Rising Star Kensington Tallman On The Five Things You Need To Shine In The Entertainment Industry

An Interview With Elana Cohen

Don’t take things personally! This is an ongoing lesson I am learning, which is challenging but critical for this business. I used to take everything so personally that I would doubt myself. But I realized everyone has a unique working style and relays direction or information differently. Stay confident in who you are and what you bring to the table. Trust yourself, knowing you’ve worked hard to get here. Always remember to keep your chin up! My acting coach gave me the best advice; “ah so! Let everything roll off your back, stay grounded, present, and true to yourself.”

As a part of my series about pop culture’s rising stars, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Kensington Tallman.

Denver, CO-born and NYC & LA raised 14-year-old Kensington Tallman is a superstar in the making. A classical violinist who has performed at Carnegie Hall, a talented singer with stunning vocals, a practicing vegan and animal rights activist, and one of the fastest rising actresses in Hollywood, Kensington stars as the leading breakout role of ‘Lucy’ in Canada’s Family Channel LIVE action comedy series “Home Sweet Rome!” based on a concept by EMMY Award and Canadian Screen Award-nominated creator of “Hannah Montana” and “That’s So Raven” Michael Poryes, and developed for television by “Degrassi” alums and Humanitas Award-winner Matt Huether and Courtney Jane Walker. The series just made its’ hugely successful world debut in Canada before premiering on HBO Max in the US, BBC in the UK, RAI in Italy, and ARD in Germany.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Our readers would love to get to know you a bit better. Can you tell us the story of how you grew up?

Thank you so much for having me today! I actually grew up all over the United States. I was born in Denver, Colorado. I moved to Philadelphia for a year and then to New York City when I was six. I spent most of my early years in Manhattan until I moved to Los Angeles. I feel very blessed to have lived in some of the most art-centered cities.

Can you share a story with us about what brought you to this specific career path?

Growing up in New York City, I was surrounded by so much culture, beauty, and art, greatly influencing my love of performing. I started as a violinist. I used to have terrible stage fright, so my parents encouraged me to play on the streets in my neighborhood to get over my fears. I once performed outside Carnegie Hall; a year later, I performed inside Carnegie Hall through The School of Strings. It was a very full-circle moment!

Additionally, I competed in my school’s poetry festival. It was there that my love of performing took flight. My little brother Zealand actually started the acting trend in our family. He used to model when he was little, and one day I went on an audition with him for moral support. The casting director asked if I was also auditioning. I looked at my Mom wide-eyed and then told her, YES! I ended up booking it! My first ever job was a print ad for the Toys R Us catalog! After that, I started studying acting by taking classes every week. When I am between jobs, I always jump right back into class. I love learning about the craft of acting.

Can you tell us the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your entertainment career?

Once at a callback, I had to sing a song and was so nervous. I started singing and completely went flat multiple times! I was so embarrassed and at the time didn’t ever want to sing again! However, this moment became a turning point in my career. Instead of letting my mistakes get the better of me, I didn’t give up. I started taking voice lessons, and three years later, I landed a singing role in a TV show called “Home Sweet Rome!” So no matter how many times you fall, always get back up again! Fun fact. I ended up booking that job where I sang flat. It taught me a great lesson. You don’t have to be perfect. You just have to stay determined!

It has been said that our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

There have been so many funny mistakes throughout the last few years! One of my favorite stories is the time I auditioned for Bunk’d! I was new to acting and LA and got an audition for my favorite show! I was so excited and nervous. I didn’t bring my sides (pages from the script) to the audition room because I memorized them. They called my name, and I ran into the room with excitement. I was so nervous that I forgot all the lines and burst into tears! The Casting Director (Biz Urban) came out and got my Mom because I was so hysterical. It wasn’t funny then, but I laugh about it now. She was so sweet, telling me to get my lines and that it would all be okay and to read them off the page. Oddly enough, the Casting Directors, Biz Urban and Howard Meltzer gave me a callback for this project; it was my first time on Disney’s 21st floor. I learned an important lesson that day. One, always bring your sides in, just in case, and two, never give up! Fun fact, three years later, Howard Meltzer was actually the one who cast me as Lucy in Home Sweet Rome!

What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now? Tell us about Home Sweet Rome!

I am working on some very fun projects right now! I just filmed a new show called “Home Sweet Rome!” which just premiered on Family Channel Canada and will come to HBO Max next year! I play Lucy, and the show is about my character moving from America to Rome, Italy! The show focuses on complex topics such as loss, new family members, and self-discovery. Lucy must also adapt to a new Italian pop star stepmom, a new culture, a new school, and coping with being away from her bestie Kyla (played by the amazing Ava Ro!) The show features incredible original music, exciting historical locations, lots of laughs, and so much heart! (And yes! We got to film in ROME!) I am continuing to study Italian. I hope to become fluent by the time I graduate High School. I am also working on several animated projects that I am so passionate about right now, and I will begin filming a new movie this Spring. In addition, my best friend Samantha A. Smith and I are writing a multi-cam TV show. I can’t give away too many details but stay tuned! It’s a super fun and encouraging show about Best Friends!

