Victoria Park is known for her role as Kamilla Hwang in DC’s “The Flash”. A talented and versatile actress, her resume includes guest-starring in “2 Broke Girls” (CBS), “CSI: Cyber” (CBS), “The Middle” (ABC), “Grey’s Anatomy” (ABC), and “Revenge” (ABC). She frequently appeared in Wong Fu Productions, including their five-part web series “Yappie”, and played Gaby Cho on the critically acclaimed show “Sweet Vicious” on MTV. Victoria appears opposite of Maya Erskine in the Tribeca Audience Award-winning film, “Plus One”. She also appears in “Too Old to Die Young” from acclaimed director Nicolas Winding Refn. We had the pleasure of catching up with Victoria to talk about her career.
Hi, Victoria! Thank you for granting the interview. Congratulations on your role in the TV series ‘The Flash’. Firstly, please tell us how you landed the part?
Hi, thanks for having me! It’s funny – I almost didn’t make the audition in the first place. I had just returned from working on a project in Chicago and was turning back around to get on a plane to Dallas for the weekend. If anyone lives in LA, they’ll know how insane it was to drive from LAX to Burbank for the audition.. back to LAX.. on a Friday.. at 3 pm. But I read the audition sides and just felt like the character was me, so I hustled my way there and got the callback while waiting to board my flight. A total whirlwind of a few hours.
The audition was fairly vague, but Eric (Wallace, our showrunner) later told me they were hoping to keep my character around for a bit and were just looking for someone who would “vibe” (no pun intended) well with Carlos, who plays Cisco/Vibe. And from day one, working with him and the rest of the cast/crew has been a dream. And I guess the rest is history!
The show is currently in its sixth season. Moving forward, what should fans expect from your character and the show?
You know I can’t give away any spoilers! But to be as forthcoming as I can be… you can expect more from Kamilla and Cisco, and more from Iris’s newspaper – or as we like to call them – Team Citizen. Also… the crisis is coming! It will be worth tuning in for.
You starred opposite Maya Erskine in the feature film, “Plus One” which received the 2019 Tribeca Audience Award. Please share with us your experience on set?
That set was a blast. Jeff, Rhymer, and Maya (as well as most of the crew) had all worked together and been friends for years, so it was like going to work with all your friends. Maya is one of the most honestly funny and genuine souls I’ve ever worked with – we hit it off right away. And having Rosalind Chao and Tom Yi as our parents was the cherry on top. My favorite scene we shot was the scene of our entire family in the kitchen. We were aiming to film the scene in one shot, and it was pure chaos. But improving that scene with everyone was a riot – it felt like a real family. I was only on set for a few days, but I had an amazing time.
You’ve amassed a body of work, including Wong Fu Production’s ‘Yappie’ and the critically acclaimed ‘Sweet Vicious’. To date, what are your career highlights and why?
I’ve been fortunate to have worked on a lot of incredible projects. Sweet/Vicious is up there as the first time I ever had a pilot picked up to series. Plus the cast all got extremely close and are all still friends to this day. I also recently got to work with Nicolas Winding Refn on his Amazon series, “Too Old To Die Young”. Working with him was a dream come true. And of course, “The Flash”!
Who has been your inspiration in the industry?
It’s kind of an obvious answer, but Meryl. I do not understand her talent. Every performance of hers blows my mind. I’d die to work with her. I also look up to so many women who are strong and smart and creating content and opportunities for other women – Ava DuVernay and Reese Witherspoon top my list at the moment. Lastly, as a comedy gal, I’d kill to work with Tina, Amy, and Maya – wouldn’t you?
There’s been much coverage and controversy over Hollywood’s diversity. The representation of Asian actors is one area highlighted. Do you feel there’s a change in the industry and are filmmakers addressing this?
I do feel like there has been a shift in the industry, and I’m so grateful to the people who have paved the way for us. I still think we have a ways to go, but I’m so encouraged by all the incredible projects we’ve had these past few years… and of course all the incredible talent! There are more and more Asian actors working in film and television, and I love being a part of it. The best part is how supportive this community is. I had a few people help me out when I first was getting started, and I’m a huge believer in turning around and helping others who are coming after me. I’m excited and hopeful to see where we go from here.
Aside from acting, you’ve worked with CASA, World Vision, and Child Hope International on humanitarian projects. Please tell us more about your work and how you got involved in these projects?
I first started volunteering with CASA and World Vision in college, and I even got the chance to live in Uganda for several months to work with their branch in Masaka. My church, Reality LA, partners with Child Hope International, and I had the opportunity to work with their orphanage in Haiti last summer. It’s experiences like these that have opened my eyes and heart, and I feel a responsibility to help those in our community who may be more vulnerable or in need. Seeing children in particular that are abandoned, abused, or in other vulnerable situations is especially heartbreaking to me. There are so many needs in our world, and it can be overwhelming at times. But it helps to put your time, money, and heart towards something and know that you’re making even one person’s day a little brighter.
You’re very busy at present. Do you have anything else in the pipeline we can look forward to?
Flying back and forth to Vancouver for “The Flash” has definitely kept me busy! But I’ve also been finishing up a project of my own that I co-directed and DP’d – a short film called “To Borrow, To Keep” about a Cantonese American woman who must reconcile with the quiet yet consuming shame of her uncle’s gambling addiction. It’s my first time getting back behind the camera in quite some time and is a project that means a lot to me personally. Though I don’t share the same details, I definitely resonate with the shame culture of being Asian American and hope others resonate with it as well. I also hope to be doing a lot more directing in the coming year!
So where can we keep up to date with your activities?
You can follow me on Instagram/Twitter @heybvp! I’m fairly active on both, as any good millennial is. See you all there!
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