Roy Wood Jr. had a good amount of success on radio and doing standup comedy in Birmingham. But to reach his full celebrity status, he had to travel to New York.
The actor, comedian and filmmaker grew up in Birmingham without knowing the variety of career paths available to him or how to pursue them.
These days, Wood is an ambassador for Birmingham and Alabama, believing youths here should have a world of opportunities available to them and shouldn’t necessarily have to leave Alabama to fulfill them.
“My hope is for Birmingham and Alabama to get the chance to finally prove to the rest of the world what we already know to be true – is that we’re capable, skilled and gifted the same as anywhere else on Earth,” Wood said.
Wood saw firsthand the need for greater careers when he was shooting a sitcom pilot in Birmingham and struggled to find the people and equipment needed to pull off the production.
In the last of a three-part interview he did with Á la Carte Alabama for Alabama NewsCenter, Wood talks about what he wants to see happen in his home state to create opportunity for all.
Roy Wood Jr. wants more to see Alabama’s youths able to pursue their dreams from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.
During Black History Month, Alabama NewsCenter is celebrating the culture and contributions of those who have shaped our state and those working to elevate Alabama today. Visit AlabamaNewsCenter.com throughout the month for stories of Alabamians past and present.
(Courtesy of Alabama NewsCenter)
