God & Buddha are Friends
Los Angeles, California | Film Short
Comedy, Drama
Inspired by a true story, “God & Buddha are Friends” is a comedic drama filled with a lot of heart that follows a young Taiwanese American boy who falls into an existential crisis when a charismatic Christian pastor comes between him and his overprotective Buddhist mother.
God & Buddha are Friends
Los Angeles, California | Film Short
Comedy, Drama
1 Campaigns | California, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $20,180 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
115 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
Inspired by a true story, “God & Buddha are Friends” is a comedic drama filled with a lot of heart that follows a young Taiwanese American boy who falls into an existential crisis when a charismatic Christian pastor comes between him and his overprotective Buddhist mother.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
After receiving a dragon jade necklace from his Buddhist mother, young Andy spends the day with a devout Christian family, where he meets a fiery Christian pastor who convinces him that his jade is a devil’s totem.
Conflicted and terrified, Andy returns home to his wary mother, who goes ballistic upon learning the news and returns to the pastor the following day to demand an apology. Forcing Andy to navigate the complex terrain of stubborn adults and religious debate to figure out his own truth.
This film is a love letter to my mother, the strongest and bravest person I know. As an only child raised by a single mother, my mother and I are extremely tight to the point where I’m constantly annoyed by her craziness, yet I totally understand her intentions behind such behavior.
In a world where Asian women are usually stereotyped as meek and passive, my mother happens to be the complete opposite. She never backs down from a bully, especially when it comes to protecting her loved ones. I aim to convey this quality through our film, which comes at the most integral time as attacks on Asians (especially women) have increased.
It’s important for me to humanize Asian Americans and convey their struggles to audiences so we can accept our differences and embrace our similarities. “God & Buddha are Friends” will glimpse the extremes on both sides of these religions and the common ground we share as humans outside these religious practices. Because in the end, we’re just trying to connect with one another, whether through polite conversation or obnoxious confrontations.
For our project to receive funding from Seed & Spark, we must achieve at least 80% of our goal amount within 30 days. Meeting this target is the ONLY way we will receive funds.
Your contribution will be invaluable in helping us realize this project's full potential and ensuring our cast and crew’s well-being. We are dedicated to balancing our resourcefulness with fair compensation, ethical work hours, rest, and the overall wellness of our cast and crew.
The $18,000 you are helping us raise will be utilized for the following:
Production: $14000
This includes all pre-production, hiring our cast and crew, providing all relevant production rentals and support, securing locations, props, set design, and other essential needs to execute a high-quality shoot. We are shooting for six days in November with a minimal crew. Everybody on this team will need to be paid, and we will need some special equipment and lighting rented for those long shooting days, as well as healthy food to keep us going.
Post-Production: $4000
The post-production team consists of two people, Ryo Shiina and me. Because of our minimum budget, we will take on most post operations at a significant discount (Thanks, Ryo!) However, post-production for a short film will take significant time for editing, sound design, color correction, minor VFX, music, and final mix + conform. These aspects come at their own cost of time and energy, so we need to ensure we have the budget to bring it to the finish line.
We hope to have the film edited and complete within two months of wrapping (early 2024) and ready to apply to all the film festivals, to which we’ve also allocated part of our post-production budget for submissions and marketing.
PRE-PRODUCTION, October 2023 - End of January 2024
We are currently raising funds, casting, and scouting locations. When our principal cast and locations are secured by September, we will finalize equipment, props, locations, and resources until our shoot in February 2024. In the week leading up to the shoot, we plan to hold an intensive rehearsal with the cast to nail the emotions, comedic beats, and performances.
PRODUCTION, February 2024
We will shoot on location in Los Angeles, California, for six days, mainly in the San Gabriel Valley and Orange County areas.
POST-PRODUCTION, February 2024 - April 2024
Ryo Shiina and I will take on most of the post operations, which include color, sound mix, minor VFX, and music composition. We will also receive feedback from our producing team and associates on the cuts until the end of our post-production deadline.
DISTRIBUTION, April 2024 - Early 2025
We’ll submit to festivals, hopeful for a world premiere at Tribeca or LAAPFF. We also plan to hit the festival circuit with regional, short-film-focused, and Asian diaspora-focused, as well as comedy-focused film festivals. I also hope to share this film with the 626 and LA communities with screenings and an online premiere.
