Meet A.C. Kimsey | Actress & Content Creator

We had the good fortune of connecting with A.C. Kimsey and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi A.C., what role has risk played in your life or career?
Risk taking is a huge factor in the advancement of my career as an actor. I would say taking risks as an artist is inevitable because most artistic careers are not guaranteed. Sometimes, just the act of pursuing a livelihood in art is risky in itself. In order to be bold enough to put your art out in the open, you must leave your comfort zone. In taking numerous little leaps of faith, I have been able to continue to progress forward in my career and chip away at my imposter syndrome. If you wait around for everything to be perfect before taking that leap, you will be waiting forever.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I am an aspiring film actress and content creator in Atlanta, so my craft is acting, but content creation has become a creative outlet for me over the last few years as well. While there are hundreds of actors and content creators in Atlanta, I think what sets me apart is my willingness to be vulnerable with my audience. With acting, it’s important to allow yourself to be vulnerable in order to open yourself up to the life of the character, and to be able to form meaningful connections and relationships within the world of the play, film, show, etc. Vulnerability allows for a deeper expansion into a broad range of emotion, and this isn’t always comfortable or enjoyable. In content creation, I think vulnerability is extremely important because we are constantly flooded with images of perfection, others’ accomplishments, and success that sometimes appears overnight. There is SO much that occurs behind the scenes that we don’t see. While it can feel like there is a lot of pressure to produce and present constant wins, being honest and transparent about the struggles we experience is so impactful and can help people we don’t even know.

The last year and a half, I have been pursuing a career in film and have had opportunities to work on a variety of different projects. Success in the film industry is never guaranteed and doesn’t come easily for most. Acting is the kind of career that requires a lot of initiative, willingness to work hard, and intense love and passion for the craft. It demands a lot of mental strength and resilience and faith. Some things I’ve learned along the way are to never take anything personally, audition and then forget about it, introduce yourself and talk to everyone you can, and always be someone people enjoy working with. Being friendly and kind is underrated.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If I were hosting friends in the city for a weekend, I would definitely have a lot of options to choose from but I’ll narrow it down to some of my favorites. Starting out Friday night at Tesserae on the rooftop of the Thompson hotel in Buckhead, they have a plethora of specialty, handcrafted cocktail and mocktail options and the view of the city is unmatched! After drinks, head to Harold’s Chicken & Ice Bar on Edgewood for hookah and some of the best chicken in Atlanta. To balance out the restaurant tour, we’ll kick Saturday off with a morning bootcamp at the Fit Spot in midtown prior to brunch. Brunch in Atlanta is truly something to behold every weekend and a trip here would simply be incomplete without it. Saturday brunch is at Yebo Beach Haus in Buckhead for a seasonally evolving South African menu. Finishing off the weekend strong, Sunday is spent at Virgil’s Gullah Kitchen & Bar in West Midtown for their soul brunch, full of rich and flavorful options inspired by Gullah Geechee culture, and to experience the atmosphere and amazing service.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would love to recognize both my high school director/ acting coach, Lorraine Thompson, and my most influential college professor, Jan Wikstrom. Both women instructed based upon the teachings of renowned actress and acting coach, Uta Hagen. This heavily influenced the way I act and train and prepare for roles. I also have to shoutout my brilliant friend, director, actor, and writer, Read Lucas. Being cast in Read’s short films over the last few years, I have been able to really expand my creative horizon, challenge myself, and grow in a collaborative and innovative environment. I’m also incredibly grateful to have four amazing siblings and friends who support and uplift me constantly.

Website: linktr.ee/kingcandlah

Instagram: @kingcandlah

Other: IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm14126705/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk Actors Access: https://resumes.actorsaccess.com/ackimsey Tiktok: @kingcandlah

Image Credits
Old Hollywood Glamour photos shot by Marquise Eppinger (@eppsshotme) Zodiac Swim photos shot by Kyndal Jackson (@curatedchaoscreativee) Good American photos shot by Kyndal Jackson