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Kingston Opener

Archival striped shirt by Helmut Lang

New Kid In Town

INTERVIEW BY VISUAL TALES
July 2024
Talent: Kingston Rumi Southwick
Photographed by: Henry Lou
Styling: John Tan for Visual Tales
Hair and Grooming: Ryann Carter using Tata Harper Skincare
1

Fading denim spencer jacket and trouser, both by Demo; silk mandarin collar shirt by Initial Gentleman; loafers, stylist's archives

2

"Afterglow" puff sleeve blazer and trouser, both by Demo

3

Bondage bomber jacket and distressed and patchwork denim, both by Yossi Homme by Yossi Shetrit; dress shirt by Givenchy; archival combat boots, stylist's own

4

Blouson with ribbing in desert nubuck calfskin with mosaic perforations, white compact cotton poplin tank top and wide-leg trousers with elastic waist in liquorice technical wrinkled cotton, all by Hermès

VISUAL TALES: Hi Kingston! Congrats on the news that your hugely popular streaming series on Appletv+ Presumed Innocent has been renewed for a second season. There are so many streaming series being released on a regular basis these days. When you were given the opportunity to join the show, did you have a sense that this show is going to achieve success?
KINGSTON RUMI SOUTHWICK: Reading the scripts for the first time and being able to work with people like Jake, Ruth, David, and JJ., I knew that people would connect to it on a level that is personal and different to anyone watching. We knew we wanted everyone watching to experience their own thoughts throughout the entirety of the show, but I honestly had no idea the amount of people that would be watching and loving it.

VT: Presumed Innocent is based on the 1990 film adaptation of the best-selling legal thriller novel by Scott Turow, the film stars Harrison Ford. Does the streaming series differ from the original film? 
KRS: I believe it is very different from the movie and the book not only because of its run time, but because of the creative influence that many people working on the show had. Seeing David E. Kelley and JJ Abrams create something that any kind of fan could love was incredible.

VT: How did you prepare for your role and what was the audition process like?
KRS: We wanted the Sabich house to sort of represent a courtroom of its own. When I was preparing for the role, I watched court cases in order to get to know the process of prosecutions. The conversations and sequences in the script were similar to a court case.

VT: The streaming series, just like the film, features a stellar cast from Jake Gyllenhaal, Ruth Negga, Bill Camp, Peter Sarsgaard, and more. All are veterans of the dramatics. Being the new kid on the block, how do you feel about working with these great actors?
KRS: At first I was terrified, just like anyone would be if they were put in a situation like that. After getting to know the cast better and feeling more comfortable on set, I felt a lot more at ease being able to bounce off of Jake and Ruth. Them being so talented made my job easier to navigate and take the scene where we wanted it to go.

VT: Since you are one of the key characters in the series, we are sure there are a lot of tense moments acting-wise, any specific moments you can share with us?
KRS: I remember the scene I shared with Jake where I was yelling at him outside after he had told us about his affair with Caroline took quite a while. We had done the scene many different ways, some takes of me completely screaming at him and others of me being really quiet. It was challenging but taught me a lot about how many ways a scene can go.

VT: You are only 16 years of age. When you think of most young guys your age, it is all about school, playing sports, and hanging out with friends. Was pursuing a career in acting has always been in your mind? How do you stay disciplined and maintain a normal life vs dealing with showbiz?
KRS: My whole life was my school and my friends before booking Presumed Innocent. I went to a public high school, I was on the baseball team. I had always wanted to be an actor but I had no idea that my whole life could pivot so fast. Once I booked the show and started filming I moved to an online school but I still wanted a high school experience. Throughout filming I tried to go to as many football games, dances, and school events as possible. I feel being able to keep friends close in a profession like acting is very important, especially as a kid.

VT: When you are not focusing on building your career and studies, what are some of your outside interests?
KRS: Photography is a huge part of my life, it's another way of expressing myself outside of acting. I had started film photography at the beginning of shooting Presumed Innocent coincidentally. It is a passion that I’ll continue to have for a long time.

VT: We heard that you love baking! Any great recipe you can share with us? Whats the secret to baking?
KRS: ALWAYS brown the butter when making cookies, thank me later.