Producing an independent film is challenging and daunting, fraught with multiple moving challenges. What if we don’t reach our target fundraising goal? What if a cast or crew member must drop out or fall ill during production? What if our gear is stolen? Knock on wood, and fingers crossed that none of these things happen!
However, given our extensive 25+ years of combined experience in the film industry, we've seen it all, working in narrative features, shorts, documentaries, commercials, social media content, and music videos. We understand the importance of planning for the unexpected and pride ourselves on our scrappiness. That's why we'll be getting insurance to cover our bases and to ensure the successful execution of this film.
SPREAD THE WORD
It would mean so much to us if you spread the word about our project. Whether sharing our Seed&Spark page on social media, sending emails, or good ol’ fashioned word of mouth, your support would be instrumental and make a difference in our journey. We greatly appreciate your cooperation and assistance!
Here's a download link to our poster AND an example copy below you can use in your post. Feel free to tweak it into your own words!:
Please support GOD & BUDDHA ARE FRIENDS, a short dramedy by #AnthonyMa about a boy caught btwn a fiery pastor and his protective mom. Shooting in the 626 & OC. Check out their @seedandspark: bit.ly/godandbuddhaAF
FOLLOW US
We'd love for you to follow us on Seed&Spark! By following us, you'll be helping us reach our goal of 500 followers. This will allow us to gain access to exclusive perks, products, services, and film festival waivers offered by Seed&Spark. Your follow will not only help us achieve this milestone but also enable us to bring this film to a wider audience. And it’s totally free to do!
Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and/or TikTok: @god&buddhaarefriends. You’ll get project updates, introductions to key production team members, and behind-the-scenes sneak peeks!
Thank you so much for getting to the bottom of this page (I know it was a lot of reading…). Either way, I am grateful for your time and consideration. Even if you can’t contribute today, I hope you can stay in touch, continue to follow this film’s journey, and share with everyone you know! Feel free to email me at [email protected] if you have any questions or wanna chat!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Locations
Costs $2,200
Suburban homes, a pizza arcade, and driveways. It doesn’t sound like much, but these locations are also the film's integral characters.
Crew
Costs $5,760
The most critical piece of our film is the crew. Lights, camera, sound, and most importantly, the person who makes boba and/or coffee runs.
Cast
Costs $4,340
We are assembling a fantastic ensemble cast via a pro casting director to make you feel all the emotions. Pledge to feel feelings again.
Crafty
Costs $1,000
Filmmaking runs on food—pledge to help us be well-fed to take on our long filming days.
Film Festivals
Costs $700
Once we finish the film, we need as many eyes to watch it, which means submitting it to film festivals and a promotional campaign.
Equipment Rentals
Costs $1,000
Lights, lenses, tracks, apple boxes, and more. These essential tools will help us run efficiently throughout the day.
Post Production
Costs $1,000
Fix it in post! Once we finish filming, we’ll be stitching it together, layering the sound, and mixing the music—the final step to our film.
Production Design
Costs $2,000
Statues, totems, 90’s vehicles, and decor. Like our locations, our sets and their props will help emphasize our characters and the story.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
ANTHONY MA (Writer, Director, Producer)
Anthony Ma is an award-winning Taiwanese American actor, writer, director, and voiceover artist born & raised in Arcadia, CA. “Chinese Antique”(2009), a short film he wrote and produced, was screened at film festivals nationwide and received audience choice awards at the 168-Hour Film Festival and NFFTY. "Elevator" (2015), a feature he wrote and produced, was filmed in Los Angeles, New York, and Japan, garnering an Honorable Mention for Screenwriting at DisOrient Asian Film Festival. The latest feature he co-wrote, "Staycation" (2018), premiered at the Los Angeles Film Festival and received the LA Muse Award.
As an actor, he most notably guest starred in "Scandal," "S.W.A.T.," and "This Is Us." The LA Asian Pacific Film Festival awarded him Best New Actor for the rom-com indie feature "Love Arcadia" (2015). He was also a co-host on the HBO Max foodie reality series "Family Style." An active member of his community, he co-founded and served as the Executive Director of the Taiwanese American Film Festival from 2017-2019.
JACLYN AMOR (Producer)
Jaclyn Amor is an international Filipino Australian director, producer, writer, and artist. With a unique background in creative direction, fine arts, and performance, Jaclyn’s work includes music videos, fashion editorial films, branded content, influencer campaigns, digital series, VR projects, narrative shorts, and features.
