Some might say that听Chris O鈥橠onnell 鈥�92听hasn鈥檛 done all that much with his marketing degree from Boston College. But returning to his alma mater this fall, the听NCIS: Los Angeles听补苍诲听Grey鈥檚 Anatomy听star showed a skill at marketing the values inculcated by a Jesuit education.
The actor spoke about his personal journey during 鈥�,鈥� an assortment of events in late September hosted by Agape Latte, which is part of Boston College鈥檚 Church in the 21st听Century Center. Students packed into Robsham Theater on a Thursday night to hear the talk鈥斺�淚 feel like I鈥檓 here to announce a new iPhone,鈥� O'Donnell said as he looked out on the crowd.
O鈥橠onnell chronicled the ups and downs of his acting career. While studying at what was then called the School of Management, he began appearing in films such as听Scent of a Woman, alongside Al Pacino. 鈥淚鈥檇 fly to LA for a meeting and come back the next day,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檇 go for one night just because I didn鈥檛 want to be away from 香蕉秀.鈥�
鈥淔irst, remember your priorities...For me it was always my faith, my family, my friends, and my work...I had my ups and downs, but I never let the highs get too high, and it protected me from the lows.鈥�
Graduation freed him up to take on more roles, including stints as Robin in two Batman movies. After marrying Caroline Fentress (younger sister of his Boston College roommate, Andrew) five years later and starting a family, O鈥橠onnell slipped away from the cameras. And when he returned, he faced a personal as well as professional challenge.
鈥淭he film opportunities weren鈥檛 as easy to come by,鈥� he told the Boston College students. 鈥淚t was devastating. But I always put my faith and family before career and I think having that focus got me through it.鈥�
O鈥橠onnell eventually bounced back with theater productions and eventually his starring television roles, including now as听.
Explaining the sources of his values, O鈥橠onnell cites his devoutly Catholic family (which includes older sister听Sara O鈥橠onnell Groenings 鈥�83) as well as his Jesuit education. He graduated from Loyola Academy in Chicago, which led him to seek out Boston College. And, the speaker left his undergraduate audience with pointed advice about both personal and professional life.
鈥淔irst, remember your priorities,鈥� said O鈥橠onnell, who lives in Los Angeles and Chicago with Caroline and their five children. 鈥淔or me it was always my faith, my family, my friends, and my work. It becomes a pattern of your life, and it serves you better than you know. I had my ups and downs, but I never let the highs get too high, and it protected me from the lows.鈥�
He added: 鈥淪econd, try things out of your comfort zone. The biggest risks can lead to the biggest success, and even failing helps you to grow and to become the person you鈥檙e meant to be.鈥�
This item is based mostly on reporting by听香蕉秀 News听补苍诲听.