Acting
Park's first major roles came with a guest spot on the Lifetime series Angela's Eyes and a minor role in the indie movie Charlie Bartlett . [3] Park completed a guest starring role on the Disney Channel show Life with Derek as Amy, a love interest of Derek and head cheerleader ex-girlfriend to Max. In the ABC Family series The Secret Life of the American Teenager , she played one of the main characters, Grace Bowman, a conservative Christian teen and cheerleader who, along with her boyfriend, struggle with her purity vow until marriage. [3]
In 2013, Park lost the role of Nicki in the sitcom Undateable to Briga Heelan. Heelan had originally been cast in the role but was believed to be unable to continue when her sitcom Ground Floor was renewed for a second season. The part was recast with Park, however when Heelan's schedule was adjusted to allow her to appear on both shows, Heelan took back the role. [4]
In 2014, Park portrayed Jules in the horror-thriller film Demonic , directed by Will Canon. [5] In 2015, Park portrayed Lindsay in the Hallmark Channel movie A Wish Come True, directed by Mark Rosman. [6]
Directing
Park slowly started to transition from acting to her newfound interest in filmmaking. Park secretly wrote a pilot about a girl trapped in a TV show, which was bought by a major studio but never produced. This experience helped her realize her passion for writing and directing. Park has specifically mentioned how her acting background has influenced her comfort with sets and working with actors. [8] Her filmmaking philosophy includes focusing heavily on truth as a key guiding principle in her storytelling. She has explained that she wants to make films that allow people to feel empathy and connection. [9] In her early filmmaking career, Park premiered her first short film, Lucy In My Eyes (2017), at the Austin Film Festival and won the Grand Jury Prize for Best Narrative Short. In addition, she co-wrote and co-directed the web series "We’re Adults Now" with Canadian writer Katie Boland. [10] Park's first feature film as writer-director, The Fallout , premiered at South by Southwest on March 17, 2021, [11] and was released on January 27, 2022, on HBO Max by New Line Cinema. [12] Her second feature film as writer-director, My Old Ass , premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on January 20, 2024, [13] was given a limited theatrical release in the United States by Amazon MGM Studios on September 13, 2024. [14] Both films star young, independent, female actresses, with their stories addressing important issues such as PTSD, gun violence, girlhood, sexuality, and their effects on young women. Park has discussed the thematic contrast between her films, explaining that after the emotional heaviness of The Fallout, My Old Ass focuses on a more uplifting and nostalgic tone, aiming to provide an emotional balance for audiences. Her motivation for making My Old Ass included citing personal reflections as a new mom and the need to create stories that make people feel good, especially amid global challenges. My Old Ass was filmed in Muskoka, Ontario, where the cast and crew lived in cabins by connecting lakes, creating a very relaxed and special atmosphere on set. Park has shared that filming on boats was one of the biggest challenges, with the difficulty of filming in such a setting due to reception issues. [15] Park has also directed several music videos, some of which have garnered significant attention, including videos for artists like Billie Eilish, Gucci Mane, Mike Posner, Alina Baraz, and Blackbear, with a collective total of 50 million views. [16]