From directing the Asian American International Film Festival and off-Broadway plays to creating content for the likes of ABC Australia, Bravo, Google, YouTube, College Humor, Adaptive Studios, TikTok, and Condé Nast (Architectural Digest, CN Traveler, Vanity Fair), Jaclyn shot a winning 2-minute quarantine film for the Reframe Women in Film competition (which has a permanent showcase on IMDB pro), produced and directed a weekly online live Zoom variety show for AAPI heritage month featuring celebrities with local LA hosts and started her own small production company - Agent 86.
RYO SHIINA (Director of Photography, Editor, Composer)
Ryo Shiina is an international Japanese Taiwanese filmmaker and music composer; born and raised in the rural area of the Chiba prefecture of Japan.
His films have been selected at various film festivals around the US, including the 168-Hour Film Festival and the NFFTY audience award-winning short "Chinese Antique," where he served as co-director and composer. "Elevator," a feature he co-directed and musically composed, was filmed in US and Japan and screened at the DisOrient Asian Film Festival. His work as director of photography and composer for the sci-fi short "Intelligentsia" secured a slot in DUST's tightly curated playlist, a popular YouTube sci-fi cinema channel. His musical work has also included projects overseas for several TV ads and drama series on Fuji Television in Japan.
Currently, Ryo works with Instrument, a creative digital agency, producing content for leading brands and diverse clients such as Din Tai Fung, Huntington Library, Herman Miller, Speedo, Meta, Tillamook, and more.
JONATHAN CHUNG-YOUNG (Co-Producer)
Jonathan Chung- Young is a Taiwanese Brazilian artist pursuing filmmaking and writing in the Los Angeles area. Focusing mainly on directing, writing, and producing, he brings a unique aesthetic to visual storytelling by drawing from his training at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, CA, as a Concept Artist. He is developing various personal IPs, including a TV series and a comic series.
Jonathan has experience from many sides of production, from on camera as an actor to behind the scenes as a production artist and much more. His current work in film has been in independent short films where he has co-directed a short, “Gold Rush (2020), and produced two other shorts. As a production artist, he's over seven years of experience working as a Concept Artist and Storyboard Artist in advertising with numerous clients ranging from Amazon to Sony.
DANIELA LEE (Co-Producer)
Daniela Lee is a Korean American actress, filmmaker, and producer. She began her career as a wardrobe stylist, working with renowned artists such as Fifth Harmony and Mila J. Eventually, she transitioned into styling commercials and features, which led her to pursue acting. Daniela has appeared on notable shows such as ABC's "Home Economics," CW's "Dynasty," and HBO's nominated limited series, "The Staircase," alongside Toni Collette and Colin Firth. She has also appeared in commercials with Heidi Klum and worked with companies like Marriott and Wells Fargo, as well as featured in various music videos with the Black Eyed Peas, One Republic, and Death Cab for Cutie.
She’s recently worked as an acting coach on the set of Netflix's hit TV series, "XO Kitty." As a producer, she’s produced various Samsung commercials and pilots. Daniela is currently involved in distribution work, specifically helping AAPI stories find a home on a streaming platform. She is dedicated to building a strong community of AAPI storytellers and ensuring their stories are told and heard.
JIM MESKIMEN as Richard (The Pastor)
Jim Meskimen is an accomplished actor, improviser, and voice artist whose work is well-known to TV and film audiences. He appeared in the British series Whose Line Is It Anyway? (1988) several times, and was a recurring character on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990) for two seasons. He has worked with director Ron Howard on five of his films, including The Paper (1994), Apollo 13 (1995), Edtv (1999), How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000), and Frost/Nixon (2008). He has also worked in two films by director Paul Thomas Anderson. A professional artist, Jim exhibits and sells his realist oil paintings. As a designer/cartoonist, he created dozens of characters, weapons, and vehicles for the original "Thundercats" animated series. Jim continues to dazzle audiences with his improvisational skills and appears regularly on L.A. stages. Meskimen is married to actress Tamra Meskimen, and they have a daughter, Taylor Meskimen. His mother is Golden Globe and Emmy-nominated actress Marion Ross of Happy Days (1974) and the critically-acclaimed series Brooklyn Bridge (1991).
