January 21, 2025 • 53 mins
Catch up with Emmy Award-winning actress and director Kimberly McCullough in this episode of The Locher Room.
From capturing hearts as Robin Scorpio on General Hospital for 30 years to becoming a powerhouse director in Hollywood, Kimberly has had an extraordinary journey. We’ll take a deep dive into her career on GH, her emotional and groundbreaking storylines, and how those experiences shaped her creative vision. She'll also discuss motherhood, what it was like learning from Finola Hughes and Tristan Rogers and the reaction to the Stone / Robins story.
Now a sought-after director, Kimberly has worked on hit series like It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, Fantasy Island, and many more. Discover what led herfrom life in front of the camera to finding her true passion behind it and hear about her exciting new projects in television and film.
This is a conversation you won’t want to miss to catch up with Kimberly and celebrate her incredible journey!
From capturing hearts as Robin Scorpio on General Hospital for 30 years to becoming a powerhouse director in Hollywood, Kimberly has had an extraordinary journey. We’ll take a deep dive into her career on GH, her emotional and groundbreaking storylines, and how those experiences shaped her creative vision. She'll also discuss motherhood, what it was like learning from Finola Hughes and Tristan Rogers and the reaction to the Stone / Robins story.
Now a sought-after director, Kimberly has worked on hit series like It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, Fantasy Island, and many more. Discover what led herfrom life in front of the camera to finding her true passion behind it and hear about her exciting new projects in television and film.
This is a conversation you won’t want to miss to catch up with Kimberly and celebrate her incredible journey!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
[Music]
(00:07):
Happy to have you here in the locker room today. I'm Alan Locker.
Emmy Award-winning actress and director Kimberley McCullough is in the locker room.
From capturing hearts as Robin Scorpio in General Hospital for 30 years
to becoming a powerhouse director in Hollywood, she has an extraordinary journey.
We'll take a deep dive into her career on General Hospital,
(00:28):
her emotional and groundbreaking storylines, and how those experience have shaped her creative vision.
Now she's a sought after director and she has worked on hit series like it's always sunny in Philadelphia,
high school musical, the musical, the series, fantasy island, and so much more.
We'll discover what letter from life in front of the camera to finding her true passion behind it
(00:49):
and hear about any exciting new projects in the works.
Please help me welcome Kimberly McCullough to the locker room for the very first time.
Hi Kimberly.
Hello. Thank you for having me.
Happy holidays and thank you for being here. Really pleasure to meet you.
You as well.
I was mentioning your son, Otis, a seven. The holidays are coming up.
(01:12):
What does he get excited about? And what is he into at seven?
He is really into decorations, whether they be Halloween decorations, Christmas decorations,
and so I'm not the biggest holiday person and so I have this like a three foot hot pink fake Christmas tree
(01:36):
that we get out of the storage every year and he helps me decorate that.
And that's pretty much all I'm doing.
Hot pink, where does that tree come from?
I don't know. It was some sort of Amazon lift, but I love it because it's a little bit of like a, you know, I don't know.
(01:58):
I tend to be rebellious in terms of any sort of structure or authority.
I want to do it my own way.
That is so funny. That's what I got.
At seven, do you see any signs of him following in mom's footsteps in the creative?
Well, first of all, that's very sweet of you to ask about my son who is, you know, my favorite person besides my partner.
(02:25):
He is actually playing piano. So this is kind of a, I think, a cute story.
I was in Les Miserables when I was nine years old at the Schubert Theater.
And I was also on general hospital. So I was doing Les Miserables, general hospital,
and I was doing a movie called Purple People Leader, which no one saw and that's totally fine.
(02:47):
But it starred Neil Patrick Harris, who was obsessed with musicals, even then.
And so he would just make me sing songs from Les Miserables like in between takes.
And we just really bonded on, you know, on that.
And so anyway, after I was about to leave Les Miserables because I actually had to go back to general hospital,
(03:10):
I was so sad because I was just kind of learning how to play a little bit of Castle on a Cloud on my piano.
And I'm sorry, on the piano at the, in the basement of the Schubert Theater.
Yeah, yeah, sorry. So my mom actually bought me a piano as a gift to kind of make me feel better about the fact that I wasn't going to be doing Les Miserables anymore.
(03:35):
Anyway, the only song I learned on it was Castle on a Cloud. So I have had this piano since I was nine years old.
And it's in my house and it's been sitting in Otis's playroom his whole life and he's never touched it. He's seven and a half.
And all of a sudden this summer, he started like tinkering around and I started straight up singing Castle on a Cloud to him.
(03:56):
And I showed him the video of when I was on the Jey Leno, but the tonight show, which later became the Jey Leno show, but Jey Leno was the host.
Anyway, he has perfect pitch. And so my son, I just, it was so crazy. He just walked over to the piano and started playing Castle on a Cloud.
So that was the first song he learned only song I know. Yeah.
(04:20):
And he's taking that gave me chills. And now I'm wondering if I saw you in Les Miserables because I feel like I saw Les Miser in New York.
We were in LA, like looking at boxed labels I have in the basement. We were in LA exclusively, but yes, I, I, that's the only musical I've ever done.
And you know what? It's the only musical anyone should ever do. It's amazing. It is amazing and to do it in New York.
(04:47):
In LA, LA. The LA. I wish no, I've never been on. No.
How did motherhood change your life?
Oh, I think the main thing is just that I'm just so much more focused. My priorities are so clear.
(05:09):
It doesn't matter what I do. It always runs through the filter of I'm a mother now.
So yeah, it's been amazing.
We moved to Ohio when I was pregnant. And so that's probably the biggest change is I feel so grateful that we're able to give our son this type of life where he lives.
(05:32):
In this sort of idyllic community. One, one, one day he'll see the real world. But for now I'm keeping a medicine.
How would you describe Ohio?
You know, it's funny. I think the first few times I went to visit there. Sorry, there was a garbage truck outside the window.
(05:54):
And I hear people saying it now. You're like, is this real?
And because it's kind of intense.
It's kind of known as this energy center similar to Sedona, Arizona.
People, you know, for I guess almost a hundred years now have been actually like, you know, leaving Los Angeles and coming to Ohio for
(06:17):
healing, spiritual perspective. So there's a lot of nature. I mean, literally every day I go on a hike in the morning with my dog or by myself.
So I start the day in nature. And so I'm just sort of like a student of that. I've started a garden.
I'm just a different person. Like I, you know, I just love.
(06:40):
I just love being there. It's the community is wonderful. But more than that, I think it's just I get to be in nature as much as I choose to.
That's awesome. I love that. Well, let's go back in time. I love this story.
You were discovered at a break dance battle when you were five years old.
Who introduced you to break dancing? First of all.
(07:05):
You know, I was so young. So I only remember pieces, but I remember what we call working out or that's what they used to call it.
Or basically you're just like practicing and someone's garage that was close by and there was Lennolium and the garage.
So I remember the garage door just being open. And then there was like a boom box and then like a piece of Lennolium and we would just practice there.
(07:30):
So I became a part of this crew that already existed. These three brothers, Chet, Joaquin and Guatemo.
And I was sort of like their, you know, secret weapon because I was already like a competition gymnast by the time I was four.
And so they would just flip me around and they taught me how to do head spins and back spins and the worm and, you know, all kinds of things.
(07:59):
And yeah, so I just basically tagged along to this battle. And at the end of the battle, they brought us backstage and said, "We want to hire you to be in this movie, break into Electric Bougaloo as a feature dancer."
So me and Chet actually were cast in the film and that's where I got my first line and my first line of dialogue.
(08:23):
I was absolutely terrible. And so I asked my mom, "Can I go to acting class because if this ever happens again, I don't want to shit the bed."
[laughter]
That's literally how I became an actor is because I was embarrassed that I was so bad.
And she signed you up for class?
Yeah, yeah. And then I was doing a bunch of commercials where I would like dance. I was basically a dancer. I was on fame, Debbie Allen hired me a few times after that.
(08:56):
And I was kind of like Debbie Allen's like girl, you know. And then I remember my very first theatrical audition was Webster.
Do you remember that show? Of course, of course. I didn't get it because apparently I wasn't funny.
Which brings me to now, I think it's so hilarious that I have this career as a soap opera actor and now a comedy director. But we'll get to that.
(09:23):
But anyway, I wasn't funny. And my agents were also telling my mom that I wasn't commercial. So I wasn't like cute enough, happy enough, cheesy enough.
And so my second audition was for General Hospital and guess what? I guess I was instinctually dramatic. And I got the chance to improv with Sonola, Hewson, Tristan Rogers, who are two of the best actors on the planet.
(09:54):
And they really taught me how to play make believe in but in a very real grounded way. So I just like, you know, it's crazy that that is your second audition.
And you did have to do it 12 times. I think I heard you say, right?
Yes, that's that's correct. It was a lot. It was a lot. But the very final one was a screen test. And the other kind of really cool anecdote.
(10:19):
It was between me and Sherry Applebee for the role of Robin Scorpio. And I just remember being like, there's no way that they're going to pick me because, you know, she's so stunning.
