Whittier College Alumni in Film and TV

Whittier College alumni have starred everywhere from big screen movie premiers to your TV streaming app.

Our Poets have landed spots on Hollywood sets for decades, both in front of the camera and behind it. Here are just a few of the talented alumni who have been working in film and television.

Kevin Sun ’12

Kevin stays busy behind the camera, working on the cinematography side of film and TV. He's recently worked on Oscar-nominated films, including Marriage Story and Ford v. Ferrari.

He’s also worked on exciting series like The Book of Boba Fett on Disney+, HBO’s Westworld and Showtime’s Ray Donovan, and even contributed to Marvel’s Ant-Man and the Wasp.

Alma Martinez '84

Fans of Netflix’s original series Gentefied will recognize Alma’s performance as Lupe, a small-business owner in East Los Angeles. The series focuses on a Mexican-American family running a taco shop as they chase the “American Dream” and deal with the increasing threats of gentrification, racism, and anti-immigration.

Most recently, her films include Clemency, the winner of the 2019 Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Award, Ms. Purple, Tyger Tyger, Cake, Under Fire, Barbarosa, and the iconic Chicano films Zoot Suit and Born in East L.A. Her television and streaming credits include Undone, The Terror Infamy, and The Bridge, among others. 

Desma Murphy '92

Desma took her education in production design to Hollywood, where she's been an art director on blockbusters such as The Suicide Squad, Aquaman, Furious 7, The Fate of the Furious, Iron Man 3, The Hangover Part II, and the recent adaptation of The Call of the Wild starring Harrison Ford.

Desma recently returned to Whittier for an in-depth discussion with students. She shared her experience designing the look and feel of the sets of Aquaman, as well as insights into the industry and the collaborative nature of art direction in film.

Geoff Stults '98

After graduating from Whittier with a rich experiences in theatre and choir, Geoff went on to enjoy a long career on a wide variety of projects. You can currently find him starring alongside Kate Beckinsale in the dark comedy Guilty Party on Paramount Plus. Recently, he also starred in Hulu’s hit drama, Little Fires Everywhere, and played the role of Chalmers in Netflix's live-action adaptation of Cowboy Bebop.

Geoff also recently appeared on the big screen thriller Unforgettable, co-starring the thriller with Rosario Dawson and Katherine Heigl, and joined the cast of 12 Strong, alongside Chris Hemsworth and Michael Peña.

Napoleon Tavale ’07

Napoleon’s dream as an actor has led him to a ton of roles in TV. You can catch his appearances in everything from Criminal Minds to Grey's Anatomy, plus Silicon Valley, American Horror Story, and much more.

When he’s not appearing on HBO, FX, or network television, Napoleon pays it forward as a theatre instructor at the high school and college level.

Andrea Barber ’99

Kimmy Gibbler herself, the quirky neighbor in Full House, went to Whittier College after her childhood start in TV. She returned to the sequel series, Fuller House, on Netflix, and was nominated for a Teen Choice Award.