5

Plaid shirt and denim, both by Yossi Homme by Yossi Shetrit

6

Bondage bomber jacket and distressed and patchwork denim, both by Yossi Homme by Yossi Shetrit; dress shirt by Givenchy

VT: We had the pleasure of meeting your dad at the shoot. We can tell how supportive your parents are of you. What advice have they given you and what valuable knowledge have they given you in terms of how to proceed with your career?
KRS: The thing I love about my parents is that whatever I try to accomplish, whether it's acting or music or sports, they always push me to do my best in whatever it is. I never feel pressure from them; which I’m incredibly grateful for.

VT: Remakes have always been a "go-to" with Hollywood. Why do you feel Presumed Innocent was necessary and right for the times when the original film was considered a classic? If you have the opportunity to produce a remake, which one would you choose and why?
KRS: It's a complete reimagining of the book and the movie, and in doing so we kept it as real as possible. I think it was the right time for a show like this to come out due to the rise in fans of drama and crime. It's a show that's within those genres but our show has something a little different from everything we’re seeing at the moment. If I had the opportunity to remake a movie it would be 'Stand by Me,’ or something similar. I loved that movie growing up and it was one of the reasons I wanted to start acting.

VT: Social Media/Popular Culture. We have asked a lot of young people about their opinions of social media and how it affects them mentally. As a young talented professional and on its way to stardom, what's your view on this? Do you feel it is a necessity in order to get notice?
KRS: Sadly it's a part of the job, I try to stay off social media as much as possible and only use it for work, but I also think it's a really good way of connecting people. I’ve been able to connect with other actors and musicians through social media and cultivate good friendships through it. I don't necessarily enjoy it, but I find the good in it; it's important and beautiful but only if you regulate it.

VT: Style. You are still in the very early stages of making appearances but from what we have seen so far, you are already aware of the importance of looking sharp. Share with us your personal sense of style.
KRS: Style and fashion is a huge part of my life. It's something I've always been interested in and especially now being able to have more freedom with my selections and types of clothes. I thrift a lot and love the community behind it. My mom has also been really into fashion her whole life. I'm big on 90s culture and clothes and she helps me choose what really connects to that time. She was the one who got me into the importance of personal style.

VT: If you can give advice to someone your age who wants to do what you are doing. Knowing a bit about fame, what advice would you provide them with?
KRS: Love what you do. Work at it as much as you can, you have to love the journey and accept the hard work that goes into it. Starting is most of the work, follow your love for whatever it is. If it's a short script you really like and want to make with your friends, have your sister or brother hold the camera. It might seem small, but it’s the start of your growth. It's the start of your love, for whatever you might want.

VT: Going forward, how would you like to see yourself in the next five years?
KRS: I would really enjoy directing a film, maybe even writing It. Hopefully in the next five years I'll be pursuing that. I've always enjoyed writing short scripts and scenes and making short films with friends. Even writing and acting in a film sounds amazing, I would love to be doing that soon.

VT: If there is a song that will sum up how you feel at the moment with everything that is going on, which song would you choose and why?KRS: ‘One’ By U2; one of my absolutely favorite bands. This is a band me and my dad have loved for a long time. Their lyrics are incredibly applicable, and especially with ‘One’ the meaning behind that song is that we are all beautiful together but have the freedom to be different individually. I love being connected with my job and the people in it, but showing my individuality in it as well is just as important.

7

Blouson with ribbing in desert nubuck calfskin with mosaic perforations, white compact cotton poplin tank top and wide-leg trousers with elastic waist in liquorice technical wrinkled cotton, all by Hermès

8

"Afterglow" puff sleeve blazer and trouser, both by Demo

Actor Kingston Rumi Southwick

Fading denim spencer jacket and trouser, both by Demo; silk mandarin collar shirt by Initial Gentleman; loafers, stylist's archives

9

Bondage bomber jacket and distressed and patchwork denim, both by Yossi Homme by Yossi Shetrit; dress shirt by Givenchy

Special thanks to: 
Kingston, Henry Lou and Ryann for their time and creative collaboration, Apple TV+, Brad Southwick, Siri Garber at Platform PR, Derek Chan at Demo; Lindsey Solomon at Lindsey Media; Yossi Shetrit, Nathan Simpson, Wesley Kan, Kate Frank, Katie Golancinski, Alyssa Haripal and Emily Shropshire at Hermes for their support. 

Kingston Rumi Southwick Cover1 copy
Kingston Rumi Southwick Cover4 copy
Kingston Rumi Southwick Cover3 copy
Kingston Rumi Southwick Cover2

from the Apple TV+ streaming series: PRESUMED INNOCENT

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