Chat with Kit Connor

THIS PHOTOSHOOT WAS CONDUCTED BEFORE THE SAG-AFTRA STRIKE!

We had the pleasure to speak with English actor Kit Connor about his passion for acting, development as an actor, fashion and many more.  

Kit, you started acting at an early age of 8. How would you describe the development of your career from then to now? 

I certainly don’t speak for all child actors when I say this because there are some incredible child actors, but in my experience starting in the industry at 8 I wasn’t really required to be all that good. I needed to be able to hit a mark, remember my lines and really the only thing that was reasonably difficult at that time was listening to the director and trying to implement their notes into my performance. So I like to think the minute I started to transition from cute child to awkward teenager was when I had to start really learning to act. That was definitely a turning point.  

How have you developed your craft over the years? 

I’ve been extremely fortunate in the fact that I have been in the industry for a while, because it meant that I was able to simply watch and observe some really wonderful and talented performers of all different varieties. On stage and on screen, young and old, comic and serious, you really do learn so much from watching the pros do what they do best. And then of course, being able to act alongside them helped hugely. Nothing is better for an actor than just getting up and doing it.  

Are there any directors you would love to work with in the future? 

I’ve grown up loving film and filmmaking itself so of course I love some of the iconic filmmakers, Scorsese being a prime example, but I’m also keen to work with a lot of different directors in my career, if they’ll have me. Again, I’d love to work with young and old, seasoned pros and first-time filmmakers. I want to keep my options open and be flexible, otherwise the role of a lifetime might pass me by just because it wasn’t what I was looking for.  

What type of genres would you like to explore in the future? 

Again, I don’t want to put too many expectations or limitations on myself, but I would definitely like to do some darker, grittier projects. I just really want roles that are going to challenge me as an actor and that scare me. That’s the best way to grow as an actor.  

What would be your advice to young talents who are starting their acting career? 

My advice would be to remember that the industry will often try to make you quit. Rejection is something that comes hand in hand with the job. You have to come to terms with that and persevere, just keep trying to improve yourself as an actor. Acting is just at the heart of it, knowing about people. I think my acting improved the most when I simply started to live a little, see the world, meet new people.  

What are your dreams about the future of your career? 

I just want to be happy with what I’ve done by the end of my career. I’m a perfectionist as an actor, so I can never stand watching myself act as it’s never what I want it to be. Hopefully by the end of my career I’ll have either overcome that mindset or simply done a performance that I’m truly happy with. That’d be nice.  

Outside of acting, how do you love spending your free time? 

Fitness has definitely become a real stress reliever for me, but I think one of the things that I really love doing now is being around my friends. It sounds like an obvious one, but I was never very social as a kid or even over the last few years. I’d often opt not to go out with friends, but in the past year or so I’ve found it to be one of my favourite things in the world and I’ve found such an appreciation for life and how lucky I am to be living mine.  

How have your fashion choices developed over the past few years? 

Fashion to me has always been important. I’ve just only began to understand how to dress the way I want to dress over the past few years. I’ve always been obsessed by the people of the past. The actors of the 50s, the rockstars of the 60s and 70s and the Hollywood heartthrobs of the 90s. I think I’ve taken fashion inspiration from some of those iconic figures. I’ve also been lucky enough in the past year to be able to dip my toe in the fashion industry with some amazing brands, like Loewe and JW Anderson, being able to watch their shows and wear their clothes, which has been a dream.  

Have you ever been to the Netherlands? 

Unfortunately I’ve never been to the Netherlands, even though I was thinking of visiting Amsterdam this summer with some friends. It’s definitely on my bucket list and hopefully I can visit really soon.  

Talent: Kit Connor
Photographer: Kosmas Pavlos
Stylist: Joseph Kocharian
Hair & Makeup: Liz Taw
Digital imaging: Alexandra Heindl
Photography assistants: Luke Johnson & Grant Hammilton
Editor: Timi Letonja
Special thanks to Public Eye Communications

This interview was done for Numéro Netherlands by Jana Letonja.