TAMRA MESKIMEN as Meredith (The Pastor’s Wife)
Tamra Meskimen has been a busy working actress for over 30 years. In New York City, she received improv training, performed in acclaimed improv companies, did radio and television commercials, and worked in live theater, films, and soaps. Moving to Los Angeles in 1993, Tamra continued to work in commercials, voiceovers, plays, television, and movies, including American Crime Story, General Hospital, Jane The Virgin, and the Oscar-nominated Apollo 13, to name but a few.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
After receiving a dragon jade necklace from his Buddhist mother, young Andy spends the day with a devout Christian family, where he meets a fiery Christian pastor who convinces him that his jade is a devil’s totem.
Conflicted and terrified, Andy returns home to his wary mother, who goes ballistic upon learning the news and returns to the pastor the following day to demand an apology. Forcing Andy to navigate the complex terrain of stubborn adults and religious debate to figure out his own truth.
This film is a love letter to my mother, the strongest and bravest person I know. As an only child raised by a single mother, my mother and I are extremely tight to the point where I’m constantly annoyed by her craziness, yet I totally understand her intentions behind such behavior.
In a world where Asian women are usually stereotyped as meek and passive, my mother happens to be the complete opposite. She never backs down from a bully, especially when it comes to protecting her loved ones. I aim to convey this quality through our film, which comes at the most integral time as attacks on Asians (especially women) have increased.
It’s important for me to humanize Asian Americans and convey their struggles to audiences so we can accept our differences and embrace our similarities. “God & Buddha are Friends” will glimpse the extremes on both sides of these religions and the common ground we share as humans outside these religious practices. Because in the end, we’re just trying to connect with one another, whether through polite conversation or obnoxious confrontations.
For our project to receive funding from Seed & Spark, we must achieve at least 80% of our goal amount within 30 days. Meeting this target is the ONLY way we will receive funds.
Your contribution will be invaluable in helping us realize this project's full potential and ensuring our cast and crew’s well-being. We are dedicated to balancing our resourcefulness with fair compensation, ethical work hours, rest, and the overall wellness of our cast and crew.
The $18,000 you are helping us raise will be utilized for the following:
Production: $14000
This includes all pre-production, hiring our cast and crew, providing all relevant production rentals and support, securing locations, props, set design, and other essential needs to execute a high-quality shoot. We are shooting for six days in November with a minimal crew. Everybody on this team will need to be paid, and we will need some special equipment and lighting rented for those long shooting days, as well as healthy food to keep us going.
Post-Production: $4000
The post-production team consists of two people, Ryo Shiina and me. Because of our minimum budget, we will take on most post operations at a significant discount (Thanks, Ryo!) However, post-production for a short film will take significant time for editing, sound design, color correction, minor VFX, music, and final mix + conform. These aspects come at their own cost of time and energy, so we need to ensure we have the budget to bring it to the finish line.
We hope to have the film edited and complete within two months of wrapping (early 2024) and ready to apply to all the film festivals, to which we’ve also allocated part of our post-production budget for submissions and marketing.
PRE-PRODUCTION, October 2023 - End of January 2024
We are currently raising funds, casting, and scouting locations. When our principal cast and locations are secured by September, we will finalize equipment, props, locations, and resources until our shoot in February 2024. In the week leading up to the shoot, we plan to hold an intensive rehearsal with the cast to nail the emotions, comedic beats, and performances.
PRODUCTION, February 2024
We will shoot on location in Los Angeles, California, for six days, mainly in the San Gabriel Valley and Orange County areas.
POST-PRODUCTION, February 2024 - April 2024
Ryo Shiina and I will take on most of the post operations, which include color, sound mix, minor VFX, and music composition. We will also receive feedback from our producing team and associates on the cuts until the end of our post-production deadline.
DISTRIBUTION, April 2024 - Early 2025
We’ll submit to festivals, hopeful for a world premiere at Tribeca or LAAPFF. We also plan to hit the festival circuit with regional, short-film-focused, and Asian diaspora-focused, as well as comedy-focused film festivals. I also hope to share this film with the 626 and LA communities with screenings and an online premiere.
Producing an independent film is challenging and daunting, fraught with multiple moving challenges. What if we don’t reach our target fundraising goal? What if a cast or crew member must drop out or fall ill during production? What if our gear is stolen? Knock on wood, and fingers crossed that none of these things happen!
