Editor’s Note: Supporting women should not be limited to a month. So at Reel 360 News, we have decided to amplify and promote dynamic women’s voices all year long. Today, let us introduce you to actress, model and television personality Patricia Kara.
Patricia Kara has been working in the entertainment business for over 30 years as an actress, model, spokesperson, and television personality. She returned to primetime television joining Howie Mandel as one of the stars of the reboot Deal or No Deal on CNBC. Patricia and Howie are the only cast members to appear on all three versions of the hit show.
Including NBC’s original Deal or No Deal (Primetime and Daytime editions), Patricia appeared in America’s Got Talent, Extra, Access Hollywood, Fox Movie Channel, TimeLife: Pop Goes the 70’s co-hosting with Donny Osmond, and People Magazine’s “100 Most Beautiful People”. Patricia has been a guest host on HSN, she released a workout video entitled Fast Fitness” that was featured in Trace Adkins’ music video Marry for Money and launched Dish with Trish, an online food and culture production.
She has worked with and represented companies like AT&T, Unilever, Johnson & Johnson, Procter & Gamble, Disney, Princess Cruise Lines, and Toyota. Including Patricia’s own instructional series Secrets to a Successful You” and the newly released book, Dream on Now Deliver, she mentors young models and actresses, helping to educate them on the entertainment industry, and setting the stage for the future of the business. One day after the launch, it reached #1 on Amazon’s Best-Selling New Releases.
Let’s meet Patricia!
What’s your origin story?
I was born and raised in Chicago by an amazingly strong Greek woman. Watching my mother shaped me into who I am today. She came to the U.S. with 2 children, a third on the way, no help, no family, little money, an abusive husband who abandoned her, and she did not speak English.
Through all the challenges and adversity, she found a way to raise her daughters, educate and protect them, and herself, make a living for her family, and build a new life. No aspect of her life was easy, and she showed me how to stay strong, work hard, and make sure if something was important, we needed to work to make it happen.
Mama bear did what she had to do to survive, and it is one of my strongest memories of her. Her grit and toughness to achieve have always inspired me in my life and career. Her example was my motivation that I can do anything. When I decided that I wanted to be in the entertainment space, there was nothing that was going to stop me.
I started with the yellow pages, asked a lot of questions, built a network, and learned everything that I could about the business. Over time, my effort, experience and determination earned me an opportunity to move to Miami. The work then took me to New York, and eventually Los Angeles, with every step along the way creating more opportunities to achieve my goals and pursue my dreams.
How did you break into acting?
Moving to New York was the best thing I’ve ever done personally and professionally. I learned so much about myself and the business. I grew up a great deal as a young woman and in my profession. I was working consistently. One meeting, one audition led to the next, which then led to one job after another, and the momentum built from there. I took every opportunity that made sense for my career and development.
After several years of success in New York, I decided it was time to move to Los Angeles, which eventually led to being cast on the NBC show, Deal or No Deal; another pivotal moment in my career. I had no idea when I took the initial casting call that I would end up being the only other cast member, besides Howie Mandel, to appear on every version of the show.
This one job snowballed into opportunities in many different aspects of my personal and professional life. The entertainment business has a lot of ups and downs, but when you are on top, the industry and the fans really take you on a great ride.
Who were your mentors, and how did they influence your journey?
My mother & my sister-Joanna – their work ethic, their support. Schoolteachers (Ms. McCants, Miss Cleland, Ms. Hill, Ms. Martin, my Greek school teacher, Miss Panayiota)– They saw something in me and let me know. They were encouraging me on my creative path and gave me opportunities to showcase my talents.
Models Christy Turlington & Kathy Ireland – I looked up to them and their careers and wanted to follow in their footsteps.
What fuels your creativity?
I am always very inspired by successful entertainers. Actors, hosts, or models that go on to become business moguls and create their own path and ability to control their careers. They all start by working on camera, but they know that if they really want to make it long term, they have to be bigger than just a face on the screen.
They create companies and eventually influence the entire industry by creating more opportunities for others and themselves. Some great examples are Kathy Ireland, Reese Witherspoon, Heidi Klum, Michael Strahan, Ryan Seacrest, and Byron Allen, just to name a few.
What’s the biggest myth about women in your field?
One of the biggest myths is that women can’t work after a certain age.
Name a creative risk you took that paid off.
My whole career has been a creative risk. Betting on yourself is an all-or-nothing game, so you better make it happen. There was no such thing as a backup plan in my mind.
What’s your take on the rise of AI?
My entire career, I have focused on the goals that I set and the work that it takes to reach those goals. There will always be obstacles, and while I understand this, I tend to just keep working through them all. The assets or liabilities that AI may provide will be determined in time, but it will not change my focus or how I approach working hard for what I want to achieve.
What’s a piece of advice from another woman you carry with you?
“You’re creating your destiny!”
How do you balance ambition with self-care?
I try to stay true to myself and do my thing day in and day out. I work hard and pursue the things I love. I enjoy the process and let things fall into place. Regardless of what may be happening outside of your control, there is always A LOT of work, but if you want to be successful, you need to keep going.
All while taking care of myself, being active, working out, eating well, taking a break when needed- physically, mentally, the list goes on and on. There is no easy way to do it, you just do it. I feel my best when I know that I have been taking care of my mind and body. I make sure to get good rest, take a day off from time to time, but the more that I can do to keep my attitude positive, the better!
You’re writing a memoir. What’s the title?
For years, I’ve thought, It is what it is! Now I lean towards the title, Freedom!
Go to Karaoke song.
Don’t Stop Believin’ by Journey
In 10 years, what do you hope to look back and say you changed?
I enjoy mentoring young women and helping to guide their careers. I had very little guidance when my career started, so I have learned many things along my business path that can help the next generation achieve their successes more efficiently.
My hope is that people coming into the entertainment business will think more for themselves and trust their instincts. There is no substitute for hard work and the dedication that achievement demands, but anyone can benefit from the foresight to help them avoid mistakes and put their best foot forward from the start.
All of this was the inspiration for my book, Dream On Now Deliver. I wrote it to give back to the next generation of businesspeople and entertainers who want to set goals and fight for their success. I am incredibly proud of my career, what went into it, the mistakes and the triumphs included.
I want everyone to learn how to get into the entertainment industry the right way, build a career, and stay motivated through all the inevitable ups and downs. Building an entertainment career is a full-time job, and the scope of the industry along with the lessons to be learned, is what I had to figure out from scratch.
If I can help a few people avoid some of the errors and advance a little easier on their own paths, then I will have accomplished my goal of giving back to a business that has been good to me.
Patricia’s Social Media:
Instagram: @PatriciaKara
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