‘Drama’s harder than comedy’: Ken Jeong says lead role in ‘Accused’ was ‘beyond a dream come true’

Ken Jeong, best known for his hilarious roles in movies like The Hangover and Crazy Rich Asians, as well as the outspoken clue master on The Masked Singer, surprised audiences with a dramatic turn in "Eugene's Story" on Fox's anthology series Accused.

"They wrote a story with me in mind," Jeong tells Gold Derby. "It was my first dramatic lead in anything. I just jumped at this opportunity. Dramatic opportunities are very rare for me — for totally understandable and obvious reasons — but I was completely honored and flattered that they would even think of me for a show as prestigious as Accused. It turned out to be one of my favorite things I've ever done."

In "Eugene's Story," Jeong plays a jewelry store owner put on trial after accidentally shooting his wife, Grace (Jamie Chung), while interfering with her dicey past. The episode was directed by Michael Chiklis and written by Howard Gordon, Jimmy McGovern, and Albert Shin.

"The old adage right now is that comedy is harder to do than drama. Speaking as a comedian, nope! Drama's harder," Jeong says. "To lock in and be in every scene, and then to do something that's out of my element, was definitely more of a challenge. Michael Chiklis and I were both on the same page. We wanted it to be a challenge. We wanted to push ourselves — he as a director and myself as an actor."

Jeong describes the experience as "on-the-job-training," with Chiklis challenging him to reach his full potential as an actor. "Michael was so great at giving me advice. It was a full-circle moment because early in my career I had a [role] on The Shield. I never got to meet him — it was just a one-line role in another storyline. I joked with Michael, 'This is The Shield reunion no one wanted. It was really nice to work with him, we've become good friends."

"I would ask Michael to give me a line read because I wanted him to give me a line read as [his Shield character] Vic Mackey," Jeong jokes. "I would always slip that in there. It was a joy to watch him work."

Jeong also praises Jamie Chung, whom he previously starred with in The Hangover sequels, for bringing out his best performance, and the writing team's "amazing" ability to "capture the burden and guilt that Koreans can often saddle ourselves with." He explains, "'Eugene's Story' really supplied that in terms of plot and story. Especially watching Jamie's monologue as Grace. As a fellow Korean, I felt the humiliation of her having a drug problem, going to rehab, and then moving to another town to escape the shame. I completely understand that. Also, Eugene wanting to save her and save the family. Those intentions, I get, and in obvious ways Eugene overreached."

Despite learning about Grace's dark past through her ex-boyfriend named Rex (Zane Holtz), Eugene remains determined to keep his family together. "I totally understand that and relate to that as a Korean," Jeong says. "There is that strong bond of wanting to solve it yourself, but in the eyes of the law, that reasoning does not fly, especially in this case."

"What Howard is so strong at, as a showrunner and storyteller, is telling morality tales," Jeong says. "That's what this is. It makes you think. It makes you deliberate. As an actor, to be given this opportunity — Ken Jeong as a dramatic lead? This was beyond a dream come true."

All episodes of Accused are available to stream on Hulu. 

SIGN UP for Gold Derby’s free newsletter with latest predictions