And, you know, we were little girls, but she was stunning. And later like a few years ago, I was directing Roswell. And she was directing right before me.
(10:47):
And so I said, hey, can we meet for dinner on your last night, which was, you know, the night before my first day of shooting. And we sat at the bar at this Italian restaurant and like had spaghetti.
And it was like, we were just talking about like, how crazy is this? Like, yeah, that's the past, right?
Yeah. I mean, the amount of time that passed in both of your lives, it's crazy.
(11:12):
Yeah. And she went to Roswell. She was the star of that. She was the star of Unreal. Obviously, like, you know, she's had this amazing career. And then like there we were directing the same show. It was nuts.
Wow. Was there someone who introduced you to dance? I know you said you were a gymnast, but was there like my mom?
Yeah. My mom was a professional Polynesian dancer. That's a whole nother story. My brothers are Simone. She married the fire and I've dancer.
(11:39):
I have two Simone and Mexican brothers. And yeah, so my mom was a professional dancer and she was also a studio owner. So I was surrounded by dancers. Like when I was a kid, I was like, if you don't dance, like, what do you do?
Are you even human, you know? So, so dances my first love. I still consider myself a dancer, even though, you know, I'm older and can't move very well.
(12:08):
But in my heart. He's not much of a dancer. I think he's more of like a musician. But we'll see whatever he's seven. We'll see.
Yeah, exactly. You never know. Do you remember your reaction at all about when you found out you got the part of Robin?
(12:35):
I think I'll remember is just being excited that I got to see Finola again because speaking of dancing, Finola was a dancer is a dancer. And I knew that I knew that she was the white cat in cats. And so the only thing I could think of was like, wow, I get to be around the white cat somewhere.
(12:59):
That's incredible. I love that. It all centered around the dance for you even more than the, yes, the acting Michael and Gabriel both have said this.
They commented that they are so thrilled that they got to watch you grow up and that you were like one of the only soap characters, Robin, who wasn't so wrist, you know, soap opera, rapid aging syndrome that you got to actually play.
(13:27):
You know, this character throughout her longevity that you were with the show.
That's, yeah, that's correct. Thank you for, you know, saying that, recognizing that it's funny because now that I've had a little bit of time away from Robin.
(13:48):
I think now I can finally really appreciate how much I am her and she is me. And I think that's even more pronounced because nobody else has played my character. I'm knocking on wood right now.
Of course, that could always happen. But yeah, I'm the only one to have ever played Robin. And I didn't really take a big break other than when I went to college when I was in my 20s.
(14:23):
Do you miss it?
General hospital?
The acting part, because I know you enjoy the directing a lot.
I would just say that it was a time in my life that I appreciate so much and I wouldn't be who I was without it.
But I don't feel the need to do it anymore.
(14:47):
I just feel like I've transitioned into another part of myself where I can expand a little bit more.
But I definitely miss the people and the awesome storylines.
Well, I definitely saw you knock that no one else has played her.
(15:08):
So the question of you wouldn't want anyone else to play her. If they wanted Robin back, you prefer it be you.
Yeah, I mean, I didn't say you did, but why are you not saying the way you said that?
Well, I guess I just, you know, I can't control what they do, right? I can't control that.
(15:34):
I'm not on the show anymore. So, of course, I would give my blessing if that's what they want to do.
But yeah, I mean, it would be nice if I could say that I'm the only one that ever played Robin.
Yeah, yeah, 100%.
Jonathan was asking, would you ever want to direct Soaps?
(15:55):
Yes. Yes. Of course.
I want to do everything. I mean, I think the main thing when I went from being an actor to a director,
is, you know, any actor in any genre gets, there's the potential to get pigeonholed, right?
(16:22):
Things are a little bit different now. People kind of, you know, they go from different genres.
They go from film to TV. It's a little bit more fluid than it was then.
But one of the things that was really important to me was to not stay in one place too long.
And again, that kind of goes back to my experience as a dancer.
(16:44):
I felt like once I had mastered, like, let's say, jazz funk, whatever. That was like my favorite classes.
Then it was time for me to go back and take some ballet classes. And then when I would go to ballet,
and I'd feel like, okay, my technique was spruced up, and I needed a challenge.
And I would go take some tap classes. And then when I felt like, you know, I needed to emote more,
(17:06):
I would go take some, you know, lyrical jazz. And like, that's kind of how I moved through the dance studio.
And that's how I would like to move through the business.
I don't ever really want to be known for doing one thing ever again.
I love that. So I know you did the ABC Director's program.
(17:27):
But was there a moment? Was there a director? What led you into that, you know, working as Robin,
you are with directors every day you're on set. So I know you're absorbing that in front of you.
But I'm curious, was there a moment for you?
(17:48):
I would say I was observing since the time I was 12. One of the things I would do to bank school time,
because you know, legally you have to do school when you're under 18 on the set.
And so one of the things I would do is go in the booth, this is before avid.
And I would help them write the ins and outs of the edits of each scene just so I could understand the technical process.
(18:12):
And so that was like one of the first things I did when I was 16, Vanessa Marcel was in my first short film.
And then I went to film school and I made I think five short films and then I went to AFI.
And I made, I guess the first short film I would ever show anybody.
(18:34):
And I won the Nancy Malone Award, who was a director that I respected very much.
And so this was a process that was ongoing for a long time.
And so the transition into the ABC program was really the time where they actually gave me a job.
And so I had shadowed, I mean countless people up until that point.
So that wasn't the beginning. That was just sort of like another stepping stone to getting an actual job.
(19:00):
But it had been like Ed's Wick, Marshall, Herskowitz, Pam Freeman,
some pretty big names there.
And yeah, Leslie Link, a glider, Andy Fickman, Joel's Wick, I mean like,
Alfonso Ribeiro, I mean like all of these directors said yes.
(19:21):
And all of the directors on General Hospital, I had been watching and observing for years.
Fido Xavier, I actually, I actually, I've officially shadowed him.
Like I've kind of done it all in terms of all the, all the, all the.
I've no idea how to go since his guiding like days.
He's a wonderful, wonderful person.
Yeah, you know, I always say like if you want to be in this business,
(19:48):
the gift of being on a set every day is such a gift because you can just open your eyes and learn, you know, it's really something.
Yeah, I, you know, I had the chance because I was a kid.
I got to know people, you know, I got to know our boom operator and our.
(20:09):
Her and make a person in our stage manager and you know, I just, our electricians, our camera operators,
I had a very, very good idea of what everybody's job was.
And I would say that as a director, like that is the most valuable thing is I walk on a set and it's, it's so familiar to me.
(20:33):
I know what's happening in every corner.
I know what's happening before I got there. I know what's happening when I'm there and I know what's going to happen after I leave.
So, you know, not a lot of people can say that.
Are there other directors you look up to female, you know, we definitely have more female directors.
(20:55):
Thankfully than ever before.
Yes.
Let's talk about some of the female directors who you admire and look up to.
Definitely Pam Freiman, Leslie, Gaglater, who is now our directors, guild president.
I shadowed her on homeland.
(21:16):
I think it was season two.
And that was one of the most incredible experiences.
You know, Francesca James is one of my favorite directors still to this day.
I didn't, I got to interview Francesca. I did not know her before and I adored every second I spent with her on the show.
(21:37):
She was quite a lady.
She is quite a lady.
I just watched Night Bitch and I'm obsessed with that movie, Mario Heller.
I'm just like, you are the queen.
I don't know that. Is that a new movie?
Yeah. Yeah. It's a new movie. It's, it's, yeah, you just have to see it. It's pretty amazing.
(21:58):
And do you watch things in it if you must watch things so differently than you did when you were just acting?
Yeah. I mean, I think I've always had a filmmaker's heart.
You know, my, my favorite director is growing up. We're like all over stone and quentin Tarantino.
(22:19):
You know what I mean? They're not, they're not soft. I don't know.
Their films are not, you know, sort of easy.
They're not easy. They're definitely in your face.
Yeah.
Score Saisy. You know, I would say like from Score Saisy and Tarantino, one of the things I love about them as filmmakers is their incorporation of music.
(22:45):
And so when I got to work on high school musical, because I'm a dancer also, but that was really the first time that I got to
sort of use all the tools in my toolbox in terms of incorporating music and making that a visual style.
And, you know, I did over, I don't know, 35, I think musical members on that show.
(23:10):
And I never shot one of them the same. I always challenged myself to do it differently.
I didn't want there to be a formula. Like other shows had done where they just kind of, they call it like a hosing it down.
Where they just present it like a play and they just like shoot the crap out of it.
That wasn't what I wanted to do. I wanted everything to be like really precise.
(23:32):
And so, you know, I was, I was able to develop that language for myself.
And yeah, I don't even know what the question was. Sorry, I kind of went off.
But I guess, I guess the point is, I'm influenced by a lot of people.
I definitely stand on the shoulders of many female directors who like open the door.
(23:54):
And not only directors, I have to say like the thing that's made the biggest difference,
the reason why there are so many female directors I'm talking particularly in television right now,
is because they are female executives that are hiring us.
So, we as directors can only do so much. We can recommend, like you can shadow us.
