Kimiko Glenn: Liberated Through Her Voice

Mixed Asian Media - March 18, 2023

By Meeja Kinsey

A woman of many talents, Kimiko Glenn, most well-known for her role in Orange Is the New Black, is shifting gears as she dives into the world of animated series. Starring in her new show Kiff, her energy and bubbly personality shine through her character, while allowing her the gift of being able to work from home and feeling more control. As many people of color understand the make-or-break impression that our appearances can have, the world of voiceovers can be an incredible outlet to perform in a way that is uninhibited by our looks. Kimiko is able to do just that. Her talent is obvious in all her work, and we can’t wait to see what she has in store for the future.

So many of us loved you in Orange Is the New Black, but it's also really exciting to see you everywhere else. You've got your hand in theatre, film, television, voiceovers, animation, and I've even seen music videos. It seems lately that you've kind of directed a lot of your creative energy toward voiceover projects. Is it accurate to say that's what you're predominantly doing these days, or if not, then what?

I mean, listen, I'm still pursuing TV and film, but I definitely have been leaning into the voiceover stuff. It's something I really love doing and it's also cool because I have my own recording studio at my home. It's just a very easy natural fit and it allows me to express certain parts of myself that, like sometimes with TV and film, you don't always.

Yeah, definitely your fans have noticed and they're really excited and wanted to understand what was prompting that. You were saying you had your own recording studio at home, so I'm sure that helps with the convenience of doing those. What else about it draws you to voiceover work more?

I think it sort of amped up during the pandemic when it was the thing that felt safe to do. And I think because I was able to get a few shows that were running pretty well and I was a big part in it, so it was just the natural move. And because of that I realized the benefits of it. It gives me flexibility in my life. It gives me the ability to like, say I wanna be a mother one day. 

I sort of have been steering away from theatre itself, like being on stage. Mostly because I like L.A. and being in New York for a year feels like a lot. There are a lot of personal reasons why I'm like, eh, maybe, but it's gotta be super special. But I don't wanna give up my singing; my passion is for singing.

So it really helps me just lean into that and the shows that I do on a regular basis. They allow me to be musical. So it's all very convenient and wonderful and I'm very happy. Everything has worked out the way it has because it also allows me to be particular about the on-camera jobs I want as well, because I'm not scared financially.

That's a really interesting perspective. So, we're having this chat because of the new animated series you're starring in called Kiff. I watched a few of the screeners and I caught myself giggling quite a bit throughout it. It's easy to see how your personality shines through Kiff's character. What kind of parallels do you see between you and her? And also with your singing background, how did it feel to be a part of that theme song and that musical side of things? 

Yeah, I mean, it's always a plus if I know that there's a musical aspect to the series that I'm doing. I relate to Kiff a lot. She's a down chick and she's like ready to go. She's ready to adventure. She's really passionate. She's really enthusiastic. I think those types of characters are always the most fun because they're the most expressive. While I enjoy watching deadpan comedy, I enjoy doing more expressive, ridiculous, outlandish things. The options are endless. You know, it doesn't feel confining and that's what I love about playing Kiff. I just think she's so lovable.

What kind of impact do you see on your acting from your voiceover work since the topic of race is kind of removed in a sense?

Well, my whole life and my whole career, especially when it comes to on-camera work or theatrical work, anything in person, it all hinges off a physical appearance a lot of the time. So that can be difficult. And recently it's gotten a bit better but it has been a thing simmering under the surface my entire life because it's always played a factor in what I do. So to remove that and to have it be completely just me and my talent and what I have to offer without any of this stuff — when you just simply get to have fun and play — it's like freedom. 

A lot of the stories from Kiff come from the experiences of Nic Smal and Lucy Heavens, while they grew up in South Africa. How are you able to relate to those stories through your mixed-Japanese background and your upbringing in Arizona?

I mean, it's based off of that, but I think the world they've created and their experiences have lent itself to the storylines and everything. But it's not exclusionary in the sense you are like, whoa, this is set in Cape Town. I think it's just incredibly relatable.

Love that. Now, I like to ask everyone this because we're with Mixed Asian Media, so since food is such a strong relationship-building experience, what is your favorite Japanese or Japanese fusion food, whether it's a meal at home, a restaurant you go to, just a single meal in general?

I love sushi; we're a big sushi family. And growing up I loved Japanese Curry. I just have a lot of warm fuzzies around curry that was like a staple in our home. It was the easiest thing to just make a pot of and enjoy for the week. It’s my own comfort food. 

Yeah! And do you make it yourself as well? Do you have a specific recipe you use? 

Yes. I dunno if it's like the Kraft mac-and-cheese of curries or something. But, I'll make it myself and we use these curry cubes. I think the brand is Golden Curry. You just break off some cubes and you put it in hot water, stew it with the vegetables and make the rice. I usually make a vegetarian curry. In my adult years, I've been doing sweet potato roasted with sliced carrots and sweet onion.

Awesome! As we wrap up, what projects do you have coming up in the future that we should keep an eye out for? 

I have History of the World: Part Two coming out and that's gonna be pretty epic. I mean, that was like an instant yes. That was such a cool project because I was always a huge fan of Mel Brooks as a kid. And it's basically all the funny people of L.A. and I can't even believe they asked me to do it, so that's really cool. There are a couple projects that are still being shopped around that I can’t really talk about yet. But that’s what I can immediately think of now. 

Well, thank you so much for your time. You are so lovely! 

Yeah, thank you!

Kiff airs on Disney Channel and Disney XD on Saturdays (8:30 a.m. ET/PT) and is streaming on Disney+.