Life & Work with Rohan Gupta of Koreatown

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rohan Gupta.

Hi Rohan, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I grew up in India, obsessed with films and television — especially American shows — since I was three years old. Unfortunately, Bollywood already felt impossible — so aiming for Hollywood was borderline delusional. But delusion has always been a bit of a superpower. I left home to study economics in Hong Kong, quietly hoping the universe would somehow steer me toward filmmaking.

A year in, I had a reality check: the universe wasn’t going to do it for me. If I wanted to make films, I had to do everything in my power to get there.

I called my mom to tell her I couldn’t keep studying economics. She listened quietly. After we hung up, she sent me an email. The subject line read: Follow Your Dreams.That moment changed everything.

I found a directory of every production company in Hong Kong and cold-emailed every single one. Eventually, I landed internships editing digital shorts for shows like Asia’s Next Top Model. After graduation, I worked on commercials for brands like the NBA and Tom Ford — but my heart was always in comedy.

That’s when I became obsessed with reaching anyone — anyone — involved with my favorite show, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. I scoured the internet, sent cold emails, and eventually, one of the producers responded. He said he was open to helping — but only if I could get to Los Angeles. So I stayed in touch. For four years. Occasionally updating him while building my portfolio. Is that obsessive or passionate? That’s for others to determine.

During that time, I made a comedy short satirizing Hollywood’s lack of diversity. I wrote, shot, edited, and acted in it myself — and to my surprise, it won a Webby Award. That’s when I discovered the O-1 visa for artists, and decided to make the leap to America.

I got a scholarship to a one-year TV program at Boston University, where I met some incredibly talented people. Together, we created a short-form series that went on to win a Student Emmy. Shortly after, I moved to Los Angeles.

I reconnected with that Always Sunny producer. There weren’t any openings on the show, but he got me an interview on FX’s Welcome to Wrexham. I started as a Post PA and did everything I could to contribute — staying late, learning Avid, offering to help the Story team wherever possible. Within a few months, I was promoted to Story Associate Producer, a role I’ve now held for three seasons so far. Since moving to LA, I’ve gotten involved in every goal I had growing up — performing stand-up at the Comedy Store, acting in web series, and developing my own original web series with production companies. And I’ve made good on another dream — watching as many old movies I can on the big screen. I’ve now been to 19 revival theaters across the city. (Trying to hit them all.)

It’s been a long road from that economics classroom in Hong Kong — but somehow, every detour led me here. Every tedious job I took — some on truly trashy shows — ended up building my skill set in unexpected ways. And more than anything, it validated what I’d hoped all along: that you really can carve out your own path into this industry. It’s not easy, but we don’t come to this industry expecting easy.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
There are countless challenges when you’re trying to make it as a foreigner in America, but the biggest initial hurdle is the visa process. You’re not just trying to break into a competitive industry — you’re also fighting for the right to legally exist within it. To qualify, you have to prove you’re someone of “extraordinary ability” through awards, press, notable projects, and industry recognition. Fortunately, by the time I applied, I’d built a stronf portfolio — including a fair few awards and my work on Welcome to Wrexham — but even then, the process was long, expensive, and emotionally draining.

Beyond immigration, the challenges have been more universal — though no less daunting. Believing in yourself is a full-time job, and it sure isn’t easy. Neither is finding your way in. Getting your foot in the door often just means meeting as many people as possible and hoping something sticks. The emotional whiplash is real: one day you’re taking a big meeting, convinced you’re on the brink of something; the next, you’re staring at an empty inbox, wondering if any of it meant anything at all.

What’s helped me is learning not to pin everything on one opportunity. There will always be more. For me, focusing on building skills and making things — rather than just applying for jobs — has opened more doors than anything else. The more skills you have, the more value you bring to the table. Even though I primarily want to write and act, my editing experience has created opportunities I didn’t expect. Honestly, I think everyone in this business should learn how to edit — regardless of what they ultimately want to do.

Then there’s the industry itself. Since I arrived, it’s been rocked by COVID and back-to-back strikes. The landscape has shifted dramatically. There are fewer jobs, and many incredibly talented people have had to leave or pivot. It’s a tough time — but it’s also been a reminder of how important it is to stay grounded, persistent, and adaptable.

Persistence is the only reason I have the job I do on Welcome to Wrexham. It’s the reason I’ve gotten to develop other projects too. But it’s not easy. It means constantly pushing through discouragement, self-doubt, and silence. And still, you keep going. Because — unfortunately — we’re dreamers. For better or worse.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m a writer, producer, and performer — originally from India, now based in Los Angeles. I work mostly in comedy, blending satire, absurdism, and character-driven emotion. A lot of my work leans into a dark sense of humor, often mixed with a bit of Looney Tunes-style anarchy.

On the unscripted side, I’ve been a Story Associate Producer on FX’s Welcome to Wrexham for the past three seasons. It’s been an incredible hands-on education in shaping real-life stories with clarity, depth, and heart — alongside some of the best producers and post teams I’ve worked with. Before that, I was based in Asia, working on commercials for brands like the NBA, Tom Ford, and Louis Vuitton.

On the scripted side, I’ve developed original web series with production companies, performed stand-up, and acted in comedic shorts for the popular YouTube channel Wong Fu Productions. Some of my shorts have gone on to win a Webby Award and a Student Emmy. I’m drawn to projects that bend form — things that let me break the fourth wall, play with structure, or turn existential spirals into fast-paced comedy.

What I’m most proud of is simply finding a way in. As a foreigner, just getting the visa to work in this industry was a massive challenge — one that required building a body of work, earning recognition, and a whole lot of persistence. It wasn’t easy, but it taught me how to keep going even when there’s no clear roadmap.

If anything sets me apart, I think it’s the range — I’ve worked in both docuseries and sketch comedy; I write, act, edit, and produce. I bring a specific, oddball outsider perspective that shapes the stories I tell. I’m not trying to fit into any particular box — I’m just trying to make things that feel fun, a little unhinged, and hopefully fresh. And occasionally — just occasionally — emotionally true.

What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
Persistence — and being a little strategic. It’s not glamorous, but it’s the one thing that’s never let me down. I didn’t have connections, a visa, or a clear roadmap — just a pretty relentless drive to make things, figure things out, and keep going. And to do it all in a way that felt true to me.

I also learned that creativity isn’t just for the work — it’s just as important in figuring out how to get the work. Most of the advice I’ve gotten over the years has been the same: same path, same steps. But if that path doesn’t exist for you, you have to make your own.

That mix — persistence and creative problem-solving — is the only reason I’ve made any headway, especially in an industry (and country) that doesn’t exactly hand out opportunities. You don’t get an opportunity. You take one.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @rohanananan
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rohan–gupta/