But really the decision makers, the showrunners and the executives.
(24:18):
Those are the people that actually say yes.
And so it's higher you.
It's because of them, for sure.
Yeah, they have the power. Jonathan was asking, I love this.
And it might be in high school musical favorite shot that you have captured in your directing so far.
Oh, it's actually not high school musical. So, as soon as you said that out to boom.
(24:42):
So, it was on Roswell actually. And it was during a flashback scene.
And these two guys, I think they were re...
One of them was remembering the first time that they kissed the other guy.
Oh god, what are their characters names killing me.
(25:03):
You know what season, what season were you on?
Was it Roswell in New Mexico?
Two, yeah. I think it was two season two.
I had to look it up because I did watch it at the beginning.
I know I think the guys you're talking about, but I don't remember their characters.
Yeah. It was Michael Vlamis.
And it'll come to me. But anyway, the shot was...
(25:28):
It threw the back of a cab of a truck.
And it was like through that window.
It came together in the shot and kissed in the window.
And the landscape behind them was just this like beautiful desert.
And it was early morning. It was like early morning light.
(25:50):
And I am a romantic.
And so, I'm always looking for that romantic shot.
And it's funny. And thank you for asking that question because I've always wanted to print that out and frame it and put it in my house.
I haven't yet because it's literally my home.
Make a note after this. Write it down.
Yeah.
(26:11):
I mean, any those morning shots of sunlight and all of that are spectacular.
Yes. It was so great.
I remember looking at the DP after like we did that shot and I go, and I just fell in love with you.
You make my dreams come true.
Thank you so much.
Well, let's talk about, you know, your Robin's parents, Phenola and Tristan, the impact having both of them to work opposite it's such a young age.
(26:42):
When you think back from this vantage point, how do you think that helped?
Oh, I mean,
how long do you have? I mean, I mean, I
put it this way to this day when Phenola walks in a room.
(27:08):
I'm star-struck.
I know her intimately where friends outside of our work environment.
I still look at her and like, oh my god, I can't believe.
I know that she's a person.
I know that she's a person.
(27:29):
I know that she's a person.
I know that she's a person.
I know that she's a person.
I know that she's a person.
I know that she's a person.
I know that she's a person.
I know that she's a person.
(27:50):
She provided such a safe space for a playful, playful safe space for a kid.
A lot of adults don't know how to relate to kids.
And at this time, he did not have a kid of his own.
So it was actually remarkable how he kept it professional, but also kept it light for me.
(28:19):
So that I would feel as a kid, like I could giggle and we could make jokes.
And we could still always, you know, I'm sorry, but I also knew his lines before he did.
Like he would be like, Kimberly was my lung.
So it wasn't about, you know, we were always playing around.
It was just that he gave space for that.
(28:42):
And that's just like, what a gift.
What a gift that I had like some sense of normalcy, even though I was, you know, in all, for all intents and purposes being treated like an adult.
I worked like full-time job when I was my son's age.
That's what trips me out.
It must when you see him and think that.
(29:03):
Yeah, I'm like, wait, what?
Yeah. That's crazy.
I was listening to the Digest interview you did a few years ago. You talked about the, um, that Tristan's mouth helped pay for your Jack in the box.
Have it.
Was he, he, something like that?
I didn't get the wait.
See that again.
The his mouth.
(29:24):
What?
There was something they said about Jack in the box.
Well, I know that interesting.
I don't know what I meant by that, but, um,
Yeah, it's okay. Don't don't don't.
I do, I do know that I would only eat Jack in the box cheeseburgers and spaghetti with prego sauce when I was seven.
(29:47):
That's literally the only thing I would eat.
So my nephew was a chicken fingers person like, that's all he would eat.
I love that.
Love that.
I actually, I think I love prego sauce too, actually.
I remember that when you said that.
I can't believe I used to eat that. I make my own sauce.
I can't even buy anything in the jars anymore.
(30:12):
Tomorrow is John J. York's birthday.
Tell us about.
Incoming on board and playing Mac.
Oh my gosh.
What a relief.
Um, you know, I had just been told that these two anchors, uh,
are all interested in we're going to be leaving the show.
So I sort of felt like this orphan, you know,
(30:35):
was that hard for you when you heard that?
Oh, yes. Of course.
I leaned on them for everything.
Um, so yeah, what, what, what,
his energy is just so different from the two of them too.
Uh, we just had so much fun.
He just said to loving guy.
He's also just hilarious.
(30:56):
So he was also able to keep things light for me and these moments where I had to like,
you know, contemplate both of my parents blowing up on a boat.
I think it was.
How was that?
How they left.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I think so.
Anyway, happy birthday, John.
Miss you.
Yorkie.
Well, that, that's tough.
(31:17):
Uh, you know, to play that out too, your parents blowing up.
That ain't some easy emotional stuff.
Yeah.
I mean, I've always been a dog lover.
And so whenever I would have to imagine someone dying,
I would just imagine my dog dying and that would just get me.
That was my trick.
Yeah.
Little, little, little secrets.
(31:41):
Um, you got to work with the legendary Gloria Monty.
What, what do you remember most about Gloria?
And, and what do you think you might have learned from her?
What I remember the most is how she carried herself.
Um, she was such a boss.
Like, just power personified walking into a room.
(32:05):
And so I didn't realize this until later,
but when I became a director, you know, there was a lot of talk about,
you know, there weren't a lot of, there was like five,
there was like five female directors in all of Hollywood.
And that was so surprising to me.
And it was almost like a culture shock because I was used to a woman running the show.
(32:28):
So everything that I grew up with and I had seen witnessed, experienced her giving us notes,
uh, the way she would, uh, just the way she would communicate,
the way she would command a room.
I didn't know that that was rare.
I thought that was just the way it should be.
(32:52):
And so I still carry myself with that sort of confidence, you know,
I don't think I've ever really felt like, I don't know, I didn't belong or I shouldn't be there.
I didn't know what I was doing.
Like, I've never, those thoughts don't cross my mind because I was given the example of her at such a young age.
(33:16):
What a gift without knowing it was a gift at that time, right?
Yes.
Yes.
Yeah, incredible.
I love that.
December 1st was World AIDS Day.
You know, will you share memories of working with Michael, the impact of that storyline?
(33:40):
Sure.
I think that I'm just so lucky to have been involved in that story for people that I have met for them to let Michael and I into their lives.
(34:03):
I'm talking about the after school special that we did.
Positive, that's what was called positive, a journey into AIDS.
You know, it's shaped.
It opened my eyes and shaped my perspective about love tremendously.
(34:31):
Also, you know, peeling back the layers of people's bigotry and ignorance.
It's a lot for a 17 year old to handle.
But I'm so grateful and to have Michael as a partner in that was so cool because he was older than me.
(34:58):
He was more experienced in life.
I definitely was kind of sheltered and growing up on a set, you know.
He was like a popular kid from Beverly Hills.
So we had, you know what I mean?
Like we balanced each other out well in that sense.
(35:21):
And it's so insane to me that that's the only acting role.
He's ever had.
Wow.
I didn't realize that.
Is that a trip?
That is a trip and the impact of that story.
That is, I mean, to take on a story that resonated with so many people and that it's his only.
(35:45):
Wow.
Yeah.
I mean, I think I'm correct on that.
I know he kind of, excuse me, he left the business after that.
He may have done something before.
I'm pretty sure that's his only.
I'm pretty damn.
But that is a major, major role as well though.
I mean, he might have done other, you know, but the major.
(36:06):
Do you remember who, who told you about?
Yes.
When they rich told me.
Yeah.
And were you scared or intimidated at knowing the, you know, the sort of the impact that that.
That that what you were about to tell could have.
I had no idea what she was talking about.
(36:31):
Like literally, I had no idea.
I was a virgin myself.
I didn't even know about sex, let alone AIDS, you know.
So I had no idea.
I just knew that this was an issue that people were talking about.
(36:53):
And that, that, you know, it was going to require me to go to like emotional depths that I hadn't before on the show.
But I really didn't, I didn't know what was going to happen.
I had no idea.
But you must have had a lot of faith in Wendy to help lead.
(37:18):
Oh, yeah.
I mean, I could tell that it was important.
And the thing that made me feel safe is that even though I didn't understand it, it seemed like Wendy and ABC were taking it very seriously.
They had hired a doctor as a consultant.
(37:39):
Like this was not your run of the mill, you know, so story where we just kind of made things up as we went along.
This was like very calculated.
And we tried to be as honest, realistic, and medically correct as we possibly could.
(38:03):
When I say we, I mean, the, you know, the writer, all I did was, you know, open my heart.
And you did.
You had an impact.
I mean, all of the fans are writing.
Stone and Robin's story is one of the best.
One of the best in in daytime.
Do you recall, I mean, at the time, it was still snout snail mail and not social media where you heard from everybody.
(38:32):
Immediately.
Yeah.
Is there a, a fan you met a story you heard that has stuck with you that impacted you?
There was a similar theme of interactions.
So I don't remember them like as one instant, but I remember this thing happening all the time, which is someone would come up to me and be like,
(39:08):
my brother's gay.
