"Beyond the Gates" actor Maurice P. Kerry inspires teen from his former Georgia high school – CBS News

“Beyond the Gates” actor Maurice P. Kerry inspires teen from his former Georgia high school  CBS News

Thirty-one years separate actor Maurice P. Kerry and 15-year-old Parker Robinson, but they share a dream of acting and a connection to the same Douglas County high school. Thirty-one years separate actor Maurice P. Kerry and 15-year-old Parker Robinson, but the two share something special: a dream of acting and the same Douglas County high school. Kerry, who plays Randy Parker on CBS' "Beyond the Gates," attended Douglas County High School beginning in 1995. Robinson is now a sophomore at that same school, hoping to follow in his footsteps. The two recently met on the set of the CBS daytime drama, where Robinson, accompanied by his mother, got a behind-the-scenes look at the television industry.

From exploring a bedroom set to meeting Kerry, Robinson could hardly contain his excitement. "I need to be here," Robinson said, imagining himself working on a television production. For Kerry, the journey to television was far from straightforward. The Atlanta native served in the U.S. Marine Corps and fought in Iraq in 2004. After returning from military service, he experienced homelessness, spending about a year living in a friend's car. He later worked as an emergency medical technician while raising his daughter as a single father. Kerry said he did not begin pursuing acting until 2018. "Just because it doesn't happen when you think it's