“Fresh Off the Boat” star Randall Park turned heads at Sundance this year with his directorial debut, “Shortcomings.” The feature film follows a trio of Asian Americans from Berkeley, California: Ben (Justin H. Min), an ornery cinephile who runs a local arthouse theater; his partner, Miko (Ally Maki), who earnestly believes in the future of Asian American cinema; and Alice (Sherry Cola), Ben’s comedic confidante and serial lesbian monogamist. As the three struggle to maintain their polished veneers to the public, they witness each other’s personas shatter amid the rough-and-tumble of millennial romance. As the peace in their Bay Area bubble crumbles, the three of them uproot to New York City, where they grapple with their imperfections head-on.

After catching the film premiere in Park City, we caught up with Randall Park over Zoom. Park is soft-spoken, but sharp through the screen; he maintains a thoughtful...