He hasn't been invited to Thanksgiving dinner for the last five years.
He's invited this year.
You know, my dad hasn't talked to my brother in 10 years.
He's talking to him.
Like, like that.
And now I don't know how, you know, we have to do sort of like a retrospective on the sociology of it.
(39:39):
But so I don't know how heterosexual couple on soap opera bridge that gap.
I don't know, but it did.
Talking about these issues.
You know, it wasn't just a gay disease by you.
Right.
But I mean, you were demonstrating that for those possible parents.
(40:03):
You know, they might have thought it was just, you know, so that bridge of the, I don't know.
I'm just, you know, it might be possible.
Wow.
It's, it's unfortunate, right?
That a TV show, it took a TV show to do that.
However, if it did do that, that's a freaking miracle.
(40:26):
It really is.
So, so that's why I say, I'm so lucky that I was just an instrument in that whole orchestra because, wow.
Like, I never thought as an entertainer, I would get to actually do some healing by proxy.
You know what I mean?
So that's, I'm just, I'm just in awe of that.
(40:50):
That is a beautiful, I don't know the word, but I'll comment that storyline.
Yeah.
That is beautiful.
Okay. You know, as a gay man whose father didn't know, and because I was scared to tell him that, you know, that's beautiful.
You know, I really appreciate that there was that kind of outcome in that story.
(41:14):
Courtney had sent me a message.
What did you think when they released Robin's diary?
Oh, I was like a snarky kid.
So I was probably like a bad spot not when I was thinking like, I wouldn't say that.
I wouldn't think that.
No.
No, but I think that, I think it was great.
(41:40):
I think, I think the book was a really good addendum to,
the after school special, I don't know, it just, it just felt very full, like, full in terms of telling the story from different perspectives.
(42:02):
And I really appreciate that they did that.
Could you have ever imagined that, you know, when you went for that first audition that you would have been playing her for 30 years?
No.
No, but I'm so glad I did.
Yeah. And the fans are two. The fans are certainly, certainly.
(42:25):
What was the first thing you got to direct?
These ideas short-film.
It was shake it up on Disney Channel, which I think is so cool because now I just did my first pilot for Disney Channel.
Yeah, it's being called Vampirina right now, but who does what it will be called? But, yeah, and it just got picked up. So we're all very excited about that.
(42:51):
Oh, that's awesome. Do you have a dream project?
I do. I'm working on it right now. All I can say is I'm writing an original musical with one of my favorite bands.
Ooh, wow. Yeah. Wow, that's pretty great.
(43:14):
And speaking of Soaps, I have been working on a show about growing up on a soap in the 80s.
And I'm currently working on it with the producers of Wednesday.
So it is officially in the works, in development.
(43:36):
Like a reality or like a scripted.
A scripted series, yeah.
Oh, great. So like a young person, possibly within the show being on a soap?
Yes.
Oh, I love that. That's all I can say.
Yeah, no, no, no. Don't. Oh, well, that's very exciting. Mel just said, I know it's boring, but I fell in love with General Hospital because of scenes where Kimberly and Vanessa Marcel would sit, have coffee, and talk about what was going on in Port Charles.
(44:05):
Yeah. Yeah. It was like the housewives of Port Charles before there was a housewives shows, right?
What do you remember about the late Jackie Zeman?
Oh, just love and light.
Love and light in her laugh, her glow,
(44:29):
diswarms. She's always bringing me gifts and her love for her daughters.
Oh, she, I got to sit with her. She was something and she was a Jersey girl, you know, from New Jersey.
We bond.
Yeah, she was fiery too. Firey and love and light. Yeah, totally.
(44:52):
Is it true you called the producers of all my children in 2001 to suggest Robin coming to reunite with Phenola's character, Anna?
I don't think so. Who's that?
I read that somewhere. I wasn't sure if it was right. I love. But so all my children called you to come and do that.
(45:15):
I think so. What year did you say that was 2001, I think. 2001.
I don't remember how it happened. It was probably the combo of me and Phenola saying we'd like to work together again.
She was on that show, you know.
Was it fun being in New York to do it?
Oh, yeah. There's nothing better than working in New York. I got to work one time as a director in New York and it was just epic.
(45:43):
What did you do?
It's called almost family. It was a show on Fox during Britney Snow.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. I remember I worked with Britney on Guiding Light.
Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Another actress who's just, yeah, just so on it because of her soap training.
Yeah. I mean, there is nothing. I mean, I don't know all the directing you've done.
(46:09):
Have you had soap actors that you?
Yes. So fantasy island, my star of that episode.
Yes, of course, my show asked the world turns.
Yeah. And it was so funny because I didn't want to assume she knew who I was.
I mean, I of course knew who she was.
So I, and this was during, you know, time of COVID.
(46:30):
So I was wearing a mask outside.
And I was setting up the scene and I was saying, oh, I'd love you to stand here.
And this is what you're looking at and we were like in between setups.
And she's like, excuse me.
We know each other, right? She's like, your voice, like it's driving me crazy.
I know your voice. Who are you? Why do I know you?
(46:52):
And I was like, oh, I'm pretty sure I met you at an Emmys or something.
And she was like, oh, my God, Robin.
It's so funny.
That is so funny.
Yeah.
You know, you must know you have somebody who can do it the minute you work with somebody who's done daytime.
Oh, yeah. I mean, I've had so many, like,
(47:15):
yeah, so many, so many former, so bactore.
Yeah.
It just makes a world of difference to, you know, seriously.
I mean, I know the, the, the saying is if you can do daytime, you can do anything.
But it is really true.
It's really true. I mean, I'm in Venice right now.
So I'll say it is, it's funny when I was learning to surf.
(47:37):
It's like, if you can surf break water, you can, you can surf anywhere.
And it's true. Like I went to Hawaii to surf a couple of years after I started to learn here.
And I was like, oh, this is a, this wave goes on for more than a second and a half.
Oh, my God. Okay. This is so easy.
You know, so that's kind of how it feels.
(47:58):
You're like, whoa, I know how to make this work. But man, this is like, it's a smooth sailing.
That is so funny.
My husband has introduced me very, me very late.
He watched the entire series already.
But we're watching it before we got it bad every night.
It's always sunny in Philadelphia.
So I don't think I've gotten to which episode you've directed.
(48:19):
But one of the fans, I think.
I mean, I think it was season 14.
It is insane how that show is still, I mean, they are phenomenal.
Yes.
A phenomenal group.
Do you prefer comedy or drama when you direct?
I don't prefer either.
I think for me, it's all about the script is, you know, is it written well?
(48:45):
That's what makes it fun.
And I always like a challenge.
And you are now writing, right?
Things for yourself, like these projects?
Yeah, I'm actually writing my first feature right now.
Yeah.
And how are you finding that process?
Oh my gosh, writing is so hard.
(49:07):
It's such a solo act, you know.
I'm used to being on set.
Like, I know how to command a set.
I know how to bring the best out of all the department heads.
But man, it's hard to bring the best out of yourself.
And I assume you could appreciate what daytime does.
Oh my gosh.
(49:28):
Yes, I cannot believe that.
What a team.
They have been coming up with great stories for over 60 years.
It's just, wow, beautiful thing.
Yeah.
Before I let you go, who are some of, you know, when you think back, like mentors that have helped guide who Kimberly McCulloch is today?
(49:50):
Oh, that's not an easy question.
Yeah.
So we mentioned some of them.
I would say, you know, also John Riley.
Gosh.
I mean, legend.
Christina Melondro.
Sorry, go ahead.
What we're going to say?
I'm going to say a legend himself, John.
(50:12):
Yes.
Gosh, Jack Wagner.
Yeah.
Just so, I mean Vanessa, Vanessa Marcel is like still one of my closest friends.
Amber Tamplin.
I mean, God, I look up to her so much.
What she's doing in the world is just so admirable.
(50:37):
Talking about using your voice, right?
Yeah.
Yeah.
I've had so many.
I'm a lucky gal.
Yeah.
You are.
But, you know, thanks to them, you've turned into a pretty incredible woman.
Oh, thank you.
That's what I see you just say.
Well, pleasure to meet you, Kimberly.
(50:58):
I know you have to jet.
And thank you so much.
When you have a project, when that's so project, let's do this.
When you get that show on the air, the...
Or, sure.
We must.
Please come back.
Please come back anytime.
And, yeah, thank you for the people I can't see.
I'm just looking.
They are all here.
They are sending you lots of love.
(51:20):
Michael said I enjoyed your work on the Conners.
Oh, that's so nice.
Yeah.
It's just...
One more thing I'll say is that it's so lovely.
Like, I also get to know, even though I've, you know, I'm doing more behind the camera, behind
the scene stuff, that my soap family is literally there cheering me on.
(51:44):
And, you know, I see a little bit in our interactions on socials, but I feel it more than anything.
And I just want to say to those people, I appreciate that so much that you're watching what Robin is directing.
Like, I can't even tell you, like, that's such a blessing.
Thank you.
Thank you so much.
It is an impact of this medium.
Yeah.
Really, it really is, you know.
(52:06):
Yeah.
I mean, you know, I grew up on the shows that I worked on, but, you know, I follow all those people from back, you know,
you want to see their success.
