ALEXANDRA PARK

PHOTOS / BEN DUGGAN
STYLING / DEVON NUSZER
HAIR + MAKEUP / AARON BARRY
STORY / KOKO NTUEN

 
If, like me, you get off on the salacious history of the British Monarchy, the E! television drama The Royals will be a show you watch with fanfare. Following a very fictional and very contemporary queen consort of England, the show has all of the wheelings and dealings that keep prime time viewers’ eyes glued to the screen. The drama that can occur when you have all the money in the world and sit atop a throne feeds the imagination. Leading the royal shenanigans is Alexandra Park. The part of Princess Eleanor fits her like a leather glove. In her portrayal, she juxtaposes badassery and a naivety that makes her character both loveable and despicable.
 
“I like to think there’s a lot of me in Eleanor and lot of Eleanor in me,” Alexandra muses. “We’re both very emotional, headstrong and stubborn. Family means everything to me, like it does to her. We both like to have fun and we’re both flawed. I need a task, I need to be challenged, stretched. So does she.”
 

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Although the actress, born and raised in Sydney, would rather be in Australia with friends and family, her home in LA has become a sanctuary, where she is happiest in track pants, with a full carton of LaCroix in the fridge, a breeze coming through the window, and her pup at her side.
 
Her range and determination got her where she is today. She was 13 when she signed with her first agent and began auditioning for TV spots and commercials. “I used to tell my friends at school that I was going to a ‘knee appointment’ or something whenever I would skip out to auditions during school days…they knew,” she laughs infectiously. “Mostly because I was nervous and didn’t want them asking if I got the job–which 99.9% of the time I didn’t.”
 
Her rejections as a youngster fueled her drive and solidified her passion for the stage. It wasn’t long before she sunk her teeth into Hollywood. The Royals, starring British icon Elizabeth Hurley, has had an impressive run. Already in its third season, E!’s first scripted series has had no trouble attracting viewers with cliffhangers and Westminster Abbey intrigue.
 

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The Royals has been an incredible journey for Alexandra. The actress speaks of her day job with a contagious genuine tone. “ I spent 10 years dreaming about an opportunity 10 times less amazing than what The Royals has been to me,” she says. “I met some of my best friends on this show. I’ve learned a lot about myself, personally and professionally. The Royals made me believe that anything’s possible. It confirmed my hopes and dreams.”
 
Off-screen Alexandra has also garnered attention for being a voice in the #METOO and #TIMESUP movements. She famously called out producer Mark Schwahn, letting the internet know that she has ‘been exposed to his reprehensible behavior,’ backing up a stream of allegations against the powerful producer. Park says of using her platform, “I think it’s fantastic!!! As crazy as it is to live in a world of social media on the rise literally by the hour.. it’s nifty in a way. It’s easy to communicate, to share, to have a voice. Some voices are absolute rubbish but some are truly wonderful and inspiring. I’m proud to be part of this current generation. I feel like people from all over the world, different industries, cultures, ages are banding together…feeling less helpless, and more like they can be a part of something. Contribute to something that’s important to them. Have a support system. Learn…I think it’s activating a way of life that needed to be activated a long time ago. A way of life where no matter who you are, or how much power or money or status you have, you are the same. You matter as much as anyone else. You are here for a reason. You matter.”
 

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