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

My favorite quote -which is more of a saying- is, “Practice makes Progress.” I am definitely a perfectionist, and sometimes I forget that it’s okay not to be perfect! In fact, perfectionism will only tear you down because you will never achieve perfection. After all, we’re human! And we should embrace that! This quote reminds me that the mistakes I make are what make me stronger. So keep on trying, and you will make progress.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

I am very grateful to have a fantastic support system. I have incredible coaches, teachers, mentors, and family members that encourage me daily. I thank my Mom, Dad, and little brother for their constant support. They have been with me every step of the way. They are the people behind the scenes that make so many sacrifices so I can achieve my dreams. They are the most hard-working and encouraging people I know. My Mom dropped everything to move to Rome with me for four months. She supported me by being on set with me daily and always being my constant cheerleader. My Dad also sacrificed so much. He stayed home with my brother to care for him and worked simultaneously. He always made time to call me, even with the 9 hour time change. My little brother is my biggest fan. He always makes me laugh and tells me what a great job I am doing. I love him so much! I am forever grateful to my family for the sacrifices they have made so I can chase my dreams.

Ok, thank you for all that. Now let’s jump to the main part of our interview. What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why? (Please share a story or example for each.)

1. Don’t Dwell! When I first started auditioning, I would constantly dwell on the feedback I received. What I learned later is to move on. Go in, give it your all, and that’s all that matters. Someone once told me, “it’s not about booking the job, it’s about booking the room.” It’s about the relationships you make, the lessons you learn, and how you grow as an actor and person.
2. Keep your eyes on what’s most important! What has kept me going is focusing on what’s most important. It’s not the fame, number of followers, or number of jobs you book. It’s about helping people deal with difficult emotions like loss or love. It’s also vital for me to always prioritize God and my family and friends before acting.
3. Don’t compare yourself to others! This is a challenging lesson everyone must learn regardless of what they do in life. It can be easy to compare yourself to someone else and say, “oh they’re doing this and I’m not.” But the reality is, you can’t compare yourself to others because you’re you! You are so special and unique; no one can take that away. If we were all the same, it would be boring! It’s important to embrace and celebrate our differences!
4. When one door closes, another one opens! This is so so true! It’s easy to get discouraged when you hear “no” or “not today.” But the reality is, what is meant for you, is meant for you! It’s hard in the moment, but I promise you there is always something right around the corner. So when something doesn’t go exactly how I wanted it to, I remember, “when God closes one door, he opens another.”
5. Don’t take things personally! This is an ongoing lesson I am learning, which is challenging but critical for this business. I used to take everything so personally that I would doubt myself. But I realized everyone has a unique working style and relays direction or information differently. Stay confident in who you are and what you bring to the table. Trust yourself, knowing you’ve worked hard to get here. Always remember to keep your chin up! My acting coach gave me the best advice; “ah so! Let everything roll off your back, stay grounded, present, and true to yourself.”

Which tips would you recommend to your colleagues in your industry to help them to thrive and not “burn out”?

I recommend taking mental breaks. I think it’s easy for actors to get into this mindset of “oh, I have to be working on my craft 24/7.” It’s important to work hard, but it’s also important to mentally take a break from the craft to reset. This will help you retain energy and not burn out. After filming, I like doing yoga, working out, taking power naps, hanging out with my friends and family, crafting or baking, aerial dancing, watching movies, and hanging with my bunny. As an artist, it’s more than okay to focus your energy on other art forms as well! This will actually help you by not getting so overwhelmed and consumed by one particular character or job.

You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.

A movement that is extremely important to me is mental health. Being a teenager and growing up in this covid world can bring a lot of stress. Over the pandemic, I have become more involved with my mental health and realized how important it is. I want to inspire other young people to know they are not alone in this battle. Everyone goes through this, and being vocal about it is crucial. If you ever feel like you are the only one feeling this way, THAT IS NOT TRUE! We are all in this together. To answer your question, Mental Health Awareness is a movement I want to be a part of.

Additionally, veganism and animal cruelty is something I want to continue to advocate for. The horrors of the meat, dairy, and testing industry break my heart. I want animals to be treated with kindness and love- because they are living, breathing creatures like us. I would love to inspire others to advocate for animal rights!

If you had the ability to choose to work on any TV show or film, or work alongside any co-star, or with any director, what or who would that be, and why? You never know who might see this article, especially if we tag them. :-)

There are so many people that come to mind, but one person I really admire is Alicia Silverstone. She is an actress who uses her platform to advocate for animals, the environment, and health. One of my biggest dreams is to have my own vegan, sustainable, and cruelty-free brand. I would love her advice on balancing her acting career, activism, and brand-building. She is a great role model to me.

How can our readers follow you on social media?

You can follow me on all social media at @heykensington

This was very meaningful, thank you so much!

Thank you so much! I had so much fun today!