Director’s Cut: Kerry Park’s journey from Philadelphia to Hollywood | News

In the tapestry of Hollywood dreams, kelly parkHer journey from Philadelphia to Tinseltown is a testament to her indomitable spirit. This exclusive director’s cut takes you behind the scenes of Park’s incredible adventures in the long-awaited reboot of the legendary series “Frasier.” This episode, directed by Park, will premiere exclusively on Paramount+ on October 12th.

Park, a Philadelphia native, has an unwavering passion. After gaining her track record as an acting coach, Ms. Park’s tenacity, talent, and her unyielding dedication led her to Hollywood. However, her unique storytelling sensibilities caught the attention of industry giants. Let’s delve into Director Park’s artistry as she continues her journey to embody the essence of realizing her dreams. With “Frasier,” she continues the legacy of a beloved classic and leaves an indelible mark on the ever-evolving Hollywood landscape.

BET: How did Philadelphia shape your love of filmmaking?

Kelly Park: Philadelphia shaped my love of filmmaking in many ways. Firstly, this city has a very rich history and is an original city. There are different neighborhoods in the city: Germantown, Cheltenham, and West Philadelphia. And we all had different things. There was a lot of personality and a lot of love.

Bette: How did you get from Philadelphia to Hollywood?

Kelly Park: My grandmother always said this. “There are many ways into the house. You don’t always have to enter through the front door.” I love that. I have continued to follow this as a creed in my life. Her husband and I moved to the Bay Area from Philadelphia. We started living, had kids, and by the time she was 5, we decided we wanted to move to LA because we were writing scripts and doing plays. We wanted to write, we wanted to produce, and so did he. We headed to LA. My husband was on Craigslist and saw an ad for a server job at Hollywood Improv. Her husband said, “There might be something.” I go there and there are 500 beautiful young actors lining up for one job at a Hollywood improv theater, and there I am. [Laughs] As I filled out the application, the loudspeaker blared inside the club. It was an intercom system and it said, “Kelly, please come to platform 12.” I thought, “I’ll answer the phone.” So I boldly picked up the phone, got the message, handed it to the general manager, and left. That night, he called me and said, “What you did was so interesting, I’d like you to join the Hollywood Improv team.” So I quit my secure job at a nonprofit and joined the Hollywood Improv team as a server. It was scary, but I knew I was starting to build a creative village.

My daughter is 5 years old and she’s turning 6 and she said, “I can totally stand up.” And I thought, “Are you kidding me?”So Delay Davis, a great comedian and actor, said, “Put her on Mo’ Better Mondays.” Mo’ better Mondays has an all-black audience and all-black comedians. Her husband and I helped write the set for her, and she rose to the occasion and killed it. She fell in love with it. She used to do open mics after school. She was 6 years old at this time – that was crazy! I’m wiping the table. She does stand-up. She tries to write, but time passes. One day, one of the executive producers of “That’s So Raven” came to me and saw her daughter and said he’d love to have her on “That’s So Raven.” We couldn’t afford an acting coach, so I became her acting coach and we lived our lives in that bubble. After that, she got the opportunity to work with Nickelodeon on a show called “Instant Mom.” Nickelodeon offered me coaching on set. I thought, “I don’t know what that is, but does it pay? And health insurance?” [Laughs] They were like, “Yeah!” So I became an acting coach on set for Disney and Nickelodeon, but I was still looking for something. My husband asked Nickelodeon if he could direct it because you were like the director. And they said keep shadowing, so I did. I’ve watched a lot of great and great coaches who have been my mentors. I had the opportunity to work as an acting coach on a Netflix show called “Alexa & Katie.” As time passed, I said, I said, “Here we go, Season 2. I’d love to direct it.” Netflix said, “Yes.” So I walked into the house and never looked back.

Bette: You’ve directed several sitcoms, including an upcoming episode of “Frasier.” How do you add your own style to the sitcom formula?

Kelly Park: Sitcoms are very unique. Some people say it’s like a play, and it really is. You need to know that there are three different acts, there is movement in the sets, and there are four different cameras. It’s very formulaic in that respect. It’s the timing and the energy of the actors and what they give each other in the moment, and that’s a beautiful thing. The studio audience pours all their energy and passion into the actors, creating a great sitcom. For me, “Frasier” was one of my favorites of his in terms of beat and timing. So you’re literally traveling with these great players and that’s what I love about it. My mother, who is an actor, always told me: She says, “When I go to work, I’m not there to rebuild the tree, I’m not there to grow the tree, I’m just there to put the leaves down.” So every time I go to set, I’m there to put down the little leaves. and put yourself in between. It could be something I’ve seen in the past or something I thought was interesting in terms of blocking. I also like lending things like that. “Fraser” though? genius.

Bette: Tell me about the episode of Frasier you’re directing.

Kelly Park: It was an honor just to be able to stand on that stage with them. I had the opportunity to direct an episode called “Blind Date.” I directed him in a 22-page scene, and it was incredible. I was performing live in front of an audience. Cameras were blocked a few days ago, but everything was live. These actors are so in tune with each other’s bodies and themselves.frasier kelsey grammerIn this command, he didn’t miss a step!

Bed: YYou also directed an episode of “.Ms. Pat Shaw” and “game” Talk about your experience working with the BET family.

Kelly Park: First of all, I would like to thank BET. Because both shows are iconic, irreverent, and beautiful. They both have heart, are honest, and have great stories to tell. For “Ms. Pat,” we all linked arms and put on a very emotional show. The entire cast was wonderful. “The Game” First of all, I’ve been watching “The Game” since the first day. So it was a pleasure and a pleasure to be a part of the reboot of “The Game.” The actors of “The Game” laid the foundation for several shows that are currently released. It was a great experience, and both shows helped shape the kind of person I would become.

Bette: We are all directors of our own lives. What would a director’s cut of your journey and life in Hollywood look like?

Kelly Park: So far it looks like strength and goodness. With a solid foundation in place, my roots are now being pushed out into the world. Apparently I am becoming a mentor and teacher. I’m starting to grow as a creative person and I’d like to work in film next. I branch out that way, but it always has to be rooted in comedy. Comedy has to be the thread behind everything. It’s healing for me. That’s how it is now. My village has grown and I am very honored.