Meet Pj King | Actor, Voice Over Actor, Restaurant Captain

We had the good fortune of connecting with Pj King and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi PJ, as a parent, what do you feel is the most meaningful thing you’ve done for them?
As a parent, I feel that my number one job is to connect with my children on a deep emotional level. They need to know that they are safe and they need to know that I will always be there for them. They also need to know that their voices matter. As a parent, I need to be in tune to what their innate talents and strengths are. In doing so, I am helping them become who they are supposed to be, not who I wish them to be.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I am an Actor and Voice Over Artist and a budding screenwriter. What sets me apart from others is my tenacity and work ethic. I have been through a lot in my life both professionally and personally and through it all, I have never given up. That spark of creativity that I hold deep down within me, has never gone out. It has been dimmed by forces outside of myself and mostly by those that lay within myself. I have and always will be lifted up by art, it fills me. I may be auditioning for a two line co star role for an Apple TV series or a self tape for a Lowes commercial in my backyard. I may be rehearsing as an understudy for an Anton Chekov play or sitting down for yet another draft of my original screenplay. In all these instances, it’s always the same, when I create, I am grounded in who and what I am. I’m excited for two projects that are coming out this year, a part in a new JJ Abrams project, called “Duster” on HBO Max and co star on a new Apple TV series called, “Government Cheese” starring David Oyelowo.
The biggest challenge that I have had to overcome as an Artist is my low self esteem at times. I didn’t come from a family in the Arts. My father was a salesman and my mother was a nurse and therapist. Art wasn’t something we even discussed in my home. So, when I made the decision to pursue an acting career, I was on my own. I had no references from my family on what that life would entail. I went into it blindly and didn’t know that my greatest obstacle would be to overcome my own fears, my own low self esteem and a deep rooted belief that it’s almost impossible to make a living as an artist. At 55, with a lot of support from friends, teachers, and mentors, I have challenged those old beliefs and come out on the other side. Although I don’t make a living solely as an Actor (I still have day job), I do make decent living as one. Most importantly, with the support, both emotionally and financially from my immediate family, I am able to live a life that I am proud of. A life that I have forged for 30 years.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I just had a friend come into town from England. We’d never met in person, however we are both involved in an international group that meets three times a week via Zoom. He was staying in Long Beach and I had one day to show him some of my favorite parts of Los Angeles. I picked him up in the morning and we drove directly to Venice. We parked near the pier at the end of Washington and we walked the length of the boardwalk checking out the sites. We ended up at one of my favorite places, “The Sidewalk Cafe” and had a long leisurely lunch. After that we drove North through Santa Monica and headed up Sunset through Beverly Hills to the Beverly Hills Hotel. After walking around the hotel, we went to the piano bar, sat outside and had a coffee. Next, we drove over the hill and into the Valley, stopping at the top of Mulholland to catch a view. We ended up at one of my favorite steak houses in Los Angeles called “Bourbon Steak’ which is in Glendale, yes, Glendale! If only we had another day, I would have taken Charlie, my British friend on a long drive up the Angeles Crest highway into the Angeles National forest for a great hike. This place is probably my favorite place in Los Angeles. You can get off the grid, take in Nature and rejuvenate.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’d like to dedicate my Shoutout to my wife Lilah, my daughters Nairi and Esmee, my parents Pete and Vickie, Richard Z., Jaime H., and all my friends of Bill, and most importantly God.

Instagram: officialpj_king

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pj-king-94684811