Vents Magazine

Meet Kijsa Gifford: Actor, Entrepreneur, Award-Winning Athlete

[as originally published on ventsmagazine.com]

Kijsa Gifford is a true multi-talented individual who gracefully treads the worlds of acting, athletics, and entrepreneurship. Hailing from Madison, Wisconsin, and now splitting her time between Tampa, Florida, and the entertainment hubs of Los Angeles, Atlanta, and New York City, Kijsa’s life has been a whirlwind of dedication and success. But her pursuits did not come without challenges. Here Kijsa joins us to explore her unique story, her upcoming ventures in the entertainment industry, and her unique family ties to the legendary Marilyn Monroe.

Your life is an exciting mix of athletics and acting. Can you share how you balance these two passions in your daily life and how one complements the other?

Well, it is quite a balancing act. While I am off-season, I have more time available for sure. Luckily, I am very blessed to be able to attend college virtually, which allows me the flexibility that I need to be able to act as well. I train every day, typically in the mornings, then I focus on getting my auditions and acting work done in the afternoon. I have evening acting classes and I fit in my college course work around all of that.

How did your background in gymnastics, volleyball, lacrosse, and pole vaulting prepare you for the demanding physical aspects of acting, particularly in action roles?

There is a ton of similarities in the work ethic that is required for both. Acting is no joke. It’s intense and grueling for sure, like sports. One must be very organized, disciplined, and passionate to be successful. You must put in effort each day and take many classes and learn as much as you can from as many experts as you can—all while juggling auditions, social media, filming, and networking. I’m very good at emotionally connecting to characters, and I love drama, rom-coms and comedy. But my athletic background lends itself to a unique advantage in that I would be able to perform a lot of cool moves for fight scenes and stunts if called upon to for action roles.

You’ve named your production company “Norma Jean Entertainment” in honor of your distant cousin, Marilyn Monroe. Can you tell us more about your connection to her and how it has influenced your journey in the entertainment industry?

I have always been really drawn to her, even when I was little. I was intrigued with her drive, talent and focus to become the best version of herself. We are very similar that way. I am related to Marilyn on her biological father’s side of the family, and we are both Mayflower descendants, Sons of the Revolutionary War descendants, and relatives of John Alden. I wanted to give a tribute to her amazing life and body of work, which has stood the test of time, as I hope that my production company will as well.

Can you tell us a bit about your acting training, including any specific methods or approaches you find particularly valuable?

Oh WOW, that is a loaded question. Where do I start? I have worked with so many fantastic coaches over the years. I have consistently studied comedy and improv at The Groundlings in Los Angeles. I am currently in a weekly Masterclass with Amy Lyndon. I just love her! She is my inspiration. Amy is so down to earth and hysterical. She has helped me dive deep and connect emotionally. I also train with director, coach and actor David Wenzel regularly. He is like Yoda, the ultimate master, and has helped me to hone my craft. David is big on technique and helps to pull out the best performances in you. I was very lucky to have him as a director for a short film and TV pilot. David is in the upcoming Off-Broadway show “Ode to the Wasp Woman,” and I am looking forward to heading out to New York to see him perform. I have also been fortunate to study with Larry Moss in one of his courses, and am also going to get some fight training with Tony Surphman soon, so I am feeling really prepared for when the strike ends.

Speaking of the strike, what are your feelings on it?

I fully support the union and hope to join it someday. And even though I’m a non-union actor, I’m adhering to all industry regulations, which is to say: all of my current independent work aligns with union rules — none of my projects fall under the “SAG-struck” category. I’m committed to this. The AI issue is a big deal and will impact our future. We need to take a hard stand right now. Actors are artists. We owe our creativity to our connection to source, to God, or whatever one wishes to call it. Artificial intelligence will never do that. There is a level of appreciation and admiration that comes from creating the art form as well as the experience of watching it. Call me old school, but I miss movies like The Wizard of Oz, How to Marry a Millionaire, and Juno, all of which had great human character development without excessive AI. It’s tantamount to looking at the Sistine Chapel and experiencing what Michelangelo must have experienced as opposed to what a computer “created.” It’s just not the same.

You’ve recently been involved in several acting projects, from “Space Transports” to “The Coffee Shop.” Could you share your experiences and what drew you to these specific roles?

