Top 10 Behind the Scenes Facts about Beef
#10: Stanley Tucci as... Amy?
Ali Wong absolutely slays the role of Amy– she perfectly captures her stifled rage and complicated range of emotions as a mother and a businesswoman. However, “Beef” showrunner Lee Sung Jin originally had other plans for the character. Prior to attaching Wong to the project, Jin imagined Danny’s road rage counterpart as being played by someone like Stanley Tucci. What a different show that would be! We’re so glad that his initial vision didn’t pan out, and that Wong got the chance to shine in her first ever lead dramatic role.
#9: George's Sculptures
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Be honest– would you display one of George’s vases in your home? Amy’s husband George– played by Joseph Lee– is a stay at home father and struggling artist who spends his free time sculpting oddly shaped ceramics in their basement. But behind the scenes, these pieces were crafted deliberately by the show’s art department to represent the character’s free form attitude towards life. Every detail of his collection was designed purposefully– the color, form, and size of the vases shift over time as his relationship with Amy changes. Lee himself is an artist in real life– while he isn’t responsible for the designs, his background surely helped him connect with his character.
#8: A “Tuca & Bertie” Reunion
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If you’re wondering what the magic ingredient that makes “Beef” such an incredible series is, it may be that the key cast and crew have a history together! Ali Wong, Steven Yeun, and executive producer Lee Sung Jin all collaborated previously on the animated sitcom “Tuca & Bertie.” Jin was a writer for the series, while Wong and Yeun both voiced characters. However, “Beef” marks the first time that Wong and Yeun share the screen in a live action show. The two actors are pals off camera, and that real-life connection definitely strengthens both of their performances.
#7: Amy’s Cut-for-Time Scheme
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Watching Amy and Danny repeatedly attempt to one-up one another’s wild acts of revenge is arguably the most entertaining element of the series. But did you know the crew had a plan for one of them to execute that was ultimately canned? Co-executive producer Alice Ju came up with the clever idea that Amy would learn about “Zersetzung” –a technique of psychological warfare– from Jordan, and use it against Danny. This would require her to covertly disturb his life in menial ways– rearranging his space, using up his everyday items, and so on– to make him slowly believe that he is going mad. While they decided that this plot didn’t fit into the story, it certainly sounds like something Amy would do!
#6: Costuming Creativity
The costume designer for “Beef” – Helen Huang– did not cut any corners dressing this cast! Each character’s clothes were meant to amplify their inner workings and respective backstories. Amy generally wore designer clothes with plain, neutral tones and baggier fitted styles. This was meant to contradict her true, unhinged self, which she actively masks and inhibits with her professional facade. Danny’s wardrobe was collected from Goodwill shops, as Huang notes that his character would have a no-frills approach to his appearance. She adds that Danny would have likely stopped purchasing new pieces in his mid-20s, and be perpetually stuck in that era of his own style.
#5: The Episode Titles
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“Beef” is littered with deep, thoughtful elements that enhance the emotional stakes of the story. For example– Amy’s white SUV is a literary allusion to Herman Merville’s “Moby Dick,” as her car becomes Danny’s white whale. But that’s not the only reference to literature in the series– each title is a quotation from a famous artist or author to reflect a major theme of that particular episode. Episode ten, “Figures of Light,” is a line from Carl Jung– the full text is about bringing the darkness inside of you to consciousness. According to Lee Sung Jin, this was a central idea that served as inspiration for the entire series!
#4: Cage-y House Design
This must have been an eerie experience for Ali Wong– Amy’s home in the show was modeled after her own! The character takes pride in her remodeling of her house, which has a distinct harsh and modern design. The wooden bars that line Amy’s staircase are apparently very similar to the slats in Wong’s own space– with a key difference. In “Beef,” those slats are spaced out to have a “zen” feel, but mainly to give Amy’s house the feeling of a cage or prison. Maybe her mother-in-law Fumi was right about adding some more fluidity to her home!
#3: Ties to “The Sopranos”
What better inspiration for writing loveable anti-heroes, than looking to the likes of Tony Soprano and company? Lee Sung Jin drew comparison to, and inspiration from the iconic series “The Sopranos” when crafting the characters of Amy and Danny. For him, it was important for the audience to stay connected to the two leads despite all of the horrible acts that they were responsible for. There’s even one dangerously raunchy scene from “Beef” that was drawn from an intimate moment between Janice and Richie. We think you know the one.
#2: The Final Scene
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Serious spoiler alert on this one– you’ve been warned! In the last moments of the show, Danny’s in the hospital recovering from being shot by Amy’s husband, George. Amy stays by his side, and eventually climbs into bed with him. The idea for her to do so was actually pitched by Ali Wong herself, and the rest of the crew loved it! Also, this monumental scene happens to be Lee Sung Jin’s directorial debut. However it was totally untraditional– he directed it over Zoom, while he was sick with COVID!
#1: Inspired by a True Story
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What makes “Beef” so captivating is that it pushes base human experiences and emotions to the absolute extreme. The inciting incident of the series is the wild road rage interaction between Amy and Danny– which was inspired by a real car chase that Lee Sung Jin participated in! In his own words, he was in a “particularly bad mood” and felt the need to follow a white SUV that honked brazenly at him. After reflecting on the event, he realized that there was a lot to unpack about his reaction to the situation. So much so, that it sparked a hit show!
