Today we’d like to introduce you to Bobo Chang.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I got my life start in Portland, OR, where the motto “Keep Portland weird” left its stamp on me, which I then took down here to attend Biola University (where I was fittingly bestowed with “Bobo”). I studied Film there, but I started acting in high school because Drama was the closest thing to a Filmmaking class we had at good ol’ Clackamas! So I just kept weirding up the short films I made at Biola even more by casting myself (it helps to know the Casting Director!). Upon graduation in 2008, I was of the lucky many who were dumped into the workforce during a Recession! However, Hollywood was very much alive and kicking, so, with the encouragement of my college drama director, I jumped into acting rather than going the arduous PA route. I began doing Background work as I pursued representation, and my weirdness helped me stand out! Blessed enough to be upgraded to Principal a couple times, combined with a ready Reel of acting roles from Film School I edited with skills I picked up there, I soon obtained an agent. That rolled into booking some commercials, joining SAG, and the start to a blessed career as a working actor!
Then during a minor pandemic in 2020, my family and I started creating kids fitness videos on YouTube that we now call Bobo PE. It picked up some steam with the virtual classes that Fall, the channel took off, and we’re now at more than 50,000 subscribers! That’s been such a joy, satisfying the Filmmaker in me and especially the desire to make a positive impact. It’s been challenging to balance both creating content and acting, but I’m getting to do what I love with a beautiful family (3 children, 1 wife) so I’m incredibly thankful!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Of course not! I think if you’ve had a smooth road, you’ve probably only been on the road a few minutes (it’s LA–the traffic, crazy drivers, etc.!). At the beginning, learning to “adult” during a recession was difficult–it felt like learning to swim in the gator-infested Everglades. Steady supplemental jobs were hard to come by, things were getting expensive and also, things like taxes and parking tickets were kicking my butt. But, like I said, the industry was in full swing and I had lots of friends on the same path and most importantly, my faith, to get me through. Of course, if it swings one way, then it’s bound to swing the other way, so there were long seasons of slow or no work and not booking jobs. There were car accidents, the letdowns of being released from Avails, good friends leaving town all the time, the long commutes, crazy sets, and did I mention the insane traffic? Then as I got married and started a family, there’s the packaged lesson of selflessness that can be stubbornly hard to learn, as well as the need to provide as the breadwinner since my wife quit her job as a Hair Stylist to be a full-time mom. Compounded with the lack of work, these factors were near-lethal to my career multiple times. However, every time we were on the desperate verge of a seemingly necessary big change, we were reminded of our calling and our track was righted, usually with a big booking at the eleventh hour. Now all the former examples were enough hardship itself, but then you throw on top of that the Pandemic, the mandates, the strikes, this economy… There’s been enough struggles in just the last 4 years to last a lifetime! Alas, the calling persists. And I’m a firm believer that if you’re called to something, you will be equipped and guided down the path, wherever that might lead, so long as you set your eyes on the prize. So my faith and faithfulness has been and always will be crucial.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m blessed to be able to say that I’m a working actor that’s mainly made my keep in comedy! Primarily TV–shows and the advertising in between–has kept my family afloat and my life endlessly amusing, with some more dramatic roles scattered in to remind my wife I can be serious sometimes. Some of my favorite roles didn’t make the final cut, but being on “Curb Your Enthusiasm”, “Arrested Development” (cut), “La La Land”, “Young Sheldon”, “Silicon Valley”, and playing a recurring character on the Go90 (R.I.P.) digital series “Mr. Student Body President” have easily been highlights. Also, living in this town, you learn to diversify, aka hustle! So I’ve also done a good amount of Voiceover, Mascot work, and even some Hand Modeling.
While I haven’t had as much opportunity to direct, creating videos for Bobo PE has been its own source of pride and brought a new layer to my notoriety that I’d love to keep building on. It’s helped solidify my presence as one of fun, family-friendly, energetic, positive, holistically health-conscious, thoughtful and full of dad-jokes. Along with whatever residual Korean culture I bring, I’d say the “Bobo” brand is almost like a Pixar among actor/creators! I’ve also relatively recently been coaching actors (as time permits), specializing in those just starting out, which has also brought great fulfillment and joy.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
I wouldn’t be where I am without my Drama Directors in high school and college, respectively–shoutout Susan “Scove” Scovil and Forrest Robinson! They are literally the reason I’m acting, pointing me this way and filling me with so much confidence. Of course, my wife, Kallie, is the best (and most beautiful) partner I could ask for, a constant source of love, discernment and help while complementing me far better than I could imagine. She grounds my feet when my head is in the clouds! My mom, Diana, has been fundamentally and wonderfully supportive the whole time and has been great P.R. among the Korean community. My current Manager, Ginamarie Birnbaum, has been a life-giver since she’s been by my side. I still hold my first agent, Gail Marx, dearly in my heart for taking a chance on and believing in me at the beginning–what a sweet soul! Another recent connection who’s been greatly encouraging is a filmmaker named Allen Wolf, who’s taken me under his wing a bit as a mentor. And all throughout there’s been those in my church community at Reality LA, who’ve been collectively and individually my lifeline of hope, joy, compassion, fellowship, humor, wisdom, therapy and so much more.
Pricing:
- $50/hr Coaching
Contact Info:
- Website: www.bobochang.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/thebobochang
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/thebobochang
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobochang/
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/thebobochang
- Youtube: www.youtube.com/bobope
www.youtube.com/bobochang
Image Credits
Josua Fischer, William Viriato