However, given our extensive 25+ years of combined experience in the film industry, we've seen it all, working in narrative features, shorts, documentaries, commercials, social media content, and music videos. We understand the importance of planning for the unexpected and pride ourselves on our scrappiness. That's why we'll be getting insurance to cover our bases and to ensure the successful execution of this film.
SPREAD THE WORD
It would mean so much to us if you spread the word about our project. Whether sharing our Seed&Spark page on social media, sending emails, or good ol’ fashioned word of mouth, your support would be instrumental and make a difference in our journey. We greatly appreciate your cooperation and assistance!
Here's a download link to our poster AND an example copy below you can use in your post. Feel free to tweak it into your own words!:
Please support GOD & BUDDHA ARE FRIENDS, a short dramedy by #AnthonyMa about a boy caught btwn a fiery pastor and his protective mom. Shooting in the 626 & OC. Check out their @seedandspark: bit.ly/godandbuddhaAF
FOLLOW US
We'd love for you to follow us on Seed&Spark! By following us, you'll be helping us reach our goal of 500 followers. This will allow us to gain access to exclusive perks, products, services, and film festival waivers offered by Seed&Spark. Your follow will not only help us achieve this milestone but also enable us to bring this film to a wider audience. And it’s totally free to do!
Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and/or TikTok: @god&buddhaarefriends. You’ll get project updates, introductions to key production team members, and behind-the-scenes sneak peeks!
Thank you so much for getting to the bottom of this page (I know it was a lot of reading…). Either way, I am grateful for your time and consideration. Even if you can’t contribute today, I hope you can stay in touch, continue to follow this film’s journey, and share with everyone you know! Feel free to email me at [email protected] if you have any questions or wanna chat!
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Locations
Costs $2,200
Suburban homes, a pizza arcade, and driveways. It doesn’t sound like much, but these locations are also the film's integral characters.
Crew
Costs $5,760
The most critical piece of our film is the crew. Lights, camera, sound, and most importantly, the person who makes boba and/or coffee runs.
Cast
Costs $4,340
We are assembling a fantastic ensemble cast via a pro casting director to make you feel all the emotions. Pledge to feel feelings again.
Crafty
Costs $1,000
Filmmaking runs on food—pledge to help us be well-fed to take on our long filming days.
Film Festivals
Costs $700
Once we finish the film, we need as many eyes to watch it, which means submitting it to film festivals and a promotional campaign.
Equipment Rentals
Costs $1,000
Lights, lenses, tracks, apple boxes, and more. These essential tools will help us run efficiently throughout the day.
Post Production
Costs $1,000
Fix it in post! Once we finish filming, we’ll be stitching it together, layering the sound, and mixing the music—the final step to our film.
Production Design
Costs $2,000
Statues, totems, 90’s vehicles, and decor. Like our locations, our sets and their props will help emphasize our characters and the story.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
ANTHONY MA (Writer, Director, Producer)
Anthony Ma is an award-winning Taiwanese American actor, writer, director, and voiceover artist born & raised in Arcadia, CA. “Chinese Antique”(2009), a short film he wrote and produced, was screened at film festivals nationwide and received audience choice awards at the 168-Hour Film Festival and NFFTY. "Elevator" (2015), a feature he wrote and produced, was filmed in Los Angeles, New York, and Japan, garnering an Honorable Mention for Screenwriting at DisOrient Asian Film Festival. The latest feature he co-wrote, "Staycation" (2018), premiered at the Los Angeles Film Festival and received the LA Muse Award.
As an actor, he most notably guest starred in "Scandal," "S.W.A.T.," and "This Is Us." The LA Asian Pacific Film Festival awarded him Best New Actor for the rom-com indie feature "Love Arcadia" (2015). He was also a co-host on the HBO Max foodie reality series "Family Style." An active member of his community, he co-founded and served as the Executive Director of the Taiwanese American Film Festival from 2017-2019.
JACLYN AMOR (Producer)
Jaclyn Amor is an international Filipino Australian director, producer, writer, and artist. With a unique background in creative direction, fine arts, and performance, Jaclyn’s work includes music videos, fashion editorial films, branded content, influencer campaigns, digital series, VR projects, narrative shorts, and features.
From directing the Asian American International Film Festival and off-Broadway plays to creating content for the likes of ABC Australia, Bravo, Google, YouTube, College Humor, Adaptive Studios, TikTok, and Condé Nast (Architectural Digest, CN Traveler, Vanity Fair), Jaclyn shot a winning 2-minute quarantine film for the Reframe Women in Film competition (which has a permanent showcase on IMDB pro), produced and directed a weekly online live Zoom variety show for AAPI heritage month featuring celebrities with local LA hosts and started her own small production company - Agent 86.
