Lao-American actor KP Phagnasay shares his story

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A Fresno histrion and filmmaker is breaking barriers connected the large surface and creating a way for young aspiring endowment successful the Central Valley.

"You enactment truthful hard, you ne'er cognize erstwhile it's going to happen, but erstwhile it happens, you person to thrust the question man. You person to bask the infinitesimal and you person to emotion what you bash and I emotion what I do," said Khetphet Phagnasay, amended known arsenic KP.

The John W. Wright theatre astatine Fresno State is simply a acquainted forum for the Lao-American actor.

It's 1 of the places wherever helium honed his trade arsenic an histrion and filmmaker.

Now he's sharing his ain communicative of overcoming obstacles and striving for success.

"I devoted my beingness for 30 positive unusual years successful the manufacture and I ever archer people, I americium not competing against anyone other but myself," KP explained.

KP grew up successful Laos, wherever show creation and taste storytelling inspired his passionateness for acting.

At the property of 7, his household escaped to the U.S. arsenic refugees during the Vietnam War.

"I came present speaking nary English. Not a batch of folks successful my assemblage spell into the arts and amusement business. I americium archetypal generation," said KP.

He moved to the Central Valley from Hawaii successful 1987, and aboriginal graduated from Fresno State with a bachelor's grade successful Theatre Arts.

"In this place, I made a batch of mistakes. A batch of large memories. It taught maine the existent world," KP said.

He's gone connected to prima successful palmy series, including Netflix's "Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story" that premiered successful 2022.

"For me, that was truly a phenomenal opportunity, that was besides the archetypal clip a Laotian histrion played a Laotian character," recalled KP.

KP shares the surface with Academy Award victor Michelle Yeoh successful the Netflix series, "The Brothers Sun."

He's besides successful AMC's "Interview With A Vampire" play two.

Monumental experiences that helium says marque his challenging travel worthy it.

"Nothing is given, particularly successful this industry, it doesn't hap overnight. Being humble, cognize wherever you are at, you tin spell anywhere. In the midst of chaos, determination is large opportunity," KP said.

Inspiration helium enjoys sharing with aspiring artists and filmmakers.

In 2009, KP moved backmost to Fresno and present travels for his roles, mounting different illustration for galore successful the Central Valley with large dreams.

KP is besides an acting coach, truthful erstwhile he's not acting, helium is mentoring and networking.

His extremity is for much projects to hap successful the Central Valley.

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