Our interview with actress Kendra Leigh Timmins who stars as Kit Bridges in Nickelodeon’s Live-Action Series, Ride.
Kit is a vivacious American teenager who moves to England when her widowed father accepts a job training horses at The Covington Academy, a prestigious equestrian boarding school. Afraid of horses, Kit must learn to conquer her fear and tame the school’s wildest horse in order to stay at Covington.
Timmins was born in London, Ontario, and began performing when she was in elementary school. Her first break was in the popular Canadian television series Wingin’ It. From there, Timmins went on to guest star in My Babysitter’s a Vampire, The Firm, Degrassi: The Next Generation, Cracked, Nikita, Saving Hope and Remedy. She has also appeared in the films Frenemies, Port Hope, Lost After Dark and The Journey Home.
Outside of acting, Timmins enjoys reading, writing, dancing, singing, binge-watching television and trying to conquer her fear of roller coasters.
Describe yourself in 1 word?
Exuberant.
How did you get started in the industry?
When I was young I started to get a little bored with school. So my Mom asked my teacher for advice and she suggested that I try out for the school play, and the rest is history.
What is the best and worst part of being an actor?
The best part of being an actor is getting to work with incredibly talented and passionate people who share in your love of making a project come to life. And the worst part is getting up ridiculously early.
Best advice ever given?
“There will always be someone better than you.” It sounds harsh in writing, but I am so grateful it was given to me for two reasons. One, it reminds me not to worry so much about being the best and focus on being my best because at the end of the day that’s what matters most. And two, it keeps me humble and reminds me to keep working hard.
How was the casting for Nickelodeon show “Ride”?
It was a really exciting, long and nerve-wracking process. My agent got me an audition and the first one was really fun. I just went in and did a couple scenes that got sent away on tape. Then I kept getting called back in to meet all the people involved, and to try different things with the scenes. I probably had four or five auditions before I got the role, and I’m so grateful I did.
What “Ride” is about?
Ride is about a girl named Kit who moves to England because her dad gets a job teaching at an equestrian boarding school. And she’s really overwhelmed until she meets a wild horse named TK, who is also a little out of place. They create a really strong bond and get through their everyday challenges together with the help of their wonderful new friends.
Tell us a little about you character?
Kit is a really energetic, free-spirited girl who likes to get into trouble and bend the rules a little bit. She’s really quirky, cares very deeply for her friends and family and has a really big fear of horses, which causes a couple problems at a school where everyone rides horses.
What has been your most memorable experience on the set?
There are too many to name, but I think filming the very first scene that you see in the show was pretty memorable to me. It was one of my audition scenes, so to have it come full circle was pretty incredible. It finally sunk in that we were really in Northern Ireland, on set, making this incredible project happen.
Any exciting news you want to share with us?
I recently starting taking gymnastics lessons again and am very close to landing my front hand-spring, which I am VERY excited about!
What do you do in your free time?
I really like to do arts and crafts. I love making my own cards, knitting, and filling in my adult coloring books. If I’m not crafting, I like to read, write, shop and go to exercise classes at the gym.
What do you like to watch on tv?
I watch soooo much television, it’s probably unhealthy. I like to watch a combination of everything. Dramas (Nashville, The Newsroom) Sci-fi/Fantasy (Game of Thrones, Orphan Black), Comedies (Friends, Community), Cartoons (Spongebob, Power Rangers) There are very few things I don’t watch.
3 things you can’t leave your house without?
My iPod, headphones and shoes!
Something fans don’t know about you?
I’m really short, like really short. It’s always one of the first things fans say when they meet me, like “you look way taller on tv.”
Any tips that you can give to up-coming talent?
Work hard. There are a lot of things performers don’t have control over, but what you do have control over is how prepared and professional you are, so work hard and it will pay off.
What kind of music do you like?
I like to listen to anything I can sing along to, and I will admit I’m a huge Musical Theatre nerd. I also love Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, Lady Antebellum, Alessia Cara and Sara Bareilles.
Do you support any charity?
I like to give back as much as I can. The charities I have supported a lot in the past are Unicef, WWF (World Wildlife Fund), Sick Kids Foundation (Children’s Hospital in Toronto), CANFAR (Canadian AIDS Research), and Cancer Research Foundations.
Idea of a perfect Sunday?
It definitely starts with sleeping in and staying in my pajamas as long as possible. Then some time to experiment with make-up. I love trying new eye shadow and lipstick colors, and then finish off with a game night or movie marathon with my friends.
What do you think of Social Media in the Entertainment business?
I think it can be really great, as long as you’re careful. It helps me interact one on one with fans which I absolutely love, but there can be negative comments on social media that affect me. So I’m trying to find a healthy balance between letting fans in on my life, without living it based on the number of followers I have. I’m still working on it.
Where we can follow you?
You can follow me on
Facebook:@kendraleightimmins
Twitter:@kendra_timmins
Instagram:@kendraleightimmins
Quote: Making mistakes is much more fun than faking perfections
Travel Destination: Barbados
Drink: Lemonade
Favorite Movie: The Princess Bride
Food: Soup
Celebrity Crush: Logan Lerman
Sports Team: Canadian Women’s Soccer, They Rock!
