RANDALL PARK - Director, Writer, Producer & Actor
08/24/23 • 43 min
Meet Randall Park, the multi-talented artist who has captivated audiences with his comedic acting, writing, producing, and directing skills. Hailing from Los Angeles, Randall is not only known for his comedic prowess but has also ventured into the realms of producing and directing. His journey in the entertainment industry began during his time at UCLA, where he co-founded the LCC Theatre Company, which has since grown to become the largest Asian American college theater group in the country.
I first discovered Randall's talent when a friend shared a link to the hilarious web series, IKEA Heights, from the Comedy 101 web series. If you haven't seen it yet, I highly recommend checking it out at the link I left below! Since then, Randall has left his mark on various shows such as The Office and Veep before landing lead roles in Fresh Off The Boat and Blockbuster. His performances have also extended to both the Marvel and DC franchises, with his portrayal of FBI Agent Jimmy Woo in the WandaVision series generating a significant online campaign for a spin-off series centered around his character.
One of Randall's most notable accomplishments, in my opinion, was his co-writing and co-starring role in Netflix's rom-com Always Be My Maybe alongside Ali Wong. His portrayal of the romantic lead showcased his nuanced and hilarious performance, solidifying his talent as both a writer and actor.
In addition to his own success, Randall is also committed to amplifying Asian American and underrepresented voices in the industry. This dedication has led him to co-found Imminent Collision, a production company aimed at providing a platform for these voices. Together with his friends from the LCC Theatre Company, Randall is working towards creating meaningful opportunities for marginalized communities.
Most recently, Randall ventured into directing with his debut feature film, Shortcomings, a subversive romantic comedy that played in competition at this year's Sundance Film Festival. The film tells a relatable story about messy people who happen to be Asian American, providing a refreshing perspective to the genre. It was at Sundance that I had the incredible opportunity to meet Randall during a panel on directing your first feature film. I was thrilled when he agreed to share his directing journey with me on Blissful Spinster, and our conversation was filled with open dialogue, insightful advice, and inspiring anecdotes. I’m so excited to bring you my conversation with Randall!
Follow Randall’s Production Company - Imminent Collision on: Instagram
Shortcomings is still in theatres this week - GO SEE IT!
Learn more about the Blissful Spinster Podcast and connect with Cris on the website, Instagram
Check out IKEA Heights on YouTube
If you’re enjoying Blissful Spinster please consider supporting me by visiting my author page on Amazon - Pawsman Prints and picking up a purrfect gift for yourself or the cat lover in your life with one of my eclectic cat-themed journals! Meow!
Links & Love
If your ears like what they’re snacking on, follow, rate, and drop a review—it helps others find the show too.
Want to support the show or get access to extra content—like behind-the-scenes journals, guest deep dives, and updates on getting Alone Girl made?
Check out my Substack: The Blissful Spinster. Just $5/month supports this DIY labor of love and gets you a peek behind the scenes (when I find the time to write, lol).
Find me and the pod on Instagram, Pinterest, and at blissfulspinster.com—where you can also find some pretty cool merch, if you’re into that sort of thing.
Thanks for being on this journey with me—and until next time, go find your happy.💚
Meet Randall Park, the multi-talented artist who has captivated audiences with his comedic acting, writing, producing, and directing skills. Hailing from Los Angeles, Randall is not only known for his comedic prowess but has also ventured into the realms of producing and directing. His journey in the entertainment industry began during his time at UCLA, where he co-founded the LCC Theatre Company, which has since grown to become the largest Asian American college theater group in the country.
I first discovered Randall's talent when a friend shared a link to the hilarious web series, IKEA Heights, from the Comedy 101 web series. If you haven't seen it yet, I highly recommend checking it out at the link I left below! Since then, Randall has left his mark on various shows such as The Office and Veep before landing lead roles in Fresh Off The Boat and Blockbuster. His performances have also extended to both the Marvel and DC franchises, with his portrayal of FBI Agent Jimmy Woo in the WandaVision series generating a significant online campaign for a spin-off series centered around his character.
One of Randall's most notable accomplishments, in my opinion, was his co-writing and co-starring role in Netflix's rom-com Always Be My Maybe alongside Ali Wong. His portrayal of the romantic lead showcased his nuanced and hilarious performance, solidifying his talent as both a writer and actor.