It's just a different...
Yeah.
It's a community, you know, so you want to see where, you know, everyone is flourishing, so yeah, I appreciate that.
Well, I know that they would welcome you back in Port Charles with open arms.
(52:29):
Yeah, maybe someday soon.
I heard Robin has a step-sister, so maybe I need this.
Exactly.
There you go.
You have a great afternoon, and thank you so much for spending the hour.
Yeah, you too.
Thank you.
Bye, Ellen.
You're so welcome.
Bye.
Thanks, everybody, for joining us today.
Thank you to Kernbidly for spending this hour with all of us.
(52:52):
If you haven't yet subscribed to my YouTube channel, you can do so down below.
Turn on the notifications for reminders of all upcoming shows, and don't forget you can stream audio versions by searching the locker room on your favorite podcast app.
[Music]
[Music]
[Music]
(00:07):
Happy to have you here in the locker room today. I'm Alan Locker.
Emmy Award-winning actress and director Kimberley McCullough is in the locker room.
From capturing hearts as Robin Scorpio in General Hospital for 30 years
to becoming a powerhouse director in Hollywood, she has an extraordinary journey.
We'll take a deep dive into her career on General Hospital,
(00:28):
her emotional and groundbreaking storylines, and how those experience have shaped her creative vision.
Now she's a sought after director and she has worked on hit series like it's always sunny in Philadelphia,
high school musical, the musical, the series, fantasy island, and so much more.
We'll discover what letter from life in front of the camera to finding her true passion behind it
(00:49):
and hear about any exciting new projects in the works.
Please help me welcome Kimberly McCullough to the locker room for the very first time.
Hi Kimberly.
Hello. Thank you for having me.
Happy holidays and thank you for being here. Really pleasure to meet you.
You as well.
I was mentioning your son, Otis, a seven. The holidays are coming up.
(01:12):
What does he get excited about? And what is he into at seven?
He is really into decorations, whether they be Halloween decorations, Christmas decorations,
and so I'm not the biggest holiday person and so I have this like a three foot hot pink fake Christmas tree
(01:36):
that we get out of the storage every year and he helps me decorate that.
And that's pretty much all I'm doing.
Hot pink, where does that tree come from?
I don't know. It was some sort of Amazon lift, but I love it because it's a little bit of like a, you know, I don't know.
(01:58):
I tend to be rebellious in terms of any sort of structure or authority.
I want to do it my own way.
That is so funny. That's what I got.
At seven, do you see any signs of him following in mom's footsteps in the creative?
Well, first of all, that's very sweet of you to ask about my son who is, you know, my favorite person besides my partner.
(02:25):
He is actually playing piano. So this is kind of a, I think, a cute story.
I was in Les Miserables when I was nine years old at the Schubert Theater.
And I was also on general hospital. So I was doing Les Miserables, general hospital,
and I was doing a movie called Purple People Leader, which no one saw and that's totally fine.
(02:47):
But it starred Neil Patrick Harris, who was obsessed with musicals, even then.
And so he would just make me sing songs from Les Miserables like in between takes.
And we just really bonded on, you know, on that.
And so anyway, after I was about to leave Les Miserables because I actually had to go back to general hospital,
(03:10):
I was so sad because I was just kind of learning how to play a little bit of Castle on a Cloud on my piano.
And I'm sorry, on the piano at the, in the basement of the Schubert Theater.
Yeah, yeah, sorry. So my mom actually bought me a piano as a gift to kind of make me feel better about the fact that I wasn't going to be doing Les Miserables anymore.
(03:35):
Anyway, the only song I learned on it was Castle on a Cloud. So I have had this piano since I was nine years old.
And it's in my house and it's been sitting in Otis's playroom his whole life and he's never touched it. He's seven and a half.
And all of a sudden this summer, he started like tinkering around and I started straight up singing Castle on a Cloud to him.
(03:56):
And I showed him the video of when I was on the Jey Leno, but the tonight show, which later became the Jey Leno show, but Jey Leno was the host.
Anyway, he has perfect pitch. And so my son, I just, it was so crazy. He just walked over to the piano and started playing Castle on a Cloud.
So that was the first song he learned only song I know. Yeah.
(04:20):
And he's taking that gave me chills. And now I'm wondering if I saw you in Les Miserables because I feel like I saw Les Miser in New York.
We were in LA, like looking at boxed labels I have in the basement. We were in LA exclusively, but yes, I, I, that's the only musical I've ever done.
And you know what? It's the only musical anyone should ever do. It's amazing. It is amazing and to do it in New York.
(04:47):
In LA, LA. The LA. I wish no, I've never been on. No.
How did motherhood change your life?
Oh, I think the main thing is just that I'm just so much more focused. My priorities are so clear.
(05:09):
It doesn't matter what I do. It always runs through the filter of I'm a mother now.
So yeah, it's been amazing.
We moved to Ohio when I was pregnant. And so that's probably the biggest change is I feel so grateful that we're able to give our son this type of life where he lives.
(05:32):
In this sort of idyllic community. One, one, one day he'll see the real world. But for now I'm keeping a medicine.
How would you describe Ohio?
You know, it's funny. I think the first few times I went to visit there. Sorry, there was a garbage truck outside the window.
(05:54):
And I hear people saying it now. You're like, is this real?
And because it's kind of intense.
It's kind of known as this energy center similar to Sedona, Arizona.
People, you know, for I guess almost a hundred years now have been actually like, you know, leaving Los Angeles and coming to Ohio for
(06:17):
healing, spiritual perspective. So there's a lot of nature. I mean, literally every day I go on a hike in the morning with my dog or by myself.
So I start the day in nature. And so I'm just sort of like a student of that. I've started a garden.
I'm just a different person. Like I, you know, I just love.
(06:40):
I just love being there. It's the community is wonderful. But more than that, I think it's just I get to be in nature as much as I choose to.
That's awesome. I love that. Well, let's go back in time. I love this story.
You were discovered at a break dance battle when you were five years old.
Who introduced you to break dancing? First of all.
(07:05):
You know, I was so young. So I only remember pieces, but I remember what we call working out or that's what they used to call it.
Or basically you're just like practicing and someone's garage that was close by and there was Lennolium and the garage.
So I remember the garage door just being open. And then there was like a boom box and then like a piece of Lennolium and we would just practice there.
(07:30):
So I became a part of this crew that already existed. These three brothers, Chet, Joaquin and Guatemo.
And I was sort of like their, you know, secret weapon because I was already like a competition gymnast by the time I was four.
And so they would just flip me around and they taught me how to do head spins and back spins and the worm and, you know, all kinds of things.
(07:59):
And yeah, so I just basically tagged along to this battle. And at the end of the battle, they brought us backstage and said, "We want to hire you to be in this movie, break into Electric Bougaloo as a feature dancer."
So me and Chet actually were cast in the film and that's where I got my first line and my first line of dialogue.
(08:23):
I was absolutely terrible. And so I asked my mom, "Can I go to acting class because if this ever happens again, I don't want to shit the bed."
[laughter]
That's literally how I became an actor is because I was embarrassed that I was so bad.
And she signed you up for class?
Yeah, yeah. And then I was doing a bunch of commercials where I would like dance. I was basically a dancer. I was on fame, Debbie Allen hired me a few times after that.
(08:56):
And I was kind of like Debbie Allen's like girl, you know. And then I remember my very first theatrical audition was Webster.
Do you remember that show? Of course, of course. I didn't get it because apparently I wasn't funny.
Which brings me to now, I think it's so hilarious that I have this career as a soap opera actor and now a comedy director. But we'll get to that.
(09:23):
But anyway, I wasn't funny. And my agents were also telling my mom that I wasn't commercial. So I wasn't like cute enough, happy enough, cheesy enough.
And so my second audition was for General Hospital and guess what? I guess I was instinctually dramatic. And I got the chance to improv with Sonola, Hewson, Tristan Rogers, who are two of the best actors on the planet.
(09:54):
And they really taught me how to play make believe in but in a very real grounded way. So I just like, you know, it's crazy that that is your second audition.
And you did have to do it 12 times. I think I heard you say, right?
Yes, that's that's correct. It was a lot. It was a lot. But the very final one was a screen test. And the other kind of really cool anecdote.
(10:19):
It was between me and Sherry Applebee for the role of Robin Scorpio. And I just remember being like, there's no way that they're going to pick me because, you know, she's so stunning.
And, you know, we were little girls, but she was stunning. And later like a few years ago, I was directing Roswell. And she was directing right before me.
(10:47):
And so I said, hey, can we meet for dinner on your last night, which was, you know, the night before my first day of shooting. And we sat at the bar at this Italian restaurant and like had spaghetti.
And it was like, we were just talking about like, how crazy is this? Like, yeah, that's the past, right?
Yeah. I mean, the amount of time that passed in both of your lives, it's crazy.
(11:12):
Yeah. And she went to Roswell. She was the star of that. She was the star of Unreal. Obviously, like, you know, she's had this amazing career. And then like there we were directing the same show. It was nuts.
