A small town boy with big dreams, Kit Thompson started his showbiz journey when he entered Big Brother Philippines: Teen Edition. While at the house, Kit slowly garnered attention creating quite a fan-base despite his eventual elimination. Standing at six foot one, with looks combined from his Filipino mother and Kiwi father, Kit was a shoo-in to be a model at the early age of fourteen, booking campaigns and commercials that aired in multiple Asian countries. But it was his love for acting and film that made him decide to temporarily step away from the limelight to study his craft at the New York Film Academy at 18 years old. After New York, Kit relocated to Los Angeles, signing with an acting agent and a model manager. This move, however, was cut short in 2018 when the motherland came calling back, offering a TV series and multiple movie projects, including the lead role in Belle Douleur, the film that won him the Best Actor award at the 2021 Houston International Film Festival.
Hiraya chatted with Kit regarding his journey so far, his recent acting achievements, and plans for the future.
Who are your acting heroes? When did you know you wanted to become an actor?
My acting hero would probably be Daniel Day Lewis and Marlon Brando. I remember my father would play some of their movies like Apocalypse Now and there will be blood and was really impressed on how versatile and natural Daniel and Brando were.
I noticed I became interested in watching movies when I was around 8 years old. I started to pursue this career when I was 14 but when I turned 18 I think that was when I truly appreciated the craft and wanted to learn more about acting rather than just being a pretty face.
You studied acting in New York. How did it feel leaving your career in the Philippines and moving to a foreign land for your dream?
I actually didn’t even think twice about moving to New York at the time. I took the opportunity as soon as it was presented to me by my father. I started acting at 14 so at the time, going to university in New York and living a normal life for a bit didn’t seem like a bad idea. It was a great restart, a good change and a breath of fresh air.
You’ve done much lighter roles before taking on your lead role in Belle Douleur, what scenes do you feel really showcased your acting skills that eventually led to an acting nomination at the Houston International Film Festival?
If I were to guess which scene it would probably be the break up scene where I went to Liz (Mylene Dizon) to confront her about our relationship. We took that scene on our first day of shooting. I remember that I actually had a hard time preparing for it. It took a couple takes but on the last try I was able to successfully pull it off. The feeling was rewarding at that moment, seeing my director happy at the end of the scene was relieving.
What is your dream role or something you look forward to playing on screen?
I’d like to play a lot of different characters if given the chance. But one goal of mine is to do an action film.
What would be your message to your younger self who dreamt of the actor that you are becoming?
Always keep an open mind, keep learning and be patient.
The name of the magazine is “Hiraya”, a Tagalog word that means fruit of one’s hopes, dreams, and aspirations: What do you still hope for, dream of, and aspire to become?
One of the long-term goals I’ve set for myself is to be in a Hollywood film/TV project. It’s something I look forward to doing in the future.
Follow Kit on his socials:
Instagram: @kitthompson
Tiktok: kitthompson
YouTube: Kit Thompson official
Kumu: Kit Thompson
