Seth Rogen rejected the idea of re-editing his new movie The Interview - about an assassination attempt on Kim Jong-Un - just "to make North Koreans happy". Sony co-chairman Amy Pascal wrote to the comedy actor to ask him to tone down a scene in which the dictator is blown up.

The InterviewSeth Rogen [L] refused to make edits to The Interview

Pascal had said the request came from Kazuo Hirai, chairman of Sony Corporation, but Rogen refused to meet all of the demands. 

"This is now a story of Americans changing their movie to make North Koreans happy," he wrote, in an email dated 15 August, leaked in the Sony hack. "That is a very damning story."

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The Interview - set for release on Christmas Day in the US - sees Rogen and James Franco play reporters who are tasked with assassinating Kim Jong-Un at the behest of the CIA. North Korea have described the film as an act of war and called on the US and UN to block it. 

"As embarrassing as this has been from my point of view," wrote Ms Pascal to the film-maker, "you have to appreciate the fact that we haven't just dictated to you what it had to be."

"This isn't some flunky. It's the chairman of the entire Sony Corporation who I am dealing (with)," she said.

More: Check out our featurette and trailer for The Interview

Later, Rogen agreed to remove some of the details including reducing the "flaming hair", but warned: "The head explosion can't be more obscured than it is because we honestly feel that if it's any more obscured, you won't be able to tell it's exploding and the joke won't work."

"Please tell us this is over now," he added.

Sony Pictures has since announced that Rogen, Franco, or any of the stars of The Interview for that matter would not be giving interviews at the Hollywood premiere of the movie.