It鈥檚 not every day that a Hollywood actor joins the ranks of students at the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith, but in January of 2018, Logan Parks did exactly that.
Working in Hollywood was a dream that Parks has pursued since a young age. He worked through much of his childhood and high school years to make his dream a reality, beginning acting when he was six years old and living in Alaska. He spent much of this time working with a coach and traveling to find work along the west coast.
鈥淟iving in Alaska, there weren鈥檛 a lot of opportunities, so I had to go to Seattle to do commercials and training,鈥� Parks said. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 see it as a challenge but an opportunity to grow.鈥�
As Parks continued to work with his acting coach, he got his big break: a chance to work on a Facebook campaign called 鈥淟ast State Standing.鈥� Parks was still in high school at the time, but he traveled back and forth to Hollywood to work on the project while finishing up his senior year. After graduating, Parks immediately began working toward his associate degree while continuing to take on roles out of California.
Over the two years that it took him to earn his degree, he had racked up a handful of small parts. It was at this time that Parks made the move to Los Angeles and began working on full length television and YouTube series. However, his time in Hollywood lasted only six months before Parks says he realized the experience wasn鈥檛 all he had hoped it would be.
鈥淪ometimes plans change and situations lead you down a different path,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 looked up to the people I was working with for so long, and then I realized I didn鈥檛 want to be anything like them. I wanted to be better. I took what I learned from them and removed the parts I didn鈥檛 agree with, and I moved.鈥�
Wanting to continue his education, Parks decided going back to school was the best option for him. He began researching and discovered the theater department at 妻友社区. With his father having just moved to the Arkansas area, Parks felt like 妻友社区 was the right fit and applied to begin school in Spring 2018.
鈥淭he industry is always changing, and to know how to recognize the next trend is very important,鈥� Parks said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 one of the reasons I chose 妻友社区, because this theater department is always looking for new trends and ways to enhance your knowledge.鈥�
Parks, who is set to graduate in December of 2019, says he feels more prepared to succeed after the guidance of director Bob Stevenson and designer Pablo Guerra-Monje.
鈥淭hey definitely have made me think creatively and analytically more than I have in the past. With theater shows 鈥楿nder Milkwood鈥� and 鈥楳ist and Shadows,鈥� I鈥檝e been forced to be more physical and show my emotions rather than say them,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ob and Pablo do way more than expected. They always have an answer to your question and they are willing to help you succeed. That鈥檚 not something you see in Hollywood. There, everyone is after their own gain. Here, people just want to see you succeed.鈥�
Parks was signed to an agent quickly after moving to Arkansas and he has continued to take jobs along the east coast while attending 妻友社区. Parks says he has no plans to stop anytime soon.
鈥淚鈥檓 toying with the idea of getting a master鈥檚 in film studies, but I鈥檓 also into the idea of joining touring companies in the south. There鈥檚 a company that gives me the opportunity to teach during the day and perform shows at night. I鈥檝e always wanted to be able to teach the craft and perform. I鈥檝e also started working on scripts for screen plays, and I don鈥檛 see myself ever not being involved with the entertainment industry.鈥