ABOUT KYMBERLY
4.22.2008 | INTERVIEW WITH 3SIXTYMAG.COM
Kymberly King, Canadas "best-kept secret," was born in beautiful British Columbia, Vancouver. Raised in a non-traditional family backround of Chinese and Scottish, life for her was nothing but ordinary. Feeling sheltered and confused about who she was and what she wanted, Kymberly made the decision to live the rest of her life the way she wanted - No holds barred. After making the move to Toronto she was immediately encouraged to pursue modeling. On the strength of her stunning images, Kymberly King exploded onto the scene almost overnight to become one of the most highly sought after models in Toronto's ultra-competitive industry. Who is Kymberly King? To find out what's behind the rise of Canada's hottest export, we go back to where it all began.
You grew up a very sheltered child. When did you first start to rebel?
It started with the way I dressed. I opted for a pair of Vans, alongside my favorite green and white Converse shoes, with baggy ripped jeans from my favorite thrift store and an overly sized Kurt Cobain t-shirt I wore till you could no longer see the white on the shirt from the stains and holes it collected over the years.
How did your parents react?
My mom wasn't all too thrilled, but she lived with it. If I ever did anything wrong growing up, rather than getting grounded like any other child, my mother would pick out the most hideous flowered dress with a matching "Blossom" hat (remember that chick in the 90's that had that tv show?) and made me wear it to school. Believe me, that was harsh because in those days it was publicly humiliating and I even got pushed into mud puddles by the other kids.
Would you consider yourself a tom boy back then?
In retrospect, I literally thought I was a boy. When I was 5, I decided I'd prove to myself that I was able to go to the washroom standing up. My mom caught me in the action and I got so scared I peed all over the floor. She made sure I didn't have an incident like that ever again (God bless her heart).
Did you prefer Barbie or Baseball?
At a very young age, I traded in my POG set for a bunch of hologram baseball cards. Enthralled by the sport and Roberto Alomar (former Toronto Blue Jays shortstop), my Dad decided to sign me up in a softball league. I never hit a homer but always got to walk. I came to the conclusion that baseball wasn't for me after my second injury, and just stuck to trading cards.
Were you well behaved at school?
The first time I got suspended was in 6th grade. The teachers finally caught on who was throwing the dry dog poop at the girls and at the portables. The second time I got suspended was in 7th grade, when a friend of mine brought a strawberry cooler to school and we got the girls to drink it in the change room after gym class telling them it was juice. And my friend Lindsey (who is my friend till this day) told on me!
When did you decide you wanted to model?
High School. For me, it was another year - same shit, different place. For my parents, it was a great opportunity for me to spread my wings and become that lady they've always wanted me to be. At this point in my life, I wanted to be an actress but the Saturday Night Live "PAT" look wasn't in high demand in the school drama department. I tried my best to look like all the other girls but no matter how hard I tried to walk in high heels and act all "lady like" I couldn't fool anyone, not even myself. My Dad has always said even till this day, "you can dress her up, but you can't take her anywhere".
What was your first real break into the modeling industry?
As time went on, I had a difficult time adjusting to my new look and who I was as a person. I looked the part, but didn't feel comfortable or confident in my own skin. I wanted to fit in with every other pretty girl out there, but it just wasn't me. Then one day during a double shift at The GAP, someone approached me to be a model for one of their ad campaigns. I was more concerned with making sure I folded all the sweaters so I turned him down. He came back and kept badgering me so I finally said I'd try it. I guess this is where they say, the rest is history! I loved it right away. After feeling uncomfortable for most of my life, I finally felt at home. Dressing up, taking pictures and meeting new people became a passion for life.
You've come a long way since then. What can the world expect next from Kymberly King?
I think that living your life to the fullest is what's important. I love to travel, meet new people, and try new things, so you can expect the unexpected.