In addition to his own success, Randall is also committed to amplifying Asian American and underrepresented voices in the industry. This dedication has led him to co-found Imminent Collision, a production company aimed at providing a platform for these voices. Together with his friends from the LCC Theatre Company, Randall is working towards creating meaningful opportunities for marginalized communities.
Most recently, Randall ventured into directing with his debut feature film, Shortcomings, a subversive romantic comedy that played in competition at this year's Sundance Film Festival. The film tells a relatable story about messy people who happen to be Asian American, providing a refreshing perspective to the genre. It was at Sundance that I had the incredible opportunity to meet Randall during a panel on directing your first feature film. I was thrilled when he agreed to share his directing journey with me on Blissful Spinster, and our conversation was filled with open dialogue, insightful advice, and inspiring anecdotes. I’m so excited to bring you my conversation with Randall!
Follow Randall’s Production Company - Imminent Collision on: Instagram
Shortcomings is still in theatres this week - GO SEE IT!
Learn more about the Blissful Spinster Podcast and connect with Cris on the website, Instagram
Check out IKEA Heights on YouTube
If you’re enjoying Blissful Spinster please consider supporting me by visiting my author page on Amazon - Pawsman Prints and picking up a purrfect gift for yourself or the cat lover in your life with one of my eclectic cat-themed journals! Meow!
Links & Love
If your ears like what they’re snacking on, follow, rate, and drop a review—it helps others find the show too.
Want to support the show or get access to extra content—like behind-the-scenes journals, guest deep dives, and updates on getting Alone Girl made?
Check out my Substack: The Blissful Spinster. Just $5/month supports this DIY labor of love and gets you a peek behind the scenes (when I find the time to write, lol).
Find me and the pod on Instagram, Pinterest, and at blissfulspinster.com—where you can also find some pretty cool merch, if you’re into that sort of thing.
Thanks for being on this journey with me—and until next time, go find your happy.💚
Previous Episode
Nina Menkes - Independent Filmmaker & Director
Meet, Nina Menkes! Nina lives in Los Angeles and is considered a cinematic feminist pioneer and one of America’s foremost independent filmmakers. Nina’s work includes, the narrative films “Queen of Diamonds”, “The Bloody Child”, “The Great Sadness of Zohara”, “Magdalena Viraga”, and “Phantom Love”. Nina’s work has been shown widely in major international film festivals including Sundance, the Berlinale, Cannes, Locarno, AFI, BFI-London, the New York Film Festival to name a few. Nina’s honors include a Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award, a Guggenheim Fellowship, a Creative Capital Awardand a Berlinale FIPRESCI Prize for her first feature documentary MASSAKER. Most recently, Nina premiered her second documentary and fourth feature, BRAINWASHED: SEX-CAMERA-POWER at Sundance this year, and it’s how I discovered her and this amazing and impactful documentary which explores the sexual-politics of cinematic shot design. BRAINWASHED has screened widely at A-list festivals and was awarded the 2022 Female Empowerment Seal by the Critics’ Choice Association. But most importantly, it’s now being distributed by Kino Lorber. I was so happy to see BRAINWASHED receive a theatrical release, in Los Angeles & New York City to begin with, this little film that could with a powerful message has been held over due to demand & is also gaining screenings in other cities. I’ll leave the link to the film’s screening page in the show notes. Trust me, you want to head to the theatre and watch BRAINWASHED in a communal setting. I was thrilled when I saw that BRAINWASHED was going to play at my local art house theatre the Laemmle Royal, but the best part of the evening was getting to meet Nina after the screening and having her agree to chat with me on Blissful Spinster! Her time was limited but our chat is full of her insight and inspiration. I’m so excited to bring you my conversation with Nina!
Connect with Nina on: Instagram, Twitter & Facebook
Connect with Kino Lorber on: Instagram, Twitter, Facebook & TikTok
Follow Brainwashed Movie on: Instagram & Facebook
Find a screening of Brainwashed near you at: Kino Marquee
Learn more about the Blissful Spinster Podcast and connect with Cris on the website, Instagram & Twitter
Links & Love
If your ears like what they’re snacking on, follow, rate, and drop a review—it helps others find the show too.
