Updated
Updated · Variety · Jun 7
Paul Anthony Kelly, Patrick Ball Detail 13-Year Paths to Breakout TV Roles
Updated
Updated · Variety · Jun 7

Paul Anthony Kelly, Patrick Ball Detail 13-Year Paths to Breakout TV Roles

2 articles · Updated · Variety · Jun 7

Summary

  • Paul Anthony Kelly said “Love Story” became his first professional acting job after 13 years of auditions, with just three weeks to prepare to play John F. Kennedy Jr.
  • Kelly said Ryan Murphy’s team gave him a dialect coach, acting coach and trainer, while he spent six months living left-handed and studying JFK Jr.’s voice and movement.
  • Patrick Ball said “The Pitt” was his first television role after about 15 years in regional theater, and that Dr. Frank Langdon’s Season 2 return from rehab required a slower, humbler physical tempo.
  • Ball said costume details such as Langdon’s bracelet helped track the character’s recovery arc, and he expects a “third act” that shows healing does not mean losing joy.
  • Both actors said sudden visibility has changed how they handle fandom, with Ball pulling back from online engagement as attention around “The Pitt” and “Love Story” intensified.

Insights

What is the biggest unspoken challenge for veteran stage actors when they finally land a major TV role?
Is a decade in theater now an outdated path to stardom in the age of instant social media fame?
How do actors justify their portrayal when a historical figure's own family disputes the show's accuracy?