The following article appeared in the January 2024 issue of Ponca City Monthly magazine, which includes hyperlocal stories about Ponca City. Get full access to all online articles, videos and content by becoming a paid subscriber. We offer free and paid subscription plans. Find rack locations to pick up your free print copy here, or subscribe here to get online access plus exclusive content.
“That’s life. It’s all change.” ~ Gloria, Barbie
While you are pulling together your dreams for the New Year, thinking about what resolutions might help you get there, you can keep in mind the people you know who have made their dreams come true — in many different ways. One such person is former Ponca Citian Kimberly Manning, a young woman whose diverse skills, her ever-expanding creativity, led her to meet one goal after another.
Lately, if you know Manning and have been watching her on social media or elsewhere, you will have seen her a couple of important and interesting places — places that show she understands both the blessings and the hard work associated with her career path. If you saw the hot new film Barbie, she is in the awesomely fun outdoor roller-skating scene, and if you’ve been watching the recent SAG-AFTRA strike, you may have seen her on those lines as well.
Manning understands advocating for others just as she’s confidently advocated for herself her entire career. When she was contacted last year by the casting director to help select four trick skaters from several who had submitted for work in an unnamed project, she didn’t feel any were a good fit for the project and, instead, pulled together a quick pitch video of six skaters she works with and thought would be a perfect fit. The casting director agreed and submitted the video proposal to Mattel Films. The film went with her whole group and decided to have her choreograph. She didn’t even know it was for the Barbie film until they were on location on Venice Beach.
Having been in several films, Manning realized you never know if you’ll end up on the edit floor. However, at one point, she remembers hearing director Greta Gerwig say, “Well, let’s just get a shot of her even if we don’t use it.” With much appreciation, Manning says, “That ended up being the opening shot where you see me twirling into the Venice world. I’m happy that all my ‘Royal Rollers’ made it into the movie.”
Of the Barbie paparazzi, Manning says her group shot beginning at 8 a.m. one morning, and by noon that day she and her skaters were already on several news sources. One even ended up in People magazine, and she was highlighted on sports.yahoo.com. All that was even before they knew if they’d make the cut through the editing process. Since the film’s release, her IMDb Starmeter has shot up to 5x its previous number.
This isn’t the first time Manning has been on television or film. She was Peachez on the first season of Flavor of Love, and she’s been on David Letterman, The Grammys and Jay Leno singing and/or skating with George Clinton and P-Funk (who she sang and traveled with for a decade). She can be seen on Shameless, Jane the Virgin and was nominated for a SAG-AFTRA Best Background Actress of the Year award for work on Strange Angel.
Manning is known to many as Clinton’s Roller-skating Songstress, but she also has three solo albums and has been featured on countless other albums and worked live with artists such as Snoop Dog, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Common, Atmosphere and Future. I could go on and on with the list of credits of shows where she has sung or skated or performed acrobatic or stunt work. She says her various careers seem to cycle back into one another in meaningful ways.
When talking to Manning about some of her experiences, I can see why it’s important to her to work with those on strike — for her own benefit and for others. She talks about the first movie she worked on, Rock the Cradle, with Vanessa Redgrave (not yet Dame Redgrave). Filming in NYC, there was a break where they brought water bottles to the stars. One background actor asked for water but was denied. Manning says Ms. Redgrave stood up making it impossible for filming to continue, and she said she would continue to stand until they brought that gentleman water. Manning feels that is exactly what occurred with this strike. Stars stood with everyone else to get equal treatment, respect for the craft and hard work. The stars lost their jobs for the jobs of others. Manning says, “It is because of them that our union is strong.”
There were many concerns for those like Manning who rely on the work and benefits of a wonderful but sometimes fickle career. For one, insurance doesn’t stay consistent. It depends on the amount of money made each year, and since there are so many issues with residuals on streaming contracts that has made income not nearly as consistent as it should be even for those whose faces we see on our screens. Another more recent issue that is found in many fields is AI and scanning. Scanning is an issue in film because if a person is scanned their likeness can be utilized in other films in perpetuity, which seems unfair when Manning, also a musician, compares it to other fields like music where the artist would receive pay if their songs were used again. So, it would seem, the likeness of stunt persons, skaters, background actors and so on should be the same. Manning tells of being scanned back in 2019 with the threat of losing the job if she didn’t agree to it. Hard choices for actors and stunt people needing to work for both pay and benefits. The changes may take work from many, but we are seeing a beginning.
It appears the SAG-AFTRA strike has come to a tentative agreement, and although we do not know the exact details yet, many of these concerns appear to be at least addressed in the contract. In a message to members, the union said the contract is valued at over $1 billion and includes higher pay increases, a streaming participation bonus and regulations on AI. It is also said to include higher caps on health and pension funds, compensation increases for background performers and protections for diverse communities. While we do not yet know what exactly those mean, at least they are the beginning. We will hope for a solid one since it is said to be the largest contract gain in the history of the union. We hope those professionals like Manning see advances and protections for them in their career field.
Manning went to school in Ponca City and then received her Musical Theatre degree at the University of Tulsa. She’s been onstage with Ponca Playhouse and for Kem’s Gym and Inciardi School of Dance at the Poncan Theatre. She’s performed at other venues around town and presented workshops. She comes back for family events and, even though she lives in and travels to big cities, has filmed many of her social media tutorials outside the beautiful Marland Mansion, which she often calls Lydie’s Mansion.
Ponca City may be home, but the world is Kim Manning’s creative canvas. Her creations have been music, dance, skating, choreography and more. She is a young woman who is intelligent, knows her worth and isn’t afraid to go out and seek one adventure after another. What Manning would tell you is, don’t waste those moments because sometimes that is all you have. Remember that moment when filming Barbie? Greta Gerwig says, “Well, let’s just get a shot of her even if we don’t use it.” Of that moment, Manning says, “That was my one shot. I had two seconds to make it happen, and that’s the main shot you see in the Barbie movie. You never know when it’s your opportunity, but when it comes it comes, so you best make yourself ready!”
Manning knew how to twirl into her few seconds when the opportunity came to her. Will you? Be ready. Be brave. It’s a New Year, and the world is waiting for you!
Lately, if you know Manning and have been watching her on social media or elsewhere, you will have seen her in a couple of important and interesting places — places that show she understands both the blessings and the hard work associated with her career path. If you saw the hot new film Barbie, she is in the awesomely fun outdoor roller-skating scene, and if you’ve been watching the recent SAG-AFTRA strike, you may have seen her on those lines as well.
Manning is known to many as Clinton’s Roller-skating Songstress, but she also has three solo albums and has been featured on countless other albums with artists such as Snoop Dog, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Common, Atmosphere and Future.
Greta Gerwig says, “Well, let’s just get a shot of her even if we don’t use it.” Of that moment, Manning says, “That was my one shot. I had two seconds to make it happen, and that’s the main shot you see in the Barbie movie. You never know when it’s your opportunity, but when it comes it comes, so you best make yourself ready!”
Manning knew how to twirl into her few seconds when the opportunity came to her. Will you? Be ready. Be brave. It’s a New Year, and the world is waiting for you!
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