Kijsa Gifford is an actor, entrepreneur, and multi award-winning athlete. Born in Madison, WI, and having lived in such locations as Evansville, WI, to Cherry Valley, IL, Brighton, MI, Kijsa now balances her busy schedule between Tampa, Florida and the bustling industry centers of Los Angeles, Atlanta, and New York City.
With her formative years dedicated to intensive training in gymnastics, volleyball, lacrosse, and collegiate pole vaulting, Kijsa’s next adventure is set as a D1 Pole Vaulter for the University of South Florida commencing her competitive season in 2025. In an effort to navigate both her budding acting career and athletic pursuits, Kijsa has chosen to pursue her college education virtually. And with her extensive athletic background, Kijsa is equipped to easily tackle a wide range of action roles as well as her other genres of interest, which include drama, comedy, and rom-coms.
Kijsa's unique family connection adds to her narrative in that she shares a distant cousinship with actress Marilyn Monroe through her biological father, Charles Stanley Gifford. And much like her iconic relative, Kijsa possesses a magnetic blend of natural charisma and charm, adding a distinctive quality to her personality. In honor of her connection to Monroe, Kijsa has aptly named her production company Norma Jean Entertainment.
Though Kijsa’s acting journey began at age 4, it took a backseat to her athletic endeavors for much of her childhood. Now ready to fully take on the pursuit, Kijsa is embracing her passion for acting. She appeared in the upcoming short “The Coffee Shop,” and is slated for a number lead roles in feature films set for production in 2024.
What made you want to start out in sports and acting?
"I started sports when I was 2 and acting when I was 4 so I grew up doing both of them. I ended up having to back away from acting for a while due to intensive training as a gymnast."
How do you train as an athlete?
"There is off-season and season in sports. So during the season I practice 5 days per week and lift 2-3 days per week. During the off-season, I cross train boxing, jiu jitsu, wayne chong, sprinting and lifting along with 3 days per week pole vaulting."
If you could play a different sport, what would you play?
"I love snowboarding and love doing tricks and twists in the air on my board, so if I was out in Colorado or near the mountains, I would probably compete in that."
What is your favorite genre of film?
" I love all of the genres for their own unique reasons, but my favorite would have to be drama. I love the stories that are told and the connection that is made to the character and their world. I want a movie to inspire me, teach me or take me on a journey with it, and drama is one of the genres that usually delivers in that aspect."
Your production company is called Norma Jean Entertainment. Can you tell us a bit of the story behind that?
"I am a really good writer, so I was getting asked to look at a script and give feedback or give my input. I noticed an area that could use some help in which it was female characters. I noticed that many times the character was mean, entitled, a bully, shallow, over-sexualized, and they could have used some more character development. Then I started looking at a lot of the roles out there for girls like me. Many of the roles I came across required nudity among other things. It made me wonder; if I was a young girl growing up and saw women that looked like me on TV, and they were almost always being used as sexual objects or painted in a not so positive light, how would that affect my psychological development and mental image of myself? So, I started Norma Jean Entertainment to help launch some projects that will work on scripts and productions that are good stories about women with solid character development. Don’t get me wrong, if nudity is done in good taste and it makes sense for a role to add to the character, then by all means, it has a place in the film. But I wanted to see more positive role models for young girls growing up. Marilyn Monroe also struggled with roles that typecast her for many years. She dreamed of being taken seriously as an actress, and she was a fantastic actress. So, Norma Jean Entertainment will produce films that Marilyn would have enjoyed and wanted to be a part of, films with class and sophistication."
Do you & Marilyn have anything in common?
"Actually we have a lot in common. She loved to make people laugh and I do as well. She was also determined, focused and driven, which we also have in common. She was very forward thinking and knew how to get things done, and that is something that I aspire to be."
You just appeared in The Coffee Shop, The Time is Now, and are in production of Myra’s Last Hope. What can you tell us about your past and upcoming projects?
"I have a lot of projects in the works that I cannot talk about just yet. But what I can say is that I just wrapped on a feature film for a cable tv channel that will be out in February 2024. I also was just in season 2 of 2 different TV series that will be on streaming platforms. I am in talks now for 3 feature films and a TV series. My short film projects that are out now or are coming in early 2024 are The Coffee Shop, Myra’s Last Hope, and The Time is Now. I really liked The Time is Now where I was able to play a drug addict and show a completely different person and is not something that people would typically see me as. In Myra’s Last Hope, I play Starla, a young girl who was separated from her parents and stuck in a dystopian town. In The Coffee Shop, I play Jace, a barista in a unique story that follows various people who frequent a coffee shop and their stories."
What is some advice for upcoming actors and athletes?
"Surround yourself with positive people. As outlandish as your dreams may seem to some people, find friends who can join in on your delulu and help you to create the world that you envision for yourself. Anybody who is negative or not supportive is not healthy and will only drop your vibe, so stay clear of that. Be bold, take risks and don’t sweat the small stuff, just keep your eye on the prize and keep grinding."
What is the hardest part about being in the Entertainment industry?
"The sheer amount of time required to dedicate to your craft. Many people reach out to me and want to know how I did it, or what is the secret. The secret is hard work, simple as that. You cannot cut corners and just expect to be noticed or “found.” You have to do the work and love doing the work. One thing that I did learn from sports was balancing tasks and time management and boy will you need that in acting. I use a planner and check off everything that I need to do every day. I need to have a visual reminder in front of me so that I can see it. I get overwhelmed by huge lists that seem insurmountable, so I have found that if I break it down and take on the small parts, one by one, I can accomplish it. Burnout is real, I have experienced it in the past, so it is definitely something to watch out for."
Do you have a favorite Movie, Actor or Actress?
"WOW. That’s tough. I love so many movies. I have a few that come to mind for different reasons, and I couldn’t put one of them over another because they are all magnificent. My overall most entertaining film is Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Both Leo and Brad were on fire in that film. I just chuckle thinking about some of the scenes. Another standout for me is Juno. I love it because she is such a layered character and is hilarious. Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick were fantastic in A Simple Favor. I also love The Color Purple, Fight Club, Shawshank Redemption, Barbie, A Few Good Men, Parasite, and Lady Bird. For action movies, I love Top Gun, Spiderman, The Matrix, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, The Hunger Games, and Thor. My favorite actresses are: Jennifer Lawrence, Michelle Yeoh, Blake Lively, Zendaya, Florence Pugh, Angelina Jolie, and Margot Robbie. My favorite actors are: Denzel Washington, Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio, Keanu Reeves, Timothy Chalamet, Johnny Depp and Sam Claflin."
What is it about acting and making movies that you love?
"Life is about experiences and living through our emotions, feeling something, and trying to make sense of it all. Movies can be uplifting, inspiring, and a way to take a step away from your own perspective and see the world through the eyes of another. They can also be educational, depressing, and joyful, allowing the viewer to capture the essence of his or her own humanity in a short span of time. Movies can allow us to transcend our own human experiences into the abyss of the unknown leaving imprints that can last a lifetime."
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