Who is Kimberley Hodgson?
I am a girl who absolutely loves food. I am so passionate about food, and I am not talking about fancy food, this is just food in general. I love entertaining myself/being entertained by nonsense, this can present itself in many forms. This includes, random improvised skits about the most insignificant silliest of things, even making a whole lot of silly sounds or creating an improvised interpretive dance to whatever music is currently playing. I love to laugh and I love to make people laugh.
What would you do differently from what you do now?
When I was growing up, if football was a profession that women could actually make money from, I would be a professional football player for sure. It’s wonderful to see now that the culture of women’s football is celebrated the way that it is.
Who inspires you and why?
My Mum – She is one of the most resilient, strong and hard working people I have ever met. Knowing the sacrifice that she has made so that I can be where I am today is what inspires me the most.
What would you do to make a difference in the world?
I catch the bus every day. Every day I get onto that bus and I make sure that even if I am having a horrible day, I will always greet the driver with a smile and a hello and 100% of the time I have managed to make the driver smile back at me. I like to think that if the driver isn’t having such a great day, that I have gifted them one little moment of happiness for the day. In my everyday life, I try to do this with the people around me and I find that it can have the power to bring some pretty incredible people into your life.
Favourite holiday destination and why?
Give me somewhere hot, give me somewhere with a body of water, give me delicious food… wherever that is, I want to be there.
When friends come to town, what attraction would you take them to, and why?
When my friends come to Sydney, I would take them to lunch at one of my all time favourite restaurants called Mamak and eat some delicious food. I would then take them to this wonderful place called Opera Bar where they can have some cute drinks and watch the sun go down and then I would say, if you want to see some fabulous entertainment there’ll be a show on at the most iconic venue in the world, the Sydney Opera House.
What are you currently reading?
Normally, I’m not a huge reader but, I have beside my bed this amazing book called What Gives Us Our Names by Alvin Pang. I’m not sure that the book is being printed anymore but if you can get your hands on a copy, I highly recommend it.
What are you currently listening to?
John legend – Once Again album.
Happiness is?
Loved ones, food and sunshine.
What does the future hold for you?
Aaah the hardest question of all… I have spent many years worrying about what the future holds for me and it’s actually just a really stressful way to live. So, what I do hope for my future self, and what I have been trying to apply in life now, is that I get to do a whole lot of living, loving and embracing the present and whatever that may be.
Kimberley stars as Gigi in Cameron Mackintosh’s acclaimed production of Boublil & Schonberg’s Miss Saigon – currently playing at Melbourne’s Her Majesty’s Theatre (opening night – Friday 3 November) until 16 December 2023, before playing the Adelaide Festival Centre from 2 January 2024. For more information, visit: www.miss-saigon.com.au for details.
Image: Kimberley Hodgson – photo by Daniel Boud