and as a peer. To discover all these totally different layers with being that cocky celebrity in entrance of Anderson, I’d like to do it once more.
(L to R) Anderson .Paak and Soul Rasheed in ‘KPops!’ Photograph: Aura Leisure.
MF: Anderson, what was it like directing Earth, Wind & Hearth and acting on attending to carry out with them on set?
AP: I used to be feeling like Kevin simply mentioned, I did not really feel like I had no enterprise doing that. These guys are icons and I look as much as them. They’re most likely my favourite band, arms down, that I grew up listening to. So, to have them on set and on the Onerous Rock Cafe, for my first movie, with a bunch of extras, and have my son on set was unbelievable. It was their full band, and making an attempt to drag off getting their efficiency, having pictures at totally different angles, but in addition seeing in the event that they have been cool with doing a number of jokes that we had considered earlier than, I used to be nervous. I simply wished every part to go easily and every part to go excellent. They have been simply an absolute pleasure to work with. They have been very cool. Instantly they have been one of many first teams that have been all the way down to be within the film. I sat down on a Zoom, and was nervous, and I used to be explaining what the movie was about. They’re like, “Simply cease, man. We adore it. We love the concept. We love that it is about household. We’re down.” That was simply enormous, man. Once I informed my mother they have been in it she was identical to, “Oh, this film’s legit.” It was nice. Even to have these songs within the film it was simply enormous, man. These are a number of the largest, joyous, enjoyable songs. ‘Let’s Groove’ and ‘September’, that is the make-up of my childhood, what I grew up listening to within the automobile and at household events. So, the truth that we received that within the movie is large.
(L to R) Soul Rasheed and Anderson .Paak in ‘KPops!’ Photograph: Aura Leisure.
MF: Lastly, Anderson, are you able to discuss concerning the directorial alternative to make use of animation for the movie’s scene transitions and time jumps, fairly than taking pictures montage sequences?
AP: We ran out of cash, so thank God for animation, as a result of I did not know what we have been going to do. But it surely was loopy as a result of once I was doing the references for what I wished scenes to really feel like, a number of them have been coming from animated movies. So, a number of these earlier drafts that I used to be placing collectively, they at all times had these comps from totally different animated movies. As soon as I used to be entering into the movie, they are saying you make three movies, you do the script, and also you shoot one other movie if you’re on set, and you then do one other movie in put up. As we have been in put up, it was like, “Oh, man, I need to do that and that.” I used to be like, “You recognize what, man? Would not it’s cool if we are able to incorporate some animation to create a bridge, and to assist with a few of these transitions? Additionally, they might be nice for a few of these authentic music moments.” For that to shine I believe they labored hand in hand, and I knew the right guys that I wished to do it with. Rhymezlikedimez, I had already had a historical past with them with my group NxWorries. We have finished a number of music movies they usually’ve finished stuff with us on tour. However I knew this was going to be their first characteristic movie, and I knew they weren’t a studio the place they’d 30 individuals, it is identical to two guys they usually’re in Europe. So, they labored properly with us in going by means of our notes with my editors. I believe they solely just lately noticed the movie when it was at Tribeca, they by no means even received to see the complete factor till not too way back. However they have been proper in step with it and simply killed it. I believe it was a novel factor that you do not see loads now with the animation and dwell motion. It wasn’t initially the factor that we have been going to do, however I am so glad we did it. After they did one sequence, I used to be like, “Oh, we want extra. Please. Are you able to guys do extra?” I want we might’ve finished a number of extra. However I believe it labored out completely, particularly serving to to bridge and transition issues and provides the film simply extra of a novel really feel.
‘Okay-Pops!’ opens in theaters on February twenty seventh.
What’s the plot of ‘Okay-Pops!’?
A Los Angeles musician (Anderson .Paak) hoping to revive his profession strikes to South Korea to hitch a Okay-pop band and compete in a televised music contest. He quickly discovers that his long-lost son (Soul Rasheed) is poised to grow to be a Okay-pop celebrity. Whereas initially clinging to his son for one more shot at fame, he decides to prioritize his position as father as the 2 develop nearer.
Who’s within the solid of ‘Okay-Pops!’?
- Anderson .Paak as BJ
- Jee Younger Han as Yeji
- Jonnie “Dumbfoundead” Park as Money
- Soul Rasheed as Tae Younger
- Yvette Nicole Brown as Brenda
- Cathy Shim as Diamond
- Kevin Woo as Kang
- Will Jay as Sunghoon
- Emi Kim as Eujin
- Eddie Park as Michi
- Riley Lai Nelet as Dakho
Anderson .Paak in ‘KPops!’ Photograph: Aura Leisure.