Last year we told you about Wole Parks, the African American Actor with Belizean roots. For Wole, his Belizean roots aren't just happenstance, he says they are an integral part of his identity and shape the way he navigates the entertainment world. That's because he was raised by a strong Belizean Woman, Lillette Parks a former teacher at St. Hilda's. He says apart from rice and beans and chilmole, Lillette Parks also gave him the confidence and the attitude to thrive in a competitive environment. He's been in Belize since Saturday – and before he left today, he gave us an interview.
Monica Bodden Reporting
Wole Parks plays "Manny" in Premium Rush, a 2012 major Hollywood action movie in which he is the pumped-up rival of the star, Joseph Gordon Levitt. Parks is a first generation American son of a Belizean mother Lilette Parks and a Tanzanian father whom he never met.
He credits his mother for his success.
Wole Parks - Actor
"You know my mother was a teacher, she taught for 27 to almost 30 years. Now she still likes to teach in a way she still likes to help out, she doesn't know how to stop even though she's retired. But because of that she always instilled in me that education is really the key and so for me that has always been a helpful thing for me because I've always had the drive that my mother instilled in me - that has helped me honestly further than anything else whether I was born in the US or Belize. Wherever you are - the drive, the education level and the scoio-economic background does help but I came from very humble upbringing, we were poor. What happened was that I've done well for myself, I've been intelligent enough and I've been driven enough - I've happened to climb the ladder in a way."
And indeed, he majored in math, and acting at NYU, an odd pairing that has served him well.
Wole Parks
"They totally go together - Math and Acting, what? Doesn't everybody do that? Please! Come on' Jules."
His acting career started almost accidentally.
Wole Parks
"I was in band class one day and this casting director comes up, I didn't know who she was and she points to a bunch of people and she points to me. I'm thinking I'm in trouble and I was thinking 'What did I do?' Because I was a little bit of a knucklehead and so later one she tells us that she's casting for a Kit Kat commercial and she told us we could make some money and to go in for an audition. So I auditioned and I got a call back that I got the role. I think I was 16, I was a sophomore in High School and that sort of propelled me to thinking that 'Wait - you can make money doing this?' It's just something I never had a concept about."
And because of that he moved unto bigger roles acting in 'As the World Turns', a few television pilots, and then 'Premium Rush' - always keeping a backup plan:
Wole Parks
"You have to be realistic in this industry while it's good and if you're doing well then it's great, most people don't. Robert Downey Jr. that was in Iron Man - there's a thousand of people who wouldn't make it. I'm not the kind of person that is comfortable waiting on tables for the rest of my life, I'm not comfortable being 45 and wondering what I will do with my life, that's not me. Math was originally my plan then Acting became my primary only a year and a half ago and even so if it all falls apart (knock on wood) hopefully it doesn't then I can always fall back and go to my math. I was assistant Finance Director for a company for five years. So that's what I always tell people, it's a few things in this business and in this world - you need to have a drive, education are two of the main things you need to have and if you don't have those you can't go as far."
And even though he has gone far, he's aware of his fragile hold on an acting career.
Jules Vasquez
"A lot of people not knowing the in's an outs of the business say 'Oh men he's an actor - he's set he doesn't have to worry about anything."
Wole Parks
"That's a lie! You know what I paid for - I flew coach here because I had to pay. That's a lie!"
Jules Vasquez
"Acting and playing a role like that only gets you in the door but coming up isn't the hard part - it's staying up."
Wole Parks
"Exactly..That's the key. I like how you phrase it, it's true. Every little thing helps so Premium Rush helped me get through the door and I got some more interviews and I did a pilot earlier that year. Like I said I just finished doing a TV Show called Devious Maids and it is going to start airing on Lifetime on June 23."
And through it all, he always returns to his Belizean mother:
Wole Parks
"I'm generally the person where I've been blessed into so far as my mother has been absolutely amazing, she's been the best, she's been my biggest cheerleader, she's been my biggest supporting fan. She very much told me at a young age and instilled in me that 'You can do anything you want and accomplish anything as long as you put your mind to it and work for it' so I do believe if I want to do acting I can go forward in it. I've been LA for a year and a half and i've done relatively a lot and unfortunately a lot of people who have been there much longer who might not have been able to accomplish this much and in a much longer period of time. So in my mind if I want to still be acting in ten years I think I will be able to do it."
His next major role comes up in a new programme called Devious Maids, which premieres on Lifetime on July 23rd.
Parks visits Belize regularly.
Email
Print