Kim Hawthorne Shares how she went from Newark to Hollywood Actress
Newark, NJ- The 2nd annual Newark International Film Festival kicked off last night. Actors from all over the country gathered inside of Newark’s beautifully renovated Hahnes building for the opening night’s red carpet reception.
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Kim Hawthorne of OWN’s Greenleaf was one of the stars in attendance, she was present for the festival, but unlike many of her Hollywood peers she was also returning to visit her hometown of Newark. “I got my creative start here in Newark… I always had a love for acting..” said Kim. Many are unaware of Kim’s New Jersey roots. She was born in Jersey City, but raised in Newark, from her childhood through her teenage years. Her mom then later packed up Kim along with her sibling and opted for the lifestyle opposite the busy city. At the age of 17 Kim and her family moved to a small town in Alabama. Although she left Newark just before graduating high school for the southern hospitality of Alabama the creative acting bug bit Hawthorne during her childhood and it was in Newark where Kim tapped into her love of the arts. Kim attended Blessed Sacrament Elementary School as a child and then went on to attend Art’s High School where she took up singing. Some of Arts High School’s alumni include actors Michael B. Jordan and Tisha Campbell.
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It wasn’t until college where Kim uncovered her acting skills as she majored in musical theater at Birmingham-Southern College. Thirty years of acting, honing her craft, and staying the course landed her in the current role as Karissa on Greenleaf. Kim joins a star studded cast of actors such as Oprah Winfrey, Lynn Whitfield, Keith David, and Lammam Rucker just to name a few. I asked Kim does it sometimes feel surreal being apart of such an elite cast of great talent her response:
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“… I’ve paid my dues… I’ve always pictured myself around some of the best actors…I feel like I’m right up there with them..” she went on to say “There was one time Keith David and Lynn Whitfield were in my house as we were filming and I looked up and said wow ‘Keith David and Lynn Whitfield are in my house!'” She said with a laugh… “I will have those moments where I say this is such a blessing.”
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Being that the urban environment of Newark doesn’t always offer a ton of creative outlets I asked Kim for some advice she can lend to young women in Newark looking to pursue acting or any kind of creative field she said ” You need to find some outlet… enroll into the Newark School of the Arts… don’t waste your time sharing your dream with everybody it’s your dream and not everybody is going to get it.” Kim went on to say “Do at least one thing a day towards your goal, even if you’re moving in small steps you’re still moving. For instance if I started today from Newark walking to California it may take me a while but I will still get there.”
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Kim also said that finding a mentor and/or an internship can definitely be beneficial,“Put the work in… find a mentor… and since New York is so close go there and find an internship even if it’s with a news station.”
Kim is attending Newark’s International Film Festival which will be taking place from Friday September 8th until Sunday September 10th.
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For more information on Kim Hawthorne you can watch her flex her acting skills every Wednesday night at 10 pm est. on the second season of Greenleaf airing on the OWN network. If you haven’t seen the first season of Greenleaf you can catch up by watching it on Netflix. You can also keep up with Kim Hawthorne’s moves via instagram @Kimhawthorne.
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