Wow. Was there someone who introduced you to dance? I know you said you were a gymnast, but was there like my mom?
Yeah. My mom was a professional Polynesian dancer. That's a whole nother story. My brothers are Simone. She married the fire and I've dancer.
(11:39):
I have two Simone and Mexican brothers. And yeah, so my mom was a professional dancer and she was also a studio owner. So I was surrounded by dancers. Like when I was a kid, I was like, if you don't dance, like, what do you do?
Are you even human, you know? So, so dances my first love. I still consider myself a dancer, even though, you know, I'm older and can't move very well.
(12:08):
But in my heart. He's not much of a dancer. I think he's more of like a musician. But we'll see whatever he's seven. We'll see.
Yeah, exactly. You never know. Do you remember your reaction at all about when you found out you got the part of Robin?
(12:35):
I think I'll remember is just being excited that I got to see Finola again because speaking of dancing, Finola was a dancer is a dancer. And I knew that I knew that she was the white cat in cats. And so the only thing I could think of was like, wow, I get to be around the white cat somewhere.
(12:59):
That's incredible. I love that. It all centered around the dance for you even more than the, yes, the acting Michael and Gabriel both have said this.
They commented that they are so thrilled that they got to watch you grow up and that you were like one of the only soap characters, Robin, who wasn't so wrist, you know, soap opera, rapid aging syndrome that you got to actually play.
(13:27):
You know, this character throughout her longevity that you were with the show.
That's, yeah, that's correct. Thank you for, you know, saying that, recognizing that it's funny because now that I've had a little bit of time away from Robin.
(13:48):
I think now I can finally really appreciate how much I am her and she is me. And I think that's even more pronounced because nobody else has played my character. I'm knocking on wood right now.
Of course, that could always happen. But yeah, I'm the only one to have ever played Robin. And I didn't really take a big break other than when I went to college when I was in my 20s.
(14:23):
Do you miss it?
General hospital?
The acting part, because I know you enjoy the directing a lot.
I would just say that it was a time in my life that I appreciate so much and I wouldn't be who I was without it.
But I don't feel the need to do it anymore.
(14:47):
I just feel like I've transitioned into another part of myself where I can expand a little bit more.
But I definitely miss the people and the awesome storylines.
Well, I definitely saw you knock that no one else has played her.
(15:08):
So the question of you wouldn't want anyone else to play her. If they wanted Robin back, you prefer it be you.
Yeah, I mean, I didn't say you did, but why are you not saying the way you said that?
Well, I guess I just, you know, I can't control what they do, right? I can't control that.
(15:34):
I'm not on the show anymore. So, of course, I would give my blessing if that's what they want to do.
But yeah, I mean, it would be nice if I could say that I'm the only one that ever played Robin.
Yeah, yeah, 100%.
Jonathan was asking, would you ever want to direct Soaps?
(15:55):
Yes. Yes. Of course.
I want to do everything. I mean, I think the main thing when I went from being an actor to a director,
is, you know, any actor in any genre gets, there's the potential to get pigeonholed, right?
(16:22):
Things are a little bit different now. People kind of, you know, they go from different genres.
They go from film to TV. It's a little bit more fluid than it was then.
But one of the things that was really important to me was to not stay in one place too long.
And again, that kind of goes back to my experience as a dancer.
(16:44):
I felt like once I had mastered, like, let's say, jazz funk, whatever. That was like my favorite classes.
Then it was time for me to go back and take some ballet classes. And then when I would go to ballet,
and I'd feel like, okay, my technique was spruced up, and I needed a challenge.
And I would go take some tap classes. And then when I felt like, you know, I needed to emote more,
(17:06):
I would go take some, you know, lyrical jazz. And like, that's kind of how I moved through the dance studio.
And that's how I would like to move through the business.
I don't ever really want to be known for doing one thing ever again.
I love that. So I know you did the ABC Director's program.
(17:27):
But was there a moment? Was there a director? What led you into that, you know, working as Robin,
you are with directors every day you're on set. So I know you're absorbing that in front of you.
But I'm curious, was there a moment for you?
(17:48):
I would say I was observing since the time I was 12. One of the things I would do to bank school time,
because you know, legally you have to do school when you're under 18 on the set.
And so one of the things I would do is go in the booth, this is before avid.
And I would help them write the ins and outs of the edits of each scene just so I could understand the technical process.
(18:12):
And so that was like one of the first things I did when I was 16, Vanessa Marcel was in my first short film.
And then I went to film school and I made I think five short films and then I went to AFI.
And I made, I guess the first short film I would ever show anybody.
(18:34):
And I won the Nancy Malone Award, who was a director that I respected very much.
And so this was a process that was ongoing for a long time.
And so the transition into the ABC program was really the time where they actually gave me a job.
And so I had shadowed, I mean countless people up until that point.
So that wasn't the beginning. That was just sort of like another stepping stone to getting an actual job.
(19:00):
But it had been like Ed's Wick, Marshall, Herskowitz, Pam Freeman,
some pretty big names there.
And yeah, Leslie Link, a glider, Andy Fickman, Joel's Wick, I mean like,
Alfonso Ribeiro, I mean like all of these directors said yes.
(19:21):
And all of the directors on General Hospital, I had been watching and observing for years.
Fido Xavier, I actually, I actually, I've officially shadowed him.
Like I've kind of done it all in terms of all the, all the, all the.
I've no idea how to go since his guiding like days.
He's a wonderful, wonderful person.
Yeah, you know, I always say like if you want to be in this business,
(19:48):
the gift of being on a set every day is such a gift because you can just open your eyes and learn, you know, it's really something.
Yeah, I, you know, I had the chance because I was a kid.
I got to know people, you know, I got to know our boom operator and our.
(20:09):
Her and make a person in our stage manager and you know, I just, our electricians, our camera operators,
I had a very, very good idea of what everybody's job was.
And I would say that as a director, like that is the most valuable thing is I walk on a set and it's, it's so familiar to me.
(20:33):
I know what's happening in every corner.
I know what's happening before I got there. I know what's happening when I'm there and I know what's going to happen after I leave.
So, you know, not a lot of people can say that.
Are there other directors you look up to female, you know, we definitely have more female directors.
(20:55):
Thankfully than ever before.
Yes.
Let's talk about some of the female directors who you admire and look up to.
Definitely Pam Freiman, Leslie, Gaglater, who is now our directors, guild president.
I shadowed her on homeland.
(21:16):
I think it was season two.
And that was one of the most incredible experiences.
You know, Francesca James is one of my favorite directors still to this day.
I didn't, I got to interview Francesca. I did not know her before and I adored every second I spent with her on the show.
(21:37):
She was quite a lady.
She is quite a lady.
I just watched Night Bitch and I'm obsessed with that movie, Mario Heller.
I'm just like, you are the queen.
I don't know that. Is that a new movie?
Yeah. Yeah. It's a new movie. It's, it's, yeah, you just have to see it. It's pretty amazing.
(21:58):
And do you watch things in it if you must watch things so differently than you did when you were just acting?
Yeah. I mean, I think I've always had a filmmaker's heart.
You know, my, my favorite director is growing up. We're like all over stone and quentin Tarantino.
(22:19):
You know what I mean? They're not, they're not soft. I don't know.
Their films are not, you know, sort of easy.
They're not easy. They're definitely in your face.
Yeah.
Score Saisy. You know, I would say like from Score Saisy and Tarantino, one of the things I love about them as filmmakers is their incorporation of music.
(22:45):
And so when I got to work on high school musical, because I'm a dancer also, but that was really the first time that I got to
sort of use all the tools in my toolbox in terms of incorporating music and making that a visual style.
And, you know, I did over, I don't know, 35, I think musical members on that show.
(23:10):
And I never shot one of them the same. I always challenged myself to do it differently.
I didn't want there to be a formula. Like other shows had done where they just kind of, they call it like a hosing it down.
Where they just present it like a play and they just like shoot the crap out of it.
That wasn't what I wanted to do. I wanted everything to be like really precise.
(23:32):
And so, you know, I was, I was able to develop that language for myself.
And yeah, I don't even know what the question was. Sorry, I kind of went off.
But I guess, I guess the point is, I'm influenced by a lot of people.
I definitely stand on the shoulders of many female directors who like open the door.
(23:54):
And not only directors, I have to say like the thing that's made the biggest difference,
the reason why there are so many female directors I'm talking particularly in television right now,
is because they are female executives that are hiring us.
So, we as directors can only do so much. We can recommend, like you can shadow us.
But really the decision makers, the showrunners and the executives.
(24:18):
Those are the people that actually say yes.
And so it's higher you.
It's because of them, for sure.
Yeah, they have the power. Jonathan was asking, I love this.
And it might be in high school musical favorite shot that you have captured in your directing so far.
Oh, it's actually not high school musical. So, as soon as you said that out to boom.
(24:42):
So, it was on Roswell actually. And it was during a flashback scene.
And these two guys, I think they were re...
One of them was remembering the first time that they kissed the other guy.
Oh god, what are their characters names killing me.
(25:03):
You know what season, what season were you on?
Was it Roswell in New Mexico?
Two, yeah. I think it was two season two.