I was just starting to get going well when the strike hit, which delayed quite a few projects that I was planning on being involved with. I was drawn to The Coffee Shop because it was something that everyone can connect to, the conversations that happen when meeting for coffee. In addition, the director was David Wenzel who is an amazing director and actor. He really knows how to bring out the best performances in his actors. Greg and Diane Blount were the producers, and they are fantastic people to work with. I was very fortunate to meet so many wonderful people on set who I still speak to regularly.

What’s the most challenging part of transitioning from an athlete to an actor, and vice versa? How do you prepare mentally for these transitions?

Well, the most challenging part is that in a sport like pole vault, you work very hard and, if you have talent, you can go far. Your performance is objective. You either go over the bar or you don’t. Acting is similar in many ways, but a lot of roles happen through connections, networking and your body of work throughout the years, which is tough when you are newer to the industry. I see acting very similar to sports in that in order to be the best, you HAVE to train like an athlete. I would never dream of entering a pole vault competition without the best coaching and advice. I feel the same way about acting. You need to train with the best coaches and perfect your craft before you enter the competition. It is also equally important to listen to your gut. I have had good and bad experiences in sports and acting. One of the things that really bothers me in sports is when coaches and parents kept telling the young athletes to trust the process. Young actors and athletes need to know that not everyone has their best interest in mind. As hard as that is to hear, it is the truth. So, trust yourself, always, and be open to their process. But at the end of the day, listen to your gut. If something feels off, it probably is. Trust comes in time with individuals who have proven themselves worthy of your trust. It is not an automatic.

Can you give us a glimpse into your upcoming feature film roles scheduled for production in 2024? What can audiences expect from these projects, and what excites you most about them?

I have quite a few things up my sleeve for next year. And if the strike ends, I am sure that I will have a lot more projects next year. I just wrapped the first episode of Season 2 of an existing TV series back in the summer. I will be filming a Christmas movie here in Florida in November. I am also guest starring in a TV series episode that is on a streaming platform. I have a feature film that I am slated to begin filming in North Carolina in January where I am one of the leads. The film is about a group of recent college graduates getting together for the last time before they go off in their lives. I am in talks for another feature film where I will be the lead character who comes from a bad home life. It has some action blended with a lot of great drama. I am not allowed to release any names of projects yet, but I will let you know as soon as I can.

Your personality has been described as possessing a magnetic blend of charisma and charm, much like your iconic relative, Marilyn Monroe. How do you harness these qualities in your acting and everyday life?

As far as charisma and charm goes, that is very sweet that someone said that about me, but I have no clue how I do it [laughs]. I guess that it just happens naturally. I just try to be the best version of myself and believe very much in putting out good vibes. If I can change how someone’s day is going and make it better in some small way by making them laugh or smile, then I have succeeded.

As an entrepreneur, what motivated you to venture into the business world, and how do you see it intertwining with your acting and athletic career?

I believe in being the master of your own destiny. My whole life I was told that I can’t do this or that or I’ll never make that team or this team. That is what drove me to prove to myself that I could do anything that I truly desire. As long as I’m working with intention and focus, it will happen. As an actress, I am a storyteller, and I want to tell the best stories that inspire my generation. I was so impressed by Greta Gerwig’s Barbie movie. I saw how she had these amazing undertones of letting the viewer see the world through Barbie’s eyes and how it mirrors what many of us women and girls go through today. I have grown up watching my mother as a businesswoman often be overlooked by men with half of her knowledge. She ended up opening her own business in order to achieve what she wanted to in life. I hope that someday I can be a similar inspiration for young girls, something positive to look up to.

What advice would you give to young individuals looking to follow in your footsteps, pursuing multiple passions and dreams simultaneously?

You can achieve whatever you want to achieve if you have the work ethic, talent, drive and focus to make it happen. I learned a long time ago that I am a small-steps person. If I see the big picture, it overwhelms me. I must break it down into bite-sized pieces. Take each day on its own and set goals, work towards completing your daily goal. Those lead to weekly, monthly and yearly goals—and before you know, you’re there!

For more information on Kijsa, please visit: kijsagifford.com. And follow her on Instagram @kijsagiffordofficial.