Want to support the show or get access to extra content—like behind-the-scenes journals, guest deep dives, and updates on getting Alone Girl made?
Check out my Substack: The Blissful Spinster. Just $5/month supports this DIY labor of love and gets you a peek behind the scenes (when I find the time to write, lol).
Find me and the pod on Instagram, Pinterest, and at blissfulspinster.com—where you can also find some pretty cool merch, if you’re into that sort of thing.
Thanks for being on this journey with me—and until next time, go find your happy.💚
Next Episode
Oren Soffer - Cinematographer - Part 1
Meet Oren Soffer! Oren lives in Los Angeles and is an up and coming cinematographer with a bold cinematic eye. Oren’s work includes two feature films; “Fixation” that premiered at TIFF and “Allswell” that premiered at TriBeCa in 2022 as well as Co-Dping the film “The Creator” with cinematographer Greig Fraser. While studying film at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts Oren was nominated for the ASC Gordon Willis Student Heritage Award, and was a finalist for the Arri Volker Bahnemann Award for Cinematography. Oren has also shot multiple award-winning short films, including “Opera of Cruelty,” 'which won a Student Academy Award, and “See You Soon,” which won the audience award at the Palm Springs International Shortsfest.Recently, Oren has started co-hosting his own podcast called Cinematography Salon which has some great in-depth conversations on both the technical aspects of filmmaking as well as what it’s like to navigate the world of film as a career. Oren and I met at a UTA party last September and we had such a great conversation that I asked if he’d be on Blissful Spinster and I was delighted when he said yes! I have to admit my conversation with Oren is one of my favorites to date. His passion for the art of filmmaking is palpable and he is all at once introspective, humorous and articulate. He loves to share knowledge and is full of wonderful nuggets for filmmakers of any level. Beyond the joy of watching Oren succeed at what he loves, what brings me the most joy is knowing I can now call Oren a friend We had an Amazing chat and I’m so excited to bring you Part 1 of my conversation with Oren!
** Just a couple of fun notes before we get going... this episode was recorded nearly a year ago, last October and you’ll hear Oren and I refer to the film “The Creator” as it’s former name “True Love”, also, this episode will be part 1, as Oren has graciously agreed to come back as a guest to record a bonus episode and talk about what he’s been up to since our last chat and to talk a little bit more in depth on “The Creator” on the eve of the film’s release.
Oren’s Bio:
Oren recently shot the feature film ‘The Creator,’ directed by Gareth Edwards, along with cinematographer Greig Fraser ASC ACS, slated for release on September 29, 2023. Two of his other recent features premiered at the TIFF and TriBeCa film festivals in 2022. He has also shot multiple award-winning short films, including 'Opera of Cruelty,' which won a Student Academy Award, and ‘See You Soon,’ which won the audience award at the Palm Springs International Shortsfest before subsequently premiering on Short of the Week and receiving a Vimeo Staff Pick. During his studies at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, Oren was nominated for the ASC Gordon Willis Student Heritage Award, and was a finalist for the Arri Volker Bahnemann Award for Cinematography. Oren has also shot hundreds of commercials and music videos for a variety of clients including Nike, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, HBO, Foot Locker, Grey Goose Vodka, Doritos, Kohler, Wilson Tennis, Marriott Hotels, ACE Hardware, Crest, Viacom, and Universal Studios.
Connect with Oren on: Instagram
Learn more about Oren’s work on his website
Listen to Oren’s Podcast Cinematographer’s Salon
The Creator is opening in theatres September 29th! - GO SEE IT!
Learn more about the Blissful Spinster Podcast and connect with Cris on the website, Instagram
If you’re enjoying Blissful Spinster please consider supporting me by visiting my author page on Amazon - Pawsman Prints and picking up a purrfect gift for yourself or the cat lover in your life with one of my eclectic cat-themed journals! Meow!
Links & Love
If your ears like what they’re snacking on, follow, rate, and drop a review—it helps others find the show too.
Want to support the show or get access to extra content—like behind-the-scenes journals, guest deep dives, and updates on getting Alone Girl made?
Check out my Substack: The Blissful Spinster. Just $5/month supports this DIY labor of love and gets you a peek behind the scenes (when I find the time to write, lol).
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