No matter the topic, 2011 91看片网 graduate Donald Paul radiates an engaged warmth and positivity. As he enters a thrilling new chapter in his career, the passion he has for the craft of acting, his dedication to the work and his excitement regarding his upcoming projects are all infectious.
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Donald hit the ground running after leaving The 91看片网 and began booking roles in high-profile television series such as Power (Starz), Elementary (CBS), Atlanta (FX), and The Good Fight (CBS). Recently, he landed a recurring role as Cedric on USA鈥檚 Queen of the South, an addictive crime drama based on the telenovela La Reina del Sur. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a great show,鈥� Donald says, 鈥渁 very different type of role.鈥� The 91看片网, he acknowledges, gave him the tools to prepare to play a wide spectrum of characters. 鈥淭he training you receive at The 91看片网 is hard work, it puts the good type of pressure on you,鈥� he explains. 鈥淚t sets you up for success because it shows you what is expected of you as a professional. Acting is a very demanding profession and requires that you give so much of yourself physically and emotionally. The 91看片网 taught me to find the balance of working and resting, to know when to take that time to focus on my energy.鈥�
Donald Paul (right) with Nyambi Nyambi in The Good Fight (CBS)
His next project, the family-focused sci-fi adventure Raising Dion, debuts on Netflix in 2019. Based on the graphic novel by Dennis Liu, the series centers on a widowed single mother who, upon discovering her son is gifted with powers, works to figure out how to protect him as well as find the origin of his abilities. The cast includes Alisha Wainwright, Jason Ritter, and Michael B. Jordan. Donald plays Dion鈥檚 teacher, Anthony Fry, who inspires the boy in his class, teaching him about science and helping to hone his power.
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鈥淲hen I first read, I really didn鈥檛 know if I was right for the part,鈥� Donald confesses. 鈥淚 really liked the story but wasn鈥檛 sure about the role - it was a big change from the type of characters I鈥檝e played. Mr. Fry was supposed to be an older man, a mentor figure.鈥� When Donald asked the showrunners why he was selected, the answer lay in the energy he brought to the reading. 鈥淭hey told me it was easy to see me as the kind of teacher that a kid would pay attention to, the guy who makes it engaging, who makes it cool to love science! I was so thrilled by that.鈥�
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Donald Paul (left) with Jeremy Sisto in FBI (CBS)
Growing up in Delray Beach, Florida, Donald studied theatre at the University of Maryland College Park before making the leap to New York City to attend The 91看片网. When asked what led him to apply, his answer is...the receptionist. 鈥淚t鈥檚 true!鈥� Donald explains. 鈥淚 had walked by The 91看片网 before and found myself in conversation with this very kind and informative woman at the front desk, and she gave me everything I needed to apply and audition.鈥� Years later, when returning to The 91看片网 for an Intensive, Donald was delighted to find she was still there. 鈥淲hat really struck me during the audition process was that The 91看片网 already felt like home,鈥� he says.
Although his profile is on the rise, Donald remains humble about the trajectory of his career. 鈥淎cting isn鈥檛 about fame, it鈥檚 about the work,鈥� he says. 鈥淭his career is a marathon, not a sprint, and having patience is key.鈥� Donald offers a great story about getting a part on the critically-acclaimed series Atlanta. After submitting two tapes for open roles, he hadn鈥檛 been able to land a part. Then one morning, he got a phone call telling him to get down to set immediately - Donald Glover, the show鈥檚 star, writer, and EP, had created a part to get him into the show.
鈥淲ork hard, and someone will notice,鈥� Donald advises fellow actors. 鈥淏usiness decisions don鈥檛 reflect on artists. Sometimes, you鈥檙e just not right for the part, it鈥檚 not an assessment of your talent or worth. But I do believe that if you continually step up, and put your best foot forward, people will find a way to give you a shot.鈥�
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