Actor Randall Park has a superpower. And no, that’s not a reference to his recurring role as Agent Jimmy Woo in the Marvel Cinematic Universe — he next appears in the November film “The Marvels” — and as Dr. Stephen Shin in the DC Extended Universe.
Here it goes: Every year when Park does back-to-school shopping with his daughter, Ruby, he travels back in time. “It’s an amazing ritual to engage in because it just takes me back to my own experiences,” he says. “It’s really fascinating and fun.”
Park, who also stars in, wrote and directed the new film “Shortcomings,” shows off his signature deadpan enthusiasm in Amazon’s 2023 Back to School campaign. The tongue-in-cheek comedic TV spot advises parents to “spend less” on their kids by shopping for their kids via Amazon’s deals and selection of essentials. “I know the process very well so the opportunity felt very real to me,” he says of the partnership.
For the 2023 season, Park got an early head start because Ruby’s first day of fifth grade was in mid-August. (“She started a new school so it was very nerve-wracking for me but she was very cool about it!”) The process? “Sometimes I sat at the screen with her, and other times I knew she had no opinion and she trusted me to get the right thing. She’d just be like, ‘That’s fine.’” He adds, “What’s nice about shopping on Amazon is that you can do it any time of day.”
With a little assistance from his wife, “Never Have I Ever” actress Jae Suh Park, he checked off his back-to-school picks for CNN Underscored.
Never again does Park have to ask his daughter where the heck she put her backpack. Thanks to this wireless and water-resistant tile — which he drops right in her bag — he just goes on his phone and tracks her misplaced belongings. “I could have used this when I was a kid,” he says. “As an adult, I’m leaving things in places all the time!”
Related: AirTag vs. Tile: Here’s how to pick the right tracker for you
Ruby likes these chewy and colorful snacks so much that “we have to buy it in bulk!” Each fruit-shaped preservative piece contains vitamins A, C and E and real fruit extract. As he jokes, “There’s a picture of actual fruit on the box, so it makes you feel like it’s healthier than candy.”
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To be, um, clear, Park’s daughter does not use the washable glue to paste macaroni art on a piece of construction paper. Instead, “she is obsessed with making slime,” he says. “This is her thing, and it’s all the rage with kids her age.” Park adds that men’s foamy shaving cream and white Elmer’s School Glue are crucial ingredients as well.?
Park boasts that he uses the old-school black Sharpie pens “all the time.” Not surprisingly, his daughter takes the more creative approach and regularly writes and colors with these chisel-tipped, brightly hued markers. “The colors are beautiful,” he says. “She will use them until they’re completely dry.”?
Related: The essentials list: ‘And Just Like That’ star Nicole Ari Parker shares her parenting must-haves
Before going electric, he bemoans that he and his wife sharpened Ruby’s pencils with those plastic manual sharpeners that required dumping out the shavings. No more! “This one is very powerful and so quick,” he says. “Her pencils are down to the nub and we can just put one in for a few seconds and she’s ready to go.”?
Related: Here are all the best back-to-school sales for the whole family
Write on: “She uses Mead notebooks, which I used when I was in school,” he says, adding that Ruby even sticks her pens in the metal spiral just as he did back in the day. Each one consists of 70 wide-ruled, double-sided sheets for ample note-taking space.?
Every morning, Park fills up this 32-ounce metal thermos bottle with water and ice for his daughter to take to school. “It’s made really great and looks sleek,” he says. The beverage stays chill because of the double-walled and vacuum-insulated stainless steel.?
Related: The essentials list: Actress Claire Holt shares her parenting essentials
Another young Ruby Park arts-and-crafts obsession! He says she uses these washable and nontoxic paints “in her slime mix and independently to paint stuff.” Each set features eight vibrant colors in separate 16-ounce bottles.
All those supplies have to go somewhere! This water-resistant and durable backpack — his daughter prefers the Bridal Rose color — features adjustable padded straps, two front zip pockets and an added water pocket with a built-in protective sleeve for a laptop. Plus, he notes, “It has a cute little gorilla attached to it.”
Related: The essentials list: Actress Jordana Brewster shares her parenting must-haves