I had to look it up because I did watch it at the beginning.
I know I think the guys you're talking about, but I don't remember their characters.
Yeah. It was Michael Vlamis.
And it'll come to me. But anyway, the shot was...
(25:28):
It threw the back of a cab of a truck.
And it was like through that window.
It came together in the shot and kissed in the window.
And the landscape behind them was just this like beautiful desert.
And it was early morning. It was like early morning light.
(25:50):
And I am a romantic.
And so, I'm always looking for that romantic shot.
And it's funny. And thank you for asking that question because I've always wanted to print that out and frame it and put it in my house.
I haven't yet because it's literally my home.
Make a note after this. Write it down.
Yeah.
(26:11):
I mean, any those morning shots of sunlight and all of that are spectacular.
Yes. It was so great.
I remember looking at the DP after like we did that shot and I go, and I just fell in love with you.
You make my dreams come true.
Thank you so much.
Well, let's talk about, you know, your Robin's parents, Phenola and Tristan, the impact having both of them to work opposite it's such a young age.
(26:42):
When you think back from this vantage point, how do you think that helped?
Oh, I mean,
how long do you have? I mean, I mean, I
put it this way to this day when Phenola walks in a room.
(27:08):
I'm star-struck.
I know her intimately where friends outside of our work environment.
I still look at her and like, oh my god, I can't believe.
I know that she's a person.
I know that she's a person.
(27:29):
I know that she's a person.
I know that she's a person.
I know that she's a person.
I know that she's a person.
I know that she's a person.
I know that she's a person.
I know that she's a person.
(27:50):
She provided such a safe space for a playful, playful safe space for a kid.
A lot of adults don't know how to relate to kids.
And at this time, he did not have a kid of his own.
So it was actually remarkable how he kept it professional, but also kept it light for me.
(28:19):
So that I would feel as a kid, like I could giggle and we could make jokes.
And we could still always, you know, I'm sorry, but I also knew his lines before he did.
Like he would be like, Kimberly was my lung.
So it wasn't about, you know, we were always playing around.
It was just that he gave space for that.
(28:42):
And that's just like, what a gift.
What a gift that I had like some sense of normalcy, even though I was, you know, in all, for all intents and purposes being treated like an adult.
I worked like full-time job when I was my son's age.
That's what trips me out.
It must when you see him and think that.
(29:03):
Yeah, I'm like, wait, what?
Yeah. That's crazy.
I was listening to the Digest interview you did a few years ago. You talked about the, um, that Tristan's mouth helped pay for your Jack in the box.
Have it.
Was he, he, something like that?
I didn't get the wait.
See that again.
The his mouth.
(29:24):
What?
There was something they said about Jack in the box.
Well, I know that interesting.
I don't know what I meant by that, but, um,
Yeah, it's okay. Don't don't don't.
I do, I do know that I would only eat Jack in the box cheeseburgers and spaghetti with prego sauce when I was seven.
(29:47):
That's literally the only thing I would eat.
So my nephew was a chicken fingers person like, that's all he would eat.
I love that.
Love that.
I actually, I think I love prego sauce too, actually.
I remember that when you said that.
I can't believe I used to eat that. I make my own sauce.
I can't even buy anything in the jars anymore.
(30:12):
Tomorrow is John J. York's birthday.
Tell us about.
Incoming on board and playing Mac.
Oh my gosh.
What a relief.
Um, you know, I had just been told that these two anchors, uh,
are all interested in we're going to be leaving the show.
So I sort of felt like this orphan, you know,
(30:35):
was that hard for you when you heard that?
Oh, yes. Of course.
I leaned on them for everything.
Um, so yeah, what, what, what,
his energy is just so different from the two of them too.
Uh, we just had so much fun.
He just said to loving guy.
He's also just hilarious.
(30:56):
So he was also able to keep things light for me and these moments where I had to like,
you know, contemplate both of my parents blowing up on a boat.
I think it was.
How was that?
How they left.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I think so.
Anyway, happy birthday, John.
Miss you.
Yorkie.
Well, that, that's tough.
(31:17):
Uh, you know, to play that out too, your parents blowing up.
That ain't some easy emotional stuff.
Yeah.
I mean, I've always been a dog lover.
And so whenever I would have to imagine someone dying,
I would just imagine my dog dying and that would just get me.
That was my trick.
Yeah.
Little, little, little secrets.
(31:41):
Um, you got to work with the legendary Gloria Monty.
What, what do you remember most about Gloria?
And, and what do you think you might have learned from her?
What I remember the most is how she carried herself.
Um, she was such a boss.
Like, just power personified walking into a room.
(32:05):
And so I didn't realize this until later,
but when I became a director, you know, there was a lot of talk about,
you know, there weren't a lot of, there was like five,
there was like five female directors in all of Hollywood.
And that was so surprising to me.
And it was almost like a culture shock because I was used to a woman running the show.
(32:28):
So everything that I grew up with and I had seen witnessed, experienced her giving us notes,
uh, the way she would, uh, just the way she would communicate,
the way she would command a room.
I didn't know that that was rare.
I thought that was just the way it should be.
(32:52):
And so I still carry myself with that sort of confidence, you know,
I don't think I've ever really felt like, I don't know, I didn't belong or I shouldn't be there.
I didn't know what I was doing.
Like, I've never, those thoughts don't cross my mind because I was given the example of her at such a young age.
(33:16):
What a gift without knowing it was a gift at that time, right?
Yes.
Yes.
Yeah, incredible.
I love that.
December 1st was World AIDS Day.
You know, will you share memories of working with Michael, the impact of that storyline?
(33:40):
Sure.
I think that I'm just so lucky to have been involved in that story for people that I have met for them to let Michael and I into their lives.
(34:03):
I'm talking about the after school special that we did.
Positive, that's what was called positive, a journey into AIDS.
You know, it's shaped.
It opened my eyes and shaped my perspective about love tremendously.
(34:31):
Also, you know, peeling back the layers of people's bigotry and ignorance.
It's a lot for a 17 year old to handle.
But I'm so grateful and to have Michael as a partner in that was so cool because he was older than me.
(34:58):
He was more experienced in life.
I definitely was kind of sheltered and growing up on a set, you know.
He was like a popular kid from Beverly Hills.
So we had, you know what I mean?
Like we balanced each other out well in that sense.
(35:21):
And it's so insane to me that that's the only acting role.
He's ever had.
Wow.
I didn't realize that.
Is that a trip?
That is a trip and the impact of that story.
That is, I mean, to take on a story that resonated with so many people and that it's his only.
(35:45):
Wow.
Yeah.
I mean, I think I'm correct on that.
I know he kind of, excuse me, he left the business after that.
He may have done something before.
I'm pretty sure that's his only.
I'm pretty damn.
But that is a major, major role as well though.
I mean, he might have done other, you know, but the major.
(36:06):
Do you remember who, who told you about?
Yes.
When they rich told me.
Yeah.
And were you scared or intimidated at knowing the, you know, the sort of the impact that that.
That that what you were about to tell could have.
I had no idea what she was talking about.
(36:31):
Like literally, I had no idea.
I was a virgin myself.
I didn't even know about sex, let alone AIDS, you know.
So I had no idea.
I just knew that this was an issue that people were talking about.
(36:53):
And that, that, you know, it was going to require me to go to like emotional depths that I hadn't before on the show.
But I really didn't, I didn't know what was going to happen.
I had no idea.
But you must have had a lot of faith in Wendy to help lead.
(37:18):
Oh, yeah.
I mean, I could tell that it was important.
And the thing that made me feel safe is that even though I didn't understand it, it seemed like Wendy and ABC were taking it very seriously.
They had hired a doctor as a consultant.
(37:39):
Like this was not your run of the mill, you know, so story where we just kind of made things up as we went along.
This was like very calculated.
And we tried to be as honest, realistic, and medically correct as we possibly could.
(38:03):
When I say we, I mean, the, you know, the writer, all I did was, you know, open my heart.
And you did.
You had an impact.
I mean, all of the fans are writing.
Stone and Robin's story is one of the best.
One of the best in in daytime.
Do you recall, I mean, at the time, it was still snout snail mail and not social media where you heard from everybody.
(38:32):
Immediately.
Yeah.
Is there a, a fan you met a story you heard that has stuck with you that impacted you?
There was a similar theme of interactions.
So I don't remember them like as one instant, but I remember this thing happening all the time, which is someone would come up to me and be like,
(39:08):
my brother's gay.
He hasn't been invited to Thanksgiving dinner for the last five years.
He's invited this year.
You know, my dad hasn't talked to my brother in 10 years.
He's talking to him.
Like, like that.
And now I don't know how, you know, we have to do sort of like a retrospective on the sociology of it.
(39:39):
But so I don't know how heterosexual couple on soap opera bridge that gap.
I don't know, but it did.
Talking about these issues.
You know, it wasn't just a gay disease by you.
Right.
But I mean, you were demonstrating that for those possible parents.
(40:03):
You know, they might have thought it was just, you know, so that bridge of the, I don't know.
I'm just, you know, it might be possible.
Wow.
It's, it's unfortunate, right?
