Today we’d like to introduce you to Kimberley Kim.
Hi Kimberley, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I got back into acting after I finished raising my son, as I was at a point, empty-nester whereby I could focus on my pre-child desires. I am from Sidney, on Vancouver Island, BC, same place Kim Catterall (parents good friend as actually her singing coach), Pamela Anderson, and David Foster–so we have good water there! I ended up in LA, after meeting my ex-husband over 30 years ago, and have spent my adult life in the US, but do love my hometown and fellow Canucks! We become more patriotic when we are ex-pats I have found. I went on to have a son who is half Korean, hence how I got my great name -not a stage name as many think, Kimberley Kim is the easiest name to remember, helpful for acting. But I digress, I went on to travel with my ex who was a federal agent so we lived in many US cities, I went on to get an MBA focused on finance, and currently work for a top tier university for 18 years. As I have aged and gained knowledge and life skills, I decided to get back into the acting game. I love the idea that I get to focus on roles that are geared to the older woman. As an older woman, I have been able to bring so much more to the table as compared to when I was younger. I have no fear and embrace things and have no apprehension of taking bigs chances and leaving my ego at the door! Things started to really open for me after I took the advise of a make up artist who told me on a print job, I should colour my hair grey, as I would work a lot, and she was spot on! I took the leap and spent $3000 and 10 hours in the salon chair to transform into the silver fox as I call her and it has been busy since! I am not worried that I am usually always the oldest person on set, I actually really enjoy giving my advise and insight and have made a lot of friends in the acting world. Of course, the issue is always getting to the next level of acting gigs, making the jump to better jobs is always the issue. As I work in finance, I treat the acting business as a business, and a numbers game. I audition all the time, I built a studio in my home so I can jump in and do my auditions. I make sure I am always online and not the flaky actor. I think many young actors need to realize time is money and this business moves so fast and you have be ready to jump at zero notice and be polite and easy going. I found through my finance work that people want to work with people they like not necessarily the smartest or the most talented, there is a lot to be said for being reliable, on time and knowing your lines! Age as made me a pro at this, as I value my time and money, so I don’t want to waste others’ time and money. Everyday I hustle to get auditions, and jobs, I work with my agents but also submit myself and build relationships with casting, and producers, and a lot of time they will call me for certain roles I am typed for. I love doing this later in the life as I bring so much to the table and can sell myself much better than when I was younger.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The road is never smooth, and yes, the struggles are always to get to higher level work and get that one good role that opens the door to the next level. The next level gives you access to better paying jobs, higher production jobs, and big names gigs. Finding that key later in life, certainly puts you in a box, for instance, they don’t need to use make up to age you LOL! But looking older in Hollywood is not like looking like was we may categorize in general terms of what an older person looks like you still have to look good. And of course, aging requires a lot more upkeep –not trying to younger but just be the best me. I take it all with a grain of salt and love to challenge but certainly there are roles I’d love to have gotten, but did not get that golden ticket in the mail….yet! But it’s coming as I as try to work and smart! I have been wearing sunscreen everyday since I was 19 and it has definitely helped my skin age better.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
As well as acting, I am finance analyst. I got my MBA with focus on finance. Therefore, I do love numbers and apply numbers to my acting career as well, The acting business is a business one must always remember that, so you can make good decisions that are streamlined with your goals. I am always about time is money and I am an efficient actor not an emotional one, it is a business. I am there to sell the product or the role and know what is expected of me, I deliver my portion for what I am being paid for. I have worked with a lots of unprofessional people, and it just wastes everyone’s time and money-that is not me.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
I am proof, you can be successful later in life. I may be older now but I am booking more jobs now than I had in my 20s, Bring your best to the world and know that if one door closes another will open and it will be to bigger and better things. We all have had dark demons in our lives but don’t let that define you, just put it in your back pocket and live your best life. We all have to learn this in our own time. I recently worked on a movie, Modi, that was Johnny Depp was directing, and I was talking to him about when I worked on 21 Jump Street in Vancouver with him, and he gave me a hug and said you must have been a baby, but we talked more and I said who knew you’d be directing Al Pacino (as Al was filming his scene that day-which is a whole other story), he said, ya I can’t f**ing believe it and I said ya you just never know where life will take you, so enjoy it you earned it! I am certainly a late bloomer, but I have been able to push myself to follow my dreams. I look at my old diaries of what I wanted to be when I grew up-from kindergarten and it said actress! So here I am in my 50s doing just that!
Contact Info:
- Website: kimberleykim.com
- Instagram: @kimberleykimactor
Image Credits
michael roud