RYO SHIINA (Director of Photography, Editor, Composer)
Ryo Shiina is an international Japanese Taiwanese filmmaker and music composer; born and raised in the rural area of the Chiba prefecture of Japan.
His films have been selected at various film festivals around the US, including the 168-Hour Film Festival and the NFFTY audience award-winning short "Chinese Antique," where he served as co-director and composer. "Elevator," a feature he co-directed and musically composed, was filmed in US and Japan and screened at the DisOrient Asian Film Festival. His work as director of photography and composer for the sci-fi short "Intelligentsia" secured a slot in DUST's tightly curated playlist, a popular YouTube sci-fi cinema channel. His musical work has also included projects overseas for several TV ads and drama series on Fuji Television in Japan.
Currently, Ryo works with Instrument, a creative digital agency, producing content for leading brands and diverse clients such as Din Tai Fung, Huntington Library, Herman Miller, Speedo, Meta, Tillamook, and more.
JONATHAN CHUNG-YOUNG (Co-Producer)
Jonathan Chung- Young is a Taiwanese Brazilian artist pursuing filmmaking and writing in the Los Angeles area. Focusing mainly on directing, writing, and producing, he brings a unique aesthetic to visual storytelling by drawing from his training at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, CA, as a Concept Artist. He is developing various personal IPs, including a TV series and a comic series.
Jonathan has experience from many sides of production, from on camera as an actor to behind the scenes as a production artist and much more. His current work in film has been in independent short films where he has co-directed a short, “Gold Rush (2020), and produced two other shorts. As a production artist, he's over seven years of experience working as a Concept Artist and Storyboard Artist in advertising with numerous clients ranging from Amazon to Sony.
DANIELA LEE (Co-Producer)
Daniela Lee is a Korean American actress, filmmaker, and producer. She began her career as a wardrobe stylist, working with renowned artists such as Fifth Harmony and Mila J. Eventually, she transitioned into styling commercials and features, which led her to pursue acting. Daniela has appeared on notable shows such as ABC's "Home Economics," CW's "Dynasty," and HBO's nominated limited series, "The Staircase," alongside Toni Collette and Colin Firth. She has also appeared in commercials with Heidi Klum and worked with companies like Marriott and Wells Fargo, as well as featured in various music videos with the Black Eyed Peas, One Republic, and Death Cab for Cutie.
She’s recently worked as an acting coach on the set of Netflix's hit TV series, "XO Kitty." As a producer, she’s produced various Samsung commercials and pilots. Daniela is currently involved in distribution work, specifically helping AAPI stories find a home on a streaming platform. She is dedicated to building a strong community of AAPI storytellers and ensuring their stories are told and heard.
JIM MESKIMEN as Richard (The Pastor)
Jim Meskimen is an accomplished actor, improviser, and voice artist whose work is well-known to TV and film audiences. He appeared in the British series Whose Line Is It Anyway? (1988) several times, and was a recurring character on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990) for two seasons. He has worked with director Ron Howard on five of his films, including The Paper (1994), Apollo 13 (1995), Edtv (1999), How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000), and Frost/Nixon (2008). He has also worked in two films by director Paul Thomas Anderson. A professional artist, Jim exhibits and sells his realist oil paintings. As a designer/cartoonist, he created dozens of characters, weapons, and vehicles for the original "Thundercats" animated series. Jim continues to dazzle audiences with his improvisational skills and appears regularly on L.A. stages. Meskimen is married to actress Tamra Meskimen, and they have a daughter, Taylor Meskimen. His mother is Golden Globe and Emmy-nominated actress Marion Ross of Happy Days (1974) and the critically-acclaimed series Brooklyn Bridge (1991).
TAMRA MESKIMEN as Meredith (The Pastor’s Wife)
Tamra Meskimen has been a busy working actress for over 30 years. In New York City, she received improv training, performed in acclaimed improv companies, did radio and television commercials, and worked in live theater, films, and soaps. Moving to Los Angeles in 1993, Tamra continued to work in commercials, voiceovers, plays, television, and movies, including American Crime Story, General Hospital, Jane The Virgin, and the Oscar-nominated Apollo 13, to name but a few.