That a TV show, it took a TV show to do that.
However, if it did do that, that's a freaking miracle.
(40:26):
It really is.
So, so that's why I say, I'm so lucky that I was just an instrument in that whole orchestra because, wow.
Like, I never thought as an entertainer, I would get to actually do some healing by proxy.
You know what I mean?
So that's, I'm just, I'm just in awe of that.
(40:50):
That is a beautiful, I don't know the word, but I'll comment that storyline.
Yeah.
That is beautiful.
Okay. You know, as a gay man whose father didn't know, and because I was scared to tell him that, you know, that's beautiful.
You know, I really appreciate that there was that kind of outcome in that story.
(41:14):
Courtney had sent me a message.
What did you think when they released Robin's diary?
Oh, I was like a snarky kid.
So I was probably like a bad spot not when I was thinking like, I wouldn't say that.
I wouldn't think that.
No.
No, but I think that, I think it was great.
(41:40):
I think, I think the book was a really good addendum to,
the after school special, I don't know, it just, it just felt very full, like, full in terms of telling the story from different perspectives.
(42:02):
And I really appreciate that they did that.
Could you have ever imagined that, you know, when you went for that first audition that you would have been playing her for 30 years?
No.
No, but I'm so glad I did.
Yeah. And the fans are two. The fans are certainly, certainly.
(42:25):
What was the first thing you got to direct?
These ideas short-film.
It was shake it up on Disney Channel, which I think is so cool because now I just did my first pilot for Disney Channel.
Yeah, it's being called Vampirina right now, but who does what it will be called? But, yeah, and it just got picked up. So we're all very excited about that.
(42:51):
Oh, that's awesome. Do you have a dream project?
I do. I'm working on it right now. All I can say is I'm writing an original musical with one of my favorite bands.
Ooh, wow. Yeah. Wow, that's pretty great.
(43:14):
And speaking of Soaps, I have been working on a show about growing up on a soap in the 80s.
And I'm currently working on it with the producers of Wednesday.
So it is officially in the works, in development.
(43:36):
Like a reality or like a scripted.
A scripted series, yeah.
Oh, great. So like a young person, possibly within the show being on a soap?
Yes.
Oh, I love that. That's all I can say.
Yeah, no, no, no. Don't. Oh, well, that's very exciting. Mel just said, I know it's boring, but I fell in love with General Hospital because of scenes where Kimberly and Vanessa Marcel would sit, have coffee, and talk about what was going on in Port Charles.
(44:05):
Yeah. Yeah. It was like the housewives of Port Charles before there was a housewives shows, right?
What do you remember about the late Jackie Zeman?
Oh, just love and light.
Love and light in her laugh, her glow,
(44:29):
diswarms. She's always bringing me gifts and her love for her daughters.
Oh, she, I got to sit with her. She was something and she was a Jersey girl, you know, from New Jersey.
We bond.
Yeah, she was fiery too. Firey and love and light. Yeah, totally.
(44:52):
Is it true you called the producers of all my children in 2001 to suggest Robin coming to reunite with Phenola's character, Anna?
I don't think so. Who's that?
I read that somewhere. I wasn't sure if it was right. I love. But so all my children called you to come and do that.
(45:15):
I think so. What year did you say that was 2001, I think. 2001.
I don't remember how it happened. It was probably the combo of me and Phenola saying we'd like to work together again.
She was on that show, you know.
Was it fun being in New York to do it?
Oh, yeah. There's nothing better than working in New York. I got to work one time as a director in New York and it was just epic.
(45:43):
What did you do?
It's called almost family. It was a show on Fox during Britney Snow.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. I remember I worked with Britney on Guiding Light.
Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Another actress who's just, yeah, just so on it because of her soap training.
Yeah. I mean, there is nothing. I mean, I don't know all the directing you've done.
(46:09):
Have you had soap actors that you?
Yes. So fantasy island, my star of that episode.
Yes, of course, my show asked the world turns.
Yeah. And it was so funny because I didn't want to assume she knew who I was.
I mean, I of course knew who she was.
So I, and this was during, you know, time of COVID.
(46:30):
So I was wearing a mask outside.
And I was setting up the scene and I was saying, oh, I'd love you to stand here.
And this is what you're looking at and we were like in between setups.
And she's like, excuse me.
We know each other, right? She's like, your voice, like it's driving me crazy.
I know your voice. Who are you? Why do I know you?
(46:52):
And I was like, oh, I'm pretty sure I met you at an Emmys or something.
And she was like, oh, my God, Robin.
It's so funny.
That is so funny.
Yeah.
You know, you must know you have somebody who can do it the minute you work with somebody who's done daytime.
Oh, yeah. I mean, I've had so many, like,
(47:15):
yeah, so many, so many former, so bactore.
Yeah.
It just makes a world of difference to, you know, seriously.
I mean, I know the, the, the saying is if you can do daytime, you can do anything.
But it is really true.
It's really true. I mean, I'm in Venice right now.
So I'll say it is, it's funny when I was learning to surf.
(47:37):
It's like, if you can surf break water, you can, you can surf anywhere.
And it's true. Like I went to Hawaii to surf a couple of years after I started to learn here.
And I was like, oh, this is a, this wave goes on for more than a second and a half.
Oh, my God. Okay. This is so easy.
You know, so that's kind of how it feels.
(47:58):
You're like, whoa, I know how to make this work. But man, this is like, it's a smooth sailing.
That is so funny.
My husband has introduced me very, me very late.
He watched the entire series already.
But we're watching it before we got it bad every night.
It's always sunny in Philadelphia.
So I don't think I've gotten to which episode you've directed.
(48:19):
But one of the fans, I think.
I mean, I think it was season 14.
It is insane how that show is still, I mean, they are phenomenal.
Yes.
A phenomenal group.
Do you prefer comedy or drama when you direct?
I don't prefer either.
I think for me, it's all about the script is, you know, is it written well?
(48:45):
That's what makes it fun.
And I always like a challenge.
And you are now writing, right?
Things for yourself, like these projects?
Yeah, I'm actually writing my first feature right now.
Yeah.
And how are you finding that process?
Oh my gosh, writing is so hard.
(49:07):
It's such a solo act, you know.
I'm used to being on set.
Like, I know how to command a set.
I know how to bring the best out of all the department heads.
But man, it's hard to bring the best out of yourself.
And I assume you could appreciate what daytime does.
Oh my gosh.
(49:28):
Yes, I cannot believe that.
What a team.
They have been coming up with great stories for over 60 years.
It's just, wow, beautiful thing.
Yeah.
Before I let you go, who are some of, you know, when you think back, like mentors that have helped guide who Kimberly McCulloch is today?
(49:50):
Oh, that's not an easy question.
Yeah.
So we mentioned some of them.
I would say, you know, also John Riley.
Gosh.
I mean, legend.
Christina Melondro.
Sorry, go ahead.
What we're going to say?
I'm going to say a legend himself, John.
(50:12):
Yes.
Gosh, Jack Wagner.
Yeah.
Just so, I mean Vanessa, Vanessa Marcel is like still one of my closest friends.
Amber Tamplin.
I mean, God, I look up to her so much.
What she's doing in the world is just so admirable.
(50:37):
Talking about using your voice, right?
Yeah.
Yeah.
I've had so many.
I'm a lucky gal.
Yeah.
You are.
But, you know, thanks to them, you've turned into a pretty incredible woman.
Oh, thank you.
That's what I see you just say.
Well, pleasure to meet you, Kimberly.
(50:58):
I know you have to jet.
And thank you so much.
When you have a project, when that's so project, let's do this.
When you get that show on the air, the...
Or, sure.
We must.
Please come back.
Please come back anytime.
And, yeah, thank you for the people I can't see.
I'm just looking.
They are all here.
They are sending you lots of love.
(51:20):
Michael said I enjoyed your work on the Conners.
Oh, that's so nice.
Yeah.
It's just...
One more thing I'll say is that it's so lovely.
Like, I also get to know, even though I've, you know, I'm doing more behind the camera, behind
the scene stuff, that my soap family is literally there cheering me on.
(51:44):
And, you know, I see a little bit in our interactions on socials, but I feel it more than anything.
And I just want to say to those people, I appreciate that so much that you're watching what Robin is directing.
Like, I can't even tell you, like, that's such a blessing.
Thank you.
Thank you so much.
It is an impact of this medium.
Yeah.
Really, it really is, you know.
(52:06):
Yeah.
I mean, you know, I grew up on the shows that I worked on, but, you know, I follow all those people from back, you know,
you want to see their success.
It's just a different...
Yeah.
It's a community, you know, so you want to see where, you know, everyone is flourishing, so yeah, I appreciate that.
Well, I know that they would welcome you back in Port Charles with open arms.
(52:29):
Yeah, maybe someday soon.
I heard Robin has a step-sister, so maybe I need this.
Exactly.
There you go.
You have a great afternoon, and thank you so much for spending the hour.
Yeah, you too.
Thank you.
Bye, Ellen.
You're so welcome.
Bye.
Thanks, everybody, for joining us today.
Thank you to Kernbidly for spending this hour with all of us.
(52:52):
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