Actor Michael Park chatted about his career in the entertainment world, and his latest endeavors.
Park opened up about being an actor in the digital age, participating in the staged reading of “The Pavilion” in Manhattan; moreover, he furnished his advice for young and aspiring actors and filmmakers.
Background on Michael Park
Park is known for playing Jack Snyder on the daytime drama “As The World Turns,” and Larry Murphy in the original Broadway musical “Dear Evan Hansen.”
He also played Tom Holloway in Season 3 of “Stranger Things” on Netflix. He also appeared in the rom-com TV series “Dash & Lily” on Netflix.
His mantel holds two Daytime Emmy Awards for “Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series” for “As The World Turns” in 2010 and 2011 respectively, and he won the 2018 Grammy Award for “Best Musical Theater Album” for “Dear Evan Hansen.”
Staged reading of ‘The Pavilion’
Most recently, on October 7, Park participated in the staged reading of “The Pavilion” by playwright Craig Wright, which took place at Frames Bowling Lounge in New York City.
He was joined by his former daytime co-stars Roger Howarth, Trent Dawson, and Jennifer Ferrin.
The event was hosted by “Daytime Stars and Strikes,” which raises awareness on autism, and the staged reading benefits the Katonah Classic Stage, where Trent Dawson serves as Artistic Director.
“It was great to be with my old friends again… Aside from doing this brilliant play, I was happy, emotional, and very tearful,” Park said.
Dialogue-heavy
When asked how he handled being dialogue-heavy back in his soap opera days, he remarked, “You learn to do it. The brain is a muscle. It’s your job, you are getting paid.”
“I was talking to Jennifer and Roger about this before… We hadn’t tackled dialogue like this reading in a long time, so it might take a while to get back into that groove but it can definitely happen, for sure.”
The digital age
On being an actor in the digital age, Park, “I think it has helped more than it has hurt, don’t you think? It has made things a lot more accessible for sure.”
Advice for hopefuls in acting and filmmaking
For young and aspiring actors and filmmakers, he encouraged them to “stay curious.” “Read as much as you can and stay curious,” he said. “Take big swings and make big choices. Don’t apologize for those choices.”
‘The Locher Room’
On September 27, 2023, Park appeared on “The Locher Room,” where he was interviewed by host Alan Locher.
“I talk to Alan a lot,” he admitted. “Alan is great. I tell him that if he ever has a ‘down week,’ he should just give me a call because I can talk so much about absolutely nothing, so Alan should feel free to give me a shout,” he said with a sweet laugh.
Virtual fan event with Maura West last year
Last year, Park shared that he enjoyed doing a virtual fan event with Emmy winner Maura West for Coastal Entertainment via Zoom, where both actors (known for playing Jack and Carly Snyder on “As The World Turns”) were able to chat with their fans.
“Even though this event was not in person, any time that you get FaceTime with Maura [West] is a gift,” he said. “It was also great to see the fans.”
Mark Collier
Park also complimented his former “As The World Turns” co-star Mark Collier for his talent, friendship, and his leading man looks. “Mark is so great,” he said.
Stage of his life
Regarding the title of the current chapter of his life, Park said with a sweet laugh, “Figuring It Out.”
Alex Hurt
Park also praised actor Alex Hurt, the son of the late Oscar winner William Hurt, who scored a 2020 Emmy nomination for “Outstanding Lead Actor in a Digital Drama Series” for “The Rehearsal,” which was written and directed by Jaclyn Bethany. “Alex is amazing, he is a tremendous talent and a friend,” Park exclaimed.
Superpower of choice
On his superpower of choice, he responded, “You can give a superpower to somebody just by simply remembering their name, and making them feel seen. That would be my superpower of choice. Letting them know that I know that they are there.”
Success
Regarding his definition of the word success, Park said, “Success means happiness, being with friends, enjoying family, and trying your best.”
Fans
For his fans, he said, “We are still here, we are still around, and keep enjoying it. Keep looking out.”
To learn more about actor Michael Park, follow him on Instagram and check out his IMDb page.
