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Interview with Kimberly McCullough

Kimberly McCullough

Actress, Writer, Producer, Director


We have watched Kimberly McCullough grow up before our eyes. She started on General Hospital when she was 8 years old in 1985. The daughter of Robert Scorpio and Anna Devane. She has appeared in the movie "Legally Blonde"," Bugsy" and a variety of TV Primetime shows. She was in the Hollywood theater production of LES MIZ as young "Cosette". Her talent of singing, dancing and acting have continued to add joy to her fans. Now adding to her credits, she is the director, producer and writer of the original film "POPEYE". We are sure to enjoy the entire package.

Her new movie. "Popeye" is based on Kimberly's grandfather who tried to kill himself after suffering a stroke. The script description on the website about this new work is amazing.

"My grandfather really did try to kill himself while he was having a stroke. The bullet grazed his brain, and ended up in his right wrist. He died from another stroke a few years later, when I was 12. Also, it's true that I am the last one in my family to carry the name McCullough."

It was important for her to make this film. The making this film was a process in itself:

"I believe that "Popeye" was propelling me forward the whole time. I would find something of his, and all of a sudden, a piece of the story would come together. When the story was finished, I took it AFI to see if I could be accepted into the Directing Workshop for Women. They said that I was too young and I had many other opportunities. What opportunities? Other than producing it myself? So, that's what I decided to do."

Kimberly was originally going to play the lead in this movie but decided to concentrate on the writing and directing of this film instead.

"My intention was never to create a vehicle for me to act in. Originally, I was going to play the part because I knew the character, I knew that I could rely on myself, and that I didn't have to pay myself. But after some thought, I decided it would be better for people to see the film and have no idea what I looked like until after they saw the film. I wanted the audience to only see me as a director. I think if an actor directs a film that they are the lead in, people seem to concentrate on the acting for the most part. I wanted to avoid that. Then, my friend Danielle Harris said she would do it, and she is such an amazing actress, that I would be honored for her to be in my film. That turned out to be the best choice."

When asked if she was concerned about being taken seriously as the director and principle of this feature - given her age, She answered openly.

"I think being "taken seriously" is such an odd phrase. Because what does that mean really? I think it means that people consider you a contender, a colleague. I think as long as I do good work and am confident, I'm in good shape. If I think for one second, that I'm small, I'm young, I'm a woman- how will anyone ever trust me with a set, I'm just shooting myself in the foot. I think the women that make it act like they have just as much right to be there as everyone else. In turn, that's what people think of them."

Kimberly shared that Francesca James and Marshall Herskovitz were her biggest mentors on her road to becoming a director and her acting coach, Andrew Magarian was her biggest mentor in her acting career. She also claims that the best advice in acting she ever received was to, "Play the game, but don't get caught up in it."

Her next project she will be working on "The Stones", a sit-com that will be coming on mid-season on the CBS Network. Also starring in this project is Judith Light, (ex-Karen OLTL) and Robert Klien (Big Al, of Sisters). She said she is very excited about it.

"I get to play a nerd. My name is (on the show) is Audra and I work in the science research center at a college. I'm really innocent and interested in the lead character of Winston Stone- who's equally as innocent. That's all I know as of now."

Getting back to her "Popeye" baby, upon starting the process of making the film she wondered how she would ever finance the making of this movie.

"Well, I would always ask my friends who did films the infamous question; how did you get the money? No one could ever give me a straight answer. Mostly it's family money, but where does the rest of it come from. It drove me nuts, because I didn't know where to even begin. My family sure didn't have any money. So, I just asked people. I went on faith and I got really lucky. When I asked, and they said, "Yes", I about fell over on my chair. If someone were to ask me the same question now, I would say that you have to get the courage to ask everyone you know and everyone you don't know to believe in you.

Finally putting all the rampant rumors (aren't there always?) that Kimberly is poised to return to daytime; either reprising her role as Robin on General Hospital (or All My Children) or in a new role on the Young and the Restless - as Katherine's granddaughter Mackenzie to rest, Her comment was, "I was never asked."

We asked about the "poor man's image" of daytime and if it was a hindrance when she first left General Hospital to go into other mediums, television and film.

"When I first left the show I got a lot of comments like, "Wow, I can't believe you didn't pick up any bad acting habits." Thing is, "soap actors are some of the hardest working actors, and we acquire a lot of great habits, like being able to memorize dialogue quickly. Great actors continue to come from soaps and become successful in other mediums. Soap operas are a great place to learn, not to mention getting to practice your craft every day. But as it is right now, actors are not respected for being on a soap, they're respected for leaving a soap."

If she were in creative control of a daytime show, given the current loss of ratings, audience and revolving door of writers and producers:

"Instead of going more trashy, I would go more classy. I think the tendency is to try to compete with reality television. And, yes people do like that stuff, but I think we underestimate the daytime audience sometimes. Soap operas are a great place to explore issues, like the AIDS story that we did, because there is so much time to do so. Why not explore political issues, instead of who's sleeping with who. Make it more adventurous. I think the breast cancer story line with Emily on GH is fabulous, although I don't agree with the re-casting of that character. The actress who plays Emily is excellent, but the fans know Amber Tamblyn. She played that character for too long to be replaced. That's my opinion."

She is as busy as one can be and being able to do it all. To de-stress and relax, she loves to dance all the time. "The studio is my home away from home. I hang out with my two dogs and see every movie in the movie theater."

As you can read the little girl we watched grow up before our eyes is now a vibrant young woman who is walking on the right track to becoming one of Hollywood's finest multi-talented principles. Kimberly loves to go to the movies and we will see her there shortly in the credits as writer, producer and director of "Popeye". We wish her and her labor of love the best of success!

Maxine Bennett contributed the narrative to this report.

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