Devikh Parikh was born on Novemvber 3, 1966 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She is known for her iconic roles in The West Wing and Resurrection Boulevard. She is also known for making guest appearances on shows such as Grey’s Anatomy, Criminal Minds, and The Parkers. Her experience in acting has expanded enough to land her a series on Oprah’s OWN network with her newest show, The Kings of Napa. At 55, Devika Parikh continues her career and remains highly influential in the field of acting.
Early Life
Devika Parikh was born on November 3, 1966 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She was born to parents from different ethnic backgrounds. Her mother was of African descent and her father came from urban Mumbai. Devika Parikh took great pride in her heritage and knew the origins of her first name. Devika Parikh is Sanskrit for “little goddess,” and that was something that allowed her a good boost in life. She saw it as an opportunity to make something of herself early on.
Early Education and Career
Shortly after her birth, Devikh Parikh moved with her parents to Gaithersburg, Maryland, which isa middle-class subdivision located outside of Washington DC.
It appeared that Devikh and her family fit right in from the moment that they arrived. Her mother had strong Virginia roots and enjoyed an expansive career as an administrator for NASDAQ, which represents major companies such as Apple, Microsoft, and Tesla in the New York Stock market. Her father was an electrical engineer from Mumbai, and, like her mother, knew the value of education.
Both parents instilled a sense of discipline and hard work in all three of their daughters from an early age. It was those same values that drove Devikh towards a rewarding life of ambition and success.
Devikh soon began exploring her interests. From an early age, she took a strong interest in the performing arts. She enjoyed dancing and wanted to be a model. Her interests expanded and she considered singing at one point. However, she soon discovered her number one passion: acting. She soon enrolled in acting classes outside of high school.
For several years, Devikh was ambivalent about acting. She understood all of its complexities and thought she wouldn’t make it as an actress. She didn’t know anyone in the field and therefore had no mentors to turn to for any advice. She tabled the idea for several years and went on to Syracuse, where she graduated with a degree in journalism.
After college, Devikh moved to Arlington, VA and accepted a job as a reporter for a reputed television station. She stayed for a year and a half before she discovered that journalism wasn’t her strongest passion. In fact, she began to feel trapped, and it was then that she began her journey of self-discovery.
Prayers, Journaling, and Self-Reflection
Devikh arranged for a vacation from the television studio and spent time by herself. She embarked on a trip to the Blue Ridge Mountains of West Virginia, where she spent time alone in prayer and self-reflection. She turned to her faith and began asking critical questions about the direction of her life. From there, she got the answers on what to do. After a little journaling, she decided to return to her primary passion: acting.
A Different Kind of Work
Her time in the mountains was all the leverage Devikh needed to decide the course for the rest of her life. She flew to Los Angeles and stayed with her uncle while applying for a variety of acting jobs. After about five interviews, she landed an offer in Burbank with NBC Studios. They had a position for her in their Page program, which she readily accepted.
Shortly afterwards, Devikh began to develop her talents as an actress. She lived by the belief that if she learned about the acting business, she could succeed at it. And it turned out to be true. Throughout the 90s, Devikh worked consistently and earned a decent, livable income. She guest starred on a sitcom for a few seasons before hitting her two year dry patch.
A Two Year Layoff
For two years, Devikh didn’t land any parts. She wasn’t called for roles, and she began to worry. She relied on money from previous acting jobs in order to get by at this time.
It wasn’t until the end of her two-year career limbo that she decided she would allow her acting career to go in a different direction. She knew that she needed to seek balance, restore it, and keep her life in order. She was offered parts in Sister, Sister and Westt Wing. It was the latter show that kept her going for four years and earned her more than just a living wage.
Not Yielding to Fear
Devikh recognizes fear of failure as a part of human emotions. And she does admit that she feels it regarding her acting career. But her success stems from the fact that she knows that making decisions based on fear is a bad idea. These very words came from an acting teacher whom she admired in the early course of her career.
Her beliefs about not yielding to fear led Devikh to establish 5 basic tenets of acting. Here she gives sound advice about conquering the fear of failure while remaining focused on your goals. These are sound words of wisdom that every actor should follow regardless of their level of experience:
- Stay focused and set reasonable goals: This involves doing your research on acting and getting advice from experienced mentors. You need to surround yourself with positive people who encourage your acting aspirations.
- Practice your trade: Good acting is like anything else. The old mantra of ‘practice makes perfect’ applies here. Take theater courses, accept small and supporting roles, and learn how to be comfortable in front of an audience.
- Always be financially prepared: When starting out, don’t quit your day job. You need money to pay for acting classes and to live on. Even when you finally achieve success, you need to remember that acting is a performing art and like other arts it is highly unpredictable. And that’s why you should save your money in times of prosperity.
- Use daily prayer: Here Devikh Parikh encourages others to tap into their faith and ask for help in prayer. She is not out to convert anyone, she simply encourages you to accept help from a higher power.
- Don’t compromise your values: In this business, things can get a little divided when it comes to values. There is so much pressure on aspiring actors to surrender their values to fit a Hollywood ideal. Just go with your gut instinct and trust in your ability to make sound decisions.
Conclusion
The true secrets of success lie in those five tenets. Perhaps these are the reasons that Devika Parikh has remained successful in her acting career and in life. After weathering a few storms, she continues to act while providing her peers with sound advice as a mentor and role model. And that’s exactly what you need regardless of the career path you’re chosen.
