John Cho Embraces His First Villain in Bassam Tariq's 'Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother'
John Cho plays a militant Texas pastor with a violent streak in Bassam Tariq's action film 'Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother,' which premiered at TIFF. The movie stars Mahershala Ali as a grieving contract killer. Cho says the role is unlike anything he's done before.
Cho's character, Haun Yoon, is an Army veteran who founded a militant Christian congregation after a near-death experience, using violence to combat perceived community evils. The actor noted the role's visual transformation—cowboy hat, boots, and a gold grill suggested by director Bassam Tariq—helped him embody the character's physicality and leadership presence. Cho initially resisted the grill but later called it his favorite element of the portrayal.
The film pairs Cho with Oscar winner Mahershala Ali, who plays Latif, a Muslim contract killer in Texas grieving his wife while raising three children. Cho admitted to feeling nervous working alongside Ali. The project marks a full-circle moment for Cho, who immigrated from Korea to Houston as a child and recalled his mother scrambling to find cowboy attire for a school "Western Heritage Day" event.
This role could broaden perceptions of Asian American actors in Hollywood, who are rarely cast as imposing, villainous figures in action films. By embodying a militant Christian leader, Cho may challenge typecasting while sparking conversations about faith, extremism, and masculinity. The film's premiere at TIFF and Amazon MGM release could amplify its reach, potentially influencing how diverse stories are packaged within mainstream genre cinema.