Alumni Spotlight: Kirk Bovill
LSU Alumnus Kirk Bovill Ascended From Bernie Moore Track and Field Stadium to Fiber Optics to a Career in Movies and TV
Kirk Bovill is a working writer and actor in Hollywood with over 100 credits that he’s accumulated over the past 15 years. He’s currently staring as Donald Sterling in HBO’s newest hit show “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty." Bovill graduate from LSU in 1987 with a Masters in Journalism.
Kirk Bovill is a working writer and actor in Hollywood with over 100 credits that he’s accumulated over the past 15 years. He’s currently starring as Donald Sterling in HBO’s newest hit show “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty." It is the second time that Bovill has teamed up with Executive producer and Oscar winner, Adam McKay. Previously, he portrayed Henry Kissinger in McKay’s Vice. A film that was nominated for a number of Oscars.Recent guest star roles include Better Call Saul and CSI:Vegas. He’s the voice of Dick Baker in the hit video game Dead Rising 3. He and his wife, Joni, launched the indie label, Elmo Records and released two critically acclaimed CDs. Music from the albums has gone on to be licensed for film and tv projects. Kirk wrote or co-wrote all of the songs. He was inspired to give the entertainment industry a try after a word of encouragement from Robin Williams who told Kirk that “he was a funny guy” after seeing Bovill perform on the main stage of the world-famous Comedy Store in Los Angeles.
Before switching gears into the entertainment industry in 2007, Bovill was a marketing executive in high tech that traveled internationally as an expert in the field of optoelectronics. He has been published in several technical journals and was a featured speaker throughout the world. He started his career out of grad school at LSU.Kirk Bovill attended grad school at LSU from 1984-87 and graduated with a Masters in Journalism. During that time, he was also a grad assistant for LSU’s women’s track and field program. Those teams would go on to win LSU’s first two NCAA women’s team titles (1987 indoor and outdoor) and four SEC indoor and outdoor team titles (1985, 1987). He also interned with the LSU Sports Information Department in the spring of 1987, serving as the media liaison for the track program. LSU would host the NCAA outdoor national championships that year. He was also a published writer during his time at LSU.
Prior to LSU, he completed an undergraduate degree from the University of Nebraska and was an undergraduate assistant for their women’s track and field team which would win national indoor titles from 1982-1984.
"LSU gave me the opportunity of a lifetime to coach at the highest level. I was lucky to have been on that staff that brought LSU its first two NCAA titles. In addition, the Manship School of Journalism was outstanding bringing grounds for the writing that I would be doing throughout my professional career. I miss the food. I miss Saturday night in Tiger Stadium. I’m proud to be an alum of LSU. And proud to have been part of the athletic department. I’ve made lifelong friends. Geaux Tigers!”
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I took that less traditional path to break into the entertainment industry, I left a high-paying and steady job in marketing to walk the tight rope of the acting business as a 46-year-old. Not the normal, but it was mine. After being encouraged by Robin Williams, I knew that I had to give it a shot. I resigned from my position and within a few months, I was flying to Europe to work on my first feature film” White Lightening” which premiered at Sundance in 2009. I’ve been steadily working ever since—so many TV and film roles, it's hard to remember them all. Do what you love. Love what you do. You’re never too old to dream."
I took that less traditional path to break into the entertainment industry, I left a high-paying and steady job in marketing to walk the tight rope of the acting business as a 46-year-old. Not the normal, but it was mine. After being encouraged by Robin Williams, I knew that I had to give it a shot. I resigned from my position and within a few months, I was flying to Europe to work on my first feature film” White Lightening” which premiered at Sundance in 2009. I’ve been steadily working ever since—so many TV and film roles, it's hard to remember them all. Do what you love. Love what you do. You’re never too old to dream."