Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with Kimiko Glenn

Kimiko Glenn is making a splash as the iconic title character in Nick Jr.’s Baby Shark’s Big Show. The series follows the comedic underwater adventures of Baby Shark and his best friend William, and will have audiences beaming from ear to ear.

For Kimiko, the project has not only allowed her to reconnect with her inner child, it’s also given her the opportunity to create a lasting impact on children around the world.

Pop Culturalist had the pleasure of speaking with Kimiko about Baby Shark’s Big Show, her multifaceted career, and why voice acting is so near and dear to her heart.

PC: Tell us about Baby Shark’s Big Show and your character.
Kimiko: Baby Shark’s Big Show follows the character, Baby Shark, and Baby Shark’s family along with his best friend William. It’s a really fun show. Baby is bubbly. He’s ferocious, fearless, brave, and has an adventurous spirit. He’s a baby, so he gets these wacky ideas in his head, and he’s like, “Let’s do it!” So, he goes for it. He takes his best friend, William, along for the ride. They make mistakes along the way, and they end up learning from it. It’s a really fun show. There’s a ton of original music that is as catchy as that original theme song, less repetitive, but just as fun. We’ll get in your bones and get you dancing.

It’s geared towards a preschool audience, but really, the whole family can enjoy it. I can speak from my own experience. There is a holiday episode out, and they leave nuggets in there for the adults—the whole Santa Jaws bit is hilarious. It had me on the floor. My friends have seen it, too. They didn’t have to, but some of them babysit or have children. They’re like, “I watch a lot of children’s programming because of this. This is unique. It’s clever. It’s so fun. Truly, everyone can enjoy it.

PC: Throughout your career, you’ve done a fantastic job selecting the projects that you want to be involved with. What is your process like when you’re vetting a project? What was it about this particular show that stood out to you?
Kimiko: A lot of the times when I choose a project, it often has to do with my life, what I need in my life, what is going to make me the happiest, what’s going to fulfill me artistically. For Baby Shark, I love being a part of children’s programming, especially when there’s an educational component. I want to be a force for good and a force for learning and teaching children how to have empathy, to be patient, to face problems head-on, to stay true to themselves, and not to give up when things get hard. That’s one of the reasons why I signed on.

I also really connected with Baby Shark. I find that when I leave a session, I feel more in touch with my inner child. It’s really been a true joy for me, and that’s mostly what I look for in a project when I choose it. I want to be at peak joy.

PC: Like you were saying earlier, the show is going to feature a lot of new original music. If you had to pick one song that you’re most excited for viewers to hear, which would it be and why?
Kimiko: Oh my gosh. There are so many fun songs. Every single time I go in, I get the song stuck in my head, seriously. One of the songs that I haven’t actually even recorded yet is one where Baby Shark pretends to be the mayor. That song has been stuck in my head for literally a month. There’s a song called “You Can’t Stop the Music”, and it seriously could be on the radio. I sing a song about losing a tooth called “Toothy Come Back”, which is a true power ballad. It’s so funny. There are a lot of songs that I’m looking forward to people hearing, enjoying, and maybe singing in their own living room.

PC: You’ve done it all in your career, from work in film, television, theater, and music. What’s the transition been like going from those different art forms into voice acting and animation?
Kimiko: They’re all connected in their own way, but very different; they require different things. I’m always honored and happy to do on-camera stuff. I still do it, obviously—I’m actually about to start a new project in a couple of days. But one thing I really appreciate about voice acting in itself is so much of acting is based on appearances, and that’s always been a struggle as a biracial woman. For me, it’s always been confusing. To have that element taken away feels pure.

I grew up as a singer. I would imitate everyone I loved. Celine Dion was my go-to. I loved imitating her French accent and doing all her riffs. That’s how I learned how to sing and how I got into all this; it was expressing myself through music and imitation. It’s like my heart in its purest form when I get to do voiceover acting.

PC: That’s an awesome answer. You’ve been voice acting for the past few years. Has anything surprised you about the experience? What’s been the biggest lesson you’ve learned about yourself?
Kimiko: Yeah, I’ve been doing voiceover for the past six or seven years. I was surprised by how hard it was to break into. I’ve always been told, “You have a really interesting, unique voice. Have you ever thought about doing cartoons?” I was like, “Yes. I’ve thought about it. I’ve auditioned so many times.”

It took doing Orange Is the New Black for people to recognize that I had a unique voice to make it a little more publicly known. That’s when I started getting phone calls to do things. I did BoJack Horseman, and I developed a relationship with Nick and Disney. From then, I started voicing characters, or at least getting a little further along than just the initial audition. I think I’m a bit surprised at how much it’s taken off, just based off of how difficult it was to break into at the start. I’m so grateful that people are receiving it and want me to voice their characters.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?
Kimiko: Oh gosh. I’m afraid to admit that during the pandemic, I’ve blown through most of the Real Housewives franchise, and, obviously, I’m an avid Bachelor franchise watcher.

PC: Guilty pleasure movie?
Kimiko: Moulin Rouge! I can watch that all the time.

PC: Favorite book?
Kimiko: As a kid, I was such a Goosebumps fan. I was such an R.L. Stine and Christopher Pike fan. I liked the spooky stuff. But as an adult, one book that always stuck out to me was Wild by Cheryl Strayed. You would think a book about hiking would not be that captivating, but I love her writing. It was inspiring to me. When I read it, I was going through a hard time. She really lifted me out of the darkness. I love that book. It really stays with me.

PC: Favorite play or musical?
Kimiko: That’s tough! Into the Woods is probably my all-time favorite musical—the crafting of the music, the storylines that are interwoven, how it turns from light to dark. There are so many incredible lessons to be learned.

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Kimiko: My favorite artist of all time is Regina Spektor. The only reason why I think fans wouldn’t be surprised is because she sang the theme song for Orange Is the New Black—that was a pure fluke. I’ve been obsessed with her for so long. It was only through Orange Is the New Black that I actually now have the smallest relationship with her and have met her on several occasions. She’s the sweetest person in the whole world.

PC: Who would play you in the story of your life?
Kimiko: Well, me, of course. I’m an actor, after all. Oh man, I don’t know who would play me. I think Eva Nobelzada is so talented, but if we’re looking for a Hoppa, my friend Olivia Oguma is pretty funny and wonderful. It would honestly be so fun to watch her interpretation of me. She’s a Broadway actress as well.

To keep up with Kimiko, follow her on Instagram. Watch Baby Shark’s Big Show on Nick Jr.