From New Delhi to Los Angeles. From prime time to daytime. From
Bollywood to Hollywood.
On set, it may be his characters that take center stage, but
behind the scenes UCLA alumnus Kahlil Joseph has found himself in
the spotlight with a flurry of acting work ““ including his
current guest stint as Dr. Myers on legendary soap opera
“Days of Our Lives.”
After completing his master of fine arts degree in acting from
the School of Theater, Film and Television this past spring, Joseph
is currently in the midst of a 12-episode arc as Dr. Myers, helping
famed characters Steve and Kayla fight off a deadly toxin in their
systems.
Although he was able to receive steady acting and voice work
throughout his time at UCLA, “Days of Our Lives” is
still a new high point for the India-born actor.
“”˜Days’ was one of my favorite gigs so far
because everyone has got to be ready to work,” Joseph said.
“The stereotype is that it’s a lot easier than stage
because you get to do multiple takes. (However), on a soap,
you’re shooting an entire scene in one take.”
Because soap operas air new episodes five days a week, actors
get a maximum of two takes per scene, whereas episodic television
comedies and drama run scenes many more times.
“I love the fact that you have to be on your toes working
in your craft and really have your stuff together,” Joseph
said.
Joseph’s rise to the challenge was noticed by producers,
who were quick to extend his contract to 12 episodes and keep him
in Dr. Myers’ shoes.
“It was a very long time for what was supposed to be a
guest star role,” Joseph said. “They just kept writing
me in; it was very flattering.”
While the daytime method might have been an obstacle for some,
Joseph enters the role with a long pedigree of work from both his
early career in India and a number of acting and voice-over jobs he
received during the span of the MFA program.
“Most MFA acting programs keep you under lock and key, but
it was just a matter of good time management,” Joseph said.
“I wanted to work steadily ever since I got here, and
that’s just been happening nonstop.”
Joseph’s mentors credit his personality for his current
wave of success.
“The thing about Kahlil is that there is a truth to him
and an honesty that is sorely lacking in a lot of American
students. When he says he’s going to do something, he follows
up and does it,” said UCLA assistant theater professor Ed
Monaghan, who specializes in martial arts training. “Besides
acting, Kahlil also used the MFA program to explore his interests
in both combat and voice and speech technique.”
“He’s really dedicated to growing and improving, and
that makes such a big difference in getting ahead,” said
Kahlil’s so-called “˜voice and speech guru,’
assistant theater professor Paul Wagar.
Without such traits, Joseph might not have fulfilled his
lifelong dream of coming to Hollywood and studying at UCLA, let
alone receiving such high profile work straight out of graduate
school.
In New Delhi, Joseph had success playing the part of Ronaldo on
the popular Indian prime time drama, “Khwahish.”
However, Hollywood offered a range of work hard to match in the
Bollywood Indian film industry, so Joseph packed his bags and
relocated to the States in 1999.
Rather than immediately pursuing acting, Joseph enrolled in
undergraduate classes at Concord University in West Virginia.
“I thought about just heading to Los Angeles, but on the
other hand I thought if I bide my time a little more as a student,
I can relearn the ropes and how the industry works out here,”
he said.
After earning his bachelors of arts degree in communications,
Joseph applied to graduate acting programs across the country,
including his first-choice school, UCLA.
“UCLA had always been a dream school of mine,”
Joseph said. “If there is one school in the world, in
America, that everyone is very familiar with, it’s
UCLA.”
The campus also offered the right location for Joseph to finally
jump-start his American career.
“UCLA was a legitimate reason for me to pack up and move
to this city, and it offered the strongest base for my
career,” Joseph said.
With other recent work such as commercials for the U.S. Army and
Chrysler, an episode of “Untold Stories of the ER,” and
a guest-starring role on the season premiere of “24,”
the future looks promising for Dr. Myers’ alter-ego.
“I wish more students were like him,” Monaghan said.
“He has tenacity (and) … a dedication above and beyond